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This Society, whose object is " the promotion of ag- 

 riculture and domestic manufactures," does not ask any- 

 thing of the people but what is for their interest to grant. 

 While we are sacrificing for their interest, we ask them 

 to discliarge part of the debt they owe to this Society for 

 advancing the honor, interest and happiness of Berkshire, 

 in the promotion of their agricultural and manufacturing 

 interests. 



We ask not of the Government one half of the protec- 

 tion which other governments have given their manufac- 

 turing establishments to enable them to hold a competi- 

 tion with, and to supply the world. We ask no more of 

 that temporising policy, which '* flatters with a kiss," and 

 then " betrays :" we ask to be protected in our natural 

 and just right of mamijacturing for our own country. 

 This policy should have been adopted immediately after 

 the revolution ; a supplement to the Declaration of Inch- 

 pemlence^ or formed a conspicuous provision in our Bill of 

 Rights. 



The Revolution was succeeded by a flood of importa- 

 tions of manufactures, which exhausted the circulating 

 medium to such a degree, that the State of New- Hamp- 

 shire passed a law making boards and shingles a tender 

 for debts — Rhode- Island made paper money a tender for 

 contracts — Massachusetts had an insurrection. The late 

 war is now succeeded by the same course of imprudence. 

 Far better would it now be, if we were compelled by law 

 to fall back upon our competent resources, than at last be 

 brought to it by dear-bought experience. If the govern^ 

 ment persevere in temporising policy, on the principle 

 that -we can buy our fabrics cheaper than we can make 

 them, we reply, that with equal safety and wisdom vvc 

 can hire our laws made at St. James' for half the money 

 we pay for the making of them at the City of Washing- 

 ton. 



