1840.] SENATE— No. 36. 149 



of life, are fixed and unalterable. Like water, they never cease 

 their movements until they find their level. To attempt to 

 interfere with their operation, or to control them in order to meet 

 our wishes, is like attempting to bend by our own force a strong 

 tree to the ground. We may break it, and then we get a 

 severe fall ; or its elasticity may presently cause it to rebound, 

 and throw the person, who was thus trying his power, where 

 he can make no further experiments. I am well aware that 

 these views will not coincide with the popular sentiment ; but 

 having no party predilections and no private views to answer, 

 I am willing to submit them to the calm judgment of the 

 intelligent and reflecting, and to the sober results of experience. 



XIX. — Raw Silk. The production of raw silk, is, pro- 

 perly speaking, an agricultural operation. The inquiry whether 

 this may be made profitable, concerns directly the agricultural 

 interest ; and, under what circumstances it should be encour- 

 aged, is a question which I propose to consider. 



It has been confidently stated, as I have already shown, that 

 raw silk may be produced among us at current prices of labor, 

 for two dollars or two dollars and a quarter per pound. In the 

 cases referred to, however, no allowance was made for land, 

 buildings, trees, manuring, and the superintendence of the pro- 

 prietor ; but only for the actual labor applied ; and in Mr. Mc 

 Lean's experiment, the labor of the man was rated at not more 

 than half its customary value. In Mr. Smith's case not only 

 were these items not charged, but likewise the board of the 

 young women employed was not brought into the account. It 

 seems to me then only fair to rate the cost of raw silk at three 

 dollars or three dollars and fifty cents per lb. At 50 lbs. of 

 silk to an acre, this would be a liberal compensation for labor ; 

 and any increase of this product would be an increase of profit 

 without a corresponding increase of the cost of production. 

 But this again is making no allowance for accidents. With 

 our inexperience in the silk culture in this country, we are not 

 prepared to say what allowance should be made on this account. 

 The worms are liable to various accidents. They are some- 



