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any in the union. But it not only made our inhabitants nu¬ 
merous, it made them industrious, prosperous and rich.— 
The gypsum was the true philosopher’s stone, which had 
been so long sought for. It turned every thing it touched 
into gold. 
To Chancellor Livingston this state is further indebted 
for the introduction of the merino breed of sheep, and for 
the general emulation excited among our farmers, to rear 
and improve these valuable animals. The introduction of 
these was a consequence of the Chancellor’s mission to 
France, and must be of the greatest and most decisive ad¬ 
vantage to the United States. Already its effects upon our 
manufactures have been seen. This society have adjudged 
premiums during their present session, to specimens of cloth, 
which would vie with the finest foreign textures. This 
chair, which the feelings of the legislature, have caused to 
be shrouded in the garments of mourning, laments the loss 
we have sustained in our own native fabrics.—The most af¬ 
fluent among us now feel proud to wear and to exhibit the 
fruit of our infant manufactures. The American farmer 
feels a conscious greatness and independence, when he can 
appear clad in the vestments wrought by the hands of his 
sisters or wife or daughters. But above all, the real patriot 
sees and rejoices that our future dependence on foreign 
manufactures can be no longer asserted; and that our na¬ 
tional wants can be supplied from our own internal resources, 
whenever the true policy of the government may require 
the measure. These are the consequences of the introduc¬ 
tion of the merino sheep. For ever honored by his coun¬ 
try be the man, who obtained the golden fleece, and returned 
with it to our shores ; who has declared a second independ¬ 
ence for our country. 
These are the chief of the agricultural improvements 
which Chancellor Livingston has introduced into our coun¬ 
try. There yet remains to be spoken of, an invention in the 
useful arts of which he was the author and promoter, which 
in some degree surpasses these } and which alone, deserves 
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