Weekly North Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1850-1858, 1851-01-22
Forthe North Carolina Standard.

Mr.. HOLDEN: Please excuse me for attempting to
call your attention at this particular time, when law
makers. Editors and Printers so busily engaged
with important business the condition Of the
Mechanic and Mechanic arts at, this time in North
Carolina. The Resolutions recently laid before the
General Assembly. recommending tax upon all az
tcles manufactured in, or brought from non-save-
holding State, will have, in my humble opinion, but
very little effect in establishing the independence of
the State, or in promoting, in general way, the
higher branches of Mechanism. The few enterpris-
ing men, who have dared to establish themselves as
Mechanics, have never been able to rise above ,ro
cent business; and the reason is very obvious Ii
gentleman wants Carriage. it must come from
Newark, New Haven. or Troy. His Harness, Sad
dies, &C., must also be imported. II plough. it
must be of WHght's, or Smiths, or Browns make.
because the handles are beautifully curved, and
ornamented throughout with red or blue paint"
If Mill or Steam Engine is wanting, it is net ne
cessary to enquire whetheit be built in this Stale,
tor 1t must of necessity come from the North, and so
with every other article in use.
On the other hand, if a Carriage, Plough or Steam
Engine &c. wants repairing, and the work is attempt
ed by Mechanic here, he is not prepared to do 1t in
good STYLE The consequence is, heis called boch.
and threatened with the loss Of every mans patronage
and must be taunted with, "Oh, if l had known this
would have cost so much, and l could not have had
it done than this, would have sent it to the
North. could have had it done in New York,
Boston, somewhere else in less time, and much
cheaper" Now this is what is said to the Mechan-
ic's face, and what lis said of him elsewhere, pre-
sume is not more encouraging.
1t is not to be expected that man can keep shop
full of tools and first rate Mechanics always ready
to do job with '' neatness and dispatch :; is it
possible for him to have very heavy stock OF ina
teial hand transact this kind of s. pin hook
business. The people of North Carolina will find
that it is easy matter to establish their ndepend-
ence; and unless the Mechanic is elevated by the
personal protection and encouragement Of the wealthy
and influential citizens of the State to higher posi-
tion than he now occupies, they never will be nde-
pendent. They cannot expect to build up here in
few months, what has taken years to establish else
where; nor can they expect enterprising, intelligent
and skillu Mechanics to remain amongst them, when
such strenuous efforts being made to crush every
important public enterprise that presents ITSELF Two
years have already been wasted in discussing the
propriety of building the North Carolina Rail Road,
and fear that it is very ,tle if any its COM
mencement now than it was two years ago; and un-
less do better than this in establishing the
arts and manufactures, we had better pay the North
little longer for the privilege of furnishing US what
We want. than to lay tax to prevent US purchasing
from them. Let every man in the State use his In
tiuence to build up Factories and Workshops, and
sustain them and exalt the standard by which SUI
perior Mechanical skill be correctly estimated
and rewarded. and you will see in few years that
the Resolutions referred to unnecessary and in
stead of bring ing manufactured articles into, we can
be able to send them of the State; our Coal and
Iron mines will be opened the wealth, and power,
and independence of the State will be fully develop
ed and readily appreciated.
A PRACTICAL MECHANIC.