EAST OF THE MISSISSIPPI EIVEE. 455 



blc hostage for the small i>ortioii of her wooleus we may want, and an exchange is 

 probably better than turning our cornfields into sheep pastures. It Is exactly the 

 case in which commerce renders a mutual benefit, as we, under our warm and dry 

 climate and In our sandy soil, can raise cotton cheaper than England; and she by 

 the help of her moisture and verdure can raise wool cheaper than the United States. 

 It is curious that wool should be supplanting cotton here, whilst cotton is supplant- 

 ing wool in Europe ; but as fashions wear out in one country they flee to another. 



This essay, following close upon assertions made in preceding ones 

 that agriculture was being " filched " to assist manufactures, had imme- 

 diate effect, and some papers that had given encouragement to the 

 Merino changed front and insisted that their introduction would 

 exclude all the old sheep, and no wool would be obtainable for coarse 

 woolen cloths; that long wool was wanted as much as fine; some sheep 

 must be raised for mutton, not for wool only, and to the appeal made 

 by some that the Merino should not be crossed, but bred pure, the 

 Alexandria Gazette thought that would be too much of a good thing: 

 " Democrats intermarry with Federal families, and that breed is thus 

 improved without Federal deterioration." 



There were others who, friendly to domestic manufactures, were 

 totally opposed to the scheme of fostering and forcing manufactures by 

 heavy duties, giving rise to great manufacturing establishmeuts, sup- 

 ported by wealthy individuals, and tending, as they believed, to destroy 

 the physical, moral, and political character of the laborer. To them 

 the preservation of the Merino blood pure and alone would be at once 

 unwise, impolitic, and in many respects injurious. The country had 

 many useful native breeds which, by crossing with the valued stran- 

 gers, would imbibe a sufSciency of their superior qualities to answer 

 every necessary and ordinary purpose. At the same time this system 

 would rescue the native sheep from unmerited neglect and disperse the 

 Merino strain through all parts of our country. Again, clothes made 

 of the pure Merino wool were only suited to the uses of the rich and 

 luxurious. Their costly nature precluded their introduction to the 

 humbler walks of life, and although the man of fortune might indulge 

 in the comforts of warm clothing, flannels, and nightcaps, his poorer 

 neighbor would stUl be shivering in the horrors of nakedness and 

 neglect. If manufactures were wantinig, they were especially wanting 

 to the needy and distressed; a blanket was more useful than a shawl, a 

 strong cloth more extensively useful than a fine one. To encourage 

 domestic establishments in parishes and townships and to discourage 

 extensive monopolies should form the essential policy of our country; 

 when it became an exporting community was time enough to fashion 

 our fabrics to the taste of luxury abroad. First minister to the com- 

 forts of that large and useful class of the political family who support 

 the cause of industry in peace and protect the cause of freedom in 

 war, who deserve the due attention of science and patriotism to supply 

 their real wants. It was argued that the great preference given to 

 imported sheep discouraged the small farmer from improving his native 



