Silk Manufacture. 15 



such exclusive possession of nature's gifts ; and it will create 

 exceeding disappointment in all unprejudiced minds, if the 

 lapse of a few short years shall not place the affected superi- 

 ority of other countries among the fictions and delusions of 

 former ages. Bountiful nature, replete with benevolence, has 

 bestowed on us every favor within her gift, aad asks < n'y of 

 man to aid the developement of her intrinsic riches by the 

 hand of culture*. As to the assertions, advanced by foreign- 

 ers, that our climate is not congenial to the culture of silk, or 

 that it cannot be manufactured in this country, they certainly 

 cannot be supported by facts, and have principally obtained 

 currency and credence by repetition. For, experiments suffi- 

 ciently numerous have been made to establish the fact, that 

 the culture and manufacture of this article can be carrieJ on 

 with as much or more advantage in this country as it can be 

 in Europe. And there need no longer remain a doubt that it 

 will become one of the most important branches of our na- 

 tional industry, and like that of cotton, combine in its favor 

 the triple interests of agriculture, manufactures and com- 

 merce. 



To show the importance of this species of culture in the 

 United States, and the profit attending it, permit me to make 

 a few brief statements. It appears by the report made to 

 Congress by their Committee on x^griculture, in May, 1826, 

 that in 1821 the importations of manufactured silks into the 

 United States amounted to $4,486,924; of which $1,057,233 

 were exported ; and by a gradual increase in the course of 

 four years, the importation amounted to $10,271 ,527; of which 

 only $2,565,742 were exported, leaving a balance of $7,705- 

 785 to be paid for. Since that time, it has gradually increas- 

 ed, and the consumption of the past year may be fairly esti- 

 mated at $10,000,000 ; being about one dollar to each free 

 white person including men, women and children. 



Fortunately for the United States, the nations that supply us 

 with manufactured silks are as much in vv^ant of the raw arti- 

 cle, as their customers of their fabrics. France imports an- 

 nually, to the amount of 30,000,000 of franks, of raw silks ; 

 and Great Britain purchases annually to the amount of 

 £1,800,000 sterling. These two sums exceed 14,000,000 of 

 American dollars. 



Here then are two rich and increasing markets offered to 

 the industry of the American people for the sale of their raw 

 silk. They must expect to meet competition with other na- 



* Prince on the Vine. 



