^ Manufacture of Pins. 



A friend told me, recently, that he sold pins, at that time — at whole- 

 sale — for twelve dollars per pack, (of 12 papers — 500 pins each) 

 which is eight or ten times the present price. I believe thorns 

 were very generally substituted for pins, both in the late war and 

 during that of the revolution. According to the most probable esti- 

 mate I can form from the information 1 have received, there are 

 manufactured in Great Britain, at least, fifteen tons of pins per 

 week, — about one fifth of which are supposed to be sent to the 

 United States ; and there are also larger importations to this coun- 

 try from the Continent. Considering the great quantity and value 

 of pins used in this country — and their importance as an article of 

 general use, and convenience, if not of necessity, it would seem 

 reasonable that encouragement should be given to an attempt to 

 manufacture them ; or at least that no obstacle arising out of the 

 past legislation of our government, should be allowed to remain 

 in the way of such an undertaking. But it so happens that under 

 the existing revenue laws of the United States, pins are, not only 

 an unprotected article of manufacture, but to a certain extent, the 

 making of them in this country is prohibited ; inasmuch as that 

 pins of foreign manufacture, are admitted free of duty ; whereas, 

 brass wire of which pins are made, is charged with an import duty 

 of nearly twenty five per cent. It is obvious that the advantage is 

 given to the foreign over the American manufacturer, by this state 

 of our revenue law. Supposing the two to be on an equal footing 

 in all other respects, it is sufficient to enable the former, effectually, 

 to keep or drive the latter out of our markets. And supposing the 

 use of labor-saving machinery should enable us for a time, to com- 

 pete successfully with the foreigner, notwithstanding the bounty thus 

 conferred upon him, — we have no reason to hope that machinery 

 once successfully established here, will not speedily find its way into 

 the hands of our foreign rivals, and be brought to bear upon us to 

 the ruin of our prospects, unless we succeed in getting relief from 

 our own government. A market, so important as that of this coun- 

 try for the article of pins, will not be given up without a struggle, 

 by those who have had the exclusive benefit of it. 



We have petitioned Congress, at the two last sessions for relief, 

 without success ; but being confident in the justice of our claim, it 

 is our intention to renew our application at the ensuing session. 



