The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1831-11-01
From the NJ Y. Erenirg Post.


remark, that the genius Of our country
men is peculiarly turned TO mechanical
Inventions. The fact is generally ad-
mi,ted, and it is perhaps not difficult to
assign the cause. Necessity, according
to the ancient proverb, is the mother of
invention and the early colonists ofthis
| country were driven by thousand me-
cessities to the exercise oftheir ingenuity.
+ The professors of the innumerable arts
of Europe did not come out with the first
hardy spirits who planted these shores,
and the consequence was that every man
was obliged in some measure to become
his own artisan. A multitude of expedi-
ents were contriyed to supply the place
of the conveniences To which they had
been accustomed. Shelter was to bc de-
vised against the rigors Of new climate,
the dangers of a wilderness full Of wild
beasts and savages were to be guarded
against the resources of II new country
were to he explored, and the materials it
furnished sought ont and applied to hu-
man use. The habits of mechanical in
genuity thus created were transmitted by
the first colonsts to their descendants,
and from part Of the national character.
Jonathan, as our neighhors over the wa
ter call him, is distinguished from his
brethren of the old world by prompt
habit of casting about for eypedients in
every emergency, by the multitude Of
patents he takes out every year for new
inventions, and by the vast quantity of
contriyances proverbialIy called ''no-
tions," which he turns out. He is con-
tinually occupied in dcvising how he may
do the most work with the least expense
of exertion, and the abundance Of the
means of living in this country affords
him leisure to pu, his plans to the test of
actual experiment.
We have before us u record of all the
improvements in the arts, machines aud
manufactures invented in the u. States
and entered in The Patent Office since
the year 1893, when the first patent law
was passed. 1t is contained in a docu-
ment transmitted last winter to Congress
by the Secretary nfState, and comprises
n list of no less than SIX thousand lnven-
tions, tie product of American ingenuity
in the course of ihir,y-six years. During
that period, the plough has been made to
undergo one hundred and tcenty- four im
pr'.yemcnts. One hundred and nineteen
thrashing machines have been invented.
That great problem, the extraction of
butter from cream without fatigue to the.
operator, has been solved in eighty ways
by the inventors of eighty churns aud
hal l,. hoe l,,< all 4 4,
out of one hundred and twenty five wash
ing machines. One hundred and twenty
three machines have been invented for
making nails the number of new spinning
machines exceeds n hundred; the num-
ber of improvements in the loom is sew
eniy-thrte, and in the manufacture of
hats forty-three. The number of steam
engines exceeds hundred, that ofstoves
is nearly the same. There have been
lorty-two new ways contrivcd for manu-
featuring combs, in which we presume,
is Included the late ingenious invention
for cutting them by II single operation,
into all sorts of figures. Four new ma
chimes forparing apples have been inven-
ted, and three gridirons. Pencil cases,
ramrods, ruzors, and suspenders, have
each been subjected to various improve.
ments. An inventiou has been patented
under the name Of "dog power, another
termed an ''elevator otpots and kettles"
and thir.l destined for a useful domestic
purpose under the sonorou, Greek name
of ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS"
We are pleased to see some Of the Clay on
pers copying tho letters OF Stephen Simpsons;
AID sincerely wish they would all do so
The baseness of the man, and the fact that
he Is entirely influenced by desire for
office. sacrificing all principle aud all ap
pearance OF proprlety, sincerity and honesty,
to that single object, is very apparent upon
the face OF his letters; and when the people
perceive that such man can be taken by
he hand and applauded and praised when
the fact OF his beng thus influenced
and actuated is apparent, they will be oble
TO pot proper estimate upon the feelings
and motives OF our opponents, who, IN their
opposition 10 General Jackson and his
administration, are evidently like Simpson,
hankermg after the flosh pots OF Egypt Il |
Is impossible that any thing which Simpson
can now say or do, can have any effect IN
hjaring the cause OF Andrew Jackson. We
could as soon believe that Benedict Arnold |
or Aaron Burr could influence the votes of
The American people, as that Stephen Simp
son could now do go. fils character, his
feelings, his utter want Of all honest and pat.
riotlc principle, 10 legbly stamped on every
line he writes, and our fellow citizens are
quite competent TO see it. We repeat that
We wish, sincerely, that all the Clay papers
would copy his e,lers.--.Nsp Orleans Cour.
Rioious proceedings in Hudson. = w o learn
that most unacounlable excitement, lea ding
to acts OF violence and the disturbance OF
public worship, has existed in Hudson in |