drels, known by the name of kidnappers-generally against them. He who knows our heart, knows a part of the refuse population of the section in that we would not "prophecy" evil to any portion which they practise their manstealing; and be- of our country, but we feel seriously convinced that sides, many have been imported from Africa and "God is just," and that this people will one day. the West-Indies, contrary to law, smuggled into the break their chains, if they are not voluntarily loosencountry, on account of the great demand for human ed. What occans of blood will then be shed, what flesh: the carcase of a man oftentimes bringing more horrors of horrors prevail, which present justice and humanity may possibly prevent! than 1000 dollars! The following table shews the population of the fen states, or the then territories which now compose them, as they stood in 1790 and 1810: 1810. Free In our next number we shall offer a scheme for this purpose, in direct variance, however, to the opi nions that generally prevail on the subject in the states mast deeply interested. But let us recollect what France was before her revolution, and what she achieved in her battles for liberty; and, what is still more remarkable, we ought to remember what 168,824 Spain, debased Spain did, when her people believed 105,218 they wer› striking for freedom! The servile popu 80,561 lation, filled with enthusiasm, annihilated the choic44,555 est legions of imperial France; and, assisted on her 17,088 borders for a long time by a foreign power, at length aided by that power, actually invaded the nation 5,395 that sacrificed a million of lives to subdue her. It 34,060 3,011 is not force that will keep our slaves as they are; it is gentleness and mercy, supported by intelligence, that must do it-if any thing can do it. But this is a subject which we do not wish to dwell upon-6.048,557 1,191,346 yet there should be an awakening of the people tothe actual condition of their affairs. 7,239,903 The fact is, that 18.628 2,249.553 1,158.677 3,799,004 32,659 consideration. The following singular case is copied from a North John versus Superior court of law, for the County of The population of the southern section of the U. under present commercial prospects and the exStates consisted in 1810, of 2,249,553 free inhabi- tending cultivation of cotton in the East Indies to tchts, and 1,158,677 slaves. The census of 1820 supply the European market, wherein laboris much will shew of the former about 3,000,000 freemen, cheaper, and the commodity, of course, lower than and 1,800,000 slaves: the high prices of cotton, &c.blacks collected in the southern states will prove a slave-labor can produce it with us-the quantity of within the last few years, having caused an extraor-serious incumbrance on the white population, and dinary demand for, with an increased care of the it will probably be difficult to employ and maintain slave-species. Now let us seriously ask the question, where is them to advantage. This is a matter worthy of deep this thing to end? Allow only 15 years more, and the same tract of country, if slavery is not permitted beyond the Mississippi, except with the addition of Florida, by which also there will be an accession of slaves,will contain at least three millions of them!a number equal to that of several of the nations of Europe, who have long maintained their independence, a quantity sufficient to constitute a respectable government, far superior, in this respect, to our own when the congress of 1776 ventured on the promissory note, drawn in the usual way, for the This suit originated in the county court, upon a declaration of independence. We shall not calcu-sum of 62 dollars. The execution, protest, &c. was late the consequences, if some great man should proven in due bank form. The defendant failing rise up among them and invite them to freedom. to establish his pleas, of course, as usual, the bank We have seen that the savages, whose known mode obtained judgment. The defendant, much to the of warfare is to spare neither age nor sex, have re- astonishment of the gentlemen learned in the law, ceived aid and comfort, arms, ammunition and sup-craved an appeal to the superior court, for which, plies, from a foreign country which makes a parade the sum being small, he easily obtained the necessaof its regard for the blacks-and, einbodied in the ry security. He was told by the attorney for the south and possessed of the shores of the gulf of bank that it was ridiculous to appeal; that the acMexico, supported by the powerful fleets of a jeal-tion was brought upon a plain note of hand, that the ous nation, how shall they be reduced to obedience? bank must recover; and that it would certainly deIt is hardly to be expected that they ever can be mand the damages that the law gave, as well as the -they will exterminate our borders or have to be interest. However, the defendant said he was the exterminated. The feelings of at least three fifths best judge of his own business; and that if he mut of the people of the United States will not be enlist-follow the advice of a lawyer, he preferred one that ed in the controversy, except by the distresses of was not employed against him. So the appeal was of their suffering countrymen. Jefferson says, "the regularly brought up; and, as the bank always have Almighty has no attribute that can take side with their own notary and witnesses, of course the plainus in such a contest." Let those immediately inte- tiff was ready; and as the defendent could make no rested look a-head to natural results, and prepare defence to a plain note of hand, payable and negociable at bank,he could have no legal excuse to comBut we see that a person convicted of negro-steal-tinue the cause-so both parties were, orcompelled, ing in North-Carolina, was hung on the 23d ult. A powerful interest was made to get him pardoned; but the governor would not yield. May such be the fate of the whole fraternity! to be ready. an action upon a plain note of hand, brought against The bank's attorney informed the jury that it was the defendant, the maker, and which the bank d | N. B. The other two suits were dismissed; and the defendant marched out of court calculating the costs of the three suits in both courts. Legislature of Connecticut. GOVERNOR'S SPEECH. Gentlemen of the senate, and Gentlemen of the house of representatives: discounted for his profit-I mean, gentlemen of the jury, accommodation- and which he had most ungratefully neglected to take up, pay, and discharge; and that the bank was compelled to bring three separate suits on this small note, (holding it up to the jury,) one against himself, and one against each of the endorsers-and that these suits were brought in the county court, and judgment obtained; and the defendaut was fool enough to appeal to this court, where he must inevitably be cast; and the If I do not greatly mistake, the affairs of our councosts in the three suits will amount to more than the try have, at no former period, displayed more exhidebt; but, gentlemen, it is not the bank's fault-thelirating subjects of contemplation, than at present. defendant has brought it upon himself.-The note The nations with which we are principally connectwas proved, in due form, by one of the clerks of the ed, appear to be convinced of the utility of justice bank, who swore to the defendant's hand writing; in their intercourse with the United States. The and the jury was informed by Mr. Attorney that it causes which menaced future conflicts, are yielding was unnecessary to prove the protest and notice to to the influence of reason and humanity. In regions the endorsers, as the action was brought against the which have been but recently explored, new states maker. The calculation was made, and the jury are forming, under constitutions founded on just told that the bank expected their verdict for 562 principles of civil and religious liberty. Rules for principal, $2 for protest, and $5 89 interest-mak-preventing disputes, and for promoting the settleing the aggregate sum of sixty nine dollars and eigh-ment of vacant territories, have been established, of ty mine cents. which the world has afforded no former examples. The defendant stated, with a mournful counte- Our swarming population is rapidly extending, unitnance, that it was true the bank had accommodateded by the same language and laws, and by kindred lim by lending him the money; that the times were ties of mutual affection and interest. In short, those hard; that he thanked the bank for their kindness; sublime conceptions of the future happiness and yet he did not think it a very great accommodation | grandeur of the American nation, which were preto be subjected to the cost of three suits, when the sented by the sages of the revolution, to the admira. act of assembly authorises both the drawer and en-tion of their remote posterity, have been eminently dorsers to be included in one writ; and he hoped to realized, during a single age. As no other people make it appear, that, in this case, the bankers have have been equally distinguished by Divine favor rot even accommodated their own selves. He ad- and protection, we are specially wred to manimitted that it was a plain note of hand; that he justly fest our gratitude to the Supreme Being, by a pru. owed the bank $69 89—but that the bank was in-dent use of the inestimable privileges committed to debted to him in a larger sum; and that, as he had entered the plea of set-off, he asked the jury to find The duty assigned to us in particular, is so plain, the issues in his favor. He then took out of his that it cannot be easily mistaken. We are members breeches pocket an old leathern bag, and proceed- of a state, which has long been distinguished as a ed deliberately to untie the string. The eyes of all confederacy of freemen. After a revision of their the audience were upon him. At length he hauled fundamental institutions, the people have decreed, out two small pieces of paper-first opened one, that but few changes are necessary. Accordingly and then the other. Here gentlemen, is the bank's it has been the principal object of that constitution, note for fifty dollars; here is another for twenty dol-which it is our duty to observe and to execute, to lars-fifty dollars and twenty dollars make seventy define those privileges, which were truly the birthdollars--and as seventy dollars is more than sixty-right of the people, and to guard against either gra nine dollars and eighty-nine cents, it will follow, of dual or occasional invasions of their rights, by the course, that the bank owes me eleven cents. abuse of power, or the unlimited exercise of legis courts. our care. It was objecte, on behalf of the bank, that thelative discretion. Entertaining these opinions, I defendant ought not be allowed this offset; and not, cannot but consider the constitution as a great secuat any rate, unless he proved, that he had the iden-rity to the community. It may now be considered tical notes in his possession at the time of the com- as a point which has been deliberately settled, that mencement of the suit. That if defendant could, Connecticut is hereafter to be governed according at any time offset the notes of banks against suits to a written constitution, established by the will of brought by the banks, that any defendant, after put-the people. Upon the power to exercise this ting off a suit for twelve or eighteen months, might right, our political liberty essentially depends. always, by procuring one dollar more than the Wherever it has been acquired, it can never be debt, subject the bank to the costs of two distinct lost, without extreme negligence or culpable apathy. The constitution will be altered only as His honor, after inspecting the notes, observed to experience may indicate its imperfections. This the jury, that it appeared from their dates, that the power will be manifested by the people at large, notes had been issued previous to the commence-after mature discussions of the merits of such prement of the suit; and as they were made payable on cise amendments, as may be presented to their condemand, consequently they must have been due at sideration by their representatives. Of course, spethe time the action was brought; and as the notes of culative propositions of a general nature, which, the corporation must be viewed in the same light from their uncertainty, tend to inflame and mislead as the notes of individuals, that the defendant, the community, will, in respect to the supreme law upon proving the hand writing of the president of the state, be hereafter unavailing. and cashier, would be entitled to a set-off-and Besides appointing the judges, sheriffs and other consequently the bank being indebted eleven conte officers necessary to the organization of the governto the defendant, they must find a verdict for him.ment, a number or alterations in the existing laws The hand-writing was proved; and the jury, without will be requisite. Among these, one of the most leaving the box, gave a verdict for the defendant, important will be the devising of proper regulations, amidst the applause of a crowded court. Las required by the constitution, for ascertaining the National Interests. Address of the Philadelphia society for the promotion of domestie industry, to the citizens of the United States. No. V. value and amount of the school fund, and rendering rected to the diffusion of useful knowledge, the en that precious deposite inalienable to any other use couragement of industry, frugality, and honesty, than the encouragement and support of public and and the promotion of concord among the people., common schools, for the equal benefit of all the peoOLIVER WOLCOTT. 'ple of this state. As a proportion of the property General assembly, May session, A. D. 1819. belonging to this fund is vested in securities of real estate, from which it cannot be withdrawn without great inconvenience and loss, it appears to be necessary that the office of commissioner should be concontinued. The avails of the fund may, as heretofore, be paid into the treasury, and there appropriat ed for the support of schools,as the law may prescribe; but it seems to be proper and analogous to our other Philadelphia, May 3, 1819. regulations, that the accounts of the fund should be The friends of domestic manufactures in this counrendered to, and annually settled with the comptrol-try have had to combat a host of objections mainler, in the same manner as other public accounts, tained with great zeal and plausibility, many of and that it should be made the duty of that officer, to which, though utterly destitute of foundation, have present to the general assembly, an annual state-had universal currency. We shall devote the prement, exhibiting every increase, or diminution of sent number to obviate some of them. the fand, with the cases in which they originated. I. The demoralizing and debasing effects of maIt is well known that a considerable part of the ex-nufacturing establishments. tensive grants, sequestrations and devises which were formerly made for the support of schools and religious instruction, have been dissipated and lost, and it is only by establishing invariable rules, and by constant vigilance, that similar misfortunes can be prevented in future. The crime of fraudulent bankruptcy, by which the privileges of an elector become forfeited, has never been defined. A law on this subject appears to be necessary. II. Their injurious interference with commerce. III. The high rate of wages in the U. States. IV. The great extent of our vacant lands, which ought to be settled previous to the erection of manufacturing establishments on a large scale. V. The extortion practised, and the extravagant prices charged by manufacturers during the war. VI. The loss of revenue that would arise from protecting or prohibitory duties. VII. The danger of encouraging smuggling by J. DEMORALIZATION. By our late system, a number of duties and pow-high duties. ers are assigned to the governor and council. Among these, are the appointment of commission- The most specious and generally prevalent arers of sewers, and of turnpike roads, and deciding gument against manufacturing establishments, is on the official bonds to be given by sheriffs: provi- grounded on their debasing and demoralizing efsions on these subjects appear to be required. fects. The honest feelings and the sympathy of the I submit to your consideration, whether it is not humane and enlightened part of the community, expedient to prescribe the number of notaries pub-and the passions and prejudices of the remainder, lic, to be commissioned in the different counties of have in consequence been enlisted and excited to the state. activity against those establishments. The changes Several of our ancient laws have become obsolete, have been rung times without number, on the deor have been annulled by the constitution of the pravity, corruption, and pauperism inseparable from United States, or of this state; and by the repeal or large assemblages of men, women, and children, amendment of various regulations, the statute law collected in a small compass, inhailing a pestiferous has become less definite and intelligible than is de-atmosphere, both moral and physical. The most sirable. As great caution is, however, necessary captivating pictures have been drawn, by way of on this subject, I respectfully invite you to consider contrast, of the purity, the innocence, the healthiwhether it will not be proper to appoint a commit-ness, and the independence of agricultural employtee to report a revised code, to a future general as-ments-and the whole has been wound up by desembly. precating the folly and insanity of seducing the ArAs the subject of taxation is very important, Icadian cultivators of the soil into the business of mahave deemed it to be my duty, to prepare a detail-nufacturing, so destructive to their health, their moed view of my reflections on this subject.-This rals, and their happiness.. will be submitted to your consideration, by a spe- This objection, like a thousand other commop cial message. place assertions, has been almost universally assumAfter a long period of calamity, wise and benevo-ed, and universally admitted, without demur or scrulent men of every country, appear to be uniting their efforts in devising means for diminishing the wants, and improving the condition of mankind. Among the foremost in this honorable combination, the different states of our union, are exerting an unprecedented activity. As the situation and institutions of Connecticut afford facilities for a more accurate application of the latest discoveries and im- But even if these views were correct as regarded provements, than is practicable in states of greater the overgrown manufacturing establishments in Engextent and more recent establishment, our advan-land, and some other parts of Europe, they would be ees ought to correspond with our advantages. We inapplicable here; as the best friends of manufactures are bound to hope that the period is fast approach-in this country have hardly calculated on any thing ing, when the rank and character of communities further than the home market; and in so wide a will be estimated by no other rule, than by their country as this, if the manufacturers were degraded comparative attainments in moral excellence, and and oppressed by men of great wealth in one distheir success in advancing the means of social hap-trict, they would be able to resort to similar estabpiness. Our exertions ought, therefore, to be di-lishments in another, of which, were manufactures ple. Even the friends of manufactures have hardly dared to doubt its correctness, barely lamenting it as one of the many serious evils inseparable from society in its present state. And had it not been fo the investigations of a recent writer, it might have continued for another century to lead mankind astray. Its reign, however, is over. In Cumberland, Cornwall, Lancaster each 100 of the population 7 (less than 1-15) 4 West Riding of York, Durham 9 (above 1-11) 15 (above 1-7) 16 (under 1-6) 95,577 43 13,349 He has not compared the two descriptions of the ⚫ Westmoreland Rutland *Colquhoun on indigence, p. 265, In the three manufacturing counties, the offen-merce would be relieved from that superfluous porders are only one out of every 2,500; whereas in tion of citizens who pursue it, and who by the cagerthe agricultural, they are one out of 1,600; where-ness of their competition in the markets, domestic by it appears that the latter districts have above and foreign, destroy each other's chances of suchalf as many more criminals as the manufacturing cess. in proportion to their population. This is a strong and decisive fact. In the three manufacturing counties, the paupers are only eight per cent. of the population; whereas in the agricultural they are about fourteen per cent. Another source of indemnification to commerce for any disadvantage it might suffer from the patronage of manufactures would be the trade in various kinds of raw materials which would be imported from foreign countries for the use of the manufacturers.* We are tempted to cast a further glance on this An important consideration remains. The dimitable, and to call the attention to a more striking nution of our foreign trade, which is at all times precomparison. Yorkshire contains a greater popula-carious and often ruinous, would be further compention than the three specified agricultural counties, sated by the vast increase of the coasting trade, in and yet has far below half the number of offenders, the transportation of raw materials from the southand not two thirds of the number of paupers. ern to the middle and eastern states, and of manuPopulation. Offenders. Paupers factured articles from the latter to the former. Yorkshire, 858,892 245 77,661 Norfolk, Kent & Surry, 850,038 572 120,477 We do not deem it necessary to enter into further This result may appear extraordinary and para-has been said to prove, that a liberal patronage exdetail, or to exhaust the subject. We trust enough doxical. But a very slight reflection on the subject will remove all the paradox, and enable us to tended to manufactures would be eminently benefiaccount satisfactorily for the existing state of things. cial even to the mercantile part of our citizens, not Idleness is as much the parent of poverty and guilt, merely by diminishing the number of competitors as industry is of independence and virtue. In agri- in that department, but by offering profitable emcultural districts there is a considerable proportion ployment to a portion of that capital which has esof the labor of the women and a still greater propor-caped the destruction proceeding from the ruinous This system of that of the younger people, wholly lost. The state of our commerce since the war. latter waste a great part of their early years in to- moreover, would afford commercial men opportunital idleness. Hence arises a fruitful source of pau-hazardous line of business than commerce. ties of providing for a part of their children in a less perism and guilt. III HIGH WAGES. These statements, independent of their overwhelming bearing on the present question, may The high wages said to be given in this country have another very important advantage. They have been used as a powerful argument against enserve to display in strong colors, the danger of trust-couraging manufacturers, and have led many of our to mere assertions, unsupported by facts. There citizens to believe that we would not be capable of is not in the whole range of political economy, a dogma that has been more universally received, or appeared more plausible than the one here combatted, which is now unequivocally proved to be not only not true but the very reverse of truth. H. INTERFERENCE WITH COMMERCE. manufacturing extensively for perhaps a century to come. This idea has maintained its ground against the strong and palpable fact, that many of our ma nufactures have thriven very considerably, notwithstanding the rivalship of foreign competitors. The difference however between the wages in England, Among the opponents of the manufacturing sys-in many branches of business, is far less than is getem, were formly to be found great numbers of nerally supposed. But the argument falls to the those citizens, engaged in commerce, who appeared ground, when we reflect that in most of those impressed with an idea that in proportion as manu- branches depending wholly on manual labor, our factures are patronized and extended, in the same manufacturers have met the rival articles from Eu. proportion commerce must be impaired. Hence rope with great success. Our batters, shoemakers, a degree of jealousy has been fostered among the saddlers, coachmakers, printers, cabinet makers, commercial, of the manufacturing class of our popula-type founders, curriers, glovers, smiths, and various tion, as if there were a great hostility between their other classes, wholly debarred of the advantage of respective interests. The most enlightened mer-machinery, have stood their ground far better than chants at present are convinced of the errors of those citizens concerned in branches in which mathese views, It is not difficult to prove, that they chinery is employed, of whom a large portion have rest on as sandy a foundation as the superior purity been ruined. and freedom from paupcrism of the agricultural districts. This is a very extraordinary fact, and could not have entered into any previous calculation. The It will not, we trust, be denied, that in every endless variety of millseats throughout the Unit. community the greater the variety of pursuits, and ed States, and the acknowleged talents of our employments, the greater the field for exertion, citizens in mechanical pursuits, would have led to and less danger of rivalship, or of any of them being form a conclusion wholly different. It would have too much crowded. Hence an obvious consequence been believed that whatever we might suffer in caof the destruction of so many manufacturing estab-ses in which manual labor alone was employed, we lishments as, during the war, were in the full should be triumphant wherever water power and tide of successful experiment," has been to divert machinery could be called into operation. TO BE CONTINUED. the capital and industry engaged in them to commercial pursuits, whereby the latter are so much overstocked as to narrow or almost destroy all An intelligent citizen, who has carefully examinchance of success. Our wharves, our coffee houses, ed the entries into the port of Philadelphia, assures and the assignments in our newspapers, fully prove us that the tonnage employed even now in the imthat commerce is overdone, and that it has unfortu-portation of raw materials, leather, dye-wood, iron, nately become a most precarious profession. Where- lead, &c. &c. is equal to that employed in the im as, were manufacturers properly protected, comportation of bale goods. |