, 1860-02-08

litical fortunes Of MARYLAND under his guidance
with m abiding interest. lie Is the leader o1
his party, and lie il tue popular farerite Of ths
State, and, in tho Developments. to which the
times point, it may turn out to be his fortune 10
play no incousiderable part in the history Of the
country.
---"Sobody," Of The n. Y. Timts, writing oI
Sherman, III tie uouse, the day after he had
declined to be u candidate for Speaker, says:
Immediately after prayers and rolcall this
morning. John Sherman, Of Ohio, took his nat
nrul pluce on the floor as The Republican leader.
He called the previous question on q motion TOR
which, if they could hare bsen Used In his own
hehnff, might htse elected him.
--!"Nobody" says Of yallandigham:
ynllandigLan. Of Ohio, next rose. speaking
as IT he thought his words precious, and clostns.
if dolinE out sou1e trcasu1 Ut thouaht in small
coin, to be counted rs 1t fell. He 10 . strong
md talented man, but one who will be never
under'ralued 60 long as he is his own appraiser;
Flax Culture and Flax Cotton:
The meeting at the State House last evening
E!ns composed OF goodly number Of the prac-
tfcal men Of this city and vicinity. who had met
to listen ia IN address from Stephen n. Allen,
ESQ.,, Of boston, upon the culture Of hax aud
its fabrication By tie use Of machinery similar
to that used in cotton and manufacture.
Edward .. Pearce, Esq. first Vice: President
of the Rhode Island Society for the Encourage
melt Of Domestic Industry ptesidcd, and it,
trodueed the speaker.
Since 1851 Mr. Allen hasexperimented e1ten-
sively upon flax cotton, the results Of which
have been at least quite hopeful. He gave
detailed history Of thosc experiments, some Of
the most Important Of which were conducted in
this Stute, in connection with Nr. Stephen K1u-
dali Of Centrevil1e, and Geo. " Brown ot New
York, with the use Of machinery built by Il:
Sisson i Co. Of Coventry. The principal con-
illusions that had thus far been arrived at we're,
in brief-slat it is unnecessary to rot the straw
or to pull the FAX, thus removing very serious
obstacles to the profitable production Of the ar
tic!e by our farmers; that the old manner Of
breaking the fax by laborious process in the
latter stages OF preparation, 1lay be superseded
by the use Of small machine in the earlier
stage, to the advantage Of the material, audit
great Saving Of labor; nnd that the former
mode of extracting the gluten is susceptible Of
gseatimp1uTement---
These conclusions. have been practically md
successfully applied, and there is good renson
our own Northern soil that shall ansW er eTery
purpose for which cotton is used, aud which
will p1ore superior to it on the score of econo-
my. 4 small tactoty has been erected at Water
TORN, Mass, for the manufacture of fhEllla COM
posed in part Of fax, and Mr. Allen exhibited
samples Of white cloth, jean and pair Of hose,
in the manufacture OF which from 20 TO 80 per
cent. Of it WIS used.
Several gentle1ncn ayailed themselves Of Mt
Aliens invitation to question him, thus elicit
Ing considerable information further than ttat
which be had already given.
1n order to show the Importance Of the article
which had engaged the attention Of the meet
ing, Cor. Dyer read from slip Of paper state
ment which he had complied Of the export, i'm
port and consumption, by which it appeared
that during the last eight .yeass, the average
import Of the raw material has amounted to
$1s6,s9o; average import Of manufactures Of
tl4x, $3,Sll $50: average export, STAT ,645;
average consumption, 81 ,ss3, ,51l.
Tn motion Of Amos Perry, Esq, q vote Of
thanks was rendered III. Allen, for his interest
Ing and valuable address, after which the meet
lug Observation-Disclosures Post, Sd.