Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1829-08-24
From The Pirginin LITERARY Museum
TUE POLICY OF ENCOURAGING MANI

FACrCRFS.-Nu. 6.
We must now place the Mauufact,rer br IN, '. ,e h
\ ,.iculITiSt-.JsJtTSoD.
We have now examined the principal objections
% the policy of encouraging manufactures in Virr-
MA, not perhaps with the copiousness that the sub
lpct required, but fully accorded with the mar
row limits OF this journal and think we have
SAID enough to satisfy any mind which had not prculr-
cd the question, that those objections are all invalid
that human abour Is as cheap cheaper than il is in
the countries which now supply with manufac-
tnres mat II some parts OF the requisite capital arc
dcare with us than with them, others vet cheaper
that the moral and political evils appreheu,pd b,.
some from the establishment OF manufactures are Ell
theT visionary inevitable any state of things
and would be essencd rather tina ed by such
establishments and lastly, that the labour and Cant
tal OF country do not, at all times and under all
circumstances, spontaneously take the most proi,a-
bic direction, but that, when IT first becomes qdyar-
tageous Tor nation to manufacture for itself the
ssenc? OF the government may Ge bencficiay exert
cd IN inducing individuals to acquire the recuisite
skill and knowledge, in changing the habits md
overcoming preJudices OF the consumers, and in pro.
letting the first underakGrs against the hostility Of
foreign rivals, and ruinous fluctuations of trade
These difficulties which meet us in the TIN eshold
ana which have been so tofcbly urged by the oppo.
nents OF the manufacturing policy, being removed it
requires little argument to prove the benefits tina,
would arise from the introduction of manufactures
among u.s. Every one knows that country must
nave cOlIc5 furniture, tools and utensils as well no
PROVISIONS and that lis wealth consists in the abun-
udilCe O tic species OF commodities well
the last. II is evident that there are but two WAYS
OF procuring the manufactured articles one by civ
ing raw produce in exchange for them and the other
by iaorcating them at home. The first mOde de-
Ponds on the concurrence OF foreign nations; we
cannot purchase of them, If they will not buy ofus
Ii they refuse to purchase -four and other bread
stuts, the states which have little else 10 eynurt
must, Of necessity, supply themselves with manuac
lures or do without them. This has been the sjtua-
ton OF the middle states, and part of this state for
the last ten or twelve years. Being thus deprived of
the market they formerly had in Great Britain for
theH principal staple, wheat and not finding il easy
TO tun their industry into the ccstomcd channel
oil manufactures the consequence has been that their
lands have fallen price, with their products wa pes
have also fallen, and the incomes of all classes have
been proportionally diminished, and thus, with all the
constit cnts Of national wealth, except manufacturing
SIKH, we have, for want Of that been continually
growing poorer aud poorer
Let us suppose it practicable to acquire manuCac.
Turing skill in Virginia. it seems reasonable to sun.
pose that we could Profiably engage in the following
manufactures
Course couol CrLrics The circumstances in favor
OF this manufacture that the raw material ID one
oi The staple products of the country and of course
De had sofnewha cheaper here than in the northern
Siitcs In tins manufacture, too machinery is pecu-
1Ty efficient, and water power is no where cboapet
tIan IN Virginia In the only three experiments
known 10 u.s. the undertakers have met with scccss.
one at Petersburg, one in Flavanna, and one al Rich
mona. In the last, Cunningham g. AnGcTson's man.
naciOry thick course cotton fabric is made nj four
teen cents the yard which once better and clpa
per than German oZnaburgs for slaves and must we
THINK, supersedc the use Of that article altogether
Bulky iron JHbTics Whenever the expense If
transportation adds materially 10 the cost ofhe ma
nniactrcd article, e. but toerable degree oT manual
skil Is rep ed, the manufacture may be carried on IN
more places where iron can be obtained on reasona
bic terms Nails, ploughs spades, hoes axes scyibe
blades saws augc's aud similar tools are of this do
scnPtOn nearly all Of which now procured abrond
or I'D other states. Some Of these articles are nov,
manufactured near Richmond, Of superior quality
IN mandatory owned by General fIaryir, and II
deserves to be mentioned, III Confirmation of some of
our previous specuotions, that the abour is here
Tied on almost entirely by slaves.
COarse D00ktens Whenever our citizens shall turn
thcr attention to The raising Of sheep 20 a. 10 furnish
an adequate supply Of wool on BILE terms fa
brics Of this material may he made in any village
possessing water power md sufficiently large 10 at
tJrd accommodations for the requisite workmrn 80
The supply Of the raw material and it's manufacture
wall 60 hand in hand. AS soon ns a ready market is
furnished at home for WOOL it will probably be anrd-
cd as cheapy IN tho western parts Sfths state as in
almost any part Of the Union
SuDpOsng u practicable las We really believe 10 10
b'l To manufacture these articles for ourselves in
No. hong time, what must be the effect on the wealth
aud prosperity of tie state! Without induging in
oLy golden visions of the utmost possible oeulenco
We may confidently say that the PROSPERITY of tho
state would be greater, and would rest upon more
solid foundation, than at any former period Wewl
briefly notice The consequences that may ya'iouuy 90
expected