^\]t jrarmcr'0 iHDnt!){ij bisttor. 



183 



orir |)ieseiit |i<)j)iiliition at 1 7,S-3.>,2 1 7, is :il)i)iit 3o 

 liiijiliels Mini two iliirilii I'or eacli iiiliiiliitiiiit ; iiiiil 

 iillmviiii; ten liiisliuls to (i.iirli (mm'Soii — iliilii, wo- 

 mail tiiiil <:liiM — (wliioli is doiilile the iisuiil iii- 

 IoU'hiiim; ;i.s estimated ill L^iiro|if.,) — :iii(l we tiavi- 

 a siir(iliis |ii-ocki(M, Coi' si'.eil, Ibml of stock, tlie 

 |Mir|iosi:s !>!' rniiiilCactiire, iiiiil eX|iort:itii)il, (rl"lioI 

 l(':«s llriii 44(i,li''>r''-10 l)iislii'ls: iVom vvliieli, if we 

 ilediict line tenth of the wiiiilp. aiiioiiiit of tlie 

 <',i-o|)s fir seed, It leaves f)i' food of stock, for 

 in.iiiiifictiive and H.V|)oi-taiioii,a siir|)his of at leasi 

 y70,<>5:!,();7 Inishols. Iiieliidiiii o.its, tlie ai-i>Te- 

 ^'ale aiiiooiii of iri'ain, corn, and |)otatoi;s is equal 

 to iiearl;^ 7.15;J0U.O0O hushels, or 4'2^d hiisiiels lu 

 eaeli iiiliabiiant."* 



There has evidenlly heeii a jrreat ilepreciation 

 in the home, or donif'slio industry of our eoiin- 

 trv ilnriin; ilie last lil'iy years. The s))inniii>,' 

 wlieel, the quill wheel and the loom are ainiosi 

 entirely disear.led ti'oiii the laiiiily, and those 

 neat and verv'iceahle (aliries whleli were wrought 

 liy our early risiiiL' t'randmoihers and tlieir fiir 

 daii;;hlers, and w liieli were d'^enied snllieieiit not 

 not only to clothe, lint to adorn their persons, 

 have <riine nearly out of use. Their |)laces are 

 now siiiqiliid hy an indescrihfihle eolleclion of 

 showy and lraj;ile sroods, ineessalilly ehani;iiii;' 

 in names and in snhslaiice. No stale of things 

 cniild |iiolial)ly he l)etrer adapted to |n-eserve tne 

 nioj-.ils .and inere.ise the h.ip|)iness of the female 

 portion of onr population, than the old-fasliioneil 

 prai lice of employiii:;' them in home maniilkc- 

 inres, whieli emhr.aced in their products nearly 

 every sidistantial article of wearinj; apparel. Jt 

 preserved, too, lliiise hahits of industry, which 

 (lie in liset the true .soinces of the wealth of onr 

 comilry ; it kept them in the disu'ii-ls of iheir 

 nativity, sma-ounded hV llio.se enL';i;;'d in ilie 

 same pnrsiiiis, .iiid einnlons to excel in iheni; — 

 ai.d iiiipHvted lliese feeiiiiiis of eheiMfidnes--, o! 

 health, and fresliiiess « hteh have heen partially 

 lost to a later ase. Jt also stimulated ihe linniei- 

 to a inoi-H car did husbandry, in order to produce 

 the finest materials — the flax and the wool — for 

 tlio.se v,'ho were In exercise their .skill in converl- 

 imr them into the needed fibrics. These fin'- 

 iiished full eniiiloyinent at home and {lave that 

 place of Ihe afreciions an air of peace, of indiis- 

 li-y and of contenlmeiit. Then iliere was less 

 desire for rovinij amoiiir tiie yoiin,!! men, and iriil- 

 liiiery and iiianina-makin^' ainoii}; the yonntr wo- 

 nsen,' was not the eni;rossiiij;- ihetne. " Jii those 

 times the pidi;es, like oilier hdiorers, were paid 

 i'or their services by the day. The lai.sy himi of 

 the vvlieid told the tile of domestic industry; — 

 and the. flax from tlie fields, and llu^ wool from 

 till! liilil.s, were woven at home. In the world of 

 fashion no one had precedence of the farmer's 

 wife and the larnier'sdaii^liters ; and the hnme- 

 spiin L'own woven from (la.\, and cidored with 

 copperas and otter,- and the snow-white flax 

 apron, were the rich luxuries of dress, carefully 

 reserved ior the decoriiin of the Sabbath. The 

 hiL-sbandmaii who tilled his own soil and liitted 

 iiis own beevp.-:, was the treat m,in of the land. 

 There were no va.st inequalities of condiiion ; — 

 the lands were divided accordiiif; to rules that 

 seemed equitable ; and a lary:ei' house or a liiller 

 barn was the chief distinction of rur.il wealth. — 

 Every man lalioied ; and industry and fru;iality 

 |)roihiecd, :diniidalice.''f 



I; would be an intereslins; inquiry to ascertain 

 ■into vviiat channels all that useful industry and 

 capital has been diverted — |a-olilable ornnprolil- 

 jible— or vviielher the rhanu'e has had a umdency 

 to promote reliuion and morality, or whether it 

 lias elicitfiii a laxity ill both, which is iinfivora'.ile 

 lo the perpetuity of our insritinions and the hap- 

 liiiiess of oin- citizens. It certainly has brouL'iit 

 iar^e numbers toijelher in ciiiesand mannfai'inr- 

 iii;; districts, where the ;.'ood and b.id are iiidis- 

 crimin.ately mi.xeil, and their -independpnce of 

 feeliuij; and action in a ureal measure lost by the 

 sale of their sei-vices. To my own miiii!, the 

 chan'.;e, if more profitable to a portion of the 

 community, is not conducive lo ;i purer state ol 

 tlie public morals. The restless ambition of man 

 find.s more ^'ratilication in the busy crowd, and 

 the evil passions ti-eer scope, than in the peace- 

 (ill villas;!- or Ihe retirement of the country. In 

 thr' latter, life is not hiinied on Ky the bustle and 

 confusion, and the thousand excitiuj} .scenes 



^ \iaericin Alminac^ 1843. p. 1G2. 

 t Banrrol't's Aildrnss at S;jrin;^Ii(>lcl. 



ivliieh i)in city presents; lint the pulses beat on 

 m their calm and quiet inuvements amid the 

 beamy and li•eslmes^ of nature, as it springs from 

 the plastic, liand of itri creator. .iVIl statistical re- 

 ports of crime and pauperism in cities, show a 

 lar^e majority over.lliose arising from the s.iine 

 amount of population in tiie country. This fact 

 is then conclusive, that crime and pauperism are 

 not diminished by the collection of individuals 

 into masses. Unt the subject !,'ives rise to more 

 refleciioiis lii.an you will have sp.ice to present. 

 I will cite only a siiiule insiaiice to show the ef- 

 fect produced u\)u\\ family industry by large man- 

 uiactmini; establishments. 



Th ■ popMlaiiou of Ilockingham comity, in the 

 Slate of New Hampshire, in ihe year 1810, was 

 .50,000. In that year there were manuliicliired 

 in the families of that comity. I,l."i'2,000 yards of 

 cloth of various kinds ; mnployinu- ,'5,"2rf3 looms, 

 ■iiid brinj;in:.' a product of :J5 1,311 1 dollars. Al- 

 lowing'' five persons to ,i finiily, which is the usu- 

 al nniniiei', .and this jfives \\'-ih yards toe.ich fam- 

 ily. It is ijre.iilv to In; re^irelled that we have no 

 means from our late census of showing; what the 

 number bf yards is now maiiuficlured in timii- 

 liesin tin: same <;ouuty, pacticni.iily as the popii- 

 l.ition remains ne.irly the same. I3iit the whole 

 value of domeslic or family maiiulacinres re- 

 turned in lliatcoimly for the year 1^39, is only 

 .5B,!.)ii(j dollars; bein,:; a ile|n'eciaiioii of family iii- 

 idusiry, in that branch, of 892,3"25 dtdlars, in one 

 county. 



That this kind of home industry has nearly 

 ceased, not only in the county mentioned, hut in 

 the whole country, is too dlivioiis to need arun- 

 iiient. The cheerful, busy linni of the wheel, and 

 the steady, vij;oruiis strokes of the loom are Inisli- 

 ed ; the (iauj;hrers of the housebcdd have left the 

 scenes of I heir youthful sports, and are ei);rage<l 

 in I'nnvileil, iiidiealihy fictories, binmd ilovvn lo 

 hiiui-sand l.isks, and lierryiii;,' away iii'e amid the 

 etern.d claltiu' of li.'ii tiioiisand shuttles and 



SplMillcS. 



This is a portion of oiir national industry vvliich 

 is noi studied enoir;;h. Indeed, as Ainerican.s, onr 

 knowlediie is generally too limiietl and meafire in 

 what relates to iJie i;rnnil feaimes and capabilities 

 of onr country. We should impress upon onr 

 youth more strouitly a knovvledj;e of iisf'eos;'raphy 

 — its various climates — its chaii^;inf; scenery — its 

 inland seas, noble rivers and monnlains and wide- 

 ly extended plains': in short, thine should be de- 

 lineaied ii[)on each heart a perfect map of this 

 their iilxhiy-liivored home. Then, make Iheiii 

 acquainlcd wiih the nature and ojieralion of our 

 law.s and institutions, and you rtdse iqi a band, 

 who, like the heroes of Thermopyl.'E, will only 

 yield up their country's rijrlits with their dearest 

 iilood and ilieir latest breath. "There is not a 

 State ill the Union, whose internal .adininisira- 

 lioii is not a rich study for the American citizen, 

 politicri;m and statesm.-ui ; while many of the 

 States stanil before us in the aspect of nqinlilics 

 irrowiiirr up into a consequence which must ulti- 

 mately compare with that even of the Union."* 



Our country, too, is inost happily diversified 

 with plain, vailey and mojintain ; sire.iin, lake and 

 river. The.-^e delight the eye, afiind facilities for 

 transportation anri locomotion, and invite man lo 

 vi.--it them and enrich hijiiself with their means 

 of iiddinij to his comfiiris and of siqiplyin^f his 

 w.iiits. Commnnioatioi) is so rapid and safe to 

 iisur}! portion of the country, Ihat Iravejlers 

 thread it in every direction, carryiiif; with them, 

 the peculiar habits and- modes of thinkiiifc of 

 their respective districts, and thus mingling into 

 OIK! iieiohl>pi-lu)od of feeling all the great inter- 

 ests of so iinineroii.s a people. ■ These inler- 

 (dianges prove one of the strongest bonds of 

 brotherhoral .aiiil unity. They produce intermar- 

 riages, and coiiseqnently kindred tie.s, which cre- 

 ate, new sources of pleasure. and [irofit in what- 

 ever direciion he may shape his course. 



Some of our iiislitnlions, too, liowcn-er lightly 

 they may he esteemed by a ii;w, have a powerful 

 tendency to bind us, not only heart to heart, lint 

 to the welliire of onr own free coimiry. Those 

 of Thanksgiving, Ohrislmas, and that which cel- 

 ebrates onr Nalion.-d Independence, will be as 

 perpetual as llie laws themselves, and will prove 

 ihe propitious seasons to call aioimd the family 

 hearth, the sc.altere.l sons and daughters of the 

 parental roof. "Here, where all cares are lighleii- 

 ed bv a unitv of love, vvlicre 



•• Many a laeny tale goes round," 

 are related the blessings of the sea.sons and the 

 customs and habits of those with whom they 

 have associated, and all feelings are blended into 

 one common interest for the welfare of their 

 country and their homes. Here, the loftiest pat- 

 riotism springs lip. Here, are realized the bless- 

 ings which a free government and equitable laws 

 impart; and here, surrouiidi;d by, all the allure- 

 ments of home — I he voices (d'a fleet ion and love — 

 are fiirined resolutions to siaiid liy onr country in 

 her '■ utmost need," which will never be fiinnil to 

 fidler in the hour of irial. Home, afier all, is the 

 place lo germinale the first, the best principles of 

 the ofliiter ami the soldier. Filled with the just 

 views imbibed here in early life, they possess his 

 soul with a manly devouon on the field. He sees 

 before him, through the serried ranks of his op- 

 ponen!>', the bright scene of his own social fire- 

 side ; clustering around it are the objects of his 

 anxiety and trust; and he will reach that scene, 

 though countless perils beset liini in the way. It 

 beckons him on wiih resisiless pov\er, and he 

 conquers where a host of mercenaries would 

 find defeat. 



The French are a convivial people and are 

 amused by a ihonsand trdrmg deliiiiits uliiidi by 

 some are considered iiiuiKiidy; but they have 

 rushed loathe deadly breach sis men never rushed 

 belcu'e — they did iioi flinch ar iMarimgo — atAiis- 

 terliiz, and at Borodino! They loved France 

 and their homes, and I'aris, to them, was ihc 

 Paradise and Elysium of their worldly hopes. 

 They conqnereil, not by a wolfish and brutal, but 

 by a mo;'((/ courage, inspired by their wives and 

 cliildien, and the comforts and blessings held in 

 store for tlieiii in their natal Land. 



If, then, onr jierpeHiity as a live people depends 

 upon the cultivation of onr feelings lor country— 

 for home, — il'the moral as well as-physical pow- 

 ers of man are strengilien'ed by having >uih a 

 home, how important is it Ihat every man slimild 

 possess a freehidd in the soil. A nation compo- 

 sed of small landed proprietors never could be 

 subdued. It uonld bring about that tqii.diiy of 

 station which confers the largest amoiiiti of hap- 

 piness on any people, and operate, more than all 

 things else, to give pertnaneiice to our instiln- 

 timis. It would make the best soldiers and the 

 best citizens, because such a proprietary binds 

 tlie heart to its native land. it ninsi dearly be 

 for the interest of every man, of wliale\er ]ao- 

 fession, art, trade, or calling, to be a proprietor of' 

 the soil. Then whatever circumstances may take 

 place; whatever vicissilndes may iiHse, he i-ail 

 return to the original occiipatioii of man, and 

 maintain a ilegree of indefiendence wbiidi no 

 other siination can confer. The earlli will yield 

 her reward to bis steady industry, tiiid, lie will 

 stand before the world in every sense^-A man. 

 How many inducements there are to urge eviyy 

 iiulividiial to gain this siination in life. He isin- 

 vited to it by the fair hands of our beantifid her- 

 itage ; independence of feiding and action invite 

 him to it ; the welliire of his posterity — his own 

 happiness, and that |inrity and usefulness of life 

 which will welcome him at last lo the skies, ail 

 invite him to make the tri.-il. 



"The United States of America, constitute an 

 essential portion of a great political systeiii» em- 

 bracing all the civilized nations of the earth. At 

 a period when Ihe force of moral opinio^ is ra- 

 pidly increasing, lliey have the precedence in the 

 practice and the del'ence of the equal rights of 

 man. The sovereignty of the peiqile is here a 

 conceded axiom, and the laws eslahlished upon 

 that basis, are cherished with fliilhliii palrioiisni. 

 * * Domestic peace is maintained v.iibontihc 

 aid of 11 military Kstalilishiiieiit. A gallant navy 

 protects our commerce, whicdi .spreads its ban- 

 ners on every sea, and extends its enterprise to 

 every clime. Every man enjoys \\ut Iriiiis ol his 

 industry ; every mind is fri;e lo publish its con- 

 victioii.s. * New States are forming in the wilil- 

 erness; canals, intersecting our plains and cross- 

 ing oar highlands, open numerous channels to 

 iiitermd comment' ; * * the use of ste^iin on onr 

 rivers tind rail-roads annihilates distaiK'e by th.e 

 acceleration of speed. Our wealth and popula- 

 tion, already giving ns a place in the first rank 

 of nations, are so rapidly ciiniulalive, ihal iho 

 former is increased lomfblil, and the latter is 

 doubled, in every period of 'i'i or 'J3 year.s. Ile- 

 ligion, neither perjiecnted nor paid by the Stale, 

 is sustained by the regard for public morals und 



** N. A. Review. 



