4 
3 % Manufacture of Pins. 
a3 friend told me, recently,"that he sold pins, at that time—at whole- 
sale—for twelve dollars per pack, (of 12 papers—500 pins each) 
_ which is eight or ten times the present price. I believe thorns — 
were very generally substituted for pins, both in the late war and 
during that of the revolution. According to the most probable esti- 
mate I can form from the’ information I have received, there are _ 
manufactured in Great’ Britain, at least, fifteen tons of pins per 
week,—about one fifth of which are supposed to be sent to the 
_ United States; and there are also larger importations to this coun- 
. 
try from the Continent. Considering the great quantity and value 
of pins used in this country—and their importance as an article of 
general use, and convenience, if not of necessity, it would seem 
reasonable that encouragement should be given to an attempt to 
manufacture them ; or at least that no obstacle arising out of the 
past legislation of our government, should be allowed to remain _ 
‘in the way of such an undertaking. But it so happens that noth 
the existing revenue laws of the United States, pins are, not ¢ 
an unprotected article of manufacture, but to a certain extent, “the 
making of them in this country is prohibited; inasmuch as that 
pins of foreign manufacture, are admitted free of duty ; whereas, 
brass wire of which pins are made, is charged with an import duty 
of nearly twenty five per cent. It is obvious that the advantage 1s 
given to the foreign over the American manufacturer, by this state 
of our revenue law. Supposing the two to be on an equal footing 
in all other respects, it is sufficient to enable the former, effectually, 
to keep or drive the latter out of our markets. And supposing the 
use of labor-saving machinery should enable us for a time, to com- 
pete successfully with the foreigner, notwithstanding the bounty thus 
conferred upon him,—we have no reason to hope that machinery 
once successfully established here, will not ‘speedily find its way into 
the hands of our foreign rivals, and be brought to bear upon us 
the ruin of our prospects, unless we succeed in getting relief from 
our own government. A market, so important as that of this cout- 
try for the article of pins, will not be given up without a struggle, — 
by those who have had the exclusive benefit of it. . 
We have petitioned Congress, at the two last sessions for relief, 
Without success ; but being confident in the justice of our claim, it 
1s our intention to renew our application at the ae sess eed 
