manufactured in the manufacturing establishments, to gether with the various descriptions, so manufactured, was ascertained. Determining, then, as nearly as I can, from the testimony taken before the Committee on Manu. factures, the quantity of wool which would be consumed to make the cloth manufactured in the domestic way in that State, I find that New York alone would, in 1825, have afforded two millions, and, perhaps, two and a half millions pounds of wool, for the use of the manufactories of the country, beyond what was required for the domestic or family consumption. But New York then possess ed less than one-fourth of the whole number of sheep, according to the calculation I have made; and if the other States, named as wool-growing States, did, at that time, furnish as large a surplus, over and above the wool manufactured in the domestic way, in proportion to their respective populations, as did New York, how would this whole surplus, appropriated to the use of the manufactories, compare with the quantity they require?

[MARCH 10, 1828.

years. There is at this moment on hand, awaiting a fa-
vorable market, at least 20,000.000 lbs. ; which, being
added to the products of 20,000,000 sheep, we shall
have, on the first of June next, 70,000,000 lbs. ; which
will be more than a supply of the raw material."
This, Mr. Chairman, strongly confirms me in the cor-
rectness of my own estimates; and if either be substanti
ally correct in its results, the country does produce wool
enough for the cloth she makes; and if enough for pre-
sent demand is produced, no one can doubt the ability to
extend the growing of wool even more rapidly than the
manufactories can be increased by the present capital
seeking that investment.

But, notwithstanding these evidences that the United States do produce a full supply of domestic wool, large quantities of foreign wool are annually imported; and one evidence that those importations do conflict with the domestic wool, is furnished in the fact, that very little or no coarse common domestic wool is purchased by the factories on the sea-board, where the coarse imported wools are readily obtained. The evidence of the importations is furnished in the Executive reports of the importations into the United States for the several years, by reference to which it will be seen that the value of these importations of wool, from 1822 to this time, have varied from about $350,000 to about $550,000 annually.

The whole amount of woollen goods consumed in this country are variously estimated, at from fifty to sixty millions of dollars in value. One of the witnesses, and the only one, I think, who makes an estimate upon it, puts the value at fifty millions. The honorable chairman, [Mr. MALLARY,] says, he has seen an estimate at sixty-two millions. Suppose sixty millions to be the correct amount consumed. Of these, near ten millions, or between eight and ten millions, are imported; leaving not far from fifty millions to be, and which now are, manufactured in the country. What value of wool, then, is required to make this value of goods? By the testimony it will be seen that the value of the wool, as a general rule for this coun-flicts with the domestic, by supplying the very same martry, at present prices, is about one-half the value of the cloth it makes. The value of the wool, then, to make fifty millions of dollars worth of cloths, will be twentyfive millions of dollars. The wool produced in the country, according to the data and principles of calculation I have before assumed, will stand as follows:

In 1825, the number of sheep above given, 13,809,678
Add 70 per cent. upon this number for the
increase up to the present time, as obtain-
ed from the testimony as to
Dutchess county, New York,

- 9,666,774

And the whole number of sheep will now be, 23,476,452 Multiply this whole number of sheep by two and onehalf, the pounds of wool which each sheep, as appears by the testimony, will yield annually, and the whole quantity of wool grown in the United States, at the present time, will be 58,691,130 pounds.

This wool must conflict with the wool of the country, if it be true that the country produces a supply; and it must affect the price far beyond its proportionable value, inasmuch as a surplus in the market, however small, sinks the price of the whole cominodity. This wool also conket which the domestic wool ought to supply. This must be true, unless there are qualities imported answering a different purpose from that to which any domestic wool can be applied. But, sir, as I have before said, the manufactories upon the sea-board use none of the coarse domestic wools of the country; while those in the interi or do use these coarse wools for the same purposes for which the others use the imported coarse wools. For proof of this I refer to the testimony again.

[Here Mr. W. again made large quotations from the evidence taken before the Committee on Manufactures.] I am aware, Mr. Chairman, that this reference to the testimony is tedious and irksome to the committee; but, sir, I cannot discharge what I believe to be my duty, without making it. I wish to examine the bill reported by the committee, and the amendment offered by the Hon. Chairman, [Mr. MALLARY,] with express reference to it, and to the facts elicited by it. And taking the referenI admit, Sir, that all calculations of this kind are uncer- ces I have just made, I ask where is the evidence of the tain, and subject to considerable errors; but when it is want of foreign coarse wool? How many of the factories remembered that this is made without any allowance for spoken of by these witnesses purchase any of the coarse the sheep raised in the States south and west of those domestic wools? Mr. Dexter and Mr. Dickinson are in before named, of which there are known to be considera- the interior, and they use entirely domestic wools of all ble numbers, and when it is proved by the testimony that qualities. Nearly all the witnesses are employed in makmany of the farmers have now on hand and unsold the ing fine cloths, either broadcloths or cassimeres, and of shearings of from one to four years, I cannot doubt that the same descriptions. Nearly all use the fine domestic this calculation is sufficiently small, and that the annual wools, but most of them use the foreign coarse wools for growth of wool in the United States, and the surplus listings, headings, and the like; a use for which the donow in the country unsold, must swell the value of the mestic coarse wools will answer an equally valuable domestic wool at least to reach the present consumption. purpose, as is shown by the fact, that the factories in the As corroborating this estimate, I ask leave, sir, to re-interior do make that use of it. But some of the witnessfer to one of the memorials upon this subject, which has been printed and laid upon our tables since this bill was reported to the House. This memorial comes from a county of my own State, (Otsego) second to few, and perhaps to none in it, in the extent and importance of its agricultural and manufacturing pursuits; and its language is as follows:

"The present number of sheep in the United States cannot be less than 20,000,000, and a steady market for wool would ensure their being double in number in three

es, differently situated, swear expressly that they do not purchase it, and others, that they do not know its market price, which is equally evidence that it is not used in their factories. Others testify expressly to the use of the foreign coarse wools instead of the domestic.

It has been said, that for the manufacture of carpets, domestic wool cannot be used; that the price will be so high as to render it impossible to make the fabric at a reasonable value. From an examination of the testimony, does it appear that the foreign imported coarse wools are

materially lower in price than the domestic? Will it not be found that domestic wools will be obtained in the course of manufacture as cheap as the foreign wools here mentioned? I believe, sir, I shall be able to show that they may be so obtained, that they must be fit for carpet. ings, and that their prices will not be higher than the average prices of the foreign wools.

Another and principal reason which induced me, and which I think influenced the majority of the committee to believe it necessary to change and increase the duty upon the coarse imported wools, is the confirmed opinion that many of these importations are made in evasion of the spirit of the existing laws, and that, by this means, qualities of wool are actually imported, invoiced at ten cents per pound, which conflict with wools of an entirely superior quality.

[For the evidence upon which this opinion is founded, Mr. W. again referred to the printed testimony.]

Here we have the evidence of the witness, that the largest quantities of the wool imported are of these coarse qualities, and invoiced at and below ten cents per pound. Of the samples of wool here spoken of, and which were frankly and generously prepared for the purpose, and exhibited to the committee by the Hon. Mr. Tuffts, I confess, Mr. Chairman, no judgment can be formed except from actual inspection, and examination. I have examined them. They have been and I believe now are in the room of the Committee on Manufactures, where I hope many others have, or will examine them. I may be entirely mistaken in the judgment I have formed, and I certainly am not acquainted, to any considerable extent, with the different qualities of wools; but I am perfectly satisfied for myself, that at least two of these samples of wool are fully equal for all purposes of use, to much of the native wool of the country. Some of them have evidently not been cleansed at all; but, upon being cleansed and assorted, I cannot doubt that a large share of one of these samples of wool would be found fit to go into the manufacture of middling quality cloths. This, then, compels me to conclude that wools of these qualities, at least, must conflict with the coarse wools grown in this country. I may have misjudged as to the quality of these samples of wool; but, under my present impressions, the conclusion is irresistible.

But, sir, in corroboration of the testimony of the witnesses as to the relative quantities and qualities of the imported wools, and as the highest evidence upon this subject, I have referred to the Executive reports of the importation into the United States for several years, now last past, and will trouble the committee with a statement of the importations of wool for those years. It will be seen by the table that the qualities of the wools were not distinguished, or, that no distinction between wool costing abroad 10 cents and under per pound, and that costing a greater sum, was made until 1825, the year after the passage of the tariff of 1824. The quantity in pounds of the wool imported is given in 1822, and 1823, but not after. The importations from 1822 to 1827, both inclusive, have been as follows:

1822. Wool imported, 1823. do do

Quantity lbs. Value. Total value
1,733,420 $387,312
1,674,348

340,956

1825

Sdo over 10 cts. lb.

do

515,926

do

2 do under 10 do

1826 { do under 10 do

do over 10 do

do

53,550 $ 343,021

174,788

[H. OF R

it was much larger than any former year. This was the
first year after the passage of the tariff of 1824, and the
first year of the fair operation of that law upon the impor
tation of wool. What were its effects in that year, and
what changes have been produced by experience? By
that law, all wools at and under 10 cents per pound, were
to pay a duty of 15 per cent. ad valorem, and all costing
over that sum, double that duty. In 1825, the wool im-
ported costing over 10 cents, was valued at $515,926, and
that costing under 10 cents, at $53,550. The next year,
the imported wool costing over 10 cents was valued at
$343,021; nearly $200,000 less than the preceding year;
while that costing 10 cents and under, was valued at
$106,704; almost double the preceding year. But this
effect has not been peculiar to those two years. It still
continues, and is found to nearly as great an extent in a
comparison between 1826 and 1827. The importations of
wool costing over 10 cents in 1827, are valued at $233,-
739, nearly $110,000 less than in 1826; while the impor-
tations in 1827, of wool costing 10 cents and under, are
valued at $174,788, nearly $70,000 greater than 1826,
Now, Sir, I ask, is there any evidence that the manu-
facture of coarse wool has increased in proportion to this
increase of the importation of the material? If there is,
I have not heard of it. From all the witnesses examined
by the Committee on Manufactures, I have heard of but
one factory exclusively employed in the manufacture of
these coarse wools, and of that I have heard as matter of
history, and not of evidence; yet I do not doubt the fact,
that there is an extensive manufactory of negro cloths, so
called, at a place called Canton, in Massachusetts. The
committee have not been fortunate enough to reach a
single witness engaged in this manufacture. This is no
doubt to be lamented; and, had their acquaintance with
the manufacturers been more extensive, might have been
obviated. But so is the fact, and an examination of the
testimony taken by them, will show that nearly every
witness is employed in the manufacture of the finer wools.
Why, then, this rapid increase of the importation of coarse
wools? One manufactory cannot require it. There is,
then, but one way to explain it; and that is partially ex
plained by the samples of the coarse imported wools pre-
sented to the Committee on Manufactures. Two of these
samples I have already declared, in my judgment, to be
equal, if not superior, to samples which may be obtained
of domestic wool. How, then, it will be asked, is it im-
ported at an invoice of 10 cents per pound? I answer-
the appearance of most of the samples of this wool is bad.
It is imported entirely uncleansed, even upon the sheep.
The quality is thus disguised, unless the closest inspection
is had, and even then its true character may not be dis
covered. But I do say, it is, in my opinion, equal to much
of the wool grown in this country. What, then, is the
effect of importing this wool in this state? Suppose it
were cleansed and assorted before importation, as most of
the foreign wools are. If the quality be really such as I
suppose, and if it should be prepared in this manner be.
fore importation, much less of it would come to the coun-
try at all. It must, therefore, come in evasion of the ex-
isting law, and we cannot admit it, unless we wish it
should compete with our own wool in our own markets.

But, sir, the difference in quality of the foreign wool introduced into the country by this change, in the course of importation, is worthy of notice. The quantity of wool $569,476 imported into this country in 1822 and 1823, I have before given, and I will repeat them, and compare those 449,725 quantities with the number of pounds imported in 1825, 1826, and 1827, supposing that costing more than 10 cents per pound to average 50 cents per pound, and that costing 10 cents and under per pound, to average 7 cents per pound. These averages will at least be proportionably correct, for the years to which they apply, and cannot, I presume, be considered far from correct in the compari.

1827 { do under 10 do 408,527 A comparison of these importations will show that the value of the imported wool in 1823 and 1824, was a little less in each year than the value for 1822; that in 1825, VOL. IV.-116

MARCH 10, 1828.]

ter.]

[Here Mr. W. quoted from the answer of Mr. Dex- | factures have been able to learn, the great body of the factories of the country are employed in the manufacture of the finer wools, and therefore the want of a supply of coarse wool is much less to be apprehended; and the exclusion of the foreign coarse wools, even if that should be the effect of the provision recommended by the committee, is much less a subject of alarm and apprehension. Most of the testimony to establish this point has been already referred to, and I will now only detain the committee by a very short repetition of it. The same question, in substance, if not in form, was put by the committee to all the witnesses, to whose testimony I shall refer, and was; Question. "What has been the quality of the wool

It will be remarked that Mr. Dexter declares that he is not himself a practical manufacturer. I feel bound to add, in justice to him, that the subpoena of the committee reached Mr. Dexter in the State of Delaware, some hundreds of miles from his factory, where he has been employed for two or three years past; that therefore he testified entirely from memory, having had no access to the books and papers of the factory of which he speaks, after he was summoned to attend before the committee. He is, however, and has been a stockholder, and an active director of the establishment, and a careful examination of his answers will show a general knowledge of the sub-mostly purchased for the use of your factory, and what ject, and a frankness and intelligence, which, if not so have been the average prices per pound paid at the faccorrect in the minute details of the business, will en- tory for the last three years?" sure as strong a credit as any witness who has appeared before the committee.

The answers relating directly to the point for which I now refer to them, are as follows:

[Here Mr. W. quoted the testimony of thirteen witnes

It appears, then, from his testimony, that out of 100 pounds of wool, worth 35 cents per pound, in the assort-ses: and added] ment, 40 pounds will be obtained worth only 20 cents Thus, sir, from this reference to the testimony of the per pound, falling exactly into the average price of the thirteen witnesses examined, it will be found that, at most, coarse native wools of the country. If then this large di- but three of them make any considerable use of coarse vision of 100 pounds of wool worth 35 cents per pound, is wools of any kind, and of these three, one (Mr. Marland) reduced by assortment from 35 to 20 cents, what I ask is a manufacturer of flannels exclusively. The demand will be the effect of assorting a lot of wool, worth in the for coarse wools, then, by the manufactories of the counlot only 20 cents? Will it not, must it not be, to reduce try, must be proportionally limited. Two and one half an equally large share of it to 15-nay, sir, to 12 cents? millions of lbs. or about that amount, was the quantity and if to 12 cents per pound, then to and below the aver-imported during the last year; and this would seem to age price of the foreign imported coarse wools? But, Mr. Chairman, I have further reference to make to the testimony upon this point.

[Here Mr. W. quoted from the answers of Messrs. Tuffts, Shepherd, and Schenck.]

The first witness, then, Mr. Chairman, in assorting a lot of wool worth 35 cents per pound, reduces 40-100ths of it to 20 cents per pound, and a small share of it even as low as from 6 to 8 cents; the second, in assorting a lot worth 37 cents per pound, says-the lowest quality would not be worth more than ten cents: the third, in assorting a lot worth 55 cents per pound, not for manufacture, but for market, sells the lowest quality, thus assort ed, at 20 cents per pound; and the fourth witness, and the last I shall refer to upon this head, in assorting into merely five qualities, a large lot of full blooded merino, reduces one tentn part of it to 25 cents per pound. I then, again, ask, sir, what will be the result of an assortment of the native wools of the country, as purchased in large quantities at the present prices? In the fleece washed, I have shown it to be worth 20 cents per pound. The inevitable effect of assorting it must be, that a very large share, if not the full half, must be reduced within the very prices at which the great body of the foreign wools are proved to be selling in our own markets; a very large share of these wools, when assorted, must be reduced in value to from 10 to 16 cents per pound.

form most of that description of wool consumed by the manufacturing establishments. Can there then be a doubt that, from the coarse wool grown in the country, and from the quantities which must be obtained in assorting all wools for manufacture, this quantity, and a much larger than this, can, and will be supplied? These importa. tions then, as I have before remarked, supply the market, which the native wool of the country ought to supply. Such were the opinions by which, as a member of the committee on manufactures, I was influenced in agreeing to the proposed duty on the coarse wools. I did be lieve that the native wool of the country was wanting the market which the coarse imported wools supply; nor did 1 suppose the exclusion of this description of foreign wool could be the subject of just alarm, as I did not then, and do not now, doubt the ability of the country fully to supply its place.

Be

What remedy, then, does the amendment, proposed by the Hon. Chairman, provide against the importation of these coarse wools? It proposes to alter the valuation at which they shall be admitted from 10 to 8 cents. yond that it proposes no remedy. At and under 8 cents per pound they are still to be admitted at the nominal duty of 15 per cent. ad valorem. Let me ask, Mr. Chairman, if this proposition of the Hon. Chairman does not fall under the condemnation of his own argument in relation to another branch of this subject' We have been told If I am at all correct in this, I now ask, sir, what is the by him, and we have been told by all the witnesses, that practical effect of the importation of these coarse wools? the present manner of levying the duty upon woollen This effect must be double, and must operate both ways. goods is defective; that an ad valorem duty upon these I have examined the effect of assorting our own coarse goods can never furnish adequate protection; that the wools. But these foreign coarse wools, when properly difficulty of correctly distinguishing the true quality, and cleansed, must also be assorted. By this process the consequently the true value of cloths, is insurmountable; finer qualities must be valued from 18 to 25 cents, that false invoices are and will be made; that the qualithe present prices of our coarse wools in the fleece, ties of goods will be disguised, and that, under such a so that the conflict must be not only certain, but dou-law, they will not pay their just rates of duty. This reable, between these wools and the native wool of this soning, sir, had a convincing effect upon my mind. It country. I am aware I shall be met with the allegation, had upon the minds of the committee, as the bill they that the quantity of coarse wool obtained, by the assort-have reported will show. But if the doctrine is true as ment of our wools, is small. In the finer qualities I know it is, but the testimony just referred to furnishes the best data for settling this point.

to woollens, is it not equally true as to wool? May not the quality of the one be as easily ascertained as that of the other? Will the Hon. Chairman pretend that the apprais Yet, Mr. Chairman, I have another answer to this ob- er can distinguish the difference in quality between a jection, which is, that so far as the Committee on Manu-pound of wool, the true cost of which, in a foreign mar

H. OF R.]

Tariff Bill.

[MARCH 10, 1828

ket, has been or should be, 8 or 10 cents, so as to deter- the foreign market, of the fine wools imported, to be 50 mine whether it should or should not be admitted under cents per pound, the number of pounds imported in 1825, the nominal duty? Will he pretend that two cents in the would have been 1,031,852, while the number of pounds foreign value of a pound of wool, furnish a more obvious imported in 1827, will have been only 467,478 : considdistinction in the quality of the wool, than usually existserably less than half the quantity for 1825. between pieces of cloth of different qualities? He will Mr. Chairman, in addressing the committee on Thursprobably answer me that any frauds which may be prac-day, I assumed as the basis of my argument, that it could tised under this provision are too trifling to be the sub-not be the policy of this government to encourage the jects of serious apprehension. In this opinion I would rea-introduction of any foreign raw material for the purpose of dily agree with him, if they related to the importation of manufacture, when that same raw material is and can be an article which the country does not produce. But I produced in the country in sufficient quantities to answer believe the fact to be otherwise; and if it be so, I am any demand for it. bound to suppose this difference of valuation will be of no utility. If the reasoning in relation to the frauds be sound as to the cloths, it must also be sound as to the wool, and the alteration requisite to guard against them is not produced by the change of valuation from 10 to 8 cents. No remedy can be effective but a specific duty upon each pound of this wool. Any reasonable increase of the ad valorem duty upon an article of so small a value cannot operate as a sufficient guard, without being entirely disproportionate upon the finer wools: And, even laying aside that difficulty, the impossibility of distinguishing accurately the qualities of these wools, in the state they now are and will be imported, is not obviated by any ad valorem increase, and such a provision in relation to them would be left subject to all the objections made against it when applied to cloths. I have endeavored to show that these frauds do, to some extent, now exist. Indeed, the honorable Chairman admits their existence in some degree.

To what degree, then, will they not prevail, when the great additional inducement to commit them shall be of. fered, which the proposed amendment will offer? Pass that, and the question will not be whether the pound of wool costing abroad 10 cents, shall pay a duty of 15 or 30 per cent.; whether it shall pay 14 or 3 cents; but, whether it shall pay 14 or 20 cents; whether it shall pay 15 per cent. or 200 per cent. This, sir, will then be the difference of a proper or improper valuation, and this the inducement to frauds in the importation of coarse wools. I will trouble the committee, Mr. Chairman, with one further reference to the testimony on the subject of the bill and amendment, so far as they relate to the wool, and I will tax their patience no farther upon this part of the subject. It will be found by an examination of this testimony, that nearly all the wool now imported, is either that invoiced at and below 10 cents per pound, or the fine Saxony and Spanish wools. This will be seen by the following testimony:

I then attempted to show, both from the testimony taken before the Committee on Manufactures, and from data which I gave to the committee, that the United States do now, and will in all future time, produce wool enough to answer any demand of the manufacture of that article in the country. I then admitted, as I do now admit, that the data from which my calculations are made are subject to great uncertainty: but I still contend, that with every allowance for this uncertainty, there cannot be a doubt of the ability of the country to furnish a full supply of wool, I next gave the importations of foreign wool into the United States for several years last past, and urged, as a reason for my belief, that the imported coarse wools do conflict with the domestic wool, that very little or no common native wool of the country is purchased by the factories upon the sea-board, where the coarse imported wools are readily obtained, while the factories in the interior, employed in making the same description of cloth, use the domestic coarse wools for the same purposes for which the former use the imported.

I also urged, as a reason for an increase of duty upon the coarse wools particularly, that some of the importa tions of wool, under the existing law, were made in evasion of the spirit of that law; that much of the wool imported, invoiced at and under ten cents per pound, was imported entirely uncleansed, and in a very foul state, by which its quality was disguised: and that thus a quality of wool was in fact imported under that provision, better than was intended by the law, and which must necessarily conflict with a better quality of wool of our own country; and I gave, as evidence of the correctness of this position, statements of the relative decrease in the importations of fine, and increase in the importations of coarse wool, since that law has been in operation.

I next attempted to show that the native wools of this country might be used to answer the purposes for which the coarse imported wools are used; and I refurred, in proof of this position, to the now prices of the native [Here Mr. W. again quoted from the testimony, to sus-wools, and of the coarse foreign wools, in our own martain his argument.]

kets, as shown by the testimony taken before the Com mittee on Manufactures; to the fact, that none of the native wool was purchased by the factories located near the markets where the coarse imported wools are readily obtained, and that consequently there is little demand for it, while the foreign seils readily; and to the further fact, that the factories in the interior do use the native wools for the same purposes for which the foreign ccarse wools are used. I also urged that in assorting wools for manufacture, qualities of coarse wool would be obtained similar to the qualities of the coarse imported wools.

Thus, sir, it will be seen, both from the direct answers of those witnesses, who were possessed of the information, as to the qualities of wool imported, and from the prices paid at the factories for foreign wools, that nearly the whole present importations are of the coarse or of the finer wools. This, too, is strongly to be inferred from the change of importations since the passage of the tariff of 1824. To this change I have already referred in the table of importations, and also in the tabular calculation with which I have already troubled the committee; and I will not repeat it, any further than to remark that the val ue of the coarse wool imported, has increased from 1825 to 1827, from $53,550 to $174,788, while the value of the importations of all finer wools has diminished within the same period, from $519,926, to $233,759. Supposing the average cost abroad of the wool invoiced at and below 10 cents per pound, to be 7 cents per pound, the number of pounds imported in 1825, would have been 765,000, while the number of pounds imported in 1827, would I then contended, that no other alteration of the exhave been 2,496,971, more than three times the quantityisting law, than that of laying a specific duty upon every of the former year; and supposing the average cost, in pound of this coarse wool, could reach the evil, and I'

Another ground upon which 1 advocated the propriety of an increased duty upon the coarse wool was, that almost all the factories are now employed in the manufacture of fine wool; and that, therefore, an exclusion of the coarse foreign wool, if that should be the effect of the in. creased duty, would be less seriously felt by the manufacturers in proof of which position I also referred to the testimony.