The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-08-14
From the Boston POSI-
THE INSPECTION OF HEMP.

The order from Mr.. Bancroft Secretary of the
Navy, instructing the chief of the Bureau of Con-
struction to authorize the hemp agents In the States
which grow that staple to have waer-rotted hemp
for the navy inspected and tested finally in the re-
gions where it IL produced, without requiring
another inspection in this State, gives entire satsfac
ton to the farmers of Kentucky and other hemp
growers. After inspection at the agencies, the de-
partment is to be at the expense of conveying the
hemp to our navy-yard, or TO any other place of
manufacture where it may be wanted The Secre-
tary says he is induced to hazard the slight incon
venience and expense which may temporarily result
to the government from the proposed change for the
sake of the permanent benefit which it may confer
upon it in the increased culture improved quality,
and reduced prices of American hemp
Complaints were made in the Missouri papers
that the Navy Department, in continuing the old
practice of inspection, neglected to carry out the
resolves Of Congress, and afford to own agricu-
tursts the protection and encouragement intended
by those resolves, by enabling them to compete with
the foreign production. Mr.. Bancroft, from care
full perusal of the resolutions of Congress- and the
opinions of some of the legislators who assisted
in passing them, cannot resist the conviction that
they designed TO encourage the culture of this
important staple by opening to its producers val
liable market in their own region. And he remarks
to the chief of the bureau:
"One of the principal reasons which have induced
your previous action this subject, appears to be
that provision OF congress WHICH requires All sup
plies for the navy to he furnished, after public adj
yertisement by the lowest bidder. You will meet
the requirements of this law, and the purposes of
the congressional resolves to which have referred
by advertising in the first instance, exclusively for
American hemp; and you will allow foreign hemp
to come into competition with our own, only when
the latter cannot be obtained on the conditions pre-
scrbed by law"
We have regretted to see the complaints, which
were becoming pretty loud against Mr.. Bancroft in
the western papers, and felt confident that his action
would soon remove all cause therefor We rejoice
to find, by the following in the Louisville DECO
crat, that the of the department in this matter
is entirely satisfactory 1t is undoubtedly Mr.. Ban
croft's wish to take always the most enlarged, lbe
raj, and national views:
at takes democrats to do things quick, and do
them we'll Read the orders of the Secretary of the
Navy in another column. 1t will be seen that we
have got just what the West wanted--the market
opened for hemp that the government may need, at
our own doors, where the hemp is raised. Let the
farmer now produce the article which will answer
the purpose Of the navy and the quantity needed by
the government he can sell at his own door, without
foreign competition. In fact he undersell the
foreigner, and then make a large profit.
"We felt confident that man of Mr.. Bancroft's
sagacity could not read the law passed by Congress-
without seeing that the department was both author
lied and required to purchase the hemp wanted for
the navy in the hempgrowing regions, and not sub
iect the farmer to the necessity of sending his hemp
all the way to Charlestown upon uncertainties.
"There is no doubt but the interest of government
and the interest of the hemp.growcr are both con-
suited by this arrangement. We have heretofore
given $3.50 per ton for Russia hemp. The Ameri-
can waer-rotted can be sold at $50 $3.50 per ton.
The hemp can be inspected with as much care and
skill here as at Charlestown and if the quality Of
forty per cent Of what is purchased should prove
not equal to what is wanted for the navy, gov
eminent would still save money by the operation.
"Our farmers do not need the protection ofpolit-
cal legislation. They can produce the article want
ed and they can sell it cheaper than the foreigner
All they ask is justice, which will be just as much
to the interest of the government as II is to theirs
The democrats make no asnne promises Of two
dollars day and roast beef and shout off no in
comparable humbug about protecting American
Industry but when Justice is wanted to any great
interest Of the country the people will learn present.
ly who is prompt to grant It,.