Branches of manufactures. Cotton $3 67 Hosiery 447 Thread 3 50 Silver Plating 114 210 30 9.00 8:00 Smithery Coach making No. of hands (Average value of their Value of goods ma- $465 $ 27380 778 382 145 3 6 2690 1188 600 600 3420 3200 1732 6 0015036 18500 1675 5600 4625 629 8 00 Chemicals Hatting Carving & Gild ing Potteries Tobacco Pipes Printing Ink Book Printing Type Foundery 74 90 42 4 35 4 32 4 46 800 Brass Foundery Wire Factory nufactory Woollen 95 vats Copper smith's and tin ware 77 77 35 5 75 5 75 2.00 2272 2272 381 25 Cabinet making 180 250 70 7 00 Brush making 65 112 50 6 00 750 5 00 1560 2688 1200 Plaister & Stucco 120 150 Bricklaying Patent Lamp making Morocco Lea "The following is a list of the branches of business, on which we found it impracticable to procure the necessary information: "It is obvious that these branches must have partaken of the general decay of business-but it is impossible to ascertain in what proportion. "We do not pretend that the above statements are critically exact. It is obvious, that it would be hardly possi ble to render them so, unless they were collected officially by public authority. But from the characters of the citizens who have furnished our data, we can confidently assert, that if there be any errors, they are neither numerous nor important; and that any slight excess in some is amply counterbalanced by deficiencies in others; of the latter description some have already fallen within our knowledge. "Thus in the article of wages alone, there is in thirty branches of manu facture, an actual loss of "Supposing the materials only equal to the wages, 2,366,935 they amount to 2,366,935 “Annual amount of productive industry smothered by our present system 4,733,870 "In this city, and vicinity, there are, it appears, 7,288 persons thrown idle. And it is far from unreasonable to presume, that on every person thus deprived of employment, at least two other persons depend. Hence it follows that no less than 21,864 persons are bereft of maintenance in thirty branches of business, in one single district of no great extent, not forty miles in diameter. "The pecuniary loss arising from this state of things may be calculated with tolerable certainty. But who can calculate the injuries of another description that flow from it? The demoralization that necessarily results from want of employment, and its attendant dissipation? The heartrending pangs felt by parents, whose prospects of supporting their families are blighted and blasted? The numerous es timable females accustomed to earn a subsistence by spinning, and other employments adapted to their sex, and whose wants and distresses may force them to a life of guilt and wretchedness? The vice and immorality, to which children are exposed by a career of idleness? In a word, the flood of evils, moral and political, which are let loose on society, by the existing state of things? "It would far exceed the bounds of this report, to enter into details on those various branches of business. This must be left to the reflection of our citizens and of the legislature of the United States, who alone are competent to apply a remedy to the existing evils. But we cannot forbear casting a glance at one particular branch, in order to establish the impolicy of our system. "The basis of the paper manufacture is a raw material, completely worthless for any other purpose. All the produce of it, therefore, is clear gain to the community, and a solid substantial addition to the wealth of the country. We therefore exhibit a comparative view of the state of this branch in 1816, and 1819. Tons of rags worked up 1816. 1819. Diminution. 775 202,000 624,000 2,128 472 "Thus in one single branch, of little comparative inportance, an annual loss of 624,000 dollars is incurred in the vicinity of this city; and 775 persons are rendered destitute of employment, many of them men and women with large families. This is independent of the sacrifice of the capital of the employers, which in many cases is reduced to one half of its former value. "We beg leave to repeat, what we stated in our former report, that most of these manufactures are prostrated not for want of protecting duties, but in consequence of the general impoverishment of the country, arising principally from the want of protection to the great leading branches of cotton, wool, and iron. A large portion of our manufactures, including the chief of those depending on manual labour, have succeeded completely; and it is a singular and striking fact, notwithstanding the high price of labour, is so often urged against the encouragement, and against the chance of success of manufactures here, that.we yield the palm chiefly in those branches depending on machinery, in which, from our numerous mill-seats, we have advantages beyond any nation in Europe." A statement of the comparative extent and value of the Manufactures of Pittsburg and vicinity in the years 1815 and 1819, Reported to a town meeting, Dec. 24. 1819. The following memorial, adopted at a late town meeting in Pittsburg, is now in extensive circulation in the western country. To the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States in Congress assembled. We, the people of the western counties of Pennsylvania, suffering under great and numerous evils, arising, as we believe, from the erroneous policy of the government in relation to domestic manufactures-ask leave to approach your honourable bodies, and solicit a redress of our grie vances. Upon a subject already exhausted by discussion, any reasoning drawn from general principles is unnecessary. We need not now reiterate the arguments so often advanced by the friends of domestic manufactures, and which yet stand unanswered and unanswerable. Nor shall we now remind your honourable bodies, of the mournful anticipations, which, in a great variety of ways, were brought before congress at the time the present tariff of duties was established, and the next session afterwards. It is sufficient to say, that the predictions of those days are more than verified; that the present actual distress far surpasses in depth and extent the forebodings of those who were then deemed the most visionary. To present to congress a faithful picture of the present state of the country would be an impracticable task. The sacrifice of estates, the ruin of families, and all the complicated miseries of private suffering, which pervade the country, exceed any powers of description. Agriculture is declining, and interior trade is nearly extinguished. Foreign goods have banished the precious metals from the land; and domestic manufactures, the greatest resource of our wealth and prosperity, are in the last struggles of dissolution. Establishments which gave employment and sustenance to thousands, are idle. An immense capital, invested in more auspicious days, has become perfectly dormant, and the whole country is overspread with despondency and gloom. In this state of general suffering, the eyes of the people are turned to the constitutional guardians of their welfare. We indulge the confident hope, that the wisdom and the justice of congress will be exerted to save the country. It is most obvious, that no temporising measures will |