234 TRANSACTIONS OP THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



of gamblers ; the sanctuary of the nation their club-house ; the 

 people the cards and dice they shuffled and threw; the industry 

 of the people the stakes, and the winners the political coster- 

 mongers and their allies. Since then my only trust is in God. 

 From these considerations, therefore, I say no, sir, not another 

 ■dollar will I seek to divert from the channels of known and suc- 

 cessful pursuits of industry, until we can have at least security 

 for the future, saying nothing of indemnity for the past, unless it 

 can be shown that protection is not absolutely necessary. If 

 there is any gentleman here that can enlighten us on that sub- 

 ject, I shall be most happy, for one, to hear him, I do not be- 

 lieve there is a person here, male or female, that needs to hear an 

 argument to convince him or her of the capacity, practicability 

 or importance of silk culture in the United States ; hence there 

 are but two points to look at, as I have before said. Does it 

 need governmental protection? If so, then our first business is 

 to secure it, and that permanently. 



The same subject was continued until the next meeting, after 

 which the Club adjourned. 



January 20, 1862. 

 Mr. R. G, Pardee in the chair. 



FLAX PRESSING. 



Mr. James E, Mallory exhibited a model of Sanford's machine 

 for dressing flax, and read a paper thereupon, (See report of 

 Polytechnic Association, January 16th.) 



Mr. Carpenter said he had seen this machine in operation, and 

 thought it would create a revolution in the growth of flax. He 

 thought that its power in turning out flax would be greater than 

 that claimed for it by Mr. Mallory, and would exceed sixty lbs. 

 per day. It would, also, certainly save one third of the fibre. It 

 takes but little off except the shives. The society had offered a 

 premium for the best machine for turning out this fibre, and he 

 hoped a committee would be appointed to examine Mr. Sanford's 

 machine and report upon it. 



Mr. Robinson moved the following resolution, which was adopted: 



Resolved^ That in the opinion of this Club, this machine is cal- 

 culated to be of very great advantage to the agricultural interests 

 of America, and, therefore, we commend it to the attention of our 

 brother farmers. 



