The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1831-1858, 1832-02-08

consider 1t somewhat singular, and certainI,
unusual mat we should be together for so lon,
period and their sentiments be unknown /,
the House at moment like this, when the,
have IN charge some of the greatest interests .,
the country though presume in due time W,
shall learn what they are | will give them m,
confidence IN tins matter, as | would 10 AM
COMMITTEE OF the House on subjects generally
until 1t is manifest that confidence is misplaced
The gentleman from New York, on this a,
well as on several other occasions (when Ina w
sat and borne it, has uttered on this floor dc
camatory phillippics against the manu- lactureis
( designating them by harsh and reproachfu
terms. such as monied aristocrats, oyerbearng
! manipulating capitalists Why is this Ian
! guage, which might be pardoned as the offspring
/ OF excitement, repeated? | will not Question
/ the motives of the gentleman, but must say il
looks like an attempt at effect out of doors-at
] dsPlay-and it does make false impressions or
the minds OF those unacqIanted with Tho mat.
ter, and therefore does iniary
| IL has generally been the pleasure of those
who would be thought great advocates for Fl zee
trade, as they call il, Ia make the wooens in.
terest Their target 10 FIRE at. Why this deter
mined hostility? Why is this interest always
hontcd at Why is ii the perpetual theme OF
unmeasured denunciation' will make few
remarks Oh the capital brought into action by
this interest, in reply 10 the gentleman, that he
and others may see no is denounced and what
they aim to PROSTATE
shall not be very specific as to sums, but
will furnish data from which accurate aompu
tations may be made, adapted to the difference
in the value Of agricultural property 10 differ
ent portions OF the country, and will then call
on the gentleman TO refute, if he can, the IN
ference which must be made | say then that
there is scarce an employment in the country
that dlttuses its benefits SO wide and gives such
encouragement te labor as the manufacture of
woollens. What is woollen cloth ? 1t is almost
exclusively from bottom TO top the produce of
agriculture. In the first place the raw mnter-
al, the WOOL is from the back of the sheep, and
in the second place tho labor which works it,
and which is comparatively great, is maintain
ed and supported upon The prodac of agrlcu!-
ture; and further, some Of the most costly dyes,
such as Indigo, are also the fruit of agriculture
II follows that the cost Of woollen goods goes
mainly 10 the benefit Of agriculture, and think
there is no hazard in asserting that every dol
lar of capital which is invested in the manufac-
ture OF wool gives employment, constant and
unceasng, to from five 10 six dollars of agri-
cultural capital | will throw out some data
which may not be precisely accurate in its APP
plication throughout the country, but it will en-
able every one who chooses to investigate the
subject, to satisfy himself that there is no error
in the general inference have made. Suppose
we take woollen mill costing 100000, which
is far greater sum than most CT them cost, for
the greater portion of the establishments are on
a moderate scale such a MILL if built with
economy, would employ from l60 TO no per
sons in it, and would work up annually about
100000 pounds Of wool. will not undertake
to state with precision how many sheep it
would take to produce this quantity, for am
not informed how much the average shearing
in this country is, of wool in good condition
for the market We have some information on
this head as TO foreign countries. In Germany
including Hungary, Gallieia, and Prussian
Poland, they clip two pounds head in Spain
and Portugal. one and an half; in France, two
and an half; in England, three and three fou-ths
Tho WOODS, l,o~e-s-,--f-FranoA and England
are of inferior quality TO those of Germany
Spain, and Portugal If our sheep yield two
pounds at a clippldng, then such factory would
take the wool of 100 900 sheep annually, the val
Ne Of which may be easily estimated There is
some difference Of opinion as to the quantity OF
land required TO keep that number of sheep
some allow three and some four to :he acre for
The season, including summer and winter this
is also a matter that every one can adiu upon
his own experience information and deter.
mine the value of the land required 1t will
take also of agricultural produce to sustain the
laborers and horses employed by such u mill
about to the value of $4,000 annually shall
not undertake to estimate the value of the land
necessary to yield this amount of produce an
nually Every farmer, however, can do il, for
he knows what the surplus of his labor is worth
But an estimate founded upon this data may be
made as gentlemen please, the amount OF agri.
cultural capital to which the woolens business
gives employ will be found 10 greatly exceed
the capital vested in the manufacture of the
goods, and will amount, think, upon any rea-
sonable valuation, to five or six times as much
This, sir, is matter worthy of investigation
for this interest djffuscs itself more widely and
extends its benefits to greater number of la
borers and small capitalists than any other
whatever, and it is of quite as much Importance
that we should understand it, as it is that we
understand the amount Of duties on lion Skins
toilinetts, and swans.downs.
What do those who make war on the wool.
lens propose to do To transfer this business
from the farmers and manufacturers of this
country across the water TO the hands of for
eigners-tO the farmers and manufacturers of
other nations-that is the proposition-it is TO
put a stop to the immense operations of this
capital and labor and give others the benefit of
it, Ii is these classes of our citizens, the spin
ner, the weaver, the farmer who follows his
plough and shears his sheep, that are denounc.
ed as moneycd aristocrats, as naughty monopo-
lists who are to be stripped of their employ
men with such opprobrious charges Sir, it is
importers, and commercial capitalists, and it is
fact established early as 1921, that about
four .fflhs of tho importers of woollens were
then foreigners. and it is said that about seven
eighths of them are SO now. Why are the Amer
leans, our countrymen, driven from this trade
Because they cannot keep pace with the Eng
lish in perpetrating frauds in passing goods
through the custom house. A document has
recently been published by committee who
have examined the transactions at the custom.
house in New York, and it states that four Of
these foreign houses have in the las: twelve
months imported more than million and an
half worth Of .woolens These are the men,
sir, that beset our doors with incessant com.
plants about the tariff, and cry out against the
farmer and manufacturer as monied aristocrats
they have, sir, capital without limit, and by
means of il bestride our necks, as the monster
did that Of Snbad line Sailor, and we are as in
capable of shaking them off. Sir, this language
towards the manufacturers is abusive, and IN
charity excuse it on tho ground that those
who utter it are ignorant of the mon of whom
they speak. ! do not intend, sir, TO be forced
at this time into the discussion of the great
questions which have been stated. But | felt it
n duty | owed 10 the worthy class Of my fellow
citizens who have been greatly misrepresen,ed,
md to that efficient body of working men whom
Immediately represent to repel the unbound
cd charges brought against them, and to throw
them back upon the assaiants to whose skirts
they will cling.
! Sir, the proposition of the gentleman from
! Virginia demands an account OF the effect nnc
operation Of the revenue laws bnt the objec
seems 10 be TO limit the inquiry to the per &C Mt