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take as long as my means would permit, until prudence 

 warns me to desist, if the House should postpone its 

 decision to another session, will, I hope, be accepted as 

 an apology for what otherwise might be considered as an 

 officious unwarranted intrusion. 



I beg to be permitted to take this opportunity to say, 

 from my own observation, and the information of others, 

 and particularly of editors of newspapers, who, by ex- 

 changing their journals, have the best means of knowing 

 the feelings of the people at large, the measure contem- 

 plated by this bill is highly popular among all classes of 

 men, but particularly the agriculturalists throughout the 

 whole Union ; and I am satisfied that, if passed into a 

 law, it will give general satisfaction. I am further convinc- 

 ed of this, and that the postponement of the bill will cause 

 great disappointment among the farmers who have turn- 

 ed their thoughts to the silk culture, by the letters which 

 I receive from all parts of the United States, which gener- 

 ally end with the query, whether there will be a market for 

 cocoons this year at Philadelphia? which question I am 

 unable to answer. This inquiry has lately been made 

 by the inhabitants of the silk district in Connecticut, 

 who, two years ago, were unwilling to sell their cocoons, 

 because they thought they could manufacture them to 

 better advantage, but now appear to entertain a different 

 opinion. From the southern States, similar inquiries are 

 made ; and, since 1 have been in this city, I have been 

 informed that cocoons had been sent for sale to Philadel- 

 phia from North and South Carolina, but could find no 

 purchaser, as it would be idle in me to purchase that 

 produce, to throw away afterwards, if the silk bill shall not 

 pass. I ought to add that several State Legislatures have 

 made laws to encourage the culture of the mulberry tree, 

 and the breeding of silk worms, in contemplation of the 

 passing of that bill. I fear that if a check be given to 

 this strong impulse by the discontinuing of a market for 

 cocoons, it will be difficult hereafter to revive it; and, 

 without the silk bill, I do not see how that market can be 

 continued. 



