Sidebilder
PDF
ePub

machines which your petitioners have as yet found too expensive for them to procure; (meaning the Arkwright patents). But not to trouble your honours with details which would encroach too much on the time of this court, your petitioners have ever conceived that the government of this commonwealth would at least indemnify them for these extraordinary expenses and losses; which cannot be reimbursed by any future success of their design, since the models of machines, and the essential information obtained at their expense, is open to every succeeding adventurer. The expenditure of the said proprietors has already amounted to nearly the sum of £4,000, the value of their remaining stock is not equal to £2000, and a further very considerable advancement is absolutely necessary to obtain that degree of perfection in this manufacture, which alone can ensure its success. This necessary addition to their stock will enable the proprietors to rival in beauty, perfection, and cheapness, the European manufactures; and in that case, they shall willingly trust in the prudence and patriotism of their countrymen for a preference. But the proprietors having already hazarded, some their whole fortunes, and others very large sums, are obliged to declare, that, without aid from this honourable court, no further advancement can be made. And, mortifying as it is, they feel themselves in the necessity of relinquishing a design highly beneficial to the public, and undertaken by them from the purest motives. The intended aid by a grant of land, made by a former legislature to the said petitioners, has not in any degree answered the purpose of it. Your proprietors now pray, that, in lieu of that grant, some more real and ready assistance may be afforded them; submitting to the wisdom of the honourable court the particular mode of effecting it. Your petitioners conceive that the establishment of a manufacture, which gives encouragement to the most valuable branch of commerce possessed by this state, which must in its operation increase the number of people, and prevent those emigrations which have become so frequent, and are so dangerous to the landed interest; a manufacture which, once established, will retain amongst us large sums of our circulating medium, and greatly increase the wealth of our country, cannot fail of the attention and protecting influence of this honourable court, and in this confidence they still anticipate the success of their design; and as in duty bound will ever pray, &c.

JOHN CABOT,

[ocr errors]

JOSHUA FISHER, Managers. "This petition," said Mr. Hallet, in a discussion of a proposed rail road, in Faneuil Hall, Boston, "was referred to the committee of both houses for the encouragement of arts, agriculture, and manufactures, (of which Nathaniel Gorham was chairman,) and with all the lights which that intelligent committee then had on this subject, destined to become one of the greatest means of developing resources ever opened to national prosperity, they cautiously reported that from the best information we can obtain, we are of opinion that the said manufactory is of great public utility. But owing to the great expenses incurred in providing machines, and other incidents usually attending a new business, the said manufactory is upon the decline, and unless some public

[ocr errors]

assistance can be afforded, is in danger of failing. Your committee therefore report, as their opinion, that the petitioners have a grant of one thousand pounds, to be raised in a lottery' on condition that they give bonds that the money be actually appropriated in such a way as will most effectually promote the 'manufacturing' of cotton piece goods, in this commonwealth. Where now is the little Beverly cotton mill? And what has been the mighty development of resources in domestic industry in forty-five years, since the date of that petition, when the wisest men among us had got no farther than to a belief that the said manufactory was of great public utility! Is there any vision of the great public utility of railways," said Mr. Hallet, "which can go beyond what now is, and what will be in forty years, that can exceed in contrast what we know once was and now is, in the development of resources by the investment of capital and industry in domestic manufactures? The petitioners for the little Beverly cotton mill were doubtless deemed to be absurdly extravagant, when they hinted that the manufacture of cottons would one day, not only afford a supply for domestic consumption, but a staple for exportation. But what do we now see? Our domestic fabrics find a market in every clime, and vessels, lying at your wharves, are receiving these goods to export to Calcutta.

"The world is beginning to understand the true uses of wealth, to develope the resources of the country; and it is in great enterprises, which benefit the public more than those immediately concerned in them, that we have a practical demonstration of the doctrine of the greatest good of the greatest number. Much is said, and more feared, about the divisions of the rich and the poor. But in truth, in our happy institutions, we need have no poor, forming a distinct class among the citizens. Where is your populace, your rabble? is an enquiry which has often puzzled the foreigner who has passed through our streets when thronged by a multitude. We have no populace-no rabble, but free and independent citizens. What has made them so? The development of our resources. What has stopped the tide of emigration that once threatened to depopulate New England? The development of our resources. Go on developing these resources, and there need be no fear of setting the poor against the rich, for there will be no poor to set against them. All will be rich, for they will have enough; and no man is in reality any richer for possessing what he cannot use. When men of capital are found hoarding it, holding it back from enterprises, and cautious of doing any

thing to develope the resources of a community, there is then just cause to fear the operation of unequal and injurious distinctions. Take from industry and enterprise the means of acquiring wealth, cut off commerce, manufactures, canals, and railways, and you will lay the surest foundation possible for the despotism of one class over another. But open all these great resources to all— extend your facilities of intercourse throughout the country, and you cannot repress the energies of men; you cannot keep them poor long enough to mark them as a class. Your gradations in society will be stepped over, forward and backward, so often, that no distinct line can be kept up. This is the vast moral power, which is exerted on society by the investment of capital for public benefit, without unjust privileges; in great projects. Here are the true uses of wealth, in a government like ours, and this great specific lies at the bottom of the philosophy of our political economy. Develope the resources of the country-place the means of wealth within the reach of industry, and you produce the happy medium in society. All will then move forward evenly, as on the level of a rail road, with occasional inclined planes and elevations, but none that can stop the powerful locomotives which impel forward every New Englander-enterprise and moral energy."

The action on this petition, and the previous grant of land, are the first acts on record of direct legislative encouragement to domestic manufactures in the state of Massachusetts; and therefore it is a document of great interest highly honourable to the enterprise of the citizens of Massachusetts, and to the sagacity of her legislature. Some assistance appears to have been granted to Mr. Orr* of Massachusetts, and it is thought to have been done previous to the grant to Beverly.

* In 1786, Robert and Alexander Barr, brothers, from Scotland, were employed by Mr. Orr, to erect carding, spinning, and roping machines in his works at East Bridgewater, where they were made. On the 16th Nov. 1786, the general court of Massachusetts, to encourage the machinists, made them a grant of 2007., lawful money, for their ingenuity, and afterwards added to the bounty by giving them six tickets in the state land lottery in which there were no blanks.

In March 1787, Thomas Somers, (an English midshipman,) under the direction of Mr. Orr, also constructed a machine, or model, and by a resolve of the general court of the same date 201. lawful money, was placed in the hands of Mr. Orr to encourage him in the enterprise.

The above machines and model remained in Mr. Orr's possession, for the inspection of all disposed to see them; and he was requested by the

As there are several claimants from states and individuals, for the honour of having commenced the first carding and spinning of cotton, it will probably be more satisfactory to the parties concerned, and to the public, to insert their own accounts of their first operations, from which a judgment can be formed of the merits of the case.

"To the Board of Managers of the Pennsylvania Society for promoting Manufactures and Useful Arts.

"The report of the committee for manufactures :-This committee, considering that the business in which they are engaged had attracted the public notice, and that it would be expected some account should be given of the progress and present state of the institution, in August began an enquiry into the state of their funds, their stock of goods, machines, and utensils, by which they are enabled to lay before you the following statement, and they flatter themselves it affords a pleasing prospect of future success. It is now about twelve months since this society was formed, and subscriptions were entered into, some of which, for various causes, have not yet been paid. They therefore state the amount of the subscriptions received to the 23d August, and show the manner in which the money hath been applied.

[blocks in formation]

"With a view to meet one idea of the subscribers, the employment of the poor, and to promote the other objects of the institution, the committee purchased a quantity of flax, and employed between two and three hundred women in spinning linen yarn during the winter and spring, and also engaged workmen to make

general court to exhibit them, and to give all information and explanation in his power respecting them.

It is believed that the above, in 1786, was the first jenny and stock card made in the United States.

It is said that the first muskets ever made in America were made by Mr. Orr. Also the first nails made by machinery were manufactured at BridgeMassachusetts.

water,

a carding engine, and four jennies, of forty, forty-four, sixty, and eighty spindles, for spinning of cotton; and, as soon as the season would permit the house to be fitted up, they were set to work. It is unnecessary to observe on the difficulties which occur in so arduous an undertaking as attempting to establish manufactures in a country not much acquainted with them-such as finding artists, and making machines without models, or but imperfect ones. The committee have further had various obstructions thrown in their way by foreign agents, of which you have already been informed. From these causes, it happened, that it was the 12th of April, 1788, before the first loom was set to work; the number has been since increased to twenty-six, and in them have been wrought the following goods, to August 23d :—

"Of jeans, 2959 yards, corduroys, 1974, federal rib, 67, beaver fustian, 57, plain cottons, 15671, linen, 725, tow linen, 1337— total 7111 yards. Besides in the looms two hundred yards of jeans, corduroys, cottons, and linen; out of which manufactured goods they had sold, at this time, of jean, dyed cotton and linen yarn, fine and tow linen, &c. to the amount of four hundred and forty-eight pounds, five shillings, and eleven pence half-penny, besides which, in order to show the state of the factory to the 23d of August, 1788, in a clearer light, they subjoin the following statement of the stock account :

[blocks in formation]

Goods on hand at the bleachers and printers,
Materials and linen yarn on hand,

Outstanding debts,

£453 2 6

[merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small]

"In addition to the enumerated articles manufactured to the 23d of August, we annex the following to Nov. 1:-Jeans, 759} yards, corduroys, 3831, flowered cotton, 39, cottons, 2095, flax

« ForrigeFortsett »