high estate, where she presided over the destiny of man, and bereft, of the charms which gave form and tone to all his visions of bliss, yet if she fall again into servile bondage she will drag the vanquishers with her back to a state of barbarism not less degraded and wretched than her own.

But many of our discreet and sober citizens regard the introduction of the new costume as impracticable: neither can we believe that it will be generally adopted; but, in our opinion, it requires a public expression of decided disapproval to check its progress. No other innovation, of equal importance, ever proposed in this country, has met with such uniform countenance and commendation from the public press: the entire corps editorial, with one exception perhaps out of twenty, seem to have been surprised and taken captive by what they denominate the "Bloomer Costume." Surely so many grave and intelligent gentlemen could not have been influenced merely by a desire to see their wives and daughters dressed out in pantaloons. We can imagine a variety of motives by which some of the younger brothers of the corps might be induced to advocate this innovation; but even they, we believe, would not commend it to their sisters and mothers.

But whatever may have been the motives of the conductors of the press in supporting this movement on the part of the women, we must be allowed to say that in our opinion they have manifested not only a want of taste and refined sentiment, but have shown themselves to be either ignorant or disregardful of the more refined and important principles of social philosophy.

Upon this subject we cannot believe that the press is the true exponent of public sentiment; and we trust that our countrywomen will not be lead by its opinion into follies which they may have cause to regret, until both sides of the question shall have undergone more serious consideration.

We have observed that the new costume is more especially recommended to those employed in factories and other vocations requiring much exercise. This we also regard as highly objectionable. Let those whose condition compels them to labor, beware, of adopting a costume differing materially in form from that worn by the more wealthy classes. Such a custom would tend to mark more distinctly the lines between the different classes of society, and limit the social intercourse of each within their respective bounds. It was doubtless by such means that castes were established in China and other countries where that form of society now exists. The institution of castes, whether established by law or resulting from custom, would destroy the spirit of our republican institutions and put an end to our progress in civilization.

In concluding this hasty sketch of the times, it may be proper to remark that there seems to be a strong tendency in the public mind to regard any change as an improvement. This places the mere pretender, destitute of genius, philanthropy, and even of

honesty, upon an equal footing with the benefactors of the age, whilst it endangers the safety of our institutions and tends to degrade the moral sense of the people.

To watch the ever changing aspects of the times and guard the community against sudden and ill advised changes and innovations, whether in politics, religion, or morals, is amongst the first and highest duties of the public press; and if those who direct that mighty engine discharge this duty with wisdom and fidelity, we may confidently trust in the advent of better times than has fallen to the lot of man since his expulsion from the garden of Eden.

SIR,

ARTICLE II.

AMERICAN HEMP.

[For the Western Journal.]

That the productions of the United States, whether of the Animal, Mineral or Vegetable kingdom, should, as far as possible, be brought into requisition by the citizens thereof generally, in their daily and common uses, and by the government thereof, particularly, inasmuch as is required for the wants of its Army and Navy, Docks and Arsenals, and the uses of its Navy-yards and Ropewalks, is so plain a proposition that to take it for granted would. seem as anything but presumption, and to offer arguments for its support an act of barefaced supererogation. For all admit the fact that the greater the consumption of the domestic article (where its use is adequate to the want) instead of the foreign production, the less we have to pay to foreigners-the more abundant is the circulating medium among ourselves, and the less the necessity for the shipment of such medium from our own to foreign shores-the less reason for depriving ourselves of coin for the enrichment of others.

In view of these considerations it has been thought proper by our wisest statesmen to lay a protective duty upon such articles as are of the growth or manufacture of a foreign country in common with our own; that the citizens of the United States may reap the benefit of the production or manufacture of such articles, rather than that such benefit should accrue to foreigners; or that the specie should be paid to others for doing what we could do ourselves.

These preliminary remarks result from a knowledge of the two following facts: the first of which is contained in the laws of the United States and there spread at length; the second though not hitherto so fully published or generally known-acquired by me,

during a journey taken during the months of May and June last, through several of the Northern and Eastern States.

1st. Hemp is admitted into the United States upon the payment of a duty of 25 per cent. but Hempen Yarns upon the payment of a duty of 20 per cent.

2d. Hemp-American, dew-rotted Hemp-has never been manufactured into cordage for the use of its own Navy, nor has a single gang of rigging, for any United States vessel, ever been made, of such hemp, at any United States rope-walk.

The cause of the fact contained in the first proposition is, by me, unfathomable. That a nation should tax its own people for the benefit of another-that its own producers, its own manufacturers the tillers of its own soil should be forced to take the bread from their own mouths for the sustenance of foreigners and that the Russians should be paid a bonus of 5 per cent. (the discount to them for manufacturing their hemp before they send it to us) as an encouragement for them to send us their yarns, is certainly an anomaly in national policy-but such is the fact-such is the law. And must we always submit? Will you not, Sir, in your next annual message recommend justice to the hemp-grower and to the cordwainer? I will hope so.

But regarding the second proposition such inconsistency, in law, does not exist, and you have the full power as "Commander in chief of the Army and Navy of the United States" to take such order thereon as may, to you, and in your discretion and judgment, seem fit and proper.

The only Rope-walk belonging to the United States or attached to a navy-yard thereof, (not mentioning that upon the Mississippi, at Memphis, as yet incomplete,) now in complete operation, is at the Charlestown navy-yard. This walk I visited, in company with Capt. Pope, last May, who, with that politeness and urbanity, common to the profession, and so generally accorded to strangers, rendered me every facility for making myself acquainted with the practical minutiae of the operations of that extensive and systematic work, and to the scientific and attentive superintendant of the rope-walk, Mr. Calan, am I indebted for much valuable information regarding the conduct of that concern, so important for the efficiency of our U. S. marine.

In this interview Mr. C. informed me that, since his action as superintendent of the rope-walk, no cordage had been manufactured, for the use of the Navy, from American dew-rotted Hemp

that it was considered, by the government and naval officers, generally, as unfit for the use of sea-going vessels-that it would not take or absorb tar as readily as Russian hempen yarns, and that, although it might not be entirely unsusceptible of taking tar, still that it would not retain the little absorbed by it to a sufficient extent for practical purposes. I did not understand Mr. Calan to say that he knew this experimentally, but that it was so generall

considered that he had never been ordered to spin a yarn of this kind of Hemp.

On the other hand I was informed by Messrs. Small, Day & Co., of Boston, whose extensive rope-walk is situated in Roxbury, that almost all their manufacture was of American dew-rotted hempthat they have practically tested the matter, and that American dew-rotted hemp, of good quality, is not only as susceptible of absorbing and retaining tar, but that it is a stronger article than the Russian. I personally inspected their cordage, of various sizes, and should pronounce it inferior, in appearance, to none that I have ever seen, either in U. S. or private walks.

The Rope-walk of Messrs. Robbins & Co. (Messrs. Phineas Sprague & Co., Boston, agents, and large owners in same,) at Plymouth, I also went to see, and was much gratified. In fact the assiduous attention shown me by Messrs. Evans, of the Plymouth, and Noyes, of the Roxbury works, in their endeavours to impart valuable information regarding the manufacture of American dew-rotted Hemp demands my hearty thanks.

The Plymouth works are carried on by steam at one end and by water power at the other end of the walk. Mr. Noyes informed me that the yarns imported from Russia, in that shape, were twisted too hard to take tar well, without un-laying.

In these several rope-walks is manufactured yearly from ten to fourteen hundred tons of American dew-rotted Hemp (as I understood) into lines and cordage of various sizes-tarred and untarred -spun yarn, marline, sea lead-lines, boltrope, stays, hawsers, &c., &c.

And these Russian yarns (that command a bonus of five per cent.) are too hard laid to take tar well-instead of the American Hemp. The tables seem turned. At least such is the result

of my inquiries, both as regards the taking and retaining of tar, as well as regards the comparative strength of fibre of 1st quality Russian and American dew-rotted Hemp.

It would seem probable, in view of these facts, that all that is wanted to insure as general a use of the Hemp and Cordage of America by the United States marine as by the commercial service, is to have the subject fairly tested by the government of the United States.

Will you, then, Sir, in conclusion, permit me-a Missouri farmer -a hemp-grower-one who (although over fifty years of age) never yet held and never expects to hold an office, either of honor, profit or trust, under the U. S. government, or any other,-will you permit such an one to propose for your consideration one of the following experiments-and should you think proper, to direct the trial of one of them, that Americans may, at least, have as fair a trial of their products (for once) as the Russians have caroled in for years-yes Sir-since the independence of these United States-that American Hemp-dew-rotled hemp may

be spun in the rope-walks and used in the navy of the United States? Either of these experiments will test the matter, provided the manufacturer will throw aside any prejudices that he may have hitherto acquired (from habit) in favor of the Russian and averse to the American article-prejudices, which, in being now generally acted upon, regarding other articles of common use, are conducing to the banishment of the precious metals from our own to other shores-for the gold of California stays with us but barely long enough to pass through the mint-to those who welcome their reception with an alacrity, surpassed only by the tenacity of their clutch.

The last or second proposition would, perhaps, be a fairer test than the first, for, both the Russian and American cordage in this case, being exposed upon the same vessel, at the same time, and to the same weather and atmosphere of any and all climates, must have an equal and fair chance; and if there is any superiority of the one kind of rigging or finding over another, such superiority must be apparent.

1st. Let two sea-going vessels of war, of the U. S. Navy be rigged and found, entirely, the one with Russian and the other with American cordage. Or,

2d. Let one such vessel (as near as may be) have one-half her rigging and finding manufactured of American and the other half of Russian hemp. Say her starboard rigging of the one kind and her larboard rigging of the other.

With the full assurance and unqualified declaration that all I have in view in this letter is the glory and renown of these United States, and the prosperity and happiness of the citizens thereof, and in the fond hope that this subject may be awakened for examination and that a full, free and fair investigation may result, I am, Sir,

Respectfully,

TO HON. MILLARD FILLMORE,

Your fellow-citizen,

J. T. CLEERLAND.

Hazel Ridge, Glasgow, Mo., July 22, 1851.