him to draw up his report on manufactures, to the important assistance of Tench Coxe. If my limits would allow me to insert his correspondence with every department of government, the above remarks would be clearly demonstrated; but I must confine myself to a few.

The various disorders of 1787, and the want of a national system, affected very severely a number of persons in the large towns who were engaged in the different branches of manufactures. These were more numerous and much more important than was at that time perceived by persons of the closest observation. The laws of some of the states imposed considerable duties upon the fabrics of all the rest, in some instances as high as the impost on similar articles manufactured in foreign countries. The remains of the excessive importations of the four preceding years were constantly offered for sale at prices lower than their cost in Europe, and less than they could be made for in America. From a deep sense of these inconveniences, exertions were commenced in various parts of the United States, by persons of all descriptions, to relieve the manufacturing citizens; which appeared the more desirable to many, because the necessary measures tended at the same time to promote the great cause of union among the states, and to repress habits of expense which the war, and the peace likewise, though from very different causes, had introduced into most of the towns, and too many parts of the country. The citizens of Philadelphia took a very active part in these salutary measures, and instituted a society, which afterwards proved of considerable utility, to carry their views into execution. An address was delivered by Tench Coxe to an assembly of the friends of American manufactures, convened for the purpose of establishing a society* for the encouragement of manufactures and *The Plan of the "Pennsylvania Society for the Encouragement of Manufactures and the Useful Arts," founded in 1787.

The wealth and prosperity of nations principally depend on a due attention to agriculture, manufactures and commerce. In the various stages of her political existence, America has derived great advantages from the establishment of manufactures and the useful arts. Her present situation in the world calls her, by new and weighty considerations, to promote and extend them. The United States, having assumed the station of an independent government, require new resources to support their rank and influence, both abroad and at home. Our distance from the nations of Europe,-our possessing within ourselves the materials of the useful arts, and articles of consumption and commerce, the profusion of wood and water, (those powerful and necessary agents in all arts and manufactures,) the variety of natural productions with which this extensive country abounds, and the number of people

the useful arts, in the University of Pennsylvania, on Thursday, the 9th of August, 1787, and published at their request.

in our towns, and most ancient settlements, whose education has qualified them for employments of this nature,-all concur to point out the necessity of our promoting and establishing manufactures among ourselves. From a conviction of the truth and importance of these facts, a number of persons have agreed to associate themselves. Every member, on his admission, shall pay to the treasurer the sum of ten shillings, and the same sum annually, which shall go into the general fund, to defray the necessary expenses of the society, to confer premiums, and to accomplish every other salutary measure consistent with the design of the institution. For the better employment of the industrious poor, and in order to render the society as useful as possible, a subscription, for sums of not less than ten pounds, from any one person or company, shall be immediately opened to all persons whatever, for the purposes of establishing factories in such places as shall be thought most suitable; to be called, "The Manufacturing Fund."

The Hon. Tench Coxe, Esq., Philadelphia.

BOSTON, June 14, 1792.

My dear sir, I have perused with renewed pleasure your remarks on the state of the Union, which you have obligingly inclosed to me. I shall think it useful on every account to cause them to be republished in our gazettes. The principles and facts are valuable as an acquisition to our political literature. But their tendency to foster an affection for the Union, in which self-love so plainly co-operates with patriotism, and their efficacy against the silly charges of our own malcontents, render them peculiarly useful and seasonable. A Briton, too, is ready enough to believe that the civilised world reaches no further than the Land's-End. You have furnished good physic to cure him of his prejudices. It has been too long the fashion to listen to the rant of eloquent ignorance. Our newspapers were formerly stuffed with declamation, almost without a single fact. Your publication not only furnishes knowledge to the public mind, but it establishes principles of discipline, which will assist in producing more for itself. Accordingly I beg you to accept my thanks for your work.

The bank mania, though checked, is not cured. This state has rejected a proposal for a state bank. But the defeated still hope success in some other form. Happily, our interests as a state are better founded than our opinions. Trade prospers, ships are in demand; the rate at which they are chartered is said to be high beyond what has been known in common times. Produce sells readily, and at a good price; yet the merchants complain that trade is overburdened. In short, there is scarcely any thing that seems to languish.

I am, with sentiments of esteem and regard, your obliged and obedient humble servant, FISHER AMES.

The Hon. Tench Coxe, Esq., Philadelphia.

BOSTON, July 11th, 1793.

My dear sir,-You will please, with my thanks for the inclosure of the ingenious remarks on the scheme of a manufacturing town, to accept an

From the petition to the legislature of Massachusetts, and other collateral facts, the evidence is conclusive that cotton spinning in this country, further than the hand-card and one thread wheel, was carried through its first struggles by the Beverly company in Massachusetts. What was done in Bridgewater, must have been a small concern. In accordance with the general spirit of enterprise and indefatigable exertions among the citizens of Massachusetts, in all local and national concerns, the Beverly company, with tremendous obstacles in view and at the risk of their fortunes, made an attempt to accomplish an object which they knew would ultimately promote and extend the wealth and establish the independence of the united colonies-who had just emerged from European oppression, and declared to the world that they were, of right, free and independent; the monarchs of the world having acknowledged their national existence. The eagle-eyed legislature of the old Plymouth colony foresaw, that, without protection of their national industry, their independence was but a name, and that they had

apology for the delay of an answer. Knowing that printers are more fond of publishing amusing than instructive tracts, I had doubts of the punctual insertion of the piece, and I chose to delay my answer till it had been done. The Centinel has at length given it to the public. While the discussion of the subject affords pleasure and instruction to the political economists, it coincides perfectly well with the prevailing temper and views of the eastern states. Even if it should be doubted whether manufacturing companies will prove profitable to the adventurers, yet as a very efficient means of introducing and perfecting the arts among us, there can be no question of their ultimate usefulness. The spirit of enterprise has of late been uncommonly ardent. Your observations are well adapted to the making it both inquisitive and cautious. I cannot forbear noticing, also, the great propriety and advantages of interesting the hopes of our citizens in the operations of a government of sufficient energy to protect and reward their industry and enterprise. So much is done by incendiaries to make the people hate and fear it, I think it a task worthy of a patriot and philosopher, to hold up the bright side of the case. You have done so well heretofore, especially in the refutation of Lord Sheffield, that the federal men have placed a reliance on your continued attention to the same subjects, as time and circumstances may render their further elucidation necessary. It is not many years since the encouragement of the arts was deemed an Utopian scheme in our country. One would think experience had-fully proved the solidity of the principles of the advocates for manufactures. But even yet the southern gentlemen hold it up as a bugbear of usurpation of power, and dissipation of public money. You have stated facts which ought to have the effect of undeceiving them; and if the spirit of party could be reasoned down, I should suppose you had done it. I am, dear sir, with sentiments of esteem, &c. &c.

FISHER AMES.

lost the bravest of their sons, had fought and conquered, and still remained subservient to the aggrandisement of their enemies.

Rhode Island caught her spirit of manufacturing from the Beverly company, which had been formed in Massachusetts, and from this company she received her patterns of machinery and the mode of operating the machinery; though it must be acknowledged, that both states were indebted to foreign emigrants for instruction and assistance in spinning and weaving, and also in preparing the

cotton.

At the recent great meeting in Boston, on the subject of opening a rail road to Albany, the infant difficulties of domestic manufactures were thus adverted to by Mr. Hallet:

"We talk now of the future, in regard to railways, with doubt, as of an experiment yet to be tested, and many look upon the calculations of the sanguine as mere speculating dreams. Here is a new avenue about to be opened to the development of resources, and yet men hesitate to go forward. Let us test what we can reasonably anticipate in this, by what we know has happened, in the development of resources once deemed quite as visionary, through another medium of industry and enterprise-domestic manufactures. There is not an adult among us who cannot remember the time when it was a source of mortification to be dressed in homespun. Now, our own fabrics are among the best and richest stuffs of every day consumption, and the products of our looms are preferred even in foreign countries. Forty years ago, who would have dared to conjure up the visions of such manufacturing cities as Lowell, and Fall River, your Ware, Waltham, and the hundreds of flourishing villages which now constitute the most prosperous communities in this commonwealth? How small and feeble was the beginning of all this! In 1787, the first cotton mill in this state was got up in Beverly, by John Cabot and others, and in three years it was nearly given up, in consequence of the difficulties which the first beginning of the development of the vast resources of domestic industry, in our state, had to encounter. I hold in my hand," said Mr. Hallet, "a document of uncommon interest, on this subject, found in the files of the Massachusetts senate; which will show the early struggles of domestic manufactures, and the doubts entertained of their success, more forcibly than any fact that can be stated. It is the petition of the proprietors of the little Beverly cotton mill, in 1790, for aid from the legislature to save them from being compelled to abandon the enterprise altogether.

Petition of the Proprietors of the Beverly Cotton Manufacture. "To the senate and house of representatives of the commonwealth of Massachusetts, in general court assembled, June 2, 1790-The proprietors of the Beverly Cotton Manufactory beg leave to represent, that the establishment of a manufacture of cotton, in imitation of the most useful and approved stuffs which are formed of that material in Europe, and thence continually imported into this country at a very great expense, has been attempted by the said proprietors. This attempt commenced in the year 1787, from a consideration of the extensive public advantages to be obtained by it; and on this occasion your petitioners may be permitted to declare that in that view of the subject, the hazard of their private property, and the many obstacles which have since deprived them of every hope of present emolument to themselves, were overlooked. The design has been prosecuted, although it has proved much more arduous and expensive than was at first conceived, and under very discouraging circumstances, so far as to demonstrate that it is practicable; and that the manufacture, being once established, will be sufficiently lucrative to support and extend itself, and will afford not only a supply for domestic consumption, but a staple for exportation. The general use within the United States of imported cotton goods is well known to this court. It may be necessary to suggest for their reflection, that articles of this extensive consumption among us have been provided by foreigners, whose commerce we have thus encouraged, and that in this, as in other instances, we have been draining our country of a circulating medium to contribute to the wealth and populousness of Great Britain. Removing the occasion of this destructive traffic is not the only public advantage to be derived from the manufacture of cotton, as undertaken by the said proprietors. The raw material is procured in exchange for fish, the most valuable export in the possession of this state, and, at this time, in great need of encouragement. It must be evident that the cod fishery will be essentially encouraged by extending the demand for the imports to be obtained by it. This manufacture finds employment and support for a great number of persons, and among others for infirm women and children. In its immediate operation, and in the commerce and navigation connected with it, this honourable court will not fail to discover the beneficial influence of this manufacture, and especially upon the landed interest, by the increase of people and national wealth, which may be expected from it. The said proprietors, in the prosecution of their design, have necessarily incurred a variety of expenses and losses, which succeeding adventurers cannot be liable to. Among those experienced by us, are the following, viz:-The extraordinary price of machines unknown to our mechanics, intricate and difficult in their construction, without any model in the country, and only to be effected by repeated trials, and long attention; one instance among many of the kind is a carding machine, which cost the proprietors eleven hundred dollars, and which can now be purchased for two hundred dollars. The extraordinary loss of materials in the instruction of their servants and workmen, while so many are new, and the additional losses sustained by the desertion of these, when partly informed, and by the increase of wages to prevent it, in consequence of the competition of rival manufactories. The present want of that perfection and beauty in their goods, which long established manufactories can exhibit, from the skill of their workmen, but principally from the use of