44 AGRICULTURAL MU3UEM 



trade maintains, whose manufactures clothes, and whose 

 luxuries enervate them, than to tliat, which gave them 

 birth, gave them independence, gave them freedon^ 

 The short suspension of our commerce taught the Ame- 

 rican people these truths. It exhibited the inconveni- 

 ence ; it did more, it exposed the destructive evils of a de- 

 pendance on a foreign government for goods of daily 

 and domestic use. It proved, that to be free, a people 

 should possess not a government and laws of their own 

 cnly; but, that they must have their own workshops. 

 It shewed that freedom consists not in a mere exemption 

 irom political subjection, but also from moral servitude. 

 In viewing the present zeal for the establishment and 

 promotion of manufactures, every patriot's breast must 

 glow with virtuous feehng. The contention, for so it 

 maybe termed; the contention for their establishment, 

 is a strife for the independence of the countiy. Tlie 

 battles of the revolution broke our chains asunder, but 

 they still cling around us ; the spirit of manufactures, is 

 now to cast them from us forever. 



To lend their feeble aid in this important endeavor, is 

 the ambition of the Philadelphia Linnean Society; and 

 they believe they can the better accomplish this object, 

 hy directing their researches to the discovery, in this 

 countr}', of those subjects, which, coming under their 

 notice as a society of natural knowledge, are the objects 

 of commerce and the materials of manufacture. 



The list of articles of the Materia Medica of the tTni- 

 led States, is already extensive and important. Many 

 of its contents supersede in the practice of our physi- 

 cians, the drugs of Europe and Asia.* By research 

 and experiments, it no doubt could be greatly enlarged 

 and improved to the advantage of the nation, and bene- 

 fit of individuals. 



Our forests yield some plants, which, as dies, for bril- 

 liancy and permanency of coloring, arc not surpassed 



• See Barton's Collection tcvardf a Materia Medica. 



