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difference exists, from the market. If in one section or belt of 

 the country sufficient to supply the whole, any staple production 

 of agriculture can be raised cheaper than in the others, includ- 

 ing the cost of transporting it to the market, even if the 

 difference is small, inevitably, in time, that section or belt of 

 the country will have the control of the market in that staple. 

 So, if in one section or belt of the country, under the same 

 conditions, manufacturing can be carried on cheaper than in 

 the other parts, even if the difference is small, as surely that 

 section or belt of the country will control the market in manu- 

 factured articles. 



At a very early period in their history, the people of New 

 England commenced the erection of mills and the manufacture 

 of the coarser varieties of articles needed by the people of the 

 several Colonies. Although the amount they manufactured was 

 small, it was sufficient to attract the attention of the manufac- 

 turers in the parent country, who claimed an exclusive 

 monopoly in the colonial markets for their own goods. Upon 

 representations made by them, Parliament passed a law as 

 early as in 1699, forbidding the transportation of goods of 

 American manufacture, with a view to prevent the people of 

 New England from supplying the people of the other colonies 

 with their manufactured goods. In 1731, commissioners of 

 the Board of Trade considered and made a report to the House 

 of Commons on the subject of American manufactures, in the 

 conclusion of which they say, " From the foregoing statement, 

 it is observable that there are more trades carried on and 

 manufactures set up, in the provinces on the continent of 

 America to the northward of Virginia, prejudicial to the trade 

 and manufactures of Great Britain, particularly in New 

 England, than in any other of the British colonies ; whicli is 

 not to be wondered at, for their soil, climate and produce being 

 pretty nearly the same with ours, they have no staple com- 

 modities of their own growth to exchange for our manufactures ; 

 which puts them under greater necessity, as well as under 

 greater temptations, for providing for themselves at home." 

 And in 1750, Parliament declared mills for certain kinds of 



