The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-05-07
[coNnuslcArED.l
WASHING Ton, April AZ, 1889.

ricultural, manufacturing, and commercial inter
ests, brief sketch Of its present state OF ad-
vancement may not prove unnteresting to your
readers
About twenty five years ago the government
of the United States DESTROYS Of furnishing the
navy and mercantile marine of our country with
hemp grown within our own borders, not only
as means of national defence but OF promot-
ing the agricultural interests, attempted to intro
duce the process of water-rotting into the hemp
growing region, it having been well ascertsned
that foreign hemp owed all its superiority TO
that process. Experiments were made in many
parts of the country, which, from many unto
ward circumstances, led to the general conclu-
sion that the process was destructive 10 animal
Ne in such degree TO render il imprscticable
N eur climate, in consequence OF which the at
tempt was abandoned AS utterly hopeless.
was one among those who attributed The iuju-
RES alleged to have arisen from the process to
other causes, aggravated by exaggeration and
prejudice and did not doubt that the time would
arrive when all ous shipping would be clad in
American hemp Being extensively engaged
in the manufao ture of cordage, and having much
intercourse with the board of navy commission
era. | found that Commodores Rodgers and
Chauncey concurred with me in the opinion,
who, in 1897, selected me to undertake to sup
ply the navy with that article, promising me at
the time their utmost influence aud power to
make the enterprise profitable. Being engaged
in n lucrative business, WAS willing to embark
in nm undertaking so hazardous and arduous
NV attention, however, continued to be fixed
on the subject; and in June, 1889, having
business with the Hon. j. X Paulding, then
Secretary of the Navy, it became a topic of
conversation during the interview. lie also
urged me to uniertake the enterprise. AS an
indication Of my reply to his solicitation, quote
nm extract from his letter, February % h, lS49
"You thought the thing practicable, but stated
many objections, and declined the undertaking,
until offered such encouragement as overcame
your objections. ] have always believed that
one of your leading motives was that by which
was myself overwhelmingly, wish to con.
fer benefit on your country"
/ embarked in this enterprise at the above pc.
Rod, when the growth of hemp was principally
confined to the State of Kentucky, and did not
exceed three thousand tons, which was of nte-
rior quality, of dew rotted. Itappears from The
late census that the production of water and dew
rotted hemp in the Union has run up to sixty
two thousand tons per annnm; large portion Of
which is manufactured for domestic purposes,
the balance shipped to foreign countries. Icould
furnish much proof us to the nstrumentaty
of my efforts in bringing abont thi, great result,
but shalt coufne myself to al extract OF letter
from the late Secretary of the Navy, Hon. J. X.
Paulding, dated April co. 1862, which says:
"For this do not hesitate to say on my own
personal knowledge the country is indebted to
YOUR exertons, experience, enterprise, and per-
severance, amid every species Of obstacles and
encouragement, and to the ruin of your affairs.
1t is by these exertions and sacrifices that the
United States are now in a great measure, if
not entirely, Independent of foreign nations for
an article so indispensable to their naval and
commercial marine. perceive that motion to
take up the bill for your relief was objected to
in the House Of Representatives by member
from North Carolina, whose motives have no
doubt were equally honest and patriotic know
very well, from past experience, that great pOr-
ton Of the claims presented to Congress are
frvolou, fraudulent, and deceptive, or at least
founded on weak, selfish principles by which
men are so often led into erroneous ideas OF
what is due to themselves and Others But the
recompense you ask of Congress is no adequate
equivalent for your own labors and sacrifices,
much less for the benefit you have conferred on
our country and it seems strange that, while
that body is displaying such unbounded liberality
in applying the public property to the construc
ton of railroads through deserts, and in behalf
of future 40 well as uncertain benefits, i. should
thus long have delayed to discharge debt OF
honest gratitude for one of such magnitude al
ready received. am as great devo'ee of pub
Tic economy as the member from North Carolina
whose known vigilance in watching over the
peoples money cordially approve, at the same
time that conceive the obligations of justice
superior to those of mere penny saving.
"Recoectiug, as do, that was myself in
strumerta in persuading you to enter on nm
undertaking which had been declined by every
other man to whom it was proposed, cannot
but feel interested in the success OF your appli-
cation; still less can withhold my respect from
your firm reliance on. the justice of Providence
If not that of Congress. 1t is the great sheet
anchor, and, though it may sometimes drag n
little in the storm, never fails to bring the ship
up at last To that commend you, with my
best wishes for your Gnal success"
Hon. Stephen A. Dougas,i in his able address
delivered before the Annual Fair of the New
York State Agricultural Society, held at Roch.
ester in September, 1851, ndvertedt to the growth
of hemp in the United States, and evinced much
knowledge on that branch of industry, an ex
tract from which here give:
alt has lor.g since been ascertained, however
that our soil and climate are well adapted to the
growth OF hemp, and that we can produce il
cheap aud in abundance. 1t is row believed
That the hemp grown in Kentucky, Missouri
ONO, ILLINOIS, jhOiana, iowa, anu perhaps o'hei
States of the Union, is fully equal to the Rus
sian in strength and texture and that our
countrymen have discovered a process Of rottine
by which ii can be rendered equal if not supe
rior to that of Russia for all purposes to which
the latter has been applied in this country
This fact renders the culture of hemp vel
worth the attention of American agricultursts
A people now only the second. and destined
soon to be the first, commercial and maritime
nation of the world, ought to bestow specia
care on all products necessary to The success OF
it's commercial and naval enterprise. The ca
pacity of our soil for the production of hemp is
unlimited, while our immense foreign coastw>t
and internal navigation ensure to it an ample
and increasing home market"
In zorro boration of his remarks, quote from
| q letter of Messrs. Sewal d Day, of Boston
| extensive manufacturers, dated July 81, 1916
They spenk thus:
hat iinu N