states most interested in woollen manufactures, for the purpose of selecting persons to represent them in the general convention. During the months of June and July, conventions were held at the capitals of the states of New-Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode-Island, Connecticut, Vermont, New-York, NewJersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Maryland; and men of the highest respectability and influence were appointed delegates to the Harrisburg convention. Delegates were also sent to the convention from the states of Ohio, Kentucky, and Virginia. Owing to the shortness of the time between the first call of a convention on the 14th of May, and the time of meeting on the 30th of July, the more distant states were not represented; but a meeting of more weight in point of character, talents, and influence, had been seldom assembled in the United States, than the Harrisburg convention. Upon their assembling, the delegates presented their credentials, and chose Joseph Ritner, of Pennsylvania, president, and Jesse Buel, of New York, and Frisby Tilghman, of Maryland, vice presidents. Committees were then appointed to inquire into the state of the wool growing, and wool manufac. turing business, and also into the state of the manufactures of iron, hemp, flax, glass, copper, cotton, and as to the propriety of affording further protection to domestic dis. tilled spirits, and to inquire into the effect of domestic manufactures upon the commerce and navigation of the country. After investigating these subjects with great care and attention, reports were made to the convention, stating the following results, viz. that the manufacture of cottons in the United States, afforded a market for 175,000 bales of cotton annually; and that the printed cottons manufactured in the United States, amounted annually to 14,000,000 yards. The importation of cotton goods into this country in 1825, amounted to $12,509,516; in 1826, to $8,348,034; and in conclusion, it was recommended to augment the duties on imported cottons, by increasing the minimum valuation, to 40 cents per square yard. The annual consumption of bar iron in the United States, was es. timated at 70,000 tons, of which 28,000 were imported; and as the means of supply were undoubted, an increase of duty from 90 cents to 112 cents per cwt. was recommended; and a duty of one cent per pound on hammered bar iron, and a corresponding increase of the duty on steel, were also recommended. The glass manufactures were represented as being content with the present duty, although the impor tations of foreign glass, for 1826, amounted to $513,945, besides 300,000 weight of glass, of which the value was not given. Further protection was recommended to the grower and manufacturer of hemp and flax, and additional measures to discourage the importation of foreign spirits, and the distillation of spirits from foreign articles. siery, mits, caps, and bindings, revenue. A memorial to congress, was drawn up in conformity with these recommendations, which, being unanimously adopted, the convention adjourned. On the subject of wool, the principal object of the convention, the following duties were recommend ed: on raw wool, costing in a foreign country over 8 cents, a duty of 20 cents per pound, with These proceedings, although an annual increase of 2 cents per hailed with great satisfaction by pound, until it amounts to 50 cents the friends of domestic manufacper pound. The minimum valua- tures, did not pass without severe tion of all woollen goods, to be fix. remark and criticism. In the ed at 50 cents per square yard, southern states, the whole system and a duty of 40 per cent. ad valo- was condemned, as hostile to their rem recommended, with a progres- local interests, and as contrary to sive annual increase of 5 the spirit of the constitution. Meetuntil it amounted to 50 per cent. ings were held in some of the duty. per cent. All goods costing over 50 cents, and not over $2 50 per square yard, to be valued at $2 50, and similar duties to be levied. All goods costing more than $2 50, and not over $4 00 per square yard, to be valued at $4 00, and similar duties to be levied. All goods costing over $4, and not more than $6 per square yard, to be valued at $6, and similar du. ties ad valorem to be imposed. On all woollen goods of a higher price, similar ad valorem duties to to be laid. From these duties, blankets, stuffs, bombazeens, ho southern states, and resolutions 1 covert and insidious hostility was evinced at the north, on the part of those who coincided with them in opinion. At several of the primary assemblies, and in the state conventions, efforts were made to connect several branches of domestic manufac. tures with that of wool, with the view of embarrassing the friends of the woollen manufacture, by the introduction of other subjects, whose claim to the attention of congress rested upon other grounds. These, however, were in a measure unsuccessful, and the time of the meeting of the twentieth congress approached, under a general impression, that some effectual measures would be adopted for the relief of this important branch of national industry. CHAPTER VI. Treasury Report-Revolutionary pensions-Bill authorizing exchange of Stocks-Grant to Sufferers at Alexandria-Salary of Postmaster General-Appropriations for the support of government-Army appropriations-Georgia militia claim-Indian appropriations-Appropriations for internal improvement-Fortifications-Naval appropriations-Bill for the gradual improvement of the Navy-Public Buildings-Correspondence between Mr. Benton and Mexican minister. Arrears of internal duties, and direct taxes, and incidental Expenditures during the first three quarters of the year, were estimated at $18,714,226 Viz.-Civil, diplomatic, and miscellaneous services, 2,020,331 department, &c. 5.266,981 |