The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-05-27

AMERICAN wATER.RorTED HEMP.

We have been favored by Mr.. Myerle, Of Mis-.
souri, with the following letter from Mr.. Paulding,
late Secretary of the Navy. We shall give Mr.. M
a fair opportunity Of being heard on the merits Of
his scheme, which, he Informs us, has already
contributed to drive the Russian hemp from the
American market. However, this is subject
which we do not profess to understand; and we shall
leave it to Mr.. Myerle to develop in some future
number Of "The Union," as he has promised, the
advantages of his scheme; and the popularity II has
already attained
New YoRK, Goth January, lS45.
Sir: have received your three letters, whichI
have not answered, because / really could not dis
tincty comprehend what it was you required Of me.
have, i do not mistake, dlready given You full
statement ON the subject Of your contract with the
Navy Department for the supply Of American
waer-rotted hemp, SO far as could recollect; and
do not well see what more you desire. As to the
intrigues and efforts of your rivals or enemies,
know nothing, and can say nothing. AT this dis
lance of time cannot distinctly remember the pre-
else terms of the contract; but this do know that
my object In making it was not the paltry one Of OBJ
tanning two hundred tons of hemp, but to ascertain
the pacticability Of producing American water
rotted hemp, and to encourageits production, with
view TO render our country independent Of all others
for the supply Of article equally Indispensable
our navy and our commerce. knowing well the
obstacles you must necessarily encounter in the
outset Of this arduous undertaking, overlooked
your first failure in the performance of your con-
tract; and being satisfied that you had used every
effort, and incurred large expenditures in prose-
cutting your undertaking, willingly renewed il, for
the purpose of allowing more time for testing the
experiment. felt that the risk you had run, and
the labor and expense you had encountered, indie
Of 9th ad
you 10 this indulgence. If other designs have been
ascribed to me, it was probably by either hav-
ing difect personal interest in defeating your OBJ
.ject, or incapable of proper conception of the
higher motives by which / was actuaicd. Several
years previous to my entering the Navy Depart
ment, great efforts had been made, and great en-
enlargement held out by government, through the
medium of the Navy Department, for the cultivation
Of American water -rotted hemp; but without sue
cess. 1t was alleged, that the delays and diff
cutes, well the unhealthiness Of the process,
were such as to deter every prudent man from the
undertaking; and am under the impression that
not pound of water-rotted hemp was produced
at any rate the project failed totally and entirely
and was not renewed until you came to me and ex-
pressed your conviction that it could be carried into
successful operation then entered into contract
with you, with view TO ASCERTAIN its practcabty,
considering it object of the highest national con-
sequence; allowing you what you thought fair
you succeeded in demonstrating the practcablity of
producing water-rotted hemp, know; because you
transmitted to me sample of your manufacture, far
superior to any Russian ever imported and that you
failed in completing your contract in time, had
ample reason TO believe was owing to the difficulties,
delays, and obstacles, incident to undertaking
new, and attended with so many circumstances OF
encouragement. ! therefore promptly renewed
your contract, not choosing a great nation
al object should be arrested by such pal
try consideration, more especially as the depart
ment had on hand supply of Russian hemp suffi-
cient for all purposes II, therefore, appears to
be the case the production Of waer-rotied hemp has
already extended not only to the domestic supply,
but to large expectations of that article have no
hesitation TO express my entire conviction that this
result is in great measure, if not altogether ow-
ing to your having set the first successful example
If in comforting this great benefit upon your country
you have involved YOURSELF in ruin, while others
reaping the benefit of your sacrifices, it is only
what has happened a thousand times before, and
will happen ten thousand times hereafter The
generous spirits who, animated by conviction little
less than inspiration, enter upon and achieve under
takings from which ordinary men reco with uncon
querable apprehension, are only the pioneers foi
every prudent coward who waits until the path is
cleared then oste the hardy adventurer on one side
and proclaim to the world that what he has done
might have been done by any other just as well
And so 1t might, had other men possessed the same
ardor, courage, and perseverance, that animated the
man who first conceived and created the enterprise
any body can follow, only one can lead. Although
our government may not be under any legal obliea
tons towards you, yet in my opinion, setting aside
all little technical points and nice distinctions, The
country owes you the price of great benefit and is
under strong obligations to your enterprise, YOU
perseverance and your sacrifices, to make YOU
amends; which may easily be done by entering into
a liberal contract with you for large supply o.
American water-rotted hemp, or by reasonable re.
muneration for your expenditures, either Of which
may be authorized by Congress, should it think
proper. am at all times ready to aid you in YOU
efforts, far as regard to facts and truth will carry
me; but you must not expect me to become party
in the interested squabbles of rvsl contractors Of
rival politicians.
am, very respectfully, sir, your obedicnt ser
want,
j.. X. PAULDING.
DAVID MYERLE, esq,
Washington.