Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1834-03-27

rations, are not exceeded in our whole
country, are thrown back upon the saw.
ings Of years Of unceasing toll > or cas-
upon the charity of community, whose
suferings are little less than their own
FIJI Your Mernorialists would further re-
spectiully show, that in the various Iron
Foundries in this State in the years | 83
1882 and the first half Of 1888, the an
nual consumption Of Pig Iron, exceeded
! 2,475 tons, large portion Of which was
the product Of our own country. The
consumption is now at less rate than
$50 tons per annum, and this quantity IL
daily decreasing. The number Of hands
heretofore employed in the same Furna-
ces, was three hundred, mostly heads of
families. That number is now reduced
to about fifty.
i In regard to the Lumber business,
your Memorialists have procured stale
ments from the Lumber merchants in
Providence only. Itappears that at this
season of the year, they have hitherto
been under contract for Lumber TO the
amount Of at least $4,000, and at the
present time have ordered but S AGO.
They state further that their retail trade
has fallen off from so to 10 per cent
The Master Builders, some of whom the
last year employed more than twenty
Journeymen, are now without any con
tracts, and consequently most Of their
hands have been discharged In vari-
Gus Furnaces and shops there have been
annually consumed more than 900 tons
of anthracite coal from the mines in
Pennsylvania, and 100 tons of bitumi-
nous quality from the coal mines ia Vir-
ginia. The consumption of this article
must have decreased more than fifty per
cent.
In Wrought Iron, from the ore Of the
middle States, the quantity heretofore
consumed in various mechanical uses
has been large. The consumption has
diminished nearly One-half. Indeed in
every branch Of our various occupations
the materials used and the labor employ
ed, have decreased in all equal ratio to
those before stated.
This universal stagnation of business,
and the deep distress which pervades all
classes of the community-this system Of
contraction which has brought misery to
all our dwellings and condemned 81 ma
ny deserving poor to idleness and want,
ought TO arrest the attention of the con-
stituted authorities of Government.
Your Memorialists have sought the
cause of this sudden and fearful change,
and can attribute it only to the derange-
ment ofthe currency, and the consequent
arrangement of commercial confidence,
increased by apprehensions of future in
stability. Your MemoriaIists can hope
for no favorable change, unless through
the interposition Of Congress, as guar
dians of the general welfare. They
therefore ask from Congress, consider
alton Of the distressed condition of the
country, trusting confidently in their
wisdom to adopt such measures as will
restore confidence, reanimate enterprise,
and open to industry its acc ustomed chan
'els OF action and support.
On motion, it was Voted, that the me-
norial be printed, and that each dele 9 ate
'e furnished with Il copy, for the purpose
If procuring signatures, and that MIR. Il.
Z. Holden be Committee to attend TO
he printing. i
Voted, That the memorial, with the
ignatures, be returned to the Prcsi dent {
f this Convention within one week.
Voted, That the memorial be forwar-
cd to our Senators and Representatives
y delegation Of Mechanics.
A committee Of five was :hen appoint
d for the purpose of transmitting the {
,emorial to Washington, by delega- II
on; or in such other mode as they may b
,nk proper.
Messrs. George B. Holmes, Wm. c. Il
'arker, Larned Scott, II. Y. Cranston I
nd Nathan A. Brown, were appointed l
lat Committee. 5
Voted, That the Chairman of each l.
Plegation be committee for the pur- n
ose Of furnishing the delegation with n
cts, not contained in the memorial, re- ii
'ecting the condition of Mechanical In "
lstry in the State. "
Voted, That such information as the -.
,legation may procure in Washington, b,
, published by the committee for for d'
arding the memorial, if they think pro- m
n, in the name Of the Convention. ca
Voted, That the proceedings of this &c
onvention be signed by the President 1t
ID Secretaries, and published; and that AZ az
copy of the Resolutions, with their sig ."