¦an VAir UNIVERSITY LIBRARY , 3 9002 06092 9511 YALE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY y rrruL tJh V s\. ^ 2>. /#•* :t: M"ohamcs Institute Ni-w-Vork BIOGRAPHY OF ZADOCK PRATT, PEATTSVILLE, N.Y. TO WHICH ABE APPENDED A PORTION OE HIS ADDRESSES, LETTERS, CONGRESSIONAL REPORTS AND SPEECHES. Nature endowed hee vigorous child With strength to do and dare ; He spread his tent in the hemlock wild, And raised a city there. Ci>£ iVVi. DEDICATION. TO THE CITIZENS OF THE UNITED STATES OP AMERICA ®Sis Tolume IS RESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED BT THE EDITOR. PREFACE. In presenting to the public the Life, Character, and Opinions of Zadock Peatt, we feel that we shall have a cordial welcome from the practical tanner, farmer, banker and legislator, — to say nothing of the man who honors the noble friend and generous citizen. But few men have been more blessed in health, mind and estate, than Colonel Pratt, of Prattsville. His labors have been directed with skill, and their fruits have been those of affluence and practical usefulness. What others have only hoped for he has accomplished ; and what most men have promised he has done. He was the builder of his own model, as well as the maker of his own fortune. His examples of success, of private virtue, public spirit, cheerful temper, and philanthropic zeal, are fraught with too many important considerations to be either neglected or concealed. They belong to the world. They constitute a rich legacy for the rising gen erations of our country, and his name will long be asso- VI PREFACE. dated with the spirit of honorable enterprise, — illustrat ing with irresistible force the power of simple duty in developments of industry, skill and integrity. It is a favorite maxim of his that the business of life is to be useful, — and it may be truly affirmed that few men ever succeeded more fully in illustrating this noble sentiment. It is but proper to remark that Col. Pratt is still in the vigor of youth. He is happy in active labors, and though relieved by partners from the details of business, he fre quently visits his tanneries in New Tork and Pennsyl vania, to see that they do not depart from his well-tried "landmarks." On these occasions, he rides his favorite gray horse, sometimes forty miles after dinner, without suffering the slightest inconvenience from fatigue, using a saddle and bridle made by himself thirty years ago, and accompanied by "Rough" and "Tanner," two magnificent dogs, which usually attend his excursions. Part Second embraces his Addresses and Letters, on a variety of topics, and some of his Congressional Reports and Speeches. They are eminently practical and sug gestive in their character, and require no editorial com mendation to insure them a just appreciation. CONTENTS BIOGRAPHY. CHAPTER I. PAGE Origin of the Pratt family in the United States. — Revolutionary services of Mr. Pratt's father. — Character of parents. — Birth of Zadok Pratt. — His child hood and early life, , 13 CHAPTER II. Military life of Mr. Pratt. — A volunteer in the war of 1812. — Stationed at Brooklyn Heights. — Interview with the commissary. — Retires from service. — Appointed captain of a, company. — Liberality as an officer. — Com missioned colonel. — Escorts Lafayette into Catskill. — Skill in the use of arms, 29 CHAPTER III Marriage. — Early death of his wife. — Makes new copartnership arrangements. — Plans a trading expedition to Canada. — Incidents of travel. — Observa tions on what he saw. — The wealthy merchant with an Indian wife. — His reception. — Meets a British pensioner. — A tory. — Anecdotes of reception at hotels on his return home. — Burning of his tannery. — An interesting inci dent. — Close of Canada expedition, 3 . CHAPTER IV. Resumes his business at the tannery. — Appointed magistrate. — Marries hia second wife. — Dissolves copartnership. — Death of his second wife. — His Vm CONTENTS. property. — Plan of enlarging his business. — Reasons. — Surveys the foreBts for a location. — Events connected with survey. — Plans a new tannery. Commencement of Prattsville. — Leather as a commodity. — Home market. — New York supplied by other states. — His method. — Active habits.— Novel modes of rebuke. — Anecdotes. — Danger predicted by croakers, . . 49 CHAPTER V. Early condition of Prattsville. — Effects of enterprise. — Plan of town. — Descrip tion of town. — Manner of disposing of land. — Importance of religious services. — Results of efficiency — Clerical wisdom. — New church built — one-third is given by Col. Pratt. — Appoints Gideon Lee • & Co. his agents. — Acquires wealth. — Marries -a, third wife. — Builds a handsome house. — New town of Prattsville incorporated. — Death of his third wife and one child. — Reflec tions and resolves. — Marries his fourth wife. — His domestic life. — Prompt work in building a bridge, 64 CHAPTER VI. Business pursuits. — A friend to religion. — A new church built. — His liberality. — Receives a silver medal from the New York Institute, for the best sole- leather. — Promotes education. — Elected honorary member of the American Institute, and of other societies. — Delivers an address before the Catskill Mechanic Society. — Petitions for a new county. — Offers to pay for county buildings. — Printing-press established in Prattsville. — Colonel Pratt's gen erous welcome to the Baptists. — His characteristics. — The credit system. — Means of success. — Establishes a bank in Prattsville. — His character as a banker. — Anecdotes. — His endorsements. — Advice to young traders, . . 81 CHAPTER VII. Colonel Pratt's interest in agriculture. — His farm. — Improvement of stock. — Elected President of Greene County Agricultural Society. — Donation to ditto. — Great agricultural fair at Cairo. — Appearance of the tanners. — Delivers an address before the society. — Extracts. — Fair at Windham, 1847. — Elected honorary member of several associations in different states. — Fire in the city of Hudson. — Prompt charity. — Respect for the Sabbath. — New Episcopal church built in Prattsville. — Liberal aid of Colonel Pratt. — Sculp tured rocks of Prattsville. — Poetical and grateful sentiments. — Description of Prattsville rocks. — Wishes in respect to his last repose. — Elected corre sponding member of Franklin Institute, and honorary member of other socie- CONTENTS. IX ties. — Letter on tanning. — Interesting statistics of Prattsville. — Growth of cities. — Causes of prosperity. — Literary attainments. — Public addresses. — Complimentary notices. — Travels, with his son, in the Southern and Western States. — His children — their travels. — Elected honorary member of the New York Historical Society. — -Receives degree of Master of Arts from Union College. — Anecdotes. — Elected President of New York Mechanic Listitute — delivers an address. — His character as a lecturer. — Appointed a delegate to the World's Fair, by Governor Fish. — His contribution to the World's Fair. — Examples of noble generosity. — High compliment of the stone-cutters. — Washington, 95 CHAPTER VIII. PoUtical parties of the United States . — The two great ones. — The past and the future. — Colonel Pratt a democrat. — Review of the democratic party. — Enters public life. — Elected to Congress. — Appointed one of the presiden tial electors. — Influence of wealth. — Political condition of the times. — Com mercial revulsion. — Extra session of Congress called by President Van Buren, 129 CHAPTER IX. Extra session of Congress. — Colonel Pratt takes his seat. — Polk elected speaker. — State of parties. — Character of the third party. — Colonel Pratt firm as a partisan. — Appointed on the committee on the militia. — Appointed on the committee on public buildings. — Legare, character of. — Makes a report on the materials suitable for the public buildings. — Architectural taste. — Anec dote. — Courtesy. — Virginia delegates visit Colonel Pratt. — General post- office building. — Its beauty. — Cheap postage suggested by Colonel Pratt, in 1836. — Provision in relation to foreign seeds and plants. — Government should not manufacture for itself. — Individual enterprise favored, . . . 140 CH-APTER X. Close of Colonel Pratt's first session in Congress. — Address to his constituents. — Declines » reelection. — Proposes the construction of a Dry Dock in Brook lyn. — Speech. — Comparative claims of New York and Philadelphia. — Branch Mint in New York. — Increase of salaries of mechanics and clerks pro posed. — Construction of steam frigates. — National defence. — Called " the working member." — Opinion of John Quincy Adams. — Anecdote of Colonel Pratt and the Postmaster General 156 X CONTENTS. CHAPTER XI. Retires from office. — Again nominated for Congress (1842).— Personal sacri fices. _ Political changes and events of 1840. — Nomination of General Har rison for the presidency. — Success and subsequent disappointment of the whigs. — Veto of President Tyler. — Whig party in the minority. — Colonel Pratt takes his seat in Congress, December, 1843. — Appointed chairman of committee on public buildings. — Moves for a uniform return of all the banks. Proposes again a national mint in New York. — Refunding of the fine im posed on General Jackson, in 1815. — States in favor of the measure. — Natu ralization laws — triumph of democracy in 1800. — Native American party. — Bureau of statistics proposed by Colonel Pratt. — Note. — Considerations re specting compliment of Mr. Cobb. — Growth of the country. — Reannexation of Texas. — Report on the North and South. — Information asked for respect ing Texas. — Whitney's railroad project. — Trade with Japan. — Reform in the patent office. — Journal of the Franklin Institute. — Preservation of the flags, &c, taken in war. — National monument to Washington. — Proposition to have government property reported in schedule, every two years. — Distri bution of national medals. — New public buildings proposed to be erected. — Paulding's letter. — Anecdote of Dromgoole and Pratt. — Report on banking in the District of Columbia. — " Gold spoons " of Van Buren. — Repairing of the president's house. — Curtains. — Example of extraordinary patriotism — interesting anecdote. — Colonel Pratt and Mr. Hammatt. — Loan of marquees to agricultural societies. — Political career of Colonel Pratt. — Address to his constituents. — Declines reelection. — Newspaper press. — Anecdote of Pratt and C. J. Ingersoll 166 CHAPTER XII. Letter respecting the tariff. — Letter respecting railroad from Lake Michigan to the Pacific. — Public spirit. — Colonel Pratt a candidate for governor. — Declines the honor. — Political parties in New York. — Conclusion. — Review of the Hfe of Colonel Pratt as » mechanic, as a business man, as a banker, as a man — as a writer and speaker, as a statistician, as a legislator. — Anecdotes 205 CONTENTS. XI PART SECOND. LITERARY AND STATISTICAL. ADDRESSES. PAGE MECHANICS THE ARCHITECTS OF THEIR OWN FORTUNES, .... 241 PRACTICAL EDUCATION, 248 LEARNING TO THINK FOR OURSELVES, AND TO MIND OUR OWN BUSINESS, 258 THE DIGNITY OF LABOR, AND THE TRUE POSITION OF THE MECHANIC, 272 TEMPERANCE, 283 ACT WELL YOUR PART, 287 ADDRESS DELIVERED AT THE FAIR OF THE GREENE COUNTY AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY, SEPTEMBER 25, 1845, 294 HISTORICAL STATISTICS OF GREENE COUNTY AND PRATTS VILLE, N. Y., 306 MISCELLANEOUS. DESCRIPTION OF THE PRATTSVILLE TANNERY, 311 DESCRIPTION OF LEATHER SENT TO THE WORLD'S FAIR, LONDON, 1851, 325 LETTER RESPECTING A NEW BREED OF CATTLE, 327 LETTER TO PROFESSOR DE-BOW, 329 STATISTICS RESPECTING THE IMPORTANCE OF A NEW COUNTY, . 330 CORRESPONDENCE WITH THE STONE-CUTTERS, 332 LETTER TO THE NEW YORK MECHANICS' INSTITUTE, DECLINING REELECTION AS PRESIDENT, 339 XH CONTENTS. CONGRESSIONAL DOCUMENTS. REPORTS AND RESOLUTIONS. REPORT ON MARBLE AND GRANITE FOR PUBLIC BUILDINGS, . . 343 BUREAU OF STATISTICS AND COMMERCE, 349 RERORT ON THE IMPORTANCE OF A STATISTICAL BUREAU, ... 382 REPORT ON THE IMPORTANCE OF STATISTICS, 392 REPORT RESPECTING NATIONAL TROPHIES, 433 SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTE, 437 SPEECHES, LETTERS, &c. LETTER TO HIS CONSTITUENTS, 441 LETTER TO HIS CONSTITUENTS, 444 SPEECH IN CONGRESS RESPECTING A DRY DOCK IN NEW YORK, . 457 SPEECH RESPECTING THE TREASURY BUILDING, 471 SPEECH ON THE INCREASE OF THE SALARIES OF CLERKS, . . .478 LETTER RESPECTING WHITNEY'S RAILROAD PROJECT, 480 CORRESPONDENCE RESPECTING FREE TRADE, 491 APPENDIX. THE TANNER, 497 THE HEMLOCK TREE, 498 THE TANNER OF PRATTSVILLE, 500 dErahlltaJrnttntB. 1. PORTRAIT OF ZADOCK PRATT. 2. VIEW OF PRATTSVILLE IN 1824. 3. VIEW OF PRATTSVILLE IN 1844. 4. VIEW OF THE RESIDENCE OF COL. PRATT IN 1844. 5. VIEW OF THE ROCKS NEAR PRATTSVILLE. 6. BUST OF COL. PRATT, CUT IN THE ROCKS. 7. NAMES OF HIS CHILDREN, CUT IN THE ROCKS. 8. HISTORIC AND EMBLEMATIC DESIGNS, CUT IN THE ROCKS. 9. VIEW OF PRATTSVILLE TANNERY, AS CUT IN THE ROCKS. 10. VIEW OF WORKMEN PEELING BARK. 11. EPISCOPAL CHURCH IN PRATTSVILLE. 12. REFORMED DUTCH CHURCH IN PRATTSVILLE. 13. METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH IN PRATTSVILLE. 14. PRATTSVILLE ACADEMY. > 5uiQ< U < UI -I J>(fi\- r- < a. BIOGRAPHY. INTRODUCTORY. To the world, the life of a practical man is knowledge ; of an honest man, freedom ; of a generous man, persua sion ; of a great man, character. What a man thinks is theory ; what he does, example. To do well is wisdom ; to do ill, folly. Success comes from right thinking and well doing ; and continued security alone comes from perseverance in both of these. The moral world is to man essentially a world of causes; and there is no duty fraught with more permanent bene fits than that of pointing out the origin and result of the acts and conditions of men. This remark is not appli cable alone to one class of men, — such as have distin guished themselves by extraordinary acts on remarkable occasions, — but may be extended to all classes that con tribute to the advancement of the great cause of humanity. Man, considered as an individual, is a being of great diversity of power. He is endowed with intellectual fac- 1 A BIOGRAPHY. ulties, which discern, compare and reason ; and which, by the force of their inherent nature, explore the unseen regions of thought, truth and science. He has perceptive powers, which look out upon the external world, and appreciate the architecture of all created things, in their localities, uses, and array of native beauty. He is blessed with sentiments which exalt, dignify and refine his wants and wishes ; and is swayed by those elements of passion, which, though they sometimes impel him to do the work of war and desolation, impart energy to will, firmness to his consciousness of duty, and prompt ness to action. Placed, as he ever has been and ever will be, in the diversified relations of power, possession and want, of enjoyment and suffering, of hope and fear, of wealth and indigence, of industry and indo lence, of skill and inefficiency, of prudence and prodi gality, of success and failure, of justice and cupidity, of integrity and faithlessness, of patriotism and treason, — man is influenced, on the one hand, by countless motives to do right ; and, on the other, he is beset by innumerable temptations to do wrong. He is saved either by the wisdom of experience, or by the love which he bears to goodness, for the sake of its blessings. He is lost either by a reckless indulgence in passion which invites temptation that he cannot withstand, or falls by neglect ing the means of knowledge, and the teachings of experi ence. To fail in duty, implies ignorance of moral causes ; to fail of success in enterprise, implies a want of practical knowledge. BIOGRAPHY. 3 It is a common error to suppose that biography is use ful only when applied to extraordinary men. We refer to men such as Washington, Franklin, Newton, Napoleon, Cuvier, La Place, Kant, Luther, Calvin, Huss, who may be denominated the representative men of nations, of reforms, of revolutions. They make up a portion of the world's history ; and all their genius and strength have been applied either to the momentous affairs of govern ment, to reforms, or to the sublime developments of sci ence. They have mastered, in their time, the great subjects which involved the interests of an age, or of a generation ; but, in the duties incumbent upon a citizen in all the walks of private life, or in the higher demands of public duty, they have furnished no more examples to be noted for the study of posterity than can be found scattered throughout the civilized world, in every society, in every class, profession and condition. In this view of the subject we are confirmed by the strongly expressed opinions of that giant thinker, Dr. Johnson, who says : " I have often thought that there has rarely passed a life of which a judicious and faithful narrative would not be useful. For, not only every man has, in the mighty mass of the world, great numbers, in the same condition with himself, to whom his mistakes and miscarriages, escapes and expedients, would be of immediate and appa rent use ; but there is such a uniformity in the state of man, considered apart from adventitious and separable decorations and disguises, that there is scarce any possi- 4 BIOGRAPHY. bility of good or ill but is common to human kind. A great part of those who are placed at the greatest dis tance by fortune or by temper must unavoidably pass in the same manner ; and though, when the claims of nature are satisfied, caprice, and vanity, and accident, begin to produce discriminations and peculiarities, yet the eye is not very heedful or quick, which cannot discover the same causes still terminating their influence in the same effects, though sometimes accelerated, sometimes retarded, or perplexed by multiplied combinations. We are prompted by the same motives, all deceived by the same fallacies, all animated by hope, obstructed by danger, entangled by desire, and seduced by pleasure. "It is frequently objected to relations of particular lives, that they are not distinguished by any striking or wonderful vicissitudes. The scholar, who passed his life among his books, — the merchant, who conducted his own affairs, — the priest, whose sphere of action was not extended beyond that of his duty, — are considered as no proper objects of public regard, however they might have excelled in their several stations, whatever might have been their learning, integrity and piety. But this notion arises from false measures of excellence and dignity ; and must be eradicated by considering that, in the esteem of uncorrupted reason, what is of most use is of most value." All must be deeply impressed with the truthfulness of this language. Whatever is of the most use must be of the most value. But few men can enjoy the special priv ileges of genius, of patriotism ; for many generations are BIOGRAPHY. 5 permitted to pass without signal opportunities for men to distinguish themselves, either as philosophers or as patriots. Humanity does not afford to every generation a brilliant genius to astonish the world ; nor is it the lot of nations to be made the subjects of revolution so fre quently as to give birth, by opportunity, to a numerous band of heroes. Great events transpire but seldom ; and however full of interest they may be regarded, they are unquestionably of less consequence, and convey less instruction, to the great masses of the people, than the ordinary occurrences which fall within the circle of every year, of every season. Hesiod, in his distribution of mankind, divides them into three orders of intellect. ¦- The first place," says he, " belongs to him that can by his own powers discern what is right and fit, and penetrate to the remoter motives of action. The second is claimed by him who is willing to hear instruction, and can perceive right and wrong when they are shown him by another ; but he who has neither acuteness nor docility — who can neither find the way by himself, nor will be led by others — is a wretch without use or value." Perhaps but few would make any exception to the dis tribution of Hesiod, unless it were to the dismission of the third class to utter oblivion. However numerous may be the classes, it will appear obvious, we think, that the dif ferences are those of degree rather than of kind, as applied both to power and knowledge. To blend sentiment with intellect, or propensity with 1* 6 BIOGRAPHY. sentiment, is certainly an error which leads to much con fusion. A man may know the right theoretically, and yet have no conscience practically to deter him from the wrong. He may have strong aspirations for duty, and yet too little judgment and resolution to protect him from the influence of evil counsellors. He may have sufficient intellect to favor the highest demands of the soul, but not enough for the prompt and successful execution of its purposes. Mind without motive, motive without energy, or propensity without intellect or sentiment, are defective conditions, and, properly speaking, cannot be regarded as in harmony with the natural laws. We would rather dwell upon that harmonious adjustment of the men tal faculties which is favorable to the manifestations of plain common sense. The true standard is the medium standard of the world. In this respect, what is true of happiness proves true of character. " The maxim of Cleobulus the Lindian, that mediocrity is best," says Dr. Johnson, "has been considered as a universal principle, extended through the whole compass of life and nature." This is no position of mere logic, — it is one of fact. The wants of men are similar and common. They are sup plied by ordinary and obvious means, within the reach of all. What is vitally important, all have an interest in understanding. Whoever has participated most in the common affairs of life, — whoever has done the most to meet the wants of the many, and to point out the numer ous sources of comfort and success, — whoever has averted and relieved the most suffering, prevented the BIOGRAPHY. 7 most wrong, exhibited the best examples of duty, taught the greatest amount of knowledge of common things to common people, — is a subject above all others for that biography which promises and establishes the most good for the greatest number. We are told by Tacitus that it was the practice of Roman authors, in the early periods of the republic, to record the lives and characters of illustrious men. The example has been followed in other countries. But the class of illustrious men, so termed, in all times, has been a limited one. Emperors, kings, warriors, law-givers, occupy most of the volumes devoted to illustrious men. Their deeds may have been those of courage, self-denial, and patriotism, in seasons of extraordinary trial and danger ; and it is right, it is patriotic, that the sun of glory should shine around them, and ennoble their memory. We would not neglect the heroes, the choice spirits of reform, and of defence against tyranny, — for such are to be honored and revered . but we claim that there is another class quite as much entitled to distinc tion, and, in regard to posterity, holding positions quite as honorable. If biography is to be valued for the good it may do, then it is not difficult to distinguish between examples of success and of failure. The history of Newton is valuable to the scholar in so far as he learns what are the habits which favor study and proficiency in science. The history of Napoleon is prized by the general, or by the statesman, just so far as his experience serves him for guidance in the proper execution of his 8 biography. plans, for direction in his peculiar researches. The noble career of Washington is a living example to the illustrious of all nations, teaching the true objects and ends of patriotism, and rebuking the eminent selfishness of rulers. Although we would not presume to limit the wide influence of such exemplars, still, it would be injudicious to claim that we are to look to such as guides in the ordinary affairs of fife. Indeed, it may be truly said, that the examples of the great are made to bless the rising generations only as they are taught with pru dence by the humble mother, the ambitious father, or the public teacher. What is truly great is worthy to be recorded ; what is truly useful is worthy to be taught ; but a small matter in a great man is surely not so worthy to be noted as a useful matter in a common man. Wherein is the moral profit of the assurance of Sallust, that Catiline sometimes walked quick, and sometimes slow ? Who is likely to be a better man by being told that Caesar scratched his head with one finger, or that the pulse of Addison was irregular? Who cares to know that Scaliger's father sold herrings for a profit, or that Montaigne was really a lover of white wines ? The little things of great men are preserved for pos terity, though they signify nothing, and benefit no one ; while the biographer has not condescended to notice deeds of merit, which, though of humble origin, may have proved to be the source of much physical comfort, or of immeasurable happiness. The world is filled with the events of duty and of dis- biography. 9 obedience ; and into two great classes, corresponding to these two heads, may all mankind be placed. However else the deeds of men ;may be characterized, it is certain that all will concede this simple distinction. No one will doubt its justice, though many may repel its appli cation. The sphere of action assigned by the standard of duty to every individual of the race, however distin guished or however humble, has its greater and its less important requisitions. Ambition has its pompous train of aspirants, earnest only for control and fame, and is regardless of those mis- termed minor virtues, which, combined, are sufficient to redeem the world from hopeless desolation. Fashion, with her fantastic trumpeters and parasitical throng, seeks but the favor that glistens in her rocket-like sun, and dwells nowhere long in her dizzy whirl. The proud man, in the vain glory of pretension, swayed by titles, ancestry, or appearances, thinks less of duty than of pedigree. The slave of wealth, that tyrant of the soul, whose degrading bolts and gilded chains hold so many men from truth and duty, lives like the worm in its slime, creeping but to devour, living but to die. The envious and the malicious, with their sullen side-glances, and bitter resolves, live on the venom engendered by falsehood, and rejoice only in the death-struggles of innocence. The idle and the reckless, borne upon the waves of circumstance, move heedlessly along in the storms of life, offering no protection to others, and meriting none for themselves. The robber and the 10 BIOGRAPHY. profligate join hands against society, and become willing travellers in the broad road of infamy and destruction. How numerous, indeed, how numberless, are the exam ples of wrong and of disobedience ! We find them in every rank of society, in all conditions. Their lot is one to sadden the souls of all good men ; and we hasten to look upon that other picture, which is the sunshine of life, the simple love of duty. It comes from an honest and humble spirit, — exempt from pride and selfishness. It reaches out a helping hand to the weak, to the indigent, and to the suffering. It honors industry by practising its requisitions, and acquires riches that it may subserve the best good of men. It seeks distinction that it may become the dis penser of honors to the just, and the conservator of the faithful. It visits the bed of the humble hut with the same zeal that it responds to the welcome of the palace. Its pride and ambition are based upon the highest pur poses of the soul, and its deeds are those which add wealth to a country, purity to character, happiness to man, and glory to a nation. It is the glory of the moral world that all power of every denomination is made subservient to the beneficent designs of Deity, and that character based upon the eternal principles of truth and justice has its permanent position of influence to reform and to advance the great interests of society. The evil which men do is tempo rary ; and whoever is a true observer will heed and avoid its repetition, and its inevitable penalties. It stands in BIOGRAPHY. 11 the path- way of the man, as the rock in the track of the mariner, — a beacon to be dreaded and avoided. It is the good alone which abides the test of time, and carries forward on the wings of truth the vitality which is to embody the wisdom of the past, and be the seed of future growth and greatness. Moral progress is not abandoned to chance processes, to events which come from accident. It is the condition of actual existence, the divinity that gives birth to profitable thought and useful action. The ancients found it in such spirits as those of Plato, Socrates, Lycurgus, and Aristides. At later periods, we find a Columbus, a Sebastian Castalio, a Prideaux, a Linnaeus, a Hunter, a Bacon. And later still, we are led to contemplate the genius of a Cuvier and a Fulton, the patriotism of a Washington and a Lafayette, and the wisdom and strength of a Johnson, a Franklin, and a Spurzheim. To such as these, in all past time, and in all time to come, mankind are and will be indebted for the well- springs of knowledge, for every advancement in power, and for the increased comforts of condition. They are the practical men. They see what is wanted, and they do what is to be done. Their motto is Res non verba, and their example is made up of acts, and not promises. Such as these are the legitimate subjects of biography. They live to be blessed by their acts, and their good deeds adorn the historic page to bless a grateful world. We have made these preliminary remarks, that our readers may be induced to study with more than ordi- 12 BIOGRAPHY. nary care the great principles of character, and justly to appreciate the biography of practical men. In adding another subject to the brilliant catalogue of men of genius, we feel that a new source of motive power is opened to the aspiring mind, — that new incentives are furnished to encourage integrity, industry, and exalted philanthropy. We propose to give a plain history of a true man. We do not say a self-made one; for this term, so common among writers, in our humble opinion, is an arrogant one. Whoever has the strength and genius to rise above the circumstances of life, to acquire knowl edge however opposed by difficulties, to elevate his character above that of his associates, to advance his own station beyond his inherited rank, and to secure for himself the commanding position of affluence, integrity, and eminent usefulness, — is a favored child of his Maker, and is a chosen instrument of his beneficence. The genius that is within raises him above the level of life. He sees, he hears, he feels, he knows, and he acts. He is diligent in the use of his talents, and, like the faithful steward, is ever ready to be called to his account. mmm: CHAPTER I. Origin of the Pratt family in the United States. — Revolutionary services of Mr. Pratt's father. — Character of parents. — Birth of Zadock Pratt. — His child hood and early life. The origin of the Pratt family in America is asso ciated with the earliest settlement of the New England colonies by the Puritans. The first of that name, of whom we have any authentic record, is Phineas Pratt, who came over in Weston's company as early as 1622, settling at Weymouth, but afterwards removed to Plym outh, and finally died at Charlestown. Joshua Pratt came over in 1623, and settled in Plymouth colony. Subsequently, in 1633, John Pratt, another member of the family, came over to Massachusetts colony, in com pany with the celebrated Puritan divines, John Cotton and Thomas Hooker. He afterwards, in company with Mr. Hooker and his church, removed to Connecticut, in June, 1636. This journey, though beset by all the hardships and dangers incident to travelling in the early days of New England, was accomplished, without serious adventure or accident, in fourteen days. The same dis tance now requires less than half that number of hours. From this branch most of the Pratt families in Connecti cut are descended. The little that is positively known of the life and 2 14 BIOGRAPHY. character of John Pratt represents him to be a man of strong mind, conscious integrity, and of that elevating and energetic purpose which fitted him to be a pioneer in the early adventures of the New England colonies. Among his descendants was Zadock Pratt, Senior, who was born at Saybrook, Connecticut. He was by trade a shoemaker and tanner; and, in addition to these, he cultivated a small farm, as was the custom with mechanics in those days. In his habits he was industrious, frugal and systematic ; in his manners, earnest, frank and cheerful ; and in his character, honest, patriotic and Christian. Living at a time when the trials of the colonies were approaching their crisis, he manifested that spirit of daring and patriotic devotion for which the period is so distinguished. When the war of the Revolution broke out, he entered, without hesitation, the service of his country, and was engaged in several of its hard-fought battles, and twice taken prisoner. He was a member of the battalion which, at the defeat on Long Island, was surrendered to the British. In attempting to make his escape, he was captured by a party of Hessians, after having concealed himself for two days among the thickets near the battle-ground. He was afterwards con fined in a stone church,* without anything to eat, except some apples, which were thrown him by a kind-hearted *This stone church was the Dutch Reformed Church, corner of Liberty and Nassau streets, now the post-office. BIOGRAPHY. 15 woman. He was finally sent on board the prison-ship Whitby, then lying in WaUabout Bay, where he was kept four days without a particle of food, and exposed to insults and sufferings which disgraced civilized warfare. Added to these intentional outrages, he was purposely exposed to the smaU-pox, with which he was afterwards quite sick. Although he recovered from the disease himself, still he was soon caUed upon to mourn the loss of a dearly-beloved and only sister, to whom the infec tious poison had been communicated. At length, an exchange having been arranged, he was set at Uberty, together with his companions, — not, how ever, tiU after a fiendish attempt upon their Uves had been made, by offering the almost famished soldiers a poisoned dish of pea-soup, which proved fatal to aU who eagerly partook of it. Mr. Pratt, seeing no occasion to confide in those whose conduct towards him had been characterized by nothing but insult and cruelty, dis trusted their pretended kindness, and, by refusing their soup, escaped their treachery. It wiU hardly appear strange that, with such experience, Mr. Pratt should go to his grave with a very keen sense of British injustice. At the close of the war, Mr. Pratt returned to his former occupation, to enjoy the blessings of that inde pendence which he had helped to establish. He shortly after married Miss Hannah Pickett, a descendant of Dr. Pickett, of New Milford, Connecticut, one of that intrepid band of patriots known as the "Boston Tea Party." After his marriage, Mr. Pratt removed to 16 BIOGRAPHY. Stephentown, Rensselaer county, New York, and subse quently to Middleburg, Scoharie county; from thence to Windham, now Jewett. Previous to his last removal, Mr. Pratt disposed of his smaU property for six hundred doUars, receiving one hundred dollars in cash, and leaving the remaining five hundred doUars on credit, which he ultimately lost, in consequence of the bankruptcy of the purchaser. He was thus again thrown upon his own resources, in a new country. But his energy and industry were equal to the emergency. With an honesty of purpose that won the confidence of aU with whom he had to do, and a perseverance that never faltered, he graduaUy regained his former condition. About this time, Mr. Abner Ham mond, a merchant in that vicinity, sold on credit, to Mr. Pratt, two hundred damaged Spanish hides, which he had purchased during one of his visits to the city of New York. This was a special favor to Mr. Pratt. The trade and tanning of foreign hides had been heretofore entirely unknown in Greene county ; and his first exper iment proved so successful, that he determined to make it a permanent business, and, as a consequence, soon found himself in easy circumstances. He died in 1829, at the age of seventy-four. Mrs. Pratt survived her husband only about three years. She died in 1832, in the seventy-fourth year of her age. She was a woman of strong mind, high moral worth, of singular practical piety, and much devoted to the wel fare of her famUy. She used untiring efforts to make BIOGRAPHY. 17 up for the Umited means of education which are incident to a new country, by inculcating the highest and purest principles of action, and by training her family in the most correct habits of Ufe ; and she Uved to rejoice in the most gratifying results of her teachings, for her chUdren indeed have risen up to caU her blessed.* The family of Mr. Pratt consisted of three sons and four daughters. Zadock Pratt, Jr., was born, October 30, 1790, at Stephentown, Rensselaer county, New York, and was the fifth of seven chUdren. His earUest home was thus in a new and comparatively wild and unsubdued region ; and among its privations, its disadvantages, and its hardships, his character was to be formed, and he was to seek his education in things, and his fortune in deeds. His subsequent Ufe wUl show what signal success can be made to attend energy and perseverance in the midst of the greatest apparent disadvantages. His earliest recoUections were of a childhood whose very sports and pastimes, no less than its Uttle duties, were beset with difficulties. The varying fortune of his father, as well as the newness of the country, left him, in a great measure, to his own resources, to provide, * Much of the success of Mr. Pratt he is accustomed to ascribe to the early teachings of his mother. The importance of having a good and judicious mother has been dwelt on by many eminent men. Napoleon was strongly impressed with the subject. The same tribute of honor to maternal sympathy and power was paid, with earnest feeling of reverence, by such men as Washington, Adams, and Bowditch. 2* 18 BIOGRAPHY. even in the days of his youth, those amusements which children in the older settlements are accustomed to find ready furnished to their hands. Consequently, the very longings and deUghts of the child were the first to disci pline those powers and energies which in later life were to distinguish the man. Under the care and direction of that best of aU earthly boons, a sensible, devoted, pious mother, he was taught from his infancy to search within himself for the elements of power and skill. He could remember nothing earUer than a controlling self- reliance. With him, in reaUty, the man assumed the prerogative, whUe the world became the subject. Under the force of circumstances, his mind at once made the senses the medium through which he might search for truth, and its appropriate relations in nature. To such an one the want of the schools, and other faciUties of the more favored communities, though seriously detrimental to progress, yet was not insur mountable in its nature. Every difficulty became a lesson, and every necessity an item of knowledge. In a new country, with the mass of the people, it is the great business of life to secure for themselves its necessary comforts, and to this end the efforts of old and young must combine. With such, the school is resorted to only in the intervals of pressing labor, and not labor in the intervals of school. So it was with young Pratt. He had access to the common district school, and he is reported to have made good use of it. But the farm, the tannery, and the BIOGRAPHY. 19 workshop, were his great teachers, and his almost con stant and only schools. Here we find him, from the earUest, a correct miniature of the future man, an untir ing and accurate student in the great university of nature, everywhere reducing every new truth which had its origin in practical life to its appropriate place in his amusements, his farming, or his trade. He seemed instinctively to understand that the true philosophy of success consisted in the knowledge of things. He saw in the farmer the practical student of nature, who, from a close observation of her powers and conditions, was ena bled to reap the rich harvests of the earth. He saw in the mechanic the necessary co-worker with the farmer, the agent of power, and the subduer of physical difficul ties. In others, he discovered a diversity of assistants, who, whUe each had his own particular labor to perform, aU combined to accomplish a general object. He soon found that Ufe was a condition of desire and labor, and that industry was as necessary to comfort as virtue was to happiness, or perseverance to success. WhUe he was thus exhibiting the practical bent and power of his mind, and learning to act upon principles, the real importance of which the child but seldom under stands, an event occurred which had a tendency to elevate his motives, and to enlarge the subjects of his reflection. The death of Washington occurred when young Pratt was nine years old : and it was his privilege to be pres ent at one of the pubUc funerals. It was there that 20 BIOGRAPHY. he was first made aware of the grief in which a nation could be involved by the death of one man, and the profound reverence and sense of almost infinite obliga tion which that grief bespoke on the part of the people. Here he first witnessed that spontaneous and universal homage which was paid to holy principle and the noblest self-sacrificing patriotism, — to a Ufe governed by the pur est purposes, and rendered the admiration of the world by the most exalted and magnificent deeds. Though his was a child's wonder and amazement, yet it never lost its power over him ; and his aspirations, if they were those of a child, were nevertheless giving direction and steadi ness to his aims. His mind was strongly wrought upon by every import ant incident that occurred about him, and it was its character to retain of these everything that could be of essential use to him in later life. His retentive memory, and the remarkable facility with which he adapted him self to circumstances, fitted him, in a special manner, to make the most of the Umited advantages which were afforded him. Being almost excessively fond of new things, though not from any fickleness or love of change, but rather from an incUnation by his own effort to make new acquisitions, both mental and physical, that to him might belong the merit of possessing them, he was accus tomed, when he was attending school, to labor mornings and evenings to pay his own expenses. Thus actuated, he labored on through his chUdhood, continuaUy making his Uttle conquests. BIOGRAPHY. 21 The first money he ever remembered to have earned was a few pennies which he received for berries which he had gathered. A Uttle later in life, he braided whip lashes and made leather mittens, which he sold for money. When he was twelve years old, he, in company with his brothers, assisted his father in clearing ten acres of land on the ' ' Scotch Patent, "and sowing it with wheat. Two years later, he assisted in clearing six acres more in Lex ington ; dividing his time, as occasion might require, between the tannery and the farm. Even at that age, in whatever occupation he engaged, he enUsted that ready good wUl and practical tact which reduced everything to system, and made him at once acquainted, not only with the difficulties involved, but also with the best and surest means of overcoming them. He seldom commenced a work at random. He first endeavored to understand the end to be gained, and then devised the plans which were necessary to accompUsh it. There are stiU standing, among those scenes where his boyhood was passed, reUcs of his labor, to remind him, as it were, of the difficulties with which his earliest labors .were associated. In this way he passed his youth. At the age of twenty, his health becoming impaired, and his parents fearing lest his constitution might suffer permanent injury from the too vigorous and too various labors of the tannery and the farm, and in accordance with his own wish to become more thoroughly acquainted with other branches of the mechanic arts, he was appren ticed to a saddler, Mr. Luther Hayes, of Durham, Greene 22 BIOGRAPHY. county. Having soon regained his health, he entered with his usual activity upon the labors of his new trade. With a strong desire to do his duty, and become a pro ficient, he enUsted aU his energies in the service of his employer ; and his good faith was soon rewarded by a favor from Mr. Hayes of materials for a new saddle, on credit, which he was allowed to work upon after his day's labor was done, and while his feUow-apprentices were at their rest. With this saddle, when finished, he purchased his first watch. Having completed his apprenticeship, he was hired for the next year by his father and brothers, who were at that time partners in the tanning business, at Lexington Heights, to work as journeyman saddler, for ten doUars per month ; after which, he commenced business for him self. He opened a small shop in one end of his father's " bark-house," and here, in reality, he first met the world single-handed and alone. He was accustomed to labor fifteen or sixteen hours a day, — a practical avowal that he looked to industry for his future success. Here he made his first trial at loss and gain. Here he bought the first one-horse wagon that was ever seen in that vicinity ; and on finding that his shop, to which, in aU his bargains, he generaUy resorted as his only stock in trade, did not furnish the variety that was desired in exchange for the wagon, he spent an entire day and night in manufactur ing a saddle which was required to complete the balance. His industry and skill were made a never-faiUng source of supply. BIOGRAPHY. 23 He introduced into his business the strictest economy both of time and expense, and the most rigid promptness and exactness into all his accounts. He knew the exact amount of his income, and directed his affairs accordingly; and he never had so smaU or extensive a stock that he did not at the close of every year know its exact market value. At intervals, when his trade did not require his par ticular attention, he resorted to other employments, and especiaUy to the farm, for which he ever had a strong partiality. There, at hay-making or harvesting, he could command from six to eight shUUngs per day. Now and then he would take an hour for amusement ; but this was seldom, though no one was more popular with his fellows. Having labored a year with habits like these, he made up his first balance-sheet, when he found he had gained $500. On this sum he continued to advance each successive year, until in a few years he realized a net annual income of $1400. With the commencement of each new year came new confidence in the theory which he had adopted, — that success was simply the result of industry and prudence. He soon built himself a shop, in one end of which he estabhshed a smaU country store, for the purpose of general barter with the people about him, and where he received all kinds of country produce in exchange for his goods. After coUecting in this way a large quantity of produce, he sought a market for it at New York. On one occasion, having been to New York for this purpose, he reached Catskill, on his way home, 24 BIOGRAPHY. between four and five o'clock in the afternoon, and walked the remaining distance of thirty miles the same night. His energy faltered before no obstacle, however apparently great, provided his judgment approved his course as practicable. Indeed, he rather sought to meet and over come difficulties than to avoid them ; for they tended to the refinement of skiU and resolution, and strengthened the power of endurance. From his smaU beginnings in business, he became con vinced that, however high the hopes which his energy and industry might authorize him to entertain, he could not rationally expect to reaUze a fulfilment of them, with out maintaining a close and prudent foresight in respect to the commercial world, with which he had become connected. He soon learned that the successful man of business was no mere player at a game of chance, but necessarily a systematic observer of things. He not only sought the market, but he studied its elements, its sources and facU- ities for supply, whether existing in obedience to a prin ciple of permanent demand, or created by false estimates or a fictitious standard. He studied to read, not only what the present indicated of the past, but what it declared of the future also. He knew the foUy of those who sought rather to control the market than to be controUed by it. In this great practical yet severe school, he soon became an adept ; and, almost in the very outset of his business life, his sagacity in these matters was brought BIOGRAPHY. 25 to a test. He had just entered the business world, when the country was forced into the stringent commercial regulations consequent upon the war of 1812. The commercial world became feverish and uncertain. Trade fluctuated between hope and fear ; and though new wants sprang up with the troubles of the country, still, regular business was essentially suspended, and industry paralyzed. New engagements were deemed perUous by prudent men, and all who could preserve their interests by controUing them reserved their means for a safer employment. These indications were sufficient to determine the course of action to be pursued by Mr. Pratt. He offered his store for sale, and disposed of it in 1815, — just in time to avoid what he had foreseen. The revulsion came, and the little trading- house to whom he had just disposed of his stock feU in the com mon ruin. Mr. Pratt continued the business of his trade, and soon after became a partner with his brothers in the tanning business. He thus, after an absence of nearly five years, resumed once more his connection with that trade and those labors, in which so large a share of his boyhood and youth, under the direction of his father, had been spent. But he returned, not as he left it, a young man merely energetic, industrious, upright and persever ing ; he had served his apprenticeship, he had begun to reap the fruits of experience, and he resumed his old associations and labors with a spirit that bowed in every thing to the supremacy of principle. The skUl which had been so successfully applied to mechanics was now 3 26 BIOGRAPHY. proficient in the more variable and less obvious phfloso- phy of commercial life. He was prepared, therefore, for a broader and more responsible sphere of action, and rose at once to take the lead in the business of the partner ship. He was in favor of an early sale of their stock, as more likely to reaUze a profit, and less liable to those reverses to which the market is more or less subject in the later season. At one time his brothers saw occasion to dissent from his advice to make an early sale, and recommended delay. But the earnest manner and assurance with which he predicted an essential reduction, ere long, in the market price, at length prevaUed, and a fair profit was reaUzed. A short time subsequent to this sale, the market price was reduced twenty-five per cent. His career as a partner in this new firm was charac terized by the same constantly increasing success that had attended his efforts when alone, in a more Umited sphere. The business of the firm steadily advanced, both in its importance and in its gains, and was managed on terms the most liberal and paternal. At this time, the eldest brother alone was married, though all Uved under the same roof; and it is a fact which speaks most significantly for the high-toned feehng and generous sen timent of those unmarried brothers, that, throughout the entire period, which was one of signal success, and when aU the avarice of the man would ordinarily have been aroused, they never suffered that famUy to be caUed to an account, for its expenses, which were all paid from the gen- BIOGRAPHY. 27 eral fund of the company. It was, as in their childhood, a family of brothers ; and, in resuming their former more intimate relations, they found in the gratification of fra ternal feeUng a reward which entirely removed aU idea of individual pecuniary obligation. Soon after entering into business with his brothers, the Presbyterian Church and Society in Lexington became very much involved and embarrassed in pecuniary matters, in consequence of the non-payment of the rents and assessments by a large number of the members. AU efforts to devise the requisite measures to enforce or per suade payment had failed, and there seemed no alterna tive but to submit to consequences the most serious to its very existence. At their annual meeting for the choice of trustees, the energetic business talent of Mr. Pratt pointed him out as their last hope. He was accordingly elected one of the trustees, and collector for the society. It was not an office to be coveted, and least of all by him, a young man, when age seemed to give privilege to the veterans in the church to reprove imprudent deUn- quents. Yet, as it was thought to be his duty, he said he would accept the office ; and, believing, as he did, " that the laborer is worthy of his hire," he should insist on prompt payment of aU dues. If the office were merely nominal, it were better abandoned ; but if asso ciated with important duties, an honest man could not risk his sense of right by abandoning or neglecting them ; and if, in any case, he found that the essential necessities of the society and his own authority were not sufficient to 28 BIOGRAPHY. induce a prompt payment, he should at once call to his aid legal proceedings. Many were instantly alarmed at the choice they had made, and believed that the interests of the church were endangered, — but it was too late to retract. The decision of the new coUector had the desired effect ; for in two weeks the dues were aU voluntarily paid in, and the finances of the church redeemed from embarrassment. CHAPTER II. Military life of Mr. Pratt A volunteer in the war of 1812. — Stationed at Brooklyn Heights. — Interview with the commissary. — Retires from service. — Appointed captain of a company. — Liberality as an officer. — Commis sioned colonel. — Escorts Lafayette into Catskill. — Skill in the use of arms. Mr. Pratt was no favored heir of fortune. He had received no heritage but a birth under the dominion of necessity ; and the only smiles which had gladdened his Ufe were those which were bestowed by nature, as the almost trackless forest, with its desolating terrors, gave place to the cultivated fields. His very home even was the price of his energies and his sacrifices. He had purchased his freedom, his secu rity, and his competency, by vigorous conflict with dan gers and privations ; and would he be the man to falter when the hour for their defence arrived ? Would he, who was famiUar with the story of the cruelties and the sufferings which were heaped upon the kindest of fathers, be Ukely to forget that father when the same foeman came to desecrate that land which was rendered sacred by his trials and sacrifices ? We shall see. However foreign to his mind, when he first commenced business, may have been aU idea of the extensive inter course which in his mature life he was to have with the world, he was accustomed to watch the growing energies 3* 30 BIOGRAPHY. of the young nation, and proudly to participate in the common feeling of wonder and admiration, as the new and almost limitless fields for prosperous enterprise opened, as if by the power of magic. Though all saw and acknowledged the obvious indica tions of increasing American power, courage and pride, yet none could fail to see that Great Britain was slow to render that prompt consideration and justice which equals concede to equals, as due aUke to honor and interest. The parent yields slowly to the child. Age presumes upon youth, and strength upon weakness. It became evident, to all unprejudiced observers, that England supposed she could pursue her career of insult and wrong towards the United States with an impunity that would prove neither a tax upon her treasury nor a stain upon her pride. But in this she was soon caUed upon to witness a practical demonstration of her own great errors. Mr. Pratt heard the war of 1812 proclaimed with a deep and lively interest ; and saw his country forced to choose between a dishonorable, slavish existence, and aU the terrific adventures of a bloody contest. It must either surrender those laurels which were beginning to speak so significantly and proudly of the nobiUty of human freedom, or they must once more come forward, and stake their lives and their homes in defence of them. Mr. Pratt was at this time in the fuU tide of his early success in business ; but he was the son of a revolution- BIOGRAPHY. 31 ary patriot, and should he refuse to lend a hand to aid in completing that work, in the commencement of which his father had so nobly periUed his Ufe 1 Just previous to the threatened attack upon New York, his name was enroUed as a soldier ; and he was soon after called into service, and stationed, at Brooklyn Heights, with a view to the defence of New York. His active business talent and energetic bearing soon made him conspicuous in his company, and he was ap pointed its steward, — on many accounts a most important office. His whole soul being devoted to the pursuit of high purposes, he had not expected to be brought into contact with an enemy, excepting those against whom he had been called to defend the city. He soon, however, found, in discharging the duties of his new office, that it was possible for those who unworthily held high places among the professed friends of the country, to avail themselves of the distresses and emergencies of that country, and the rigid discipline of the camp, to which the soldiery of all classes submitted in the noblest spirit of self-sacrifice, to increase their own emoluments and personal gains. They would preserve just enough of patriotism to crowd themselves into the furthest outskirts of the war, in the shape of officers of public trust, but away from danger and hardship ; and there they would hang, Uke harpies, over the always too scanty repast spread for the common soldier, to rob or to piUage, as occasion or opportunity might offer. One of these Mr. Pratt met, in the commissary of 32 BIOGRAPHY. whom he was accustomed to receive the supplies for his company. He soon ascertained that the commissary uniformly made very considerable curtailment in the aUowance which belonged to each soldier by the regu lations of the army. This was enough to excite not merely the indignation, but aU the energy, of Mr. Pratt's character. He knew the right, and there was nothing in the sternness or austerity of mUitary command that could overawe his purpose to pursue it ; and he resolved that the injustice done to his company should proceed no further. Accordingly, when he went to receive his next supply, he selected six of the best soldiers to accompany him, and demanded the full, lawful aUowance. The commissary, surprised and vexed at what he considered the young steward's impertinence, and mistaking the character of the man with whom he was deaUng, com manded him "to take what he had, and be off." But young Pratt was firm ; and, in a tone as decided as that of the commissary, replied, with a true miUtary bend of the body, "All or none ! The soldier shall not be cheated while I am steward !" This was sufficient : for, although the commissary might command obedience, and was burning with rage to do so, still he saw it was not pru dent to enforce it Avith a young man who was so fuUy conscious of his rights, so weU advised as to the law, and so discreetly resolute in its due execution. He could not retract without disgrace ; he could not yield and pre serve his power. He had no alternative but to submit, and bend the circumstances of the case to reUeve his BIOGRAPHY. 33 necessity. He delivered what he had with an awkward grace, as if designed for only a portion, and promised the remainder during the coming day. During this time, Mr. Pratt was merely a soldier in camp. The company had not been caUed into any active service. It was not for an eager spirit Uke his to endure for a great length of time the tediousness of a camp-Ufe, Uke that ; and seeing no immediate prospect that his country would require his more active service, he procured a substitute to act in his stead, and returned to the more active pursuits of private life. On the 17th of March, 1821, he received from Gov ernor Clinton a captain's commission in the fifth regiment of artillery. At the time he was commissioned, the com pany was fast decUning from its rank with other compa nies. Among other things which it wanted at that time, was a suitable field-piece ; but twelve were at the dis posal of the commissary-general* and already thirty-six applications had been made for them. Captain Pratt urged his claims, as an act of such evident justice to the company under his command, in a manner so soldier-like as to convince the governor that the piece could not be intrusted to better hands. Previous to obtaining' the field-piece, he had, at his own expense, presented a new uniform to the company ; and whatever was needed, for which the law made no provision, his purse freely sup- pUed. On receiving the cannon, he proposed to Gov ernor Clinton that he would have it mounted at his own expense. "No, young man," said the governor, "you have done enough, without that." 34 BIOGRAPHY. Captain Pratt soon had the satisfaction of seeing, what might have been confidently anticipated, that the com pany under his command had more than recovered any rank which it had formerly held in the regiment. Having held this commission somewhat more than two years, he resigned it, and subsequently, on the 12th of July, 1823, was commissioned colonel in the 116th regiment of infantry, as an expression of the unanimous wish of the officers of the regiment to which he belonged. He soon brought his new command to the same high rank in the state which his company had occupied in the regiment. Whatever he deemed essential to a proper regard for skUl in the arts of mUitary Ufe, he spared no pains to provide. He had studied mankind too carefuUy not to perceive the evident advantage with which that man labored who had learned how to beget a hearty good wiU in the minds of his associates. He gave them his attention and regard, and thus won for them a position which secured the regard of others. He added to the attractions of mUitary life by entertainments, sometimes given to the officers, and sometimes to the entire regiment ; and by music, and other diversions appropriate to the practical soldier's Ufe. He combined the pleasures of a mUitary exercise with the sacred duties of the soldier. He led his companions- in-arms to appreciate their position as connected with their country, and taught them the dignity which belonged to their calling. It was during the continuance of this commission that Col. Pratt was called upon to BIOGRAPHY. 35 command the escort of Gen. Lafayette into CatskiU, in 1825, during his visit to this country. After holding this commission three years, he resigned it, and retired from miUtary Ufe, carrying with him to his private pur suits the best wishes of the entire regiment, and a popu larity which has been rarely equalled. At that day, there was no better test of the repute in which a man was held by his feUow-citizens than pro motion to rank in mUitary Ufe. The glory which gath ered around the retirement of the veteran officer of the American Revolution, and the profound respect that was everywhere paid to him, were the objects to which the ambitious desired to approach most nearly. Conse quently, military honors were eagerly sought after, and were to be won only by true merit. They were posts of commanding influence and high distinction. We do not claim for Mr. Pratt a mUitary distinction for services which he, in common with others, performed as a citizen-soldier, and whicb are due to our common country aUke from aU. In speaking of his military Ufe, it was our purpose simply to show that he excelled as a citizen soldier and officer, as he has done in the per formance of aU other duties which he has attempted. He was practicaUy an able tactician, a skilful artiUerist, and in the use of smaU arms rarely equaUed. As an instance of his skiU, it is related of him that, on one occasion, when he was practising with the cannon, he directed it at an elm-tree, and, at a distance of more than twenty rods, grazed the bark at the first shot ; and, at the 36 BIOGRAPHY. second, sent the shot directly through the heart of the tree. On another occasion, being in company with a party of hunters, it was proposed to make a trial of skUl with the rifle. A smaU paper was posted upon a tree, and the colonel caUed upon to "lead off." "Cer tainly," said he; and, taking dehberate aim, offhand, he sent the first shot to the centre of the mark. " That's luck ! that 's luck, — not skiU ! " shouted his companions ; " try again, colonel." "As you say, my friends," he quietly remarked ; and, drawing up his rifle, he fired a sec ond time. On examination, it did not appear that he had hit even the tree ; and his companions shouted again, "There, we told you it was luck, — nothing but luck, colonel." But the colonel could not understand why a case of mere good luck should be foUowed by one of abso lute failure. He caUed for an axe, and, on cutting into the tree, he found the two buUets, one directly upon the other ! No one thought it worth while to attempt an improvement upon this. StiU later in life, when he was about sixty years of age, after a short trip at hunting, during which he had not missed one out of six shots, a friend proposed to test his skill by throwing two apples into the air ; and, on doing it, Col. Pratt hit them both, with two successive shots. He was never satisfied with being second in skiU in whatever he was engaged; and this not so much from a desire to out-rival others, as to make the nearest possible approach to perfection, both for the pleasure which it afforded, and the good it would accompUsh by example. View ofthe Recks, near Prattsville, N. Y. CHAPTER III. Marriage. — Early death of his wife. — Makes new copartnership arrangements. — Plans a trading expedition to Canada. — Incidents of travel. — Observa tions on what he saw. — The wealthy merchant with an Indian wife. — His reception. — Meets a British pensioner. — A tory. — Anecdotes of reception at hotels on his return home. — Burning of his tannery. — An interesting inci dent. — Close of Canada expedition. In pursuing Col. Pratt's career as a military man, we have somewhat departed from an exact chronological order in the events in his Ufe. But this seemed necessary, in order to present his character in its true light, and to show how controUing were its leading features, even in a sphere which, in most respects, was so widely differ ent from that to which he had been educated, and to which he had devoted his attention with such an absorb ing purpose. The value of his character, as affording a lesson for the young, and exerting a salutary influence, and as an example of uniform success under a great variety of cir cumstances, consists in the knowledge of the principles which lead to such results. We now return to his pri vate Ufe, and pursue events more in the order of their occurrence. Having resided in his brother's famUy about three years, after entering as a partner into the firm, Mr. Pratt married, October 18, 1818, Miss Beda Dickerman, of 4 38 BIOGRAPHY. Hampden, Connecticut, a young lady of much personal beauty, of easy and graceful manners, amiable disposi tion, and of deep, ardent piety, — a woman, in all respects, fitted to give to her new home a character that would second aU the high aspirations of her husband. But the rugged duties of life in a new country were too much for her deUcate health, and, being constitutionally inclined to consumption, she feU a victim to that disease, April 19, 1819, six months after her marriage. Soon after this severe affliction, Mr. Pratt made a change in his copartnership arrangements. He and his brother Ezra purchased the interest of their brother Ben nett, for the sum of twenty-two hundred doUars. In the winter of 1819-20, a trading expedition to Canada was planned. Having made the necessary arrangements, he set out for Kingston, Canada, in com pany with three of his neighbors, who were engaged in a similar enterprise, to seek a market for leather, har nesses, and dried-apples. This project was, at that time, beset with difficulties which are entirely unknown at the present day. It was in the depth of winter, and the route lay through a country but sUghtly redeemed from its natural wUdness by the hand of civUization, though Yankee enterprise had already pushed itself far out into the western world, and showed, by the humble, quiet, though scantily furnished homes, how successfuUy it had battled with the fierce elements both of the country and the climate. Having arrived at Kingston, they were obUged to pay BIOGRAPHY. 39 the required duties on their goods, before proceeding fur ther into the country. While making the necessary arrangements, the landlord of the house where they were stopping, either from a high sense of the importance of his place, or from a foolish supposition, that he was caUed upon to rebuke, in the persons of these four Yan kees, the presumption of the whole Yankee nation in set ting at defiance the royal power of Britain, endeavored to provoke a quarrel between the travellers and the citi zens of Kingston. But the Yankees had been educated in a different school. These were times when quarrels could not be avoided without difficulty, but this was not an occasion upon which the shghtest interest of their country depended. Individual bluster and defiance were one thing, — patriotism, quite another. Mr. Pratt did not want muscle, or nerve, or courage, that would have done essential service in rebuking the discourteous landlord ; but his object, at this time, was honorable and peaceful trade, and under such circum stances, his discretion and shrewdness were the only weapons to be employed. He thought he saw an incU- nation on the part of some of his comrades to pursue the quarrel tUl it should be brought to a crisis ; and, quickly stepping forward, without any apparent apprehension, he placed the trunk containing the funds of the company in the hands of one of his companions, which at once recaUed his attention to the probable consequences to them of a conflict, — the loss of the object of their journey, as well as their present funds. A moment's 40 BIOGRAPHY. reflection brought the Yankees back to their senses, and »eace was restored, much to the. chagrin of the landlord. From Kingston, they proceeded to BeUeviUe, where hey found a market for their goods. Having disposed of these to good advantage, and with a view to invest the funds in furs, which might be obtained from the Indians, Mr. Pratt, in company with two traders, left for a place back of Rice Lake, carrying with him a knapsack weU stored with bread and butter and salt pork, a mitten-fuU of dollars, a bag of gold in a pocket placed in his inner shirt, and about two thousand doUars in bUls. Of the character of the incidents connected with that journey the reader wiU form the most correct idea by a quotation from a letter written by Mr. Pratt to a friend, in which he gives a description of them. " At noon," he says, " we mounted on an old oak of enormous size, which had been lying there for many years, and had, no doubt, been the patriarch of the for est, — but now a mighty ruin. I made a dinner of raw pork, bread and butter ; and I enjoyed it, homely as it was, for I had traveUed through the snow since early in the morning. After our dinner, we went in a direction due north, but, missing our way in the forest, were com peUed to pass the cold night, — which, in this country, is cold in earnest, — without house or bed. The first thing we did was to strike a fire in an old maple top ; soon after, we made our evening meal from a piece of pork, which, this time, we cooked upon the end of a stick, washed down with some cold tea and whiskey, and BIOGRAPHY. 41 then looked for a lodging-place. Of course, we were confined to such ' make-out ' as our ingenuity could devise. Above was the clear, cold sky, with the stars shining with that peculiar brightness they always display in cold weather. Making a virtue of necessity, I got together some pieces of bark, and laying them down upon the snow, I cut and broke up some beech and maple twigs, as there were none of my favorite hemlock boughs, to keep off the wind and cold, laying them upon the bark ; then, taking my bag of doUars for a pUlow, and drawing on my fur cap, and the lion-skin cape of my great coat over my head, I went to sleep, and slept until midnight ; when, taking another drink of cold tea, I slept soundly until morning, suffering not the slightest incon venience from my hard bed upon the snow. Next morn ing, early, we pursued our course, wandering here and there in the supposed direction, until one o'clock in the afternoon, when we came upon an Indian trail, which, from our knowledge of their life, we well knew, from observing twigs and boughs aU broken the same way, and at night found their hut. The squaws were making sugar, from whom our traders purchased some skins, while John Snake, for that was the Indian's name, was off after beaver. These squaws, in bargaining, wiU seU only a few skins at a time ; and, after each sale, expect, as a matter of course, a drink of whiskey. This our traders weU knew, and had made the liquor very weak with water ; notwithstanding which, one of the squaws, from the excess of her draughts, became quite drunk. A.* 42 BIOGRAPHY. We did but a small business in the way of purchasing furs, the Indians having been unsuccessful in their hunt ing excursions this season." WhUe at Rice Lake, and, indeed, during his entire stay in Canada, Mr. Pratt studied carefully the resources of the country, the characteristics and habits of the people, and avaUed himself of every opportunity which offered of becoming acquainted with whatever could interest or instruct him. He sought for incident as weU as pecu niary profit, and every adventure was noted and enjoyed with a Uvely interest. At Rice Lake he heard of the trading-house of Capt. Anderson, a wealthy merchant of Kingston, who had, for the purposes of trade with the Indians, established a house some fifteen miles away from any white settlement, and in the very fastnesses of the forest. Here the merchant lived, a considerable portion of the time, with an Indian woman, whom he called his wife, and by whom he had several chUdren. This secluded dwelling the hunters of the country had frequently visited, and reported that they had often seen the children of this woman, — sprightly half-breeds, — engaged in hunting, but that no white man was permitted to see the Indian beauty who had capti vated the merchant of Kingston. Mr. Pratt, with the curiosity of youth, and spirit of romance, determined to visit the domicile of the captain, and see his Indian wife. Arriving near the spot, — a little clearing in the woods, — he found a smaU log hut, of two rooms. One of the rooms appeared to be the more pubUc or common room, fur- BIOGRAPHY. 43 nished with a table, a cup, a comb-basket and comb, a few stools, and a bucket of water. The boys of the family were out upon a hunt, and Anderson had gone some distance down the lake. Determined to effect the object of his visit, Mr. Pratt opened the door of the other room, which was apparently the private portion of the dweUing, or boudoir, of the tawny mistress of the forest. On entering, he asked for a drink of water. The first object that met his eye was a little pappoose, swinging in an Indian cradle, and amusing itself with rattles made of deer's hoofs. The squaw, — Mr. Ander son wUl pardon us for using the term, — the instant she saw Mr. Pratt, threw a blanket over her head, with an impatient gesture for him to be gone ; while Tommy, a negro, who was in the room, perhaps as a guard or servant of the woman, angrily cried out, ' ' Water nuff in turrer room ; — wunner wat he want ? ' ' Our adven turer, having accomplished all he desired, in obtaining a glimpse of the forest belle, who had captivated the heart of the rich man of Kingston, set out on his return, with less of romance than he had before his visit. Having doubtless excited the curiosity of the reader as to the appearance of Madam Anderson, it is but a reasonable act to give a brief description of her per son. She was a dark, six-foot Missassaga squaw, without a lineament or mark of beauty, either in her face or figure. The grossness of her form was only surpassed by the uncouthness of her manner. Mr. Pratt felt neither respect for the taste nor sympathy in the feeUngs of the merchant. 44 BIOGRAPHY. While beyond Rice Lake, Mr. Pratt observed with great interest a remarkable mound of earth, on the north shore of the lake. It appeared to be about forty feet in height, and covered one or two acres of ground. It was covered with a thick growth of oaks, some of which were from eighteen to twenty-four inches in diameter. At a small distance north of this mound, was a large mass of human bones, in various stages of decay, which had been buried in the sand, and were now washed out by the action ofthe floods and waves ofthe lake. The tra dition of the Indians, respecting these remains, is, that, some centuries ago, a great battle was fought near this place, between the Hurons and Iroquois ; that it was long and bloody ; that heaps of the bodies of the slain were brought from the battle-field, and buried in the sand near the shores of the lake ; and that the mound now remaining formed part of what was once an earth work fortification, erected to defend the resident tribe against their hostUe invaders. Rice Lake takes its name from the wUd rice that grows in immense quantities in the marshes about its shores. It is a large body of water, some ten or twelve miles north of Lake Ontario, and discharges itself by the river Trent into the head of the Bay Quinte. Here, at the time of Mr. Pratt's visit, were to be seen immense flocks of wild geese, feeding upon the rice that was standing above the ice of the lake, now entirely frozen over. At BelleviUe he met an old man, formerly from BIOGRAPHY. 45 Columbia county, New York, who was living on a pen sion granted him by the British government for services which he performed as a tory, against the colonies, in the war of the Revolution ; and though he received his crown a day, he was otherwise poor, neglected and despised, even by those who were paying him his pecuniary reward. He was reaUzing, in aU its bitterness, to him the most un welcome truth, that a man cannot violate the principles of patriotism, without convincing the world that he is a traitor, and only wants an opportunity to commit treason against the universal principles of humanity. Though the old man was reaping a terrific reward in this hopeless exile from aU social confidence and trust, even in the very bosom of his home, yet Mr. Pratt could not believe the reward unmerited or unjust. Having accomplished the object of his expedition, he directed his course homeward, and arrived at HamUton during the session of the courts, where he stopped one night, and was lodged in the bar-room of a pubUc house, whose keeper repented of his want of attention, the moment he found his guest the possessor of money. He met with a similar adventure on his arrival at Albany, when he applied, in the garb which had become much worn and defaced by severe service, at one of the prin cipal hotels, for lodgings for the night. The landlord's knowledge of human nature was quite equal to that of the ancient hostess of Megara, who mis took the Achaean general, PhUopoemen, for one of his , own servants, and desired him to assist in the kitchen, 46 BIOGRAPHY. to prepare for his own expected reception. It cannot be said, however, by Colonel Pratt, as it was by PhUopoemen, — when he was found by one of his officers cleaving wood, and enjoying the joke at the expense of the good woman, — that he was "paying the penalty of his deformity" It was the rough exte rior that deceived the landlord ; — he did not look beyond the lion-skin coat and huge travelUng-cap. While he was all attention to those whose dress indicated a tailor's skill, he aUowed Colonel Pratt to stand in the bar-room with his bag in hand, without the sUghtest token of welcome. The only answer he received, in reply to his inquiry for lodgings, was a gruff remark, " I suppose you can be accommodated," though the landlord's looks evidently con tradicted his language. "Can I have supper?" inquired the colonel. "I sup pose you can," was again the impatient reply. The guest saw his position, and was quite wiUing to enjoy the joke. He quietly placed his bag within the bar, and desired that it might be taken care of. " What is it?" asked the landlord, abruptly, as if some improper request had been made of him. The colonel, wishing to note the change of expression of the man when he was told of the contents, gave him one of his earnest looks for a moment, and said, with a significant smile, "Money!" The landlord, observing, for the first time, the pecuUar bearing of his visiter, and the manner of his reply, was BIOGRAPHY. 47 satisfied that he had not only made a mistake, but was already discovered. The sudden change from indiffer ence to marked attention, from actual discourtesy to excessive politeness, was truly amusing. We might repeat several anecdotes, which are told with much good humor by Colonel Pratt, to iUustrate the truthfulness of the poet, who so aptly says that " Wealth makes the man, — and want of it, the fellow; " but, as they aU illustrate the same principle, we have deemed their recital unnecessary. Such incidents, though apparently trivial, were to the mind of Mr. Pratt significant indices of the short sighted, narrow-minded policy, which governs the actions of many men ; and with a heart full of generous sentiment, and a mind of liberal and far-seeing views, he drew from them a lesson which influenced him through life. At Catskill, he had occasion to visit the bank, when Mr. Hill, the cashier, inquired of him if he had heard from his brothers recently. Mr. Pratt replied, "No, I have not." Mr. HiU then informed him that their tan nery, at Lexington, had been burned. "Burned!" repeated the colonel, with earnestness. "Yes," continued Mr. Hill; and then briefly gave the particulars. After a thoughtful pause, and with a manner entirely characteristic of the man, Mr. Pratt said, " Thank God that, with industry, economy and good health, we can soon buUd another ! " 48 BIOGRAPHY. This he soon realized, on a better and more extensive plan. An interesting incident, connected with the loss of the tannery, is worthy of mention. The brothers had, long previous to this time, become extensively and favorably known ; and this loss at once excited the sympathy of a large circle of friends, and a very considerable subscrip tion was immediately sent to their reUef. Such an expression of good feeling, at such a time, was pecu liarly gratifying, and fuU of the most pleasing assurances and encouragements. On receiving the money, Mr. Pratt, after reminding his brothers that the church stood very much in need of repairs, said, " Although we have sustained this great loss, we are still as well off as many of our good neighbors who have subscribed for our rehef. Let us repair the church." The suggestion was immedi ately adopted, and nobly carried out. Having successfully closed his Canadian expedition, Mr. Pratt never desired to renew it, or to extend his experience in Indian traffic, though he was accus tomed to remark that no citizen of the United States knew how to place a proper estimate upon the advan tages and privileges of his home, tiU he had visited Canada, or some dependency of a more absolute govern ment, and observed the impotency and inefficiency which characterize every variety of both individual and asso ciated enterprise, and the laxity in the habits and prin ciples of the people. m ' i -«,: ::¦>¦ METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH. Erected 183&. CHAPTER IV. Resumes hia business at the tannery. — Appointed magistrate. — Marries his secTind wife. — Dissolves copartnership. — Death of his second wife. — His property. — Plan of enlarging his business. — Reasons. — Surveys the forests for a location. — Events connected with survey. — Plans a new tannery. — Commencement of Prattsville. — Leather as a commodity. — Home market. — New York supplied by other states. — His method. — Active habits. — Novel modes of rebuke. — Anecdotes. — Danger predicted by croakers. After returning from Canada, Mr. Pratt resumed his labors, with his brother Ezra, at the tannery in Lex ington. This branch of business was at that time rapidly increasing in importance. It was readily foreseen that it was destined, in the course of a few years, to be a con siderable branch of national enterprise. Though it was at this time in its infancy, yet the firm found it the source of large annual profits ; and they were encouraged to extend their estabhshment, so that they might keep pace with the growing demands of the market. In 1821, Mr. Pratt was appointed one of the magis trates of Lexington, which office he fiUed in a manner both honorable to himself and satisfactory to his feUow- citizens. In 1823, he married a second wife, a sister of his former wife, whom she strongly resembled, both in mind and person. But; she, too, was a victim of consumption, 5 50 BIOGRAPHY. of which disease she died, April 22, 1824, in less than a year after her marriage. Thus again was his home ren dered desolate, and his hopes for the quiet and solace of domestic Ufe disappointed. Though a man of iron purpose, and of powers the most self-controUing, yet in him these characteristics lost aU their naturally forbid ding sternness and severity, in complete submission to a heart overflowing with the most generous sentiment and the kindest emotion. It is not strange that a person thus constituted should, under a bereavement like that which he now experienced, seek opportunity for a change of scenes, which might at least furnish a partial reUef from the sorrows to which he was so vividly alive. Having entertained the purpose of seeking for a loca tion where he might engage in the tanning business on a scale much more in accordance with what he conceived to be the real demands of the state and the nation, the death of his second wife tended to hasten the execution of this purpose. He soon after brought his business with his brother to a close, and the partnership was dissolved in 1824. On looking over his affairs, after the partnership was dissolved, and settUng his accounts, he found that he had a capital of fourteen thousand doUars with which to com mence his new enterprise. This sum of fourteen thou sand doUars, which many would have looked upon as a competency not to be risked in further operations, was what Colonel Pratt had to rely upon as his only money BIOGRAPHY. 51 capital. Those who beUeve that he was wrong in ven turing it in more extensive pursuits may be right as stating a mere abstract proposition, but they are wrong in the appUcation of the doctrine in this particular instance. The great majority of men would act very unwisely in placing a competency at risk on the ocean of business ; but when a man feels that he is com petent to navigate that ocean, — that his skill and strength and resources are equal to any emergency that can arise, — that he is worthy to be intrusted with the destinies of others, — he would be guilty of a gross neglect of duty, were he to refrain from entering upon those pursuits which nature has clearly indicated to be such as he is weU quaUfied to control. But how is an active man to know that he is pecu- Uarly weU fitted for a particular business ? In the same way that other men discover their vocations. As the poet discovers that he can give form and expression to divine thoughts, and clothe with words what many feel but few can utter ; as the painter finds within himself the genius to embody a frown or a smile, and to transfer the thriUing scenes of Ufe to the canvas ; as the man of science discovers the chain of causes which give birth to those results which make up the world of progress, the great end of being, — so the man of business is moved by his capacities, and guided by his judgment, to employ his time and means for purposes demanded by the wants of men, and deemed practicable by knowledge and experience. 52 BIOGRAPHY. In this way are the great men made to become the master spirits of the world of industry, by whom the energies and labors of miUions are either directly or indirectly guided or controlled, and who have succeeded to the places once held by barons and other wielders of the sword, — men like the founder of the house of Medici, Uke Ango, Gresham, Peel, and others, who are cele brated in the history of commerce and manufactures. One of the surest evidences which a man can give of his fitness to engage in business is his sagacity to dis cover what are the real wants of the country to which he belongs ; and another is his abUity in opening up chan nels through which to supply those wants. Colonel Pratt demonstrated his fitness to have a place in that department of human effort where he now holds so con spicuous a station, in both these respects. No occasion had yet led to a fuU and thorough survey of the facilities which the country in that vicinity afforded for extensive manufactures and trade ; conse quently, there was no source to which he could go for the requisite information concerning a suitable location, short of an actual personal survey of the country ; and he was not a person to engage in an enterprise without a proper knowledge of its promises and dangers. He spent most of the summer of 1824 in exploring, on foot, and alone with his dog, the mountain passes in the vicinity of Middletown, and the counties of Delaware, Sullivan, and Ulster ; often wading through the water and mud of the lowlands and marshes, and along the water- courses, BIOGRAPHY. 53 tUl nine o'clock at night, and in a country where but few famiUes had as yet fixed their homes. But his Ufe had been almost one continued struggle with difficulties and dangers, and he was not to be overcome by them now.* *In these early times, Mr. Pratt was among the foremost in seeking out the wolf and bear, or hunting for the fierce panther. Knowing himself to be " a good shot," he never thought of retreating, and it was sure death to the animal that came within the range of his rifle. To show his remarkable self-possession, we give one or two adventures which happened in the forest, although they are not of that thrilling interest which may be found in similar relations. Indeed, it may have been the case that his cool and deliberate bearing saved him from an exciting contest with these ferocious animals of the wilderness. In one of his exploring expeditions, he met a huge bear in his solitary path, when he was without arms. As quick as thought, he flourished his hat, and moving towards the brute, with a loud voice, frightened him off at full speed down a ravine. While quite a youth, early in the fall, he went by moonlight to lie in wait for deer among the wheat-fields near by the wood. After lying by the fence till about nine o'clock, he heard a noise among the branches, and expecting every instant to see a deer, he held his rifle in readiness. But the next moment a most terrific scream from a, large panther — enough to make the stoutest heart tremble — broke upon the night air, and made the woods echo. He had a large dog with him, but he crouched in fear at his feet. Mr. Pratt was not only unmoved by the danger which awaited him, but left his place of concealment, to be ready to shoot the panther, on his approach. His boldness saved him, for the animal soon retired into the thicket ; and the huntsman, though perfectly calm, was not unwil ling, under the dangerous circumstances of his position, to turn his face towards home. At a later period, in 1840, while at West-kill, measuring bark, Mr. Pratt saw a panther run along and climb a tree. Without a moment's hesitation, and without a weapon of any kind, he left the bark, and ran with all his speed towards the tree, swinging his hat, for the purpose of keeping the animal up until guns could be brought to shoot him. The panther, seeing such a fearless pursuit, jumped down quite near to his pursuer, and, with much apparent fright, soon ran and sprang out of sight into the woods. It was a dangerous experi ment, but, with such self-possession, it proved a safe one. 5* 54 BIOGRAPHY. He at length fixed upon Big Falls, on the Schoharie- kiU, and contracted with the owners for its purchase. This property was held in twelve shares, by four owners. On the day appointed for the transfer of the title, he found that all the owners except one — H. T. Becker — refused to fulfil the contract. "WeU," said he to Becker, " the backing out of the others is no fault of yours ; and I will take your share, as I agreed." But the extent of the purchase was not sufficient to answer his purpose, and he was therefore obliged to renew his search, The owners of Big FaUs shortly afterwards signified their willingness to abide by their contract ; but Mr. Pratt had no desire to recommence a negotiation with men who had proved false to their engagements. While seeking a location, a generous-hearted French man, M. Losette, offered to give him a site at Pine HUl. But this location was too limited to meet the plans which he entertained, and he felt constrained to decUne the generous offer. Subsequently, after a careful examination, he selected the site where PrattsvUle now stands, a short distance above Big Falls, in the western part of the town of Windham, — a large town, which at that time included nearly the entire region of the CatskiU Mountains. He was not attracted to this place by the advance which had been made by civUization in this vicinity ; for, as yet, only a few farms had been redeemed from the meadows, which lay along the Schoharie-kiU, Batavia, or Red-kiU ; and its communication with CatskUl was by a narrow, BIOGRAPHY. 55 half-formed road, which led over the mountains. But the vicinity possessed other resources, which Colonel Pratt readily discovered. Its water privileges were good and abundant ; the mountains and hUl-sides were covered with immense forests of hemlock,* which was so great a consideration in his trade ; it possessed a deep, rich soil, and localities admirably fitted to become the sites of thriving and populous villages and towns ; and his quick discernment and foresight led him to conclude that the day could not be far distant when Yankee enterprise would demand and open a great thoroughfare through this region, which Ues between the rich western lands and the great market of the east. * The white hemlock is a tall evergreen tree, which generally grows on the south side of mountain ranges. It is very abundant in the counties of Greene, Delaware, and Sullivan, New York, though extensively cut off by the enterprise of Colonel Pratt, for tanning purposes. It grows to a height of sixty to one hun dred feet, and is often four feet in diameter, and two hundred years of age. The timber is tough and durable, and is used for a great variety of purposes. It is excellent for building, for shafts of mill-wheels, joists, plank for houses and roads, shingles, &c . &c. It is much used for fences. The timber is not easily warped by the weather. For tanning, the bark is peeled, and after one or two days' drying, it is piled into cord-piles. Two or three trees of moderate size make about a cord of bark. The growth of wood which succeeds the hemlock is the beech and the maple. The extent of the medicinal virtues of the hemlock is as yet unknown. The hand may be thrust into the boiling strong liquor made from the tanning bark, and withdrawn, without causing the least burn — a singular fact, but one well known at the tanneries. Red hemlock timber is more shaky, knotty and brittle, than the white. The tree does not grow to so great a height, though its tanning qualities are the same. The bark is less smooth. It grows both in low and in high lands, and is found in more abundance on the north than on the south side of the mountains. 56 BIOGRAPHY. On the 24th of October, 1824, Colonel Pratt went down to the junction of the Schoharie-kiU and the Batavia-kiU, in a one-horse wagon, carrying aU his substance with him, and purchased, for one thousand three hundred doUars, the beautiful meadow on which PrattsviUe now stands. The next day, he "broke ground" for his great tannery. To those who were to be his neighbors, he said, "I have come to Uve with you, and not on you." Having secured the requisite assistance, he commenced his work, began at once to build his dam, and declared to his workmen that, late as it was before he commenced his work, he should swim across his own pond that autumn, which he did on the 17th of November foUowing, though the day was " bitter cold and ice was making fast." The considerations which governed Colonel Pratt in planning his new estabhshment are not unfrequently either entirely overlooked, or else but very inadequately estimated. At this time he thoroughly counted the cost of an extensive establishment, and the probabilities of its success in a country Uke the one in which he had located. He reduced the subject to its proper elements. He considered the permanency and extent of want, and the sources and means of supply. The manufacture and preparation of leather had afforded employment to thousands in every civilized country. Its uses were permanent and progressive. Its usefulness was proved by its antiquity. Many things which we are accustomed to regard as indispensable BIOGRAPHY. 57 are so from habit only, and were quite unknown a few generations anterior to our own. Not so with leather, which is older than history, and for which, so far as we can see, no substitute can ever be found. It enters so largely into the comforts and luxuries of life, that we cannot imagine the existence of a civilization in which it should not have a place. From the trappings of the steed in the age of chivalry, to the drover's whip of to-day, it has played an important part in every movement or undertaking in which man has been engaged. It is made to enclose the productions of mind ; it protects the head of the soldier, the foot of beauty, and the limbs of childhood. The greatest philosopher, and the merest clod that bears the human form, are benefited by its uses. No army could move without it ; no great enterprise could be advanced if this article were wanting. A lively writer says, in a playful mood, that " Caesar Uved without a shirt to his back, and without glass to his windows ;" but there is no record in history to warrant the beUef that he attempted to do without leather. In view, therefore, of the permanent wants of men, Col. Pratt could see no uncertainty in the results of his extended enterprise. Besides, he was influenced by other considerations, quite as conclusive, as connected with his own interest, and even more important as subserving the best interests of the public, particularly those of his own state. He saw that the great mart of his state, which was also the great mart of the nation, was receiving its sup- 58 BIOGRAPHY. pUes of leather from Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland ; that the leather business had long held a high rank as a branch of trade ; that it not only opened a broad field for the industry and energies of the state, but that it was also a source of wealth. He saw, also, that the time could not be far distant when, from the extensive and invaluable graz ing lands of the state, immense flocks and herds must seek the great markets that were rapidly growing up around him ; and that, if the appropriate manufactories were not opened at home, one of the most essential as weU as most extensive and valuable products from these flocks and herds must seek the aid of foreign enterprise. The question arose, " Should New York permit her great energies and faciUties to Ue dormant, whUe one of the most extensive products of the state was seeking a foreign manufactory, to foster and perfect its industry and skiU, and pay an immense revenue to the wealth of other states, and then return to claim the control and the profits of her best markets 1 " This was a question of much significancy to the mind of Col. Pratt. It was enough to arouse his unconquerable energy to an effort which was as essential to public as it was to private inter ests. He resolved to turn the tide of the market in leather, and to secure its advantages to his own great state. The winter of 1824-5, Col. Pratt devoted a portion of his time to building a store, and coUecting the mate rials necessary for the erection of his tannery. In aU BIOGRAPHY. 59 his movements, he was his own surveyor and architect, marking out the lots, and making his own plans. On the 14th March, 1825, almost before the winter had passed, he commenced preparing his grounds for the foundations of his buildings ; and the work was pursued with such despatch,' that on the 6th of June following he had completed an establishment one hundred and seventy feet long and forty-three wide, — so constructed as to be enlarged as occasion might require, — and began to put hides into his vats. Few men have understood the best manner of making rapid progress in everything more thoroughly than did Col. Pratt. This was owing, in part, to the remarkable energy and activity of his mind, but more to the com pleteness of his system, his method of doing things. Much, indeed, was due to the course of treatment to which he ever adhered in all his intercourse with his workmen. Being himself of a strong, muscular frame, and an iron constitution, he could endure as much as the most robust of his laborers ; and, besides, he would never require another to do that which he would not do himself. His customary mode of addressing his laborers, in directing the work, was, " Come, let us do this or that," and not, " Go, and do this or that." He lived on famiUar terms with them, partaking in aU their fare, and bearing his fuU share of aU the hardships to which they were exposed. He maintained his authority purely by force of the supe rior energy and capacity of his mind, and the universal respect and affection which he everywhere inspired. His 60 BIOGRAPHY. entire estabhshment almost unconsciously acquired the same habits of enterprise and activity which were so con stantly exhibited by him.* If at any time he saw a man of indolent habits among his laborers, his reproof was invariably administered in such a spirit of perfect good-nature, and ready humor, as to command in them both fear and love. His idea of the importance of economy in time, as an essential element of success, could not brook the presence of a drone any where in his establishment; and he always took effectual means either to cure the iU, or remove it. On one occasion, perceiving that one of his men was strongly incUned to neglect his duty by idling away his time, he took an early opportunity to see what could be done to cure him of this vice. Under the pretence of wishing to obtain some grasshoppers for his fish-pond, he procured an old coffee-pot, and asked him to go into the field near by, and catch some of these lively insects. " 0 ! yes, sir," said the man, taking the coffee-pot which was to hold the Uttle prisoners, — " I 'U soon have enough for you, sir." Like aU other idle men, he was good at making promises. He was directed by Col. P. to a field close by, where his other men were at work. They readily understood the movement, and enjoyed the * The effect of his example on all about him was much in accordance with the vehement exhortation of Cicero to Atticus : " If you are asleep, awake; if you are standing, move; if you are moving, run; if you are running, fly." Or, to use his own emphatic words, as indicating the constant duty of man, — " Come, GO, DO." BIOGRAPHY. 61 joke, though in sUence. He was soon seen stooping and jumping (novel movements for him), and appeared to be quite absorbed in this new and childish pursuit. In attempting to save himself from falling, his motions were often awkward ; and the act of carefuUy Ufting and quickly shutting the coffee-pot cover was quite amusing. But when, with aU his extraordinary activity, he showed evident signs of vexation at being unable to keep aU he had caught, his labors became truly laughable. When he attempted to put one in, several would jump out ; and, though slowly increasing the number, he plainly saw that it was a fatal business for a lazy man to attempt to catch grasshoppers. He paused and reflected, and sat down, as aU lazy men are apt to do when opposed by obstacles. Happening to look up, however, he found himself the object of ridicule on the part of his companions. They were watching him, with fun-making attitudes, which he could not mistake ; and when they joined in a hearty laugh, which they could no longer repress, he at once comprehended the joke. He sprang to his feet, and, dashing the coffee-pot to the ground, left the premises, and no more sought labor of Col. Pratt. Hence, the maxim, now so common in Prattsville, " Work,, or catch grasshoppers." On another occasion, he rebuked a worthless feUow, who claimed protection for his indolence under cover of his contract. One rainy morning, Col. Pratt handed him an umbrella, and twelve shillings in money, to pay his expenses, and asked, him to gather aU the sheep-weed he 6 62 BIOGRAPHY. could find along the turnpike road. It is true the weed was a common nuisance, and its destruction would prove a common benefit ; but such an outfit for gathering and savin* sheep-weed not only deceived the man himself, but puzzled others. " The labor was novel, unheard of, strange and fooUsh." "What could it be for?" - < What 's the crop ? " ' 'What 's the price ? " " What 's the market ? " and a hundred other rude speculations and questions, were rife upon the road. He was questioned, joked, jeered and laughed at, by so many people, respecting his object, that he was ashamed to be longer seen engaged in such labor; and, half suspecting the purpose of his employer, he called for a settlement, and was glad to quit. The good-natured methods of reform adopted by Col. Pratt exerted a salutary influence upon the men in his employ. They knew the penalty for neglect, although they could not predict the form and nature of its exe cution. They could withstand severity, but they sur rendered to ridicule, and to the rebukes of good-nature. The extensive preparations which Col. Pratt had made, and was making, to do an amount of business at tanning heretofore entirely unknown, either in the state or nation, compeUed him to make large expenditures of money, and draw largely upon credit ; but his weU-earned reputation insured to him the favor of aU who knew him ; and, though he necessarily became largely indebted, he never wanted friends who were ready to give him credit. There were a few who thought they saw danger in his BIOGRAPHY. 63 extensive plans. They looked wise, hoped for the best, but predicted ruin. But of such Col. Pratt asked no advice, courted no favors. He had predicted that the rich meadows aU about him would be covered with a beautiful viUage. His convictions remained unchanged. He was governed too much by the plain dictates of common sense to be easUy influenced by men whose dis eased vision saw danger in enterprise, and experiment in industry. He felt that time would test the prophet ; and his favorite maxim, " Mind your business," was early heeded with a practical sincerity. CHAPTER V. Early condition of Prattsville. — Effects of enterprise. — Plan of town. — Descrip tion of town. — Manner of disposing of land. — Importance of religious services. — Results of efficiency. — Clerical wisdom. — New church built — one-third is given by Col. Pratt. — Appoints Gideon Lee & Co. his agents. — Acquires wealth. — Marries a third wife. — Builds a handsome house. — New town of Prattsville incorporated. — Death of his third wife and one child. — Reflec tions and resolves. — Marries his fourth wife. — His domestic life. — Prompt work in building a bridge. At the time Col. Pratt was buUding his tannery, the vicinity was inhabited only by a few famiUes, who had their log cabins scattered along the banks ofthe Schoharie- kiU. They were living in a smaU, quiet way, nearly, if not entirely, ignorant of the great natural resources of the country, which they were slowly redeeming from absolute wildness. The building of such an establishment started the spirit of enterprise in aU directions around him. The large number of laborers, who were caUed together for* the purpose of carrying on the business, and preparing and collecting the requisite materials from the surround ing country, must be provided with homes ; and the demand for supplies of aU kinds, necessary for the peo ple, at once required the establishment of a market. Houses and stores and shops must be built. Animals must be provided for, roads made, the land divided and cultivated ; and numerous other wants, both present and prospective, duly considered. BIOGRAPHY. 65 Col. Pratt saw at a glance the propriety of planning the future village ; for, although people of new countries are apt at first to look merely to the comforts of Ufe, he was not disposed to permit order and elegance to be disregarded, where he had the power to control. As the possession of the land was in his own hands, he felt that it was his duty to see that the commencement, at least, was systematic, and of such a character as to admit of extension without unnecessary expense or inconven ience. He first laid out, through the centre of his land, a street sixty feet wide, and nearly a mile in length, which he presented to the turnpike company. Other streets were laid out, in a manner to preserve as far as possible, and yet add to the natural beauty of the place. Along the principal street, and on each side of it, he directed ornamental trees to be planted, which have since become one of the chief attractions and beauties of the viUage. This is one of the most agreeable incidents of his career. It not only discovered his perception of the beautiful, but his practical regard for posterity. The trees which he then planted are so many graceful monu ments to his UberaUty and forethought. Their beauty and shade are preserved and increased without an artist's aid ; and every breeze that shaU play upon their branches, and every tint that shaU variegate their foUage, wiU be a tribute to his memory, long after his burial-stone shaU become moss-grown, and its inscriptions obscured. 6* 66 BIOGRAPHY. Having prepared his land for the market, by dividing it into appropriate lots, allowing liberally for side-walks, he offered it for sale. He at first contemplated making an effort to secure the good moral character of the place, by attaching restrictive conditions to the land-titles which he should give, in respect to temperance ; but, on more mature consideration, he was convinced that morahty, as a positive virtue, must be the result of free choice, on the part of every one, before it can furnish any ground for real, substantial respect and confidence. Besides, it was the pohcy of our institutions to give a fuU and free title to landed property as the best means of managing indi vidual industry and enterprise. He preferred to adhere to the old pohcy of his fathers, and use the instrumental ities of the church and the school to accomphsh aU objects of reform.In disposing of his land, many a poor man, who had not anticipated the fortune of having, at present, any title to a home of his own, was afforded one on terms which he could easUy meet. To men of correct habits, of indus try and morals, he was most Uberal in his inducements to settle about him. In him aU were sure to find a gener ous creditor and an honorable friend united. At the time Col. Pratt commenced his work at Scho- harie-kiU, there was in that vicinity a smaU, old, dilap idated church, belonging to the Dutch Reformed Society, in which rehgious services were held every third Sabbath, under the direction of Rev. Mr. Page, who had, at the same time, two other churches under his care. One Sab- BIOGRAPHY. 67 bath in three was aU that was granted to this little com munity. Col. Pratt, though a member of no church, had never forgotten those early instructions of a pious mother, who taught him to reverence the Sabbath and the institutions of religion. The observations of his maturer life, and his more extensive acquaintance with the world, had con vinced him that much of the power of the Sabbath over the moral character of society is to be found in a regular and reverent observance of its appropriate exercises. He regarded the devoting of one day in every seven to the moral and reUgious development of man as a wise and philosophic arrangement, and necessary to advance the best interests of society. He saw no particular reason why the soul should be deprived of its ahment, more than the body. We cannot eat and drink to-day for to-mor row, nor to-morrow for next week ; but each day for itself, according to our wants and condition. To have preaching but one-third of the time, seemed to him to be a practical admission that it might be dispensed with entirely. He did not beUeve in the wisdom of that econ omy which saved only at the expense of duty. He saw no consistency in the adoption of a system of improve ment which precluded one of the best means of success. The elements of prosperity, to his mind, necessarUy embraced aU the circles of duty ; and he had the greatest confidence in the practice of those principles which were deemed the most sacred. To a new town, considerations Uke these he deemed of vital importance ; for, an error 68 BIOGRAPHY. at the beginning of growth multipUes into a certain cause of premature decay. A wrong beginning is a sur render before battle. There is more progress in a single right step than in a thousand wrong ones, and the loss of opportunity to do good is consenting to evU. Entertain ing such views, he did not hesitate to express his readi ness to cooperate with the people to have a resident minis ter, whose labors should be constant and undivided ; and a society that should be able to reaUze a continuity of being. With him, thinking was acting. He immediately proposed that a new house of worship should be built, and a minister settled. It is true the expense would be greatly increased ; — " but," said he, " you can better afford to pay five hundred dollars and have a society, than to pay one hundred and have none." The proposition was received with general favor ; for, although some were at a loss as to the source of ways and means, all united with earnestness in the proposed plan. Not so, however, thought Mr. Page, who was the offici ating clergyman for one-third of the time. He saw in the movement a prelude to schism in the church, and great danger to the society. The past, in their history, proved the foUy of this new suggestion. He inquired, with a significant tone of warning, and prophetic solem nity, "if they supposed themselves able to bear the expenses of stated preaching the year through, when they had found it difficult to pay the smaU sum stipulated to be paid him !" " I warn you," he continued, " I warn you, my brethren, against uncertain experiments. It is BIOGRAPHY. 69 better to take counsel of the past than of this stranger who has come among us. He speaks of doing great things, but I see nothing but danger in his plan." Not satisfied with an opposition on suitable occasions, he carried the subject into the pulpit ; and on the Sabbath rebuked his hearers for Ustening to the absurd proposi tions of the " stranger." His language indicated tem per, and his spirit insult. Col. Pratt, the " stranger" aUuded to, was present, to witness and to hear the preacher. He was not moved by the irritating remarks of the speaker, in the slightest degree. He smiled at his apparent earnestness, but he felt no disposition to be severe upon one whose confidence in his own conceit was greater than his knowledge of principles. Subsequently, at a meeting of the society, Col. Pratt disclaimed aU unkind motives in regard to Mr. Page, — aU wish to produce schism. It was not his purpose to excite the people against their minister ; he only desired con stantly the happy and salutary influences of the teach ings and the example of a man of God among them. He confessed that, although he had strong convictions of duty upon this subject, and felt that they aU stood in a most responsible position to coming generations, stiU, he had no desire to dictate who the man should be, or what should be the conditions of his settlement. This matter was one upon which the society alone could decide. He assured them that any earnest, devoted and pious man should receive his hearty cooperation and support. If 70 BIOGRAPHY. he were a " stranger," he had cast his lot among them, and had no selfish motives to gratify. These conciUatory remarks led Mr. Page to propose an engagement for one -half of the time. But to this Mr. Pratt made his objections. He could see no propriety in tolerating, in any degree, an evil, which, by proper deter mination might be whoUy removed. His advice was fol lowed ; a minister was settled, and they found less diffi culty in paying him a salary of four hundred doUars, -than they had in raising the smaU sum of one hundred and twenty doUars, which they had paid Mr. Page. Not long after this, a new church was erected by the society, more suited to the demands of the viUage, towards which Col. Pratt contributed one-third of the requisite funds. With a view to take advantage of the market, and more successfuUy to compete with the manufacturers of other states, Mr. Pratt made business arrangements with the firm of Gideon Lee & Co., extensive leather-dealers in the city of New York ; and they continued to do his business for more than fifteen years, much to Ms satisfaction and advantage. Their system of doing business was adjusted according to settled principles. They were Uberal in their accommodations, strict in adhering to terms, and prudent in their risks. They kept up with the times, with out incurring the danger of outrunning them ; and whUe others were in the wffirlpool of speculation, they were pur suing a safe and legitimate trade, and had the power to control sales for the best interests of the manufacturer. BIOGRAPHY. 71 From 1825 to 1835, Colonel Pratt was most actively engaged in business transactions. During this period, he accumulated a large part of his extensive fortune. In 1827, he was elected supervisor of the town of Windham. Having now lived more than three years like one of his own men, with no home of his own, — a boarder among his laborers, — and finding himself once more fairly and prosperously established in the world, he sought again the comforts and encouragements of domestic life ; and, on the 12th of October, 1827, married his third wife, Miss AbigaU P. Watson, daughter of Wheeler Watson, Esq., of RensselaervUle, an accompUshed lady, and combining aU that is beautiful in character. The following year, he buUt Ms house, — the tasteful mansion which stands near the centre of the vUlage ; and which, in its location, its arrangements, and its adorn ments, bespeaks alike the UberaUty of his views, his skiU in uniting utiUty and just proportions, and his appreciation of the important offices which a good and correct taste performs, in giving to aU higher civilization its elegance, and its real substantial refinement. The edifice is surrounded by gardens on three sides* while on the lawn in front are numerous Mckory and maple trees, which were planted by Colonel Pratt, in 1829. The lawn in front is embelhshed with an elegant jet d'eau, and two weU-stocked fish-ponds. The gardens are in beautiful order, and they excite increased interest 72 BIOGRAPHY. from the fact that they have been mostly cultivated by the hand of woman. Here he had, at length, cast his last anchor for the remainder of Ufe, without hope or purpose of change. His substantial interests had become inseparably incor porated both with the existence and growth of the vU lage. He sought to make it the centre of influence for the people about Mm ; for, the more extended its inter course with the world and with business men, the more important it became to the farmer, the mechanic, the merchant, and the professional man even, when viewed in connection with their several callings. TMs was politic, even had he been disposed to consult his indi vidual interests alone ; but the policy appears still wiser and more dignified, when viewed in its relation to pubhc interests. But a new question arose. The disadvantages and inconveniences of a viUage at a distance from the centre of town influences and privUeges became a matter for serious consideration. The new viUage was fast assum ing importance as a part of the town, in consequence of the rapid increase of its population, and the wealth that was fast accumulating in its vicinity. It was evident that these inconveniences, involving, as they did, a very serious expense of both time and money, could not long be permitted to continue. They were of too much mag nitude to be carelessly passed over by one who was as attentive to the wants of the community as to his own. Besides this, the town of Windham, of wMch Schoharie- BIOGRAPHY. 73 kiU was a part, embraced a territory, it was thought, sufficiently large to admit of being divided into two towns, very much to the convenience, if not to the advantage, of aU parties. Indeed, that such a view was a reasonable one, may be inferred from the fact that it has since been divided into five. Colonel Pratt early foresaw that, in the course of things, a division of the town was becoming necessary ; and, being fully aware of the jealousy with which an old town adheres to its original charter limits, he sought to break the force of the opposition which would most probably be made to a sudden apphcation for a sepa rate incorporation, by preparing the people to expect it. They must regard it as something to be expected in the future ; and, though some might not agree with Mm in the policy of the movement, still, he considered that it would result greatly to the pecuniary as weU as social and moral benefit of all. He viewed the matter of town limits as an item worthy of very dehberate considera tion, in its relation to the police regulations of the town. The advance of civihzation in a new country, or any other, is continuaUy revealing the fact, that distance is a very serious matter, when corporate and police duties are required of the citizen, whose efficiency depends so much upon Ms ability to secure their prompt execution. A certain compactness is as necessary to the thrift and social condition of a town, as it is to the more Umited operations of associated labor, or of individuals. A per sonal presence and continuity of effort, on the part of the 7 74 BIOGRAPHY. citizens, seem necessary to give the town a real identity, and to keep alive a proper public spirit. That the ter ritory of Windham, with its sectional interests and sectional pride, was too large for the convenience and best good of the people, no prudent man could entertain a reasonable doubt. The efforts of Colonel Pratt were unceasing to secure to his viUage those privileges which, whUe they wrought no wrong to the rest of his townsmen, did great service to the more immediate vicinity. And yet, in aU of Ms special endeavors, there appeared such a generosity of sentiment and honesty of purpose, that aU — both those who advocated and those who opposed his measures — were forced to award to Mm that confidence and profound regard wMch such a self-devoting man everywhere commands. That they might make some Uttle acknowledgment of their sense of obligation to him, and make it in a manner that should give permanency to the expression of their gratitude, the citizens of the viciMty, in their petition for a division of Windham, and the incorporation of a new town, prayed that it might bear the name of Prattsville, in honor of its founder. PrattsviUe was incorporated in 1832, with a popula tion of one thousand five hundred, eight years after Colonel Pratt had first removed to the comparatively unreclaimed forest, carrying with him aU his effects in a one-horse wagon. He had now achieved a signal conquest over the wUd BIOGRAPHY. 75 region of the CatskiU. He had subdued nature by the sweat of his own brow, and felt that he was in some degree worthy of those rich rewards which she so pertina ciously withholds from everything but industry and toil. He heard the fierce screams of the panther and the savage bark of the wolf dying away over the distant MUs, as they surrendered, unconditionally and forever, to the claims of civihzed Ufe, their title to the control of the tenantless forest. He saw the master-hand of enterprise bring out, in strong and elegant alto-relievo, upon that so recently rugged field, the perfected design of his own mind, — a new town, with its prosperity, its elegances and its comforts. He saw his fellow-citizens voluntarily and proudly handing down to future generations his own name in grateful and perpetual remembrance. While thus in the full tide of his prosperity, enjoying the confidence and esteem of all who knew him, and blessed with a home which was aU that the affection and devotion of a wife, and the interesting children she had borne him, could make it, he became a third time a mourner for the loss of Ms wife, who died February 5, 1834, leaving behind one son and two daughters. Often as he had before felt the mourner's sad experience, this loss brought with it trials unUke any he had before experienced. Through the most active business portion of his life he had found much comfort and solace in the bosom of an affectionate family. The prudent counsels and ready sympathies of his wife had given him the strongest encouragements in the midst of cares, and 76 BIOGRAPHY. urged him on to a course of noble doing, whUe they reheved Ufe of aU its hardsMps and sorrows. He had lost not a wife only, but the mother of Ms chUdren. He must share their grief, and Uve to be a daily witness of their loss, by the death of a kind and devoted mother. She was a lady graced by rare endowments of nature ; adorned with all the accompUshments which give beauty to character, and bliss to Ufe ; and gifted with a superior judgment, which was ever exercised in the spirit of love, and characterized by the loftiest purposes. The circumstances of his life offered no mitigating change to wMch he could resort ; and, if anytMng was wanting to complete the bitterness of Ms cup, it seemed to be reahzed, when, a short time after the death of his wife, he was called to deplore the loss of one of Ms daughters. When the first shock was past, and his calmer judg ment permitted to return, he saw that these things were not designed for Ms overtMow, but to haUow his aspirations and efforts, and sanctify his life. The field was open, and the remembrance of the calm and sug gestive counsels of his wife bade Mm enter for stiU higher achievements. He was now in the prime of Ms life, with Ms powers both of body and of mind in their full vigor. With Mm the object of Uving was to be useful ; and he was accus tomed to say, " He that makes money wisely Uves for the good of mankind." He had honors yet to win ; and he had the satisfaction of seeing a community eager to bestow them, as an appreciation of his Mgh motives. BIOGRAPHY. 77 He saw his fortune rapidly accumulating ; and, to the influence of personal character, he was fast adding the sure influence of extensive wealth. He had continued to add to his originally extensive tannery both capacity and skill of workmanship, and advanced the quality of Ms manufactures till they had become in the market the criterion of excellence. These things not only served constantly to increase his means, but enabled him to devote more of his time to subjects of pubhc interest. While he saw the danger of a depraved and selfish ambition, he was not so bhnd to duty, as many are, as to decry a high and honorable one. His knowledge of wrong taught him the necessity of action. To surrender to a strong and noble antagonist, who claims a victory because he has fairly won it, is a result which must happen to some ; but it is not regarded as dishonorable to any. But, to surrender the right to do good to those who are unworthy of confidence, because we have a distaste for political contests with men not entitled to our respect, is a double wrong to society. We not only deprive the public of the services of an honest servant, but permit a dishonest one to fiU his place. Colonel Pratt had early adopted it, as one of the rules of his action, to regard Mmself, in aU stages of Ms suc cess, as a steward, to whose keeping both his wealth and aU other means of influence had been committed, to be used to promote the general welfare, and especially to relieve the hardsMps and necessities of the poor and unfortunate. 78 BIOGRAPHY. Having remained a widower somewhat more than a year, he married his fourth wife, Miss Mary E. Watson, a sister of Ms last wife, March 16, 1835. When speak ing of his married life to a friend, Colonel Pratt said, " It has very rarely fallen to the lot of man to say that he has had three of the best women for his wives, and that he is now Uving with the fourth, equally good. It may most truly be said of my deceased wives, that they were Christian companions, with whom I have lived in the greatest conjugal happiness ; and of my present most estimable consort, that she is every way worthy to suc ceed them in the affections of a devoted husband, and every way calculated to promote his happiness." He soon found, in his fourth wife, that loftiness of aim and purity of purpose which would nobly second the various plans of usefulness which were to occupy his future life. Amiable and accomphshed, she imparts to his circle that sunshine of cheerMness wMch ever characterizes the spirit of enlightened content ; and, with inteUigence that charms while it informs, she modestly appreciates her own position of usefulness, and is aUve to every caU of duty. It may not be deemed inappropriate, in tMs connec tion, to quote the opinion of one of the greatest men of modern times, as to the great importance of domestic fehcity to pubUc men. At a public meeting in Ireland, held in honor of Mr. O'ConneU, in responding to a com- pUmentary sentiment to his lady, he said, " That the cares of a public man may be easUy borne, if his home BIOGRAPHY. 79 be a happy one, — a place to which he may retreat from the storms of strife and passion. If," he added, "I have accomplished anything as a public man, it may be attributed, in a great measure, to the happiness of my home." To this may be added the language of Colonel Pratt. He is accustomed to say : " If a man has a cheerful spirit, a reasonable mind, an honest heart, a love for labor, and a happy home, he knows no failure, and is discouraged by no obstacle." The town which he has founded is full of monuments to Ms labors. In 1836, the bridge across the Schoharie-kiU was car ried away by the ice. Its loss occasioned great inconve nience, wMch seemed to admit of no immediate remedy. To rebuild it was a work of time ; but how to obviate the temporary inconvemence was the question to be instantly met and decided. No one suffered more by this loss than Colonel Pratt, and it was characteristic of him to devise means for its immediate reconstruction. He everywhere found, as he thought, an over-estimate of the difficulties attending the building of another bridge. It was mid- winter ; and, though it was out of the course of his business, yet he resolved to try what he could do to restore the accommodations to the pubhc with as little delay as possible. In less than six hours after it was carried away, Colonel Pratt had entered into a contract to rebuild it, on a much improved plan, and have it completed in two weeks. Such a thing was declared impossible. But he esteemed it a plain matter, and 80 BIOGRAPHY. easUy understood. On applying to the man whom he wished to engage as master- workman, he was told that, with the snow three feet deep in the woods, from which the timber was to be obtained, the undertaking was so very desperate that he would lose his money by the contract. "Very well," said the colonel, smiUng, "I have never yet undertaken an enterprise wMch I did not accomplish. You wiU receive your pay, if I do not mine. The work must go on. It can be done. It must be done." The work was commenced, and completed in eleven days, without the aid of ardent spirits ; and he had the pleasure of seeing a bridge one hundred and thirty feet long strongly and handsomely finished, — as much to the wonder of the people as to the reUef of traveUers. h s Wr^MMlM CHAPTER VI. Business pursuits. — A friend to religion. — A new church built. — His liberality. — Receives a silver medal from the New York Institute, for the best sole- leather. — Promotes education. — Elected honorary member of the American Institute, and of other societies. — Delivers an address before the Catskill Mechanic Society. — Petitions for a new county. — Offers to pay for county buildings. — Printing-press established in Prattsville. — Colonel Pratt's gen erous welcome to the Baptists. — His characteristics. — The credit system. — Means of success. — . Establishes a bank in Prattsville. — His character as a banker. — Anecdotes. — His endorsements. — Advice to young traders. From 1836, Colonel Pratt's career assumes a new feature, and we no longer see him as the mere man of business. Henceforth he appears before the country as a pohtician and statesman. What a man does for Mmself, in the way of business, is one thing ; what he accom plishes as a pubUc servant, quite another. We shall, therefore, delineate these two features of his character separately. By pursuing this course, we can better understand the means of Ms success, his capacity for progress, and Ms umty of purpose. With this view, his career as a citizen and as a man of business will first be completed. In 1837, he received a vote of thanks from- the stew ards of the Methodist Church, in the PrattsvUle circuit, " for his benevolence in the support of the Gospel." In the rapid growth ofthe town, it became necessary, as weU as politic, to provide further accommodations for 82 BIOGRAPHY. rehgious worsMp. The Methodist denomination having become quite numerous, and being without any suitable place for religious services, it was determined to make an effort to erect an appropriate house for that purpose. Most of the members of that denomination were of Umited means, and their success depended much upon the hberality of citizens who were connected with other societies. The character of the movement, and the real wants of the town, recommended it to the favor and support of aU who sought the pubhc good. No one was more active in this than Colonel Pratt ; and, although not a member either of the church or society, he manifested Ms usual UberaUty, by subscribing to the amount of one-third of the whole expense of the house, and subsequently presenting to the church and society a parsonage. Since that time, he has aided them with a subscription of from fifty to one hundred and fifty doUars annually. " Each man for himself," he would say, "according to what he is fitted to accomplish, to do much or Uttle. Let every man do what he can do, well. What he cannot do weU, let Mm have the good sense to leave to others. So of societies. So of reUgion. Men beUeve differently ; and they feel better and do better, if they are permitted to have entire freedom in aU matters of reUgion. When I help the church, I help the country." In 1837, the American Institute, New York, at the fair held in that city, in distributing premiums for the best specimens of American manufactures, awarded to BIOGRAPHY. 83 the PrattsviUe tannery the first sUver medal ever given in America for the best specimen of hemlock-tanned sole-leather. The Prattsville tannery had thus, in the course of twelve years, grown up in the forest, entered its articles for competition in the market, and risen, by the force of skUl and industry, to the first rank among American tanneries. Again, in 1846, Colonel Pratt received the first pre mium and a diploma at the New York State Agricultural Society. He now saw the fuU accomplishment of his original design, so far as to secure to his native state the command of her own great market. In pursuance of the Uberal policy which he originally adopted, with a view to advance the interests of the village, Colonel Pratt early made strenuous and earnest efforts to place the means of education on the most per manent basis, with advantages and facilities of the most liberal kind. Later, in 1839, he offered to give five thousand doUars towards the estabhshment of an academy of the highest order in Prattsville, to be under the direction of the Methodist Episcopal Church, provided a like sum should be contributed for the same object from other sources ; but, unfortunately for the cause of educa tion and the welfare of the place, the required five thousand doUars could not be raised, and the generous project faUed. In 1839, he was elected a member of the American Institute, at New York. In August, 1841, he received 84 BIOGRAPHY. a similar honor from the " Catskill Mechanic Society." The foUowing year, he was invited to give an address to the CatskiU Society; which he delivered December 29, 1842. The address was published by the society. In requesting a copy for publication, the committee say, that " it is calculated to render essential and important benefit to young mechamcs, who are just entering on the stage of action." It exhibits in a strong light that sound practical common sense for which the author is particu larly distinguished.* In 1841, the inhabitants of Prattsville began to realize, in common with the inhabitants of the adjoining towns, very serious inconveniences from being at so great a distance from the centre of the county business, — PrattsviUe being more than thirty miles from the nearest county town. It seemed MgMy important, therefore, that measures should be taken to have a new county incorporated, by taMng a portion of those towns similarly situated, and to make for them a new centre. This could be done so as to lessen at least one-half the dis tance for the people to travel for the transaction of their county business.f The towns to be accommodated by such an arrange ment were PrattsviUe, Lexington, Windham, Broome, ConesviUe, Middletown, Blenheim and Roxbury, with * It will be found in the second part of this volume. t A statement of facts was made and printed by Colonel Pratt, remarkable for its simplicity and comprehensiveness, which will be found in the second part of this volume. BIOGRAPHY. 85 an aggregate population of eighteen thousand inhab itants, which was larger than the average of twenty counties in the state. The face of the country was favorable to this arrangement, since most of the towns lay along those streams wMch were tributary to the Schoharie-kUl, and presented peculiar facilities for some central communication in that vicinity. This would lessen very much the expenses of the individual towns, as well as of those persons whose calhngs led them to engage most largely in county business. Under these considerations, application was made, in 1841, to the Legislature, for a new county. The reasons for this were presented and urged with pecuUar force. Colonel Pratt entered heartily into this movement, because he thought the change was demanded both by pohcy and common justice. For once he failed to accompUsh the desired object ; but for reasons which were beyond his power tc control. In 1846, appUcation was made a second time, on the ground of a great increase both of business and popula tion. It was objected that the burden of erecting the requisite buildings could not weU be borne by the new county, and other reasons were urged against the practicability of the measure. So far as the requisite buildings were concerned, Colonel Pratt went forward, and generously offered to buUd the court-house and the clerk's office, at Ms own expense, on such site and in such manner as the commissioners should direct. But 8 86 BIOGRAPHY. generous offers did not overcome opposing obstacles, and this second appUcation met the fate of the first. There are few acts, even in the Ufe of Colonel Pratt, which exhibit his public spirit in a more honorable light than these efforts to procure the incorporation of a new county for the convenience of the people. They show how entirely his purse was at the service of any object wMch Ms heart and his judgment approved. The rapid growth of Prattsville, together with its pros pects of future increase, constantly invited the attention of all who were about to engage in business, and were seeking a location which' presented desirable facUities for success. Its characteristic activity and resources had given it a reputation which pointed it out as destined to become, in the course of a few years, the central source of important influences in that vicinity. In 1842, a printing-press was estabhshed in Pratts viUe, under the direction of the Baptist PubUcation Society. This society had formerly carried on their operations in Lexington ; but, finding the location more convenient, and the facihties for doing business greater, in PrattsviUe, they determined to remove their office to the latter place. Soon after tMs, their operations were much enlarged and facUitated by the addition of a stereotype foundery, and other improvements. This gave occasion for the exhibition of Colonel Pratt's Uberality towards the maintenance of religious institutions, wMch discovered that, though he enter tained a profound and controUing regard for reUgion, BIOGRAPHY. 87 yet he was no sectarian in the non-essentials of church discipUne. In alluding to the aid received from Colonel Pratt at tMs time, Rev. L. L. HiU, in a letter pubUshed in the "New York Baptist Advocate," said: "In process of time, it was thought best to enlarge operations, by the addition of facilities for stereotyping, and other expens ive improvements. For greater convemence, the estab hshment was removed from this place to the pleasant town of PrattsviUe. In that place there is no Baptist church ; but the Dutch Reformed and Methodist brethren, as well as the citizens at large, gave that ' wonder among the mountains,' the printing-office, a hearty wel come. Most liberaUy, too, did they patronize the Ubrary, aU Baptist as it is. I would further state, that the Honorable Zadock Pratt, now member of Congress, opened his purse to the amount of some four thousand doUars, by way of loan, without interest, in meeting the great expenses of the concern, besides donating the rent of an office and two dweUing-houses. He is not a pro fessor of rehgion, but more than once has said to me to the effect, ' Your operations are of great importance, and should be UberaUy patronized by your own denomi nation, and the entire Christian community : my purse is open — help yourself I would not speak with a view to compliment only, but would render him an act of justice. He has, I trust, had the same prayer made for him that Paul made for Onesiphorus." In 1842, several of the citizens of PrattsviUe com- 88 BIOGRAPHY. bined to build a house suitable for an academy. It was built of brick, and cost between three and four thousand dollars, one-half of which was liberally paid by Colonel Pratt. Here it was the design of the projectors that the higher branches of the sciences and the classics should be taught. It was a striking feature of Colonel Pratt's character, that, in whatever respect he was successful, he noted the means employed, that he might commumcate the information for the good of others. He had profited by the credit system ; and, with proper restrictions, he regarded it good advice to recommend its adoption to others. He considered that the man who lends his credit to his neighbor as truly lends him an instrument of power, as he who lends him Ms ox to plough his field. We do not mean, therefore, that every man would be justified in promising himself riches by borrow ing. The credit system, properly Umited and managed, doubtless encourages skiU, industry and enterprise. When carried to the extreme, it cannot prove otherwise than injurious and fatal. Its legitimate effect is simply to place men of no means in relation to property, that they may add to its value by labor. If they hope to succeed upon any other principle, they wiU be disap pointed. If they adopt the credit system to avaU them selves of chance bargains, they are soon brought to reaUze the fact that no gains are certain but those of labor and of economy. AU others are Ukely to prove ruinous. The great secret is, to know the true scale of BIOGRAPHY. 89 adjustment, — what degree of credit to adopt with a given amount of labor. Excess of credit is exceedingly haz ardous ; excess of labor, or of production, is compara tively a minor evil, and may be readily corrected with out much sacrifice. Few men understood this better than Colonel Pratt. He had passed through a severe ordeal ; and it is a crowning merit of his hfe, that, though he had reached the " topmost round of young ambition's ladder," he did not turn his back upon that ladder, nor " Scorn the base degrees By which he did ascend. ' ' He was ever ready to pay the noblest tribute of gratitude for what he enjoyed, by employing the full power of his fortune and his place to relieve the hardships of the honest and industrious poor, and furnish facilities for the improvement of their condition. He never predi cated his own honor and success upon the downfall and ruin of others. The field was broad enough to permit all to rise and succeed ; and the success of others he regarded as a powerful persuasive to increased exertions, and not an incentive to envy and jealousy. Consequently, we always find Colonel Pratt adopting those measures which the welfare of all seemed to require. He saw that everything which added to the good character and prosperity of the town was a new source of wealth and influence to himself, while it added greatly to the com fort and success of others. He had a large fortune at his command, which he had acquired in that vicinity. He saw how powerful an 8* 90 BIOGRAPHY. engine it might be made, to increase the prosperity of the town, by being judiciously managed to extend the field of prudent enterprise. He saw that the want of means and facihties for obtaining the requisite funds, either in one's own right or upon trust, often cramped, and not unfrequently entirely paralyzed, the most desira ble and commendable undertakings. As the promises of future prosperity seemed to author ize the trial, he resolved to establish a bank, under the general banking law of the state, and thus introduce into the place a system of credit which should caU out the fuU energies of the people. Accordingly, he established the Prattsville Bank, in 1843, with a capital of fifty thousand dollars, which was increased, the following year, to one hundred thousand dollars. The capital was secured by vesting fifty thousand doUars in six and seven per cent, stocks of the State of New York, and fifty thousand doUars in six per cent, stocks of the United States. He made its bills redeemable at par in the city of New York, which places the bank upon a par with the best banks in the country, and relieves it from aU the embarrassments which speculators might other wise throw in its way. In fact, this bank is the only one out of the city, in the Empire State, except those in the towns located directly on the Hudson river, whose bills are redeemed, at par, in Wall-street. For the purpose of showing the real condition of the bank, we have inserted in tMs volume such documents as wiU BIOGRAPHY. 91 give the reader a complete history of its origin and doings. This bank is located at a distance of thirty-two miles from any other bank, and affords great business faciUties to the people in that vicinity. Its success and its influ ence for good show how much can be done by a single individual, who is actuated by high and commendable motives. By means of this bank, a new source of activity was opened. Thither were drawn many of the more active business men of that vicinity, for the transaction of business with the bank ; and, in a very considerable degree, the movements of monied men became controUed or modified by the doings of the institution. In his new character, as banker, Colonel Pratt, wMle he maintained the same rigid system and energetic promptness which characterized all his doings, never lost any of his urbanity of (manner, or of the open-hearted generosity for which he was weU known. If an honest man, in want, applied to him for reUef, he ever thought more of relieving him than of the loan by which he did it ; and yet his was not a misguided sympathy or kind ness. He beheved that honesty would necessarily lead to industry, if prudently encouraged ; and that kind words should ever accompany the act of loaning money. There are many instances, in his history as a banker, wMch serve to show how much more he yielded to the authority of principle than to any sordid or miserly love of gain. 92 BIOGRAPHY. On one occasion, a stranger was passing through the town, at a distance from his home, on his way to market, with one hundred and eighty head of cattle ; and, in con sequence of circumstances which were unforeseen by him, had exhausted his funds before reacMng the place of Ms destination. He was obhged to seek for a loan from some source. With this view, he caUed at the PrattsviUe Bank ; and, on inquiring for the president, was directed to Colonel Pratt, who was in another part of the room. He made known his want, and requested the loan of one hundred doUars, for a short time. Colonel Pratt, at a glance, saw that the man was honest, and said to the cashier, "Let tMs btranger have one hundred dollars ; he has an honest face, ind we can trust him." "But," said the man," you do not know my name yet, sir!" "Very wehi" said, the colonel, "we shaU learn that when you sign /the note," and imme diately left him to receive the money from the casMer. The prompt return of the money by the stranger con firmed the favorable opinion of his integrity. On another occasion, whUe attending to the loading of some wood, a man came to Colonel Pratt, and pre senting a note, asked if he would discount it for him. "I am very sorry, my friend," said the colonel, in a very kind manner, to him, " but money is so scarce, just now, I cannot conveniently do it." The disappointed man took the note, and, on turning to leave, saw that a stick of wood had faUen from the cart where it belonged. He immediately took it up and BIOGRAPHY. 93 replaced it. Colonel Pratt observing it, read at once the character of the man for kindness and system ; and he resolved to submit to the inconvenience himself, rather than to aUow the burden to rest on one who was less able to bear it. He caUed the man back. " I per ceive, sir," said he, " that you are inchned to do good, and you shaU have the money to do it with." It would very naturaUy be supposed that a practice, which seemed to be as much under the control of kind ness and generosity as calm, calculating judgment, would scarcely be a safe one to be introduced into general use, as it certainly is liable to expose the individual to very frequent as well as very heavy losses. Yet with Colonel Pratt it was safe, and generally successful ; because wdiat seemed only an act of pure kindness on his part, was really dictated by sound judgment and fore sight. His knowledge of character made many things safe and practicable with him which would have been hazardous if attempted by others. He did not confine himself, in his acts of usefulness, to Ms own means, but frequently gave the use of his name when he had no money at command. In the course of ten years of his business Ufe, it is said that he endorsed paper for others to the amount of five hundred thousand doUars, and received four: hundred protests ; yet his loss did not exceed two thousand dollars in the aggregate, — a sum which he could probably weU afford to pay, for the increase of business and influence which such favors brought Mm. 94 BIOGRAPHY. In speaking of the practice of endorsing, he said : "It is a poor way to live, and a stiU poorer way to make money; though, in some cases, it cannot be avoided in business ; and a man, to have friends, must show himself friendly." Much of his advice, given to young men about enter ing upon business, is peculiar and valuable, as we shall have occasion to notice hereafter. We cannot forbear to state, in this place, a fact, which is worthy to be recorded in deep-wrought letters of gold, in all the commercial cities of the nation. Although Colonel Pratt has loaned and re-loaned, witMn a few years, many miUions of dollars, he has in no case ever taken more than legal interest. In speak ing of the subject of usury, he said: "Why should I conspire with another, that he may be robbed with impunity, because it is by Ms own consent ? If a poor man pays exorbitant interest, he is aUowed to become the means of loss to others ; if a rich man pays it, he not only deceives himself, but sets a pernicious example, by violating laws which he is obUgated as a good citizen to sustain. No ! my motto is ' To Uve and let live ; ' and I agree with the distinguished banker of London (Baring), who remarked that Ms safety as a lender required that the borrower should always make a reasonable profit on his transactions." CHAPTER VII. Colonel Pratt's interest in agriculture. — His farm. — Improvement of stock. — Elected President of Greene County Agricultural Society. — Donation to ditto. — Great agricultural Fair at Cairo. — Appearance of the tanners. — Delivers an address before the society. — Extracts. — Fair at Windham, 1847. — Elected honorary member of several associations in different states. — Fire in the city of Hudson. — Prompt charity. — Respect for the Sabbath. — New Episcopal church built in Prattsville. — Liberal aid of Colonel Pratt. — Sculp tured rocks of Prattsville. — Poetical and grateful sentiments. — Description of Prattsville rocks. — Wishes in respect to his last repose. — Elected corre sponding member of Franklin Institute, and honorary member of other socie ties. — Letter on tanning. — Interesting statistics of Prattsville. — Growth of cities. — Causes of prosperity. — Literary attainments. — Publio addresses. — Complimentary notices. — Travels, with his son, in the Southern and Western States. — His children — their travels. — Elected honorary member of the New York Historical Society. — Receives degree of Master of Arts from Union College. — Anecdotes. — Elected President of New York Mechanic Institute — delivers an address. — His character as a lecturer. — Appointed a delegate to the World's Fair, by Governor Fish. — His contribution to the World's Fair. — Examples of noble generosity. — High compliment of the stone-cutters. — Washington. In supplying the demands of his great tannery, Colonel Pratt gradually caused to be cleared ten thousand acres of land, in the vicimty of Prattsville ; and upon the out skirts of the viUage he had a large and highly improved farm, wMch he was in the habit of managing in connec tion with the business of his trade. There is a strong tendency in the mind of every true 96 BIOGRAPHY. man to the pursuits of rural Ufe, and they have been hallowed by the great and the good of aU ages. " Those who labor in the earth," said Jefferson, " are the chosen people of God, if ever he had a chosen people, whose breasts he had made a peculiar deposit for substantial and genuine virtue." The habits, tastes and sentiments of Colonel Pratt conspired to render agriculture to his mind a subject of the most delightful interest. He was a great lover of nature. He was among the first to discover the opening beauties of spring, and to impart a cheerfulness to others around Mm in harmony with all reviving tMngs. He looked with reverence and admiration upon the boun teous earth, teeming with living causes to produce num berless comforts and luxuries for the use of man. It was to him a sacred book, to be read and understood. He loved the farmer. He loved the farm. Indeed, agriculture was to him always a most grateful subject.* When a boy, he was ever in the fields, ahd on the farm ; and ere he was twelve years of age, he was capa ble of handling, with tolerable skill, aU the agricultural * He used to repeat the following lines, as expressive of his views of agricul tural life : " The rich donations of a fruitful soil Nobly reward the hardy tiller'9 toil ; The garden, orchard, mead, and favorite field, The choicest products of the season yield, And give, to swell the cultivator's store; All that man wants, — and monarch needs no more. . < Well sung the bard, ' Did they their blessings know, Farmers are far the happiest wights below.' " BIOGRAPHY. 97 implements then in use. At that time, but very few farmers conducted their operations upon an enlarged or scientific scale. Crop foUo wed crop, in rotation; and when improvements were suggested, the answer was always ready, that " What answered for their fathers would do for them."* The inquiring mind of Colonel Pratt did not aUow him to be satisfied so easily as his neighbors ; and, whUe yet a youth, he improved to a great degree a farm, from wMch he had the misfortune to be ejected by Ms landlord, who, seeing the increased value of his land, rented it to those who could pay a better price. Singu lar as it may appear, tMs incident had no other effect upon the subject of our sketch than to impress him with the necessity of renewed exertion ; though his time had been lost, and Ms aU had been taken away, he cher ished no enmity, but made the remark, that " the highest duty of life is to be useful; and that if he himself did not reap the reward of his labors, others would." At this period of his hfe (1836), he had already acquired means sufficient to admit of Ms retiring from the more active duties of business, and devoting a portion of his time, in dignified leisure, to the study of science and art in their Mgher branches, and especially in their practical application to agriculture. Being * In the spirit of the Scotch mother, who, according to Sir Walter, nearly a century ago, objected to her son's using what she called a "new-fangled machine for dighting the grain from the chaff ; thus impiously thwarting the will of Divine Providence, by raising wind for her ladyship's own particular use, by human art, instead of soliciting it by prayers," &c. 9 98 BIOGRAPHY. preeminently a practical man, he took special pleas ure in making agricultural experiments upon principles revealed by recent discoveries. In fencing, in draining, in combining and reducing soUs, he took a deep interest. As a result of his fondness for these things, he soon brought one of Ms farms, which at first produced but one ton of hay to the acre, to produce, on an average, tMee tons ; and this by Ms own personal labor and direction. He paid special attention to the improvement of cattle, horses and sheep, by importing, at great expense, the best breeds of each, and by cross-breeding, — having, at times, upon his farms, a hundred head of cattle, of different Mnds.* He early became a member of the Greene County Agricultural Society; and in 1844, wMle absent from home, attending to Ms duties as member of Congress, he was elected its president. The foUowing year, he pre sented two hundred and fifty doUars to the society, "to be distributed, with other funds, in suitable premiums, at such times and in such manner as the society may judge most advantageous to the cause of domestic industry." The entire letter accompanying the donation is too val uable to be omitted, and is given at length in another part of this volume, together with the resolutions of the society in regard to the same.f * See an interesting letter on this subject, in the second part of this volume. t The Genesee Farmer, vol. x., No. 1, 1849, in closing a highly complimentary article on the history of Colonel Pratt, says : — "In whatever position we view BIOGRAPHY. 99 The agricultural fair that was held at Cairo, Greene county, in the autumn of 1845, wiU long be remembered as one of the most interesting ever held in the Empire State. It was numerously attended, not only by farm ers, but also by the foUowers of every other branch of industry in that vicinity. The tanners from the moun tain towns, in a particular manner, turned out with admirable spirit, and made a noble appearance. A train of more than twenty teams of the largest size, loaded with leather, was escorted into town by the citizens. At the head of the procession were the fine teams from Colonel Pratt's tannery. They were decorated with hemlock boughs, and from one floated a banner, bearing for a device a hemlock tree, and the legend, "By this we thrive." The weight of the contents of each wagon exceeded four thousand pounds, and the value of the leather amounted to twenty-six thousand doUars. The escort consisted of farmers and others in wagons, and the entire procession was a mile in length. The arrangements of the day were under the direction the character of Colonel Pratt, whether as a farmer, tanner, legislator or banker, he has been eminently successful, without impeding the progress of others ; devel oping those rare qualities which are so happily united in him, of sound judgment, prompt and efficient action and execution, and far-reaching sagacity, blended with the kindest and most benevolent impulses. * * t We close by men tioning the highly honorable fact, that Colonel Pratt is the first self-taught farmer and mechanic in our state who has received the honorary degree of Master of Arts from one of our highest literary institutions ; — an honor richly merited by him, and reflecting credit on the distinguished institution (Union College) by which it was conferred." 100 BIOGRAPHY. of Colonel Pratt, as president of the society; and wherever he appeared, he was received by the great crowd with the most enthusiastic and long-continued cheers. It had been expected that the address before the society would be dehvered by that distinguished scien tific agriculturist, John S. Skinner, Esq. ; but he was prevented from being present, by circumstances beyond Ms control. On reading Mr. Skinner's letter to the society, Colonel Pratt remarked that he had been noti fied that such might prove to be the event ; and, as he had ever made it a rule to be prepared for every emer gency, he had hastily written an address for the occa sion, wMch, he doubted not, would be received, under the circumstances, with all proper indulgence. It was received with great favor. It was directly to the point, and what was wanted. The reader wiU find it, at length, in the second part of this volume. Few agricultural addresses have been more warmly received and heartUy commended than this one. It exhibits very clearly the author's famUiarity with the subject of which he treats, as weU as the sound practical views wMch he entertained. We shaU be excused by the reader for anticipating the foUowing striking extract : "Washington," said the orator, "was great in war, but greater stUl in peace. He presided with unsur passed wisdom and dignity over the affairs of state, but added increased lustre to both by the calm contentment of Mount Vernon. Every farmer cannot expect to BIOGRAPHY. 101 occupy so high a position, or to gain so much applause ; but every one ought, in his own sphere, to practise the same strict integrity, and faithful performance of duty ; and to be, in his own principles and conduct, a Wash ington, possessing the same virtues, though he may never have the same glorious opportunity to exemplify them. Every mechanic cannot expect to make so useful discoveries as the steamboat and cotton-gin ; yet every one can and ought to acquaint himself with all the mysteries of Ms art, and give dihgence to make himself as capable, and Ms work as nearly perfect, as possible, doing aU that Fulton or Wnitney would have done in Ms place." Another fair was held in 1847, at Windham, and was continued, with great spirit and interest, for two days. The address was delivered by Mr. Johnson, the Secretary of the State Agricultural Society. After the people had assembled, and prayers had been offered, Colonel Pratt, as president of the society, made substan tially the foUowing brief address, before introducing the orator : " It is gratifying, indeed, to me, to see this numerous gathering. It marks the day. It is certain that the people are truly in earnest. You have come up, Uke lords of the soil, with cheerful faces and stout hearts ; and, I doubt not, fuU of gratitude, that you have been permitted to earn your own bread by the labor of your own hands ; that you Uve in a free country, and help to administer the best of governments ; that you live in a 9* 102 BIOGRAPHY. healthful climate, and are surrounded by good neighbors, good citizens. There is every reason why we should be happy, cheerful and contented, and, above aU, thankful for our lot. " We have chosen tMs day," he continued, "as a kind of jubilee, a thanksgiving for the abundance which our land has produced, as well as for life, liberty and happiness ; a day of rest from the toils of labor, to unbend the bow of appUcation, to compare notes with our neighbors, and to extend our acquaintance ; in truth, to enjoy a freeman's inteUectual feast." On the conclusion of the able address of Mr. Johnson, the president arose, with a movement somewhat slower than his accustomed manner, and, with a significant smile, held up to the view of aU present a silver medal, and said : " Every man possesses some pride. It is well that it is so ; for, without pride, we should not have been assembled together to-day. Pride lifts up the man to do his work weU, — to do Ms duty. It starts the neighbor to do still better ; and thus we sometimes find a whole town or county moved to excel by the spirit of pride. "This medal," he went on to say, "was the first premium awarded by the American Institute for the best hemlock-tanned leather. If I did not teU of it, you would not know it. If it were given to be useful, it must be seen and known. Why should such things be kept out of sight, as misers keep their money ? No ; the great object of life is to be useful." BIOGRAPHY. 103 He closed by addressing a few compUmentary remarks to the ladies, and words of encouragement to competitors who must necessarUy be disappointed in not being suc cessful. " AU cannot expect to receive the first premium," said he ; " some worthy men must faU. AU such should console themselves with the hope that their success wiU come at the next trial, and under even more flattering circumstances." During tMs year, a very handsome compUment was paid to Colonel Pratt, by a highly respectable society in a distant state. On the 7th of January, 1847, on motion of J. D. B. De Bow, Esq., the Honorable Henry Clay, of Kentucky, and Honorable Zadock Pratt, of New York, were unanimously elected honorary members of " the Agricultural and Mechanic Association of the State of Louisiana."* We have introduced one or two incidents in this chapter somewhat in violation of chronological order ; but we have done so that the reader may see with more distinctness what was important in the Ufe of Colonel Pratt, as connected with agriculture. In July, 1844, a very extensive fire occurred in the city of Hudson, occasioning very great loss and suffering. The news spread rapidly through the adjoining towns, and soon reached PrattsviUe. Colonel Pratt, with his usual promptness, did not stop to inquire what others * As the letter of Colonel Pratt is characteristic of the man, we have inserted it in the second part of this volume. 104 BIOGRAPHY. had done, or what they intended to do, but forthwith sent a handsome sum to the reUef of the sufferers, which was the first money received. In speaking of this act, the "Hudson Gazette" said: "It is in a high degree creditable to the reputation for hberaUty, pubhc spirit and benevolence, which our worthy member of Congress so umversaUy enjoys. And what adds more to the deed of charity is the fact that it came from an individual who is not a resident among us, but of another county, and the money was the first that was contributed from any source, and the means of affording the first relief to the sufferers by the late calamitous fire." The efforts made by Colonel Pratt to secure, in his town, a proper respect for the Sabbath and the Bible, are not among the least of Ms life. In 1845, he fur- mshed a copy of the Bible for every famUy in the town, not already provided, besides presenting a beautiful copy for the desk in each ofthe churches, saying, "Give men Ught and knowledge of the law of God, and you give them wealth and power." Since the commencement of the great tannery in PrattsviUe, it has been the invariable rule of its pro prietor to have the Sabbath kept sacredly as a day of rest for aU Ms men and teams. The Episcopalians of the town considering it import ant that a new house of worship for their use should be erected during the year 1845, it was voted that it should be built in handsome style, of GotMc architect- BIOGRAPHY. 105 ure. To tMs object Colonel Pratt contributed one-third of the requisite funds ; thus practicaUy Ulustrating the sincerity of Ms professions, in not being a sectarian in matters of religious belief. To desire success in any undertaking, is one thing ; to command it, quite another ; and to be actuated by high motives, or, in other words, to deserve it, is still another. These several sources make up the character of a man's ambition. It may be one of selfishness, it may be one of vanity, or it may be one of pure good will to society. We do not speak of men who profess to be entirely superior to selfishness, because it is an error to suppose that any such exist. We are willing to admit that some seem to live as if the world were made for them, as man for the " pampered goose," as a miser for his heaps of gold ; or as the wretch who has no mercy, no charity, no sympathy or affection, for aught but kindred ; or for that narrow self which belies its own wants, and mocks at the wants of others. But, in making this admission, we are not precluded from the privilege of declaring our respect for those who emphatically live for society, and whose only selfishness appears to be that of provid ing for themselves as linked with the common weal. They look to the common lot for a portion of their own happiness. They are wiUing to help others, that they may satisfy the demands of an enlightened self-respect. They count themselves as one of a family, a circle, a neighborhood, or nation. A good act in one sphere benefits aU in the same sphere. What adds to the 106 BIOGRAPHY. real happiness of one famUy adds to the welfare of a nation. A simple act of duty is not limited to the immediate results which flow from it, but involves the dissemination of the principles by wMch it was originated. What is well done, is valuable as an example ; and, to render an example in the highest degree useful, it should be per petuated as a blessing to posterity. It is thus within the province of moral genius to mul tiply the blessings of a single deed, so that its history will prove a perpetual source of solid good. In the growth of PrattsviUe, its founder saw the real triumph of principle. He saw in it the results of simple duty. He saw that he was but the agent, and not the author of success. He saw in it a truthful lesson to be taught to an inquiring world. But in himself the prin ciple was embodied and illustrated, and the Mstory of himself became a lesson for the instruction of others. In addition to these reflections of simple duty as con nected with the events of Ufe, he felt that he could read the language of kindness in every tree, brook and rock, that surrounded him. They had seemed to make up a portion of that smile with which he had been so often cheered by his Maker. He reahzed a deUghtful sym pathy wMch was common both to men and things, and his affections were enlarged by the numerous associations of place. The rocks and the mountains only needed the aid of the artist to estabhsh an enduring identity. With sentiments Uke these, he sought an artist of BIOGRAPHY. 107 skill and reputation, who should be able to reduce the granite quarries into form and language ; that, when he should be no more,, and when no one should live to speak of his attachments to the place, the place itself should speak of him. It was a sculptor's task ; and whoever shaU visit PrattsviUe during the coming genera tions, wiU first ask to read the sculptor's story. We are happy in being able to translate the reader to the scene we are describing, by employing the language of another, whose poetical conceptions do ample justice to this interesting portion of our subject. It is a graphic description of the town of Prattsville, and embraces those peculiar features to which we have just alluded. " To the lovers of the picturesque and beautiful in scenery, few parts of our country offer stronger induce ments for a visit than the vicinity of the Catskill range, on the west bank of the Hudson. The lofty hills and mountain peaks, snow-clad, and presenting every variety of form and appearance, — now towering up on high with subhme grandeur, now gradually sinking to the level of some retired quiet vaUey, — excite emotions of pleasure in every breast; and one is often obliged to pause and look with admiration upon scenes of so much beauty and attractiveness. The road, which passes through this region westward, wkids its way from the level of the Hudson, graduaUy higher and higher, till the mountain range is crossed ; and aU along in the many vaUeys, on the banks of the water-courses, smiling villages have sprung up, and the hum of industry and honest toil gives 108 BIOGRAPHY. forth the pleasant sounds of prosperity and peace. Happy is the country wMch, Uke ours, enables its people to Uve and labor in peace, without fear of the oppressor, and in the enjoyment of liberty in its fuUest, noblest extent ! " Probably no portion of Greene county, New York, is more lovely than the elevated vaUey in which the beauti ful viUage of Prattsville is situated ; embosomed amid the Mils, nearly tMee thousand feet above the level of the Hudson, and abundantly supphed with water, fertUe and fair to the eye, it presents a picture on which one may well love to gaze ; and when we reflect upon its history, and remember how its very existence and its prosperity are owing to the talent and skUl, no less than honorable, high-minded principles, of the man whose name it bears, we cannot but look at it with deeper interest than ordi nary, or forbear to spend a Uttle time in examining into its umque origin and character. " Twenty-five years ago, everything in this vaUey was in a state of nature. The hill-sides were covered with vast forests of hemlock ; a single farm-house was situated near the bank of the creek ; and save the few fields of cleared land by the water's bank, and the mur muring of the babbling mountain brooks, there was nought to break the monotonous stiUness of the uninhab ited but lovely valley; — but now*, how changed the scene, how vast the contrast! Energy and activity have produced mutations greater than those wrought by the magician's wand. The forests and fields have given place to the dweUing of the merchant and the house of BIOGRAPHY. 109 the mechamc ; to the tannery and factory, the store and printing-office, the hotel and the bank, the churches and academy, and, in fine, to everytMng which marks the prosperous and happy viUage of three thousand inhab itants. A broad and beautiful avenue passes through its midst, Uned with trees, planted by Colonel Pratt's own hands, in years gone by ; and neat and tasteful residences, indicative of the homes of those who love to enjoy the fruit of honest gain, stand side by side, at convenient intervals, and surrounded by their beautiful gardens of fruit and flowers. The noise and bustling confusion of the city are not there, it is true ; but there is no lack of ^activity and life in its streets. The farmer comes to it to buy and sell ; the traveUer stops here to rest and enjoy the scenery of this lovely region ; the mail-stage, daily, each way, passes through with its passengers, bringing and carrying away the post ; the factory-beUs ring, and the operatives go forth and then again return to their work ; the academy has its busy little folks, whose noisy plays enliven the scene ; and when Sunday comes, the quiet, orderly, religious population frequent their houses of worsMp, with gravity and devout attention. The ever-flowing stream of water wMch irrigates this valley, and supplies so abundant water-power, adds to the charm of the viUage ; and the lofty hills on either side, with the mountain-tops towering up in the distance, furnish a never-failing source of enjoyment to those who love to look upon nature's noblest works. No wonder, then, that PrattsviUe, being situated on the turnpike 10 110 BIOGRAPHY. road, midway between CatskiU and Delhi, should be the centre of the contemplated new county, which wiU ere long be formed to meet the wants and wishes of the people. Marvellous is the change which a quarter of a century has produced in this beautiful vaUey ; still more marveUous is it, that it is almost aU owing to the sagacity, energy, industry and steadfast uprightness of one who has grown with the village which bears his name, and is entitled to honor such as perhaps no other man m our midst can claim. Honor, then, to whom honor is due. " There is one feature in connection with PrattsvUle which is truly unique, and deserves to be dwelt upon with some care and particularity ; and that is, the sculp tured rocks, on a lofty eminence just at the eastern sec tion of the viUage. As the traveUer enters the valley and nears the village, he is struck with beholding on his right hand, some three hundred feet or more above the level of the road, a colossal bust of Colonel Pratt, and other sculptures, weU meriting attention as Mstoric records. He is impeUed by the novelty of the occur rence, in such a place, to make an early visit to this locality ; so, passing by the many other attractive spots in the vicinity, he retraces Ms steps from the hotel, and seeks the place which he has just passed. He finds the MU-side steep, and rather toilsome to ascend ; but a meandering walk leads him gradually upward tiU he reaches the base of the overhanging, nearly perpendicu lar argiUaceous rock on which the sculpture is carved. As he approaches, the objects stand out more and more BIOGRAPHY. Ill distinctly. The artist has cut the bust in profile, about twenty feet above the base of the rocks, and a shelving canopy both protects it from the trickhng water from above and also adds to its general effect. Underneath, in deep-cut letters, is the inscription, ' Zadock Pratt, born Oct. 30th, 1790.' Near to this, but not quite so high up, is a massive scroll, pointing out an illustrious act of Colonel Pratt's public life ; it is a scroU neatly cut, partly unrolled, containing the words, ' Bureau of Statistics, 1844.' A sinewy, vigorous arm, grasping a hammer and a beam-knife, used by tanners in their work, form neat appendages underneath and at the side of this remarkable sculpture. A little to the side of this last sculpture, the artist has carved upon the rocks a representation — very weU done, by the way — of the Prattsville tannery, wMch is the largest in the world ; and he has put on record the noteworthy fact that Colonel Pratt, within twenty years, has tanned here, with hemlock bark, one miUion sides of sole leather. One other tablet, containing the names of Colonel Pratt's son and daughter, completes these interesting sculp tures." Colonel Pratt has more than once been heard to say, that when his earthly life shaU have terminated, it is his desire that his mortal remains should be placed in a tomb cut in these rocks, beneath the artistic designs and inscriptions just described. TMs reminds us of the poetical wish of Sir William Temple, whose favorite retreat was his beautiful garden ; 112 BIOGRAPHY. and who desired that his heart should be placed in a silver box, and buried underneath the sun-dial which was elevated in the midst of flowers. It was not without a delicate perception of this peculiar feature in human nature that a modern author says : "There is in the heart of man a native sense of beauty, a latent sympathy, a harmony with aU that is lovely on the earth, which makes him unconsciously seek out spots of peculiar sweetness, not only for his daUy dwelling, but also for both his temporary resting-place and for the mansion of his long repose." In July, 1845, Colonel Pratt was elected an honorary member of the Franklin Institute of Pennsylvania, for the promotion of the mechanic arts, as a testimony of respect and esteem entertained for him as a practical thinker and mechanic. About the same time, he was elected an honorary member of several Uterary institu tions, in New Jersey and elsewhere. The following year, he received a similar honor from the Wesleyan Univer sity, at Middletown, Connecticut. He was also elected corresponding member of the "American Agricultural Association." The occasion of receiving a silver medal from the American Institute, New York, led to a request, on the part of that association, that he would give them a fuU account of his works at PrattsviUe. His reply was full of information upon the subject of tanning, and the reader will be weU compensated for an attentive perusal BIOGRAPHY. 113 of it. It is really a practical treatise on tanning, and makes a portion of the second part of this volume. TMs letter, coming as it does from the only source that could furnish a full account of the business de scribed, gives us some adequate idea of the remarkable change which has been effected, so far as tanning is concerned, in what is now one of the richest districts in the State of New York', but which was scarcely known twenty-three years ago, except as offering, by the dense- ness and wildness of its forests, superior encouragements for the hunter. TMs letter wiU be found useful to men of aU classes. To the historian of the country, as one of the many documents that must be consulted when he shaU write the Mstory of American industry ; to the statist, as an example of method ; to the man of business, as embody ing many useful facts in the progress of a singularly successful career ; and to the general reader, whose sole object is the acquisition of knowledge, because it forms a chapter in the volume of our country's labors in the field of enterprise. In order to give a more complete idea of PrattsviUe, and the change wrought in the viciMty, than can be obtained from tMs letter alone, the foUowing facts and statistics are introduced, as they are found in a short speech made by Colonel Pratt, at the Agricultural Fair, Windham, N. Y., 1850. Speaking of PrattsviUe and the vicinity, he said : "When I first came among you, nearly fifty years 10* 114 BIOGRAPHY. ago, tMough dark hemlocks and bad roads, and when but few inhabitants were on the way, my parents settled in Windham, now called Lexington. They taught me to go to the only meeting-house in town, nearly tMee mUes, every Sabbath, on foot. It was before I had yet tanned enough leather to wear. TMs helped me to establish a good physical constitution, and kept me out of miscMef on the Sabbath. »ft7 *JF TV TT •?£ " There were then about one thousand five hundred inhabitants in one town, — since divided into six towns, and numbering about ten thousand of the most hardy, honest independent inhabitants on the globe. " I see here some of those early pioneers, who had to ' back grain ' twenty miles to a grist-miU, after having worked at low wages to earn it. Some made maple- sugar, and carried it from fifteen to thirty mUes, to exchange it for corn, pork, and potatoes. They could not buy on credit, so poor was old Windham. "For one rough meeting-house, then, with slabs for seats, and other fixtures to correspond, we now number twenty, with aU the modern refinements, showing that we carry pride into our churches. And from the then despised hemlock forest have arisen beautiful towns, splendid villages, and princely farmers, who have reared cheerful households. " And now I will show you the degree of advantage that these dreary hemlocks have been to the farmers of the mountain towns, since I have been engaged in tan- BIOGRAPHY. 115 ning. It has been my lot to employ over 15,000 years of labor, over 30,000 men. I have paid them over $2,500,000 ; have caused to be cleared over 10,000 acres of land ; have used over 200,000 cords of hemlock bark, — have paid over half a miUion of doUars for it ; have used or worn out some 500 horses, 1000 oxen; have used up 200,000 bushels of oats, 120,000 tons of hay, 30,000 barrels of beef and pork, nearly 100,000 barrels of flour, and potatoes without number or measure. I have tanned 1,250,000 sides of leather. I have buUt a hundred houses. My daily disbursements are over $5000. I have employed capital, in my business here, over $10,000,000. Every man that would work received Ms money, and in peace ; and, to the credit of the com. mumty be it said, I never had a side of leather stolen, during my residence here, and never was a defendant in a lawsuit arising out of business transactions. " In PrattsviUe there are three tanneries, tanning annuaUy one hundred and thirty thousand sides of sole- leather ; employing two hundred hands and half a million of capital ; three macMne-shops and three furnaces ; two woollen factories, one cotton factory, one oU-cloth fac tory, three grist-miUs, three hotels, twelve stores, two wheelwright shops, two cabinet-ware manufactories, three carpenter's shops, two harness shops, four tailor's shops, one printing-office, one goldsmith's shop, one mitten and one match factory. There are one bank, three churches, one academy, and five schools. There are four doctors and two lawyers." 116 BIOGRAPHY. From these statistics, we find, in the growth and prosperity of PrattsviUe, one of the most surprising proofs of American enterprise, so much a subject of wonder and admiration to the civilized world. Whoever in the Umted States aims at founding a town or city, must show to the world that there are interests to be promoted by its being buUt. No place in this country has ever risen to consequence which has not had sohd claims to pubUc respect. Compare, for example, Cincinnati with WasMngton, if the wortMessness of factitious elements is desired to be seen in promoting the growth of a town, and the useful ness of real elements is to be demonstrated. When, half a century ago, the seat of the government of the United States was removed to Washington, that place was of far more consequence than Cincinnati. Look at the two cities now ! Cincinnati is one of the largest places in the Umon, and is constantly and rapidly increasing ; WasMngton remains what the satirical Virgiman long ago caUed it, " the city of magmficent distances." The reason is obvious. Cincinnati is the centre of a great and flourishing region, a commercial capital; whUe Washington is nothing but the seat of government of a nation wMch abhors centralization, and which cannot, therefore, aid in elevating its nominal capital without doing violence to its leading principles. The Umted States present many a town, and city even, wMch has grown up, as it were, by magic, under the controUing power of immense wealth. LoweU, Man- BIOGRAPHY. 117 chester and Lawrence, are instances of tMs kind. These are the results of associated wealth and enterprise. It cannot be said that they are made up of the happy homes which come from individual labor and the social intercourse of a rural town. They are, rather, the cities of workshops and operatives, — the temporary business dwellings of foreigners and others, whose cMef interests are centred in the corporations which employ them, and in the wages which they are to receive. But there are very few, if any towns, which, like PrattsviUe, owe their existence and their growth almost entirely to the influence of one man, who, without wealth, and with means scarcely adequate to begin his work, made his own survey of the country, selected his site, removed to the woods to found his town, and insured to it a growth and prosperity hardly equalled by any inland town in the state. This was accomplished, too, in a new country, where every movement was op posed by inconvenience and obstacle. It is a noble testimony to the value of those institu tions which permit such encouragements, and offer such facilities to the young men of our nation to achieve true greatness. And it is far from being the least pleasing feature in the history of Colonel Pratt, that his energy has been as untiring and vigorous in the pursuit of high, virtuous action, in aU Ms pubUc and private relations of Ufe, as it has been in his pursuit of success in business. Of all the high comphments and praises that have been so lavisMy bestowed upon him, he valued those most 118 BIOGRAPHY. Mghly which have been paid Mm by men distinguished for the virtue of their lives. Colonel Pratt, though making no pretensions to Uterary merit, having studied his classics in the school of nature and amid the hurry of business, yet, being an attentive observer of both men and things, had become so practicaUy educated, that Ms counsels were sought as of peculiar value. And, if his thoughts and expressions were sometimes rough from the quarry, they were granite stiU ; and, brought together, they made a noble structure. Though the artist's hammer had but shghtly touched its surface, it was, nevertheless, invaluable for the stores of thought with wMoh it was furmshed. His connection with various agricultural and mechanic societies had rendered him not only distinguished as the patron of the arts and sciences, but as an able lecturer on various subjects. In 1847, September 23, he was invited by the trus tees of Spencertown Academy to deUver the address at the dedication of a new and beautiful buUding erected for the purposes of education. The address was fuU of good sense, and Mgh and just views of the true objects and aims of education, and the best means of securing them. It was received with very Mgh terms of com mendation, and was afterwards, by request, pubUshed for circulation. It is embraced in tMs volume. Soon after tMs occasion, he made a valuable donation of books to the Ubrary of the academy. BIOGRAPHY. 119 Of the many addresses deUvered by Colonel Pratt, few have been spoken of in more unquaUfied terms of approbation than the one deUvered by Mm before the FrankUn Library Association, in the city of Hudson, January 4, 1848, on the aphorism, "Mind your busi ness."* In speaking of this address, the "Mechanic's Advocate" says : " Nothing short of reading the whole address can do anything Uke justice to tMs noble production. Every Une contains a truth, and every paragraph an indisput able fact. It should be read and re-read by every work ing man hi the state, and repeated at every fireside in the country." The " Columbia RepubUcan" says of it : " The lecture deserves and has received the warmest commendation ; and if we are rather sparing of lauda tory remarks, it is because we fear an adequate expres sion of our opinion might have the appearance of an extravagant encomium. Every sentence in the lecture is fuU of meamng. It is impossible to do it anytMng like justice within the Umits of an ordinary newspaper notice." We might add many such notices, and equaUy favora ble, but they would be out of place here ; and we have given the above as expressing the spirit and favor of the press in respect to a plain man, whose chief recommend ation is plain common sense. * See Second Part. 120 BIOGRAPHY. Having long entertained a desire for more extensive travel in the different parts of the Umon, Colonel Pratt, in company with his son, George W. Pratt, then a young man of eighteen, made a tour through the Southern and South-western States. Though he had had occasion before to acquire, in his connection with poUtical Ufe, a correct statistical view of the different portions of the Umon, he could not, from paper or written reports, form an adequate idea of the numerous resources of the country. This required personal observation. He fuUy reaUzed, also, the disadvantages under wMch aU young men travel upon the continent of Europe, who have not first obtained a thorough knowledge of their own country. It was with a view to remove these disadvantages, and fit Mm for such travel in Europe, that Ms son accom- pamed Mm at tMs time. Since that period, his son has twice made the tour of Europe — once in 1848, and again in 1850, in com pany with his sister.* In the first tour, of the many countries which he visited, we may mention Egypt and the Holy Land. He was in Rome at the time of the revolution, and when the city was surrounded by the troops of the French repubUc. The son evidently belongs to the same practical school with Ms father. He cared but Uttle for the *They visited England, Scotland, Belgium,' France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Turkey, Russia, Hungary, Greece, &c. See. BIOGRAPHY. 121 honors of a coUege, though he has been a close student in his own choice and weU-selected Ubrary. He reads with faciUty several languages, and is thorougMy con versant with Mstory and the sciences.* He was early impressed, however, with the great importance of travel ling. His inclinations were for commercial pursuits, but he desired to see the world before he commenced his labors as a business man. In tMs view he was sustained by his father. His father heard his reasons for pursuing the course which Ms preference had marked out for himself, and was much pleased at the choice he had made. "I admitted, at once," said he, "that it was a sensible con clusion. I told him to go, submitting himself with con fidence to an aU-wise and overruling Providence. To start with some object, and to gather knowledge on the way. To make daUy entries of what he saw, heard and did. To neglect nothing.' To begin nothing that he did not finish. To review each day by itself ; embrace the good and leave the bad ; read his Bible ; do his duty, and be careful of Ms health. To remember that knowledge was power, and that he should always esteem it a great privUege to converse with learned and accomphshed men. There is a man to every station in the world, and much may be gained by finding Mm ; for whatever one learned in conversation would be more likely to be remembered than any information gathered * While abroad, a German university bestowed upon him an honorary degree of high distinction, in consideration of his literary attainments. 11 122 BIOGRAPHY. from books. To spend what was necessary for his objects ; and as to what was unnecessary, he must be his own judge. I felt confident that he would commit no inten tional errors ; but, if he had doubts, at any time, as to what was right or prudent, to ask the advice of men of age and experience, who would have no motive to deceive Mm." With a brief chapter of such advice, the son made the tours to which we have already aUuded. To say that the counsels of the father were sacredly foUowed, or that the son was entirely satisfied with the results of his travels, would be an act of supererogation. They both belong to a class of men who seem to have an intuitive knowledge of what ought to be done, what can be done, what should be done, and what cannot be done. What they think, they do ; and this may be denominated the common sense of Ufe. During Ms absence, the son wrote many letters home to Ms father, some of which have been published. They were not intended for pubUcation ; but they discover a spirit of inquiry, and a vein of practical remark, which would enable the reader to distinguish the writer from most of foreign correspondents, who write so much and say so little. We have alluded to the cMldren of Colonel Pratt with no Uttle hesitation, for the reason that they are retiring in their habits and tastes, and avoid, when con sistent with duty, all that tends to pubhc notoriety. But we feel justified in what we have said, as doing BIOGRAPHY. 123 no violence to good taste, in view of the pubUc position of their respected father, who has just reason to be proud of his offspring, and whose course of parental judgment and confidence is worthy to be recorded upon tablets of gold, for the benefit of posterity. What is said and done by a practical man will prove of value to the young of every community, of every generation. His deeds and counsels stand like way-guides along the devious paths of life, to direct, to aid ahd encourage. They reveal, as it were, the foot-prints of a very dear friend, who has passed on before in the rough ways of the world, indicating the track of safety to all who may come after him. On the 7th of March, 1848, Colonel Pratt was elected an honorary member of the New York Historical Society. In July of the same year, he received from "Union CoUege" the honorary degree of Master of Arts, — the first instance in the state of this degree being conferred upon a " self-taught man."* It was a high honor, and one of which he had much * This is one of the many compliments which literary men have extended to Colonel Pratt. Several works of merit have been dedicated to him, and by authors who have recited his many acts of beneficence as worthy of a per manent record. We may mention a handsomely embellished volume, published in New York, 1850, entitled, " The East : Sketches of Travel in Egypt and the Holt Land. Bt the Rev. J. A. Spenoeb, M. A." In another work, Colonel Pratt is designated in the dedication as " the friend of the mechanic, and the patron of all that is useful." It is entitled, " The American Biographical Sketch Book," by William Hunt, published in 1848. Also, a work on " Agri cultural Chemistry;" and still another, giving an account of the "War BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND MEXICO," &C. 124 BIOGRAPHY. reason to be proud. He spoke of it with freedom, and did not disguise Ms Mgh appreciation of the distinction wMch it conferred. He did not claim to be a proficient in the classics, or the sciences ; but he yielded prece dence to no one in a just estimate of their great import ance to the progress of mind and of humamty. On the approach of winter, in 1848, his son being in Europe, and his daughter at school in New York, Colonel Pratt decided to remove to the city to spend the cold season. On one occasion, when visiting the tanneries, he met one of the deacons of the place. With a view to gain information, he directed the conversation mto those channels wMch he knew would be most interesting to the deacon, by inquiring in regard to society matters — "Whether they paid their mimster promptly," &c. The deacon answered that he was sorry to say that they were somewhat behind ; they found it difficult to coUect the dues ; some were neghgent about paying, and he was afraid that the mimster was sometimes disappointed. The colonel immediately handed hhn a sum nearly equal to one-half of the amount outstanding, saymg, " Here, take tMs, and see that you are not in debt when I come again." It was a principle with Mm, at aU times, to give superior prominence to the cause of reUgion, and to do what he could to enforce the greatest promptitude in society matters. Early in 1849, he was elected president of the Mechanic's Institute in New York city ; and, on the 16th BIOGRAPHY. 125 of January, he was duly instaUed in his office. On this occasion, he delivered his inaugural address before the institute, which was received with great enthusiasm by a large and highly inteUigent audience. At its close, the society voted to print a thousand copies extra for distribution, and to prefix to the same a portrait of the author. The estimate placed upon this address wUl best appear by a perusal of opimons expressed by the papers at the time it was deUvered. It is sufficient to say that it more than sustained the high reputation he had already acquired, as a sound tMnker, and a safe adviser. There was a cheering influence in his tones, a peculiar fresh ness in his views, and an earnest sincerity in his manner, which seemed to carry the audience from feeling to sen timent, and from sentiment to conviction, with a power that was truly irresistible. AU were pleased, and aU felt that they had been instructed. The tanner of PrattsviUe had become the favorite lecturer of the Empire City.* Colonel Pratt's reputation as a lecturer soon gave him fame beyond the Umits of Ms own state, and in 1850 he received from the Maryland Institute an invitation to lecture before that body ; but circumstances did not admit of his accepting the invitation. * He presided over the doings ofthe " Institute " with great ability and useful ness for two years, and then resigned. While he was president, he made the Bociety several liberal donations, and evinced a deep interest in the objects of the association. He was unanimously nominated for reelection the third time ; but he declined the honor, as will be seen by the characteristic letter in the Second Part. 11* 126 BIOGRAPHY. In 1850, he was appointed, by Governor Fish, one of the committee to make arrangements in reference to the "World's Fair," to be holden in London, in 1851. He was also appointed delegate, by the New York Mechamcs' Institute, to attend the exMbition; but these honors he declined. He became an important contributor to the "World's Fair," and the character of the contribution, as weU as that of the man, may be inferred from the interesting account with which he accompamed the specimens of leather sent out. It is brief, and worthy to be preserved on record, as an example of Ms method.* The temperance society of PrattsviUe hold their anni versary meeting on New-year's Day. At their meeting in 1849, Colonel Pratt was invited to preside. On taking the chair, he made a brief address, wMch we give in another part of tMs volume, and wMch is marked with pecuhar originality. We have had frequent occasion to speak of Colonel Pratt's hberaUty. We might enumerate a thousand Uttle events connected with his generosity ; but such a course is not necessary to make up the general outhne wMch we have attempted. It is due to our subject, however, that we should record an act wMch does much honor to him as a pohtician. During the election for county and other officers, in 1850, the contest for the office of sheriff ran very high, in Greene county, between * See Part Second. BIOGRAPHY. 127 the whigs and democrats. Colonel P^ratt spared no pains to secure the election of the democratic candidate. The wMgs were successful ; but their candidate being a poor man, he could find no one willing to be his bondsman in the sum of ten thousand doUars, required by law. The fact was communicated to Colonel Pratt, when absent some hundred and fifty mUes from home. Having been acquainted with the successful candidate, and believing him to be an honest man, he returned home immediately, and offered to become his bondsman in the required sum. On signing the bond, he playfully remarked, "Sheriff, I always had a good opinion of you, though I travelled, before the election, one hundred and fifty miles to vote against you ; but since you are elected, and need help, I have come one hundred and fifty miles to become bail for you. The will of the people must be obeyed. The wMgs sometimes master, and in that case let them do their best. The democrats wiU soon have their turn." Such an example is worthy of particular commemora tion. It is doubtful whether its paraUel can be pro duced. It affords, indeed, a pleasing reUef from that want of confidence and good feehng which so often characterizes disappointed partisans. During the year 1850, Colonel Pratt received from the stone-cutters of the city of Washington a tender of a stone, or block of marble, as he might elect, to be wrought by their own hands, with such device as might meet with his acceptance, to make a part of the National 128 BIOGRAPHY. Washington Monument, as a testimony of their respect and gratitude for the essential service which he did the mechamcs of the District, by his efforts in their behalf in Congress and elsewhere. The letter accompanying the resolutions of the stone cutters, and offering the block, together with the reply, are so creditable to both parties, that we insert them in the Second Part, as giving the fuUest explanation of the circumstances attending this extraordinary man ifestation of respect and good feeUng. CHAPTER VIII. Political parties of the United States. — The two great ones. — The past and the future. — Colonel Prai^t a democrat. — Review of the democratic party. — Enters public life. — Elected to Congress. — Appointed one of the presidential electors. — Influence of wealth. — Political condition of the times. — Commer cial revulsion. — Extra session of Congress called by President Van Buren. The ftro\paHies which, from the dawn of history, have had an existen -ail countries enjoying any title to freedom, have tit jaces in the Umted States. These Intf parties are known _/ various names in the histories of free nations ; but they have ever been, and are now, sub- stantiaUy the same in character. The one is the party of the past, which, however much it may, at times, and for the accomplishment of specific purposes, affect to sympa thize with the present, is ever looking to the past for something to be imitated. The present it regards as a period of degeneracy, and it fears the future. Notwith standing that the theory of this party is contradicted by the entire experience of mankind, and in the face of the fact that its principles have never been apphed to affairs without producing discontent among individuals, and the destruction of nations, it stiU continues to have many votaries, not only among the ignorant and unreflecting, but also among good men, of the honesty of whose opin ions we can have no doubt, whatever we may think of their wisdom. 130 BIOGRAPHY. The romance that we connect with the past; the behef that, in some vague and indefimte portion of it, there existed a golden age, in contradistmction to that age of iron in which we are aU too apt to think our lot is cast ; the certainty that it is beyond the reach of change and time ; the contrast wMch its quiet affords to the war and battle of life ; the disposition iks,i is so com mon to magnify the evil that is, and the goc(d that is no more ; — all these, and many other tilings which might be enumerated, tend to give to the past a decree of consid eration, especiaUy in minds of a pjjfl$v.£ cast, to which it has no title whatever, when exaj ', |, ;#. in the spirit of enlightened criticism. Then, to6.i-lthe distance from which we view it tends to make that appear an harmo nious whole, which is fuU of imperfections, and marked with indisputable evidences of human infirmity and suffering. As, when we examine a picture from a cer tain distance, we see no drawbacks to its apparent exceUence, wMch becomes strikingly defective on a closer examination, so it is with the ages that are gone. Viewed from afar, they strike the imagination, and dazzle the mind ; approached and scrutimzed, they are seen to be but the fancies of tradition, or the uncouth realities of barbarism. The other party is the party of the future. It accepts what is good from the past, but it confides in the present, and stiU more in the future. Constant improve ment is its great object, and it anticipates, rather than looks back to, an age of gold. It has a lively faith, not BIOGRAPHY. 131 only in the goodness of man, but also in Ms capacity for indefinite progress. It favors change, because change is the process of improvement. It favors invention, because the greater the command of men over the material agencies of the world, the more likely are they to boldly maintain their rights : as the soldier whose armor was inlaid with gold, and moreover was the reward of valor, fought with greater bravery than his comrades. It encourages those studies and inquiries, those restless energies, which lead to the development of " The mighty secrets hid In time and nature;" for by such is the human mind elevated, human power exalted and extended, and human thought made free to take the form of action. It is essentially the party of hope. It may be occasionally baffled, but never sub dued. It is the party of righteous revolutions, and of practicable reforms. It is the party whose name is identified with every great conflict that has been waged in behalf of freedom and civUization; and to which, under God, the world is indebted for aU it has that causes the race of man to differ from that of brutes. The adherents of these two parties are often deter mined by circumstances of education, and by things over which they have no control, though sometimes they deliberately select their positions. As a general tMng, it may be said, that all who have their fortunes made, whether by inheritance or self-exertion, belong to the 132 BIOGRAPHY. party of the past ; and aU who have their fortunes or themselves to make, belong to the party of the present. There are exceptions to this remark. Here, as in other countries, men of patrician birth are sometimes leaders of the Uberal party ; and examples are not wanting of an opposite character, where men of humble origin, and without patronage, play a subservient part to rank and wealth as conservative partisans. Men of books, of theory, are apt to favor the party of the past; whUe men of action are more incUned to join the party of progress. It is true that we cannot regard this rule as absolute, for some, indeed, consider it an exception, rather than a rule ; and the two great leaders of the antagomst parties in this country are often adduced, to sustain tMs position. That such is not a correct view, wiU appear from a slight examination. Mr. Jefferson, it is admitted, was a man of large acquamtance with books ; but it is quite as certain that he had been as conversant with men and affairs, at the time he assumed the leadership of the Uberal party of the United States, as any statesman of that age. The absurdity of speaking of Mm as a mere reader of books will appear obvious, when we review Ms extensive experience. He had been a member of the Virginia Legislature, a member of the Continental Congress, Gov ernor of Virginia, Minister to France, and Secretary of State. On the other hand, General Hamilton, though he had passed Ms Ufe mainly in active pursuits, was also a man of extensive acquirements. His naturaUy BIOGRAPHY. 133 arbitrary temper had been made dictatorial by the mili tary life which he had led, and at a time when the mind is most susceptible to strong impressions, which color aU after existence. Hamilton judged of men by the expe rience which he had had in camp and law courts, — cer tainly not the most favorable places in which to arrive at correct conclusions as to the nature of men and govern ments. Jefferson's view had been more enlarged ; and he had not only seen men at home under a greater variety of circumstances than had Hamilton, but he had visited other countries, and associated with scholars and philosophers. Hamilton, though a great statesman, was only a statesman, and belonged to that school of pubhc men of wMch the younger Pitt was the cMef. Jefferson was not only a statesman, and HamUton's equal in talents, but also a philosopher. HamUton reUed upon theories, — Jefferson, upon observation. The former was governed by opinions, — the latter, by facts. Hamilton distrusted men, and therefore found them bad on occa sion. Jefferson confided in them, and therefore found them trustworthy under circumstances which confirmed the correctness of Ms judgment. Both were great men, and meant weU for their country and for mankind. Each did much for Ms country, and each left the evidence of Ms pecuUar views of national poUty ; and the two great parties are representatives of those ideas of whieh they were the chief types and the early champions. In the United States, the parties; representing those 12 134 BIOGRAPHY. into which the civihzed world is divided are known as the Democratic party and the Whig party. These par ties have had various designations, and to trace their origin and changes would form an instructive lesson in history; but the introduction of such a chapter here would be foreign to the design of the present work. From what has been said of the character of the two parties, it is easy to see to which of them a man Uke Colonel Pratt would attach himself. He was a democrat by choice, by feeling, and by cir cumstances. His father, an old Revolutionary soldier, had suffered much at the hands of the English ; and, in our subject's boyhood and youth, England, under the pretence of upholding religion and law, was everywhere contending against the spread of democratic ideas, and was the champion of despotism. The son of such a father was not hkely to become attached to principles favored by the old enemy of his country, or to look with confidence to the federal party, which showed a bigoted attachment to England, and a servile readiness to defend even her unwarrantable invasions of American rights. As he advanced to manhood, his reason approved Ms early impulses and preferences. He saw that, under democratic ascendency, the country had prospered; that its domiMon had been extended, its resources developed, and the rights of the states and of individuals strictly maintained. He also saw that the democratic party was ever ready to uphold the country's honor ; and tMs was no ordinary consideration in its favor in the view of one BIOGRAPHY. 135 who was under the domimon of no common sentiment of patriotism. The contest of 1812, and the conduct ofthe federal party during the troubles of the country, aU tended to make him a democrat of the strictest school, both from sentiment and conviction. His inteUect, his time, and Ms means, have been freely bestowed for the advancement of that cause, in the success of which he has "felt the greatest interest, from the period of his earUest recollections. His democracy has been without change or shadow of turning for more than forty years. It is not a subject of wonder that a man thus firm, con sistent and Uberal, should be among those whom the democratic party of New York has always delighted to honor ; or that he should have filled the high stations to which he has been elevated by that party in a manner that has fully justified their choice, and given to himself a national reputation. Colonel Pratt has filled several local offices, at different periods of Ms Ufe ; but it was not until the year 1836 that he was placed in nomination for a high political station. He had avoided such demands upon his time until his position in the business world ha"d been com pletely estabhshed, though he had always discharged the poUtical duties of a private citizen with scrupulous fideUty. In the year 1836, he was nominated as a candidate on the democratic ticket of presidential electors, representing the eighth district. That ticket prevailed, at the elec tion in November, by a large majority, and Colonel Pratt gave his vote for Martin Van Buren and Richard 136 BIOGRAPHY. M. Johnson, as President and Vice-president of the United States. A much higher honor was conferred upon him at the same election. He was elected to a seat in the Congress of the United States. This was the spontaneous offering of his feUow-citizens, and had been altogether unsought by Colonel Pratt, who weU knew that the place was not, in itself, to be coveted by any person impressed with a conscientious sense of the duties belonging to it. He did not feel at Uberty to decUne serving Ms fellow-citizens in any capacity to wMch they might caU him. He was nominated because of his personal popularity, and the behef that his name would secure the success of the party. The eighth congressional district was then com posed of the counties of Greene, Schoharie, and Colum bia, and the majority by wMch he was chosen was but Uttle short of three thousand, being the largest that was ever given in the district. In PrattsviUe the vote was almost unanimous in his favor. TMs vote is sufficient to show the absurdity and incor rectness of the statements of foreign writers, who have frequently asserted that men of wealth are unpopular here, and stand but Uttle chance at an election, if their antag onists happen to be poor men, even of inferior talents. In tMs respect it is much here as in aU other countries. That wealth has great influence under all circumstances, but few wiU presume to deny. To say that it is sufficient always, where talent is wanting, or that it is absolutely prejudicial to the candidate, upon the principle that his BIOGRAPHY. 137 opponent is comparatively poor, would, in our opinion, be whoUy erroneous. The possession of wealth is a great advantage to the poUtician here, as it is in aU other countries, provided he be a man of sense, and do not assume that wealth must be a substitute for merit. He must be one of the people, if he would occupy those stations wMch are within the gift of the people. There is no country in the world where property is more secure than it is in America ; and it is not very probable that such would be the case, if the chief holders of the property were objects of dislike. Colonel Pratt entered on pubUc Ufe at a very critical period of our history. The whig party had been so dis heartened, by their] complete defeat in the great contest wMch grew out of Tthe. veto by General Jackson of the bUl creating a thirt bank of the United States, that they could not raUy their forces in support of any one candi date for the presidency, in 1836 ; and it seemed as if that party were destined to foUow its predecessor, the federal party, which disappeared very soon after the conclusion of the war with England. The democratic party appeared to be firmly established in power, and beyond the reach of assault. But, beneath this fair out side, there was much to cause a discerning man, like Colonel Pratt, to prepare himself for a political storm. He was possessed of too intimate a knowledge of the business ofthe country, and had been personaUy engaged in too many great transactions, all of a legitimate charac ter, not to be aware that the speculations that had been 12* 138 BIOGRAPHY. so common for the two preceding years must have their appropriate termination in revulsion. The event justified his expectations. Six months after he had been chosen a member of Congress, the commercial crash came, and the country was thrown into one of those pecuniary con vulsions which are the natural consequences of errors in commerce and finance. The banking institutions of the country suspended payment, practically declaring themselves insolvent. That which was the inevitable result of a certain course in which individuals had voluntarily engaged, in the hope of speedily acquiring wealth, was attributed to the action of -the national government. The reader of the opposition journals of that day, and of the speeches ^of ''» leading whigs, might be pardoned for supposing that Our pohty was of that character usually denominated paternal, — one of those governments which hold it to be their duty to intermeddle with aU the affairs' of their subjects, from the highest to the lowest, — and that it had failed to discharge to the utmost of its power the inquisitorial duties that it had sworn^to fulfil. Instead of being regarded, as its founders intended it should be, as the mere agency for the better performance of several objects necessary for the welfare of the states and the people, it was treated as if it were one of those mag nificent specimens of centralization, which are so com mon in~Europe, and under which the Uberties of the people there can never effectually be secured. The government was placed in opposition to the people by BIOGRAPHY. 139 the wMgs, whose movements once more assumed a decided character, as they saw a chance of the adminis tration's passing into their hands at the next general election. At that time, those movements were com menced which ended in the nomination of General Har rison, and the victory of the opposition in 1840.* In consequence of the peculiar state of the country, President Van Buren issued Ms proclamation, caUing an extra session of Congress to meet early in September, 1837, at wMch time it convened. * So serious was the state of things, that, in the moral and orderly city of Boston, possible resistance was threatened to the laws of the land. The idea of a " higher law " than that which the authorities are bound to support, and which all good citizens will always aid them in supporting, is by no means of recent origin. The history of the aristocratical party in the United States shows that the " higher law " has always found favor in their eyes, and that nothing but a salutary dread of results has prevented them from reducing their theory to practice. CHAPTER IX. Extra session of Congress. — Colonel Pratt takes his seat. — Polk elected speaker. — State of parties. — Character of the third party. — Colonel Pratt firm as a partisan. — Appointed on the committee on the militia. — Appointed on the committee on public buildings. — Legare, character of. — Makes a report on the materials suitable for the public buildings. — Architectural taste. — Anec dote. — Courtesy. — Virginia delegates visit Colonel Pratt. — General post- office building. — Its beauty. — Cheap postage suggested by Colonel Pratt, in 1836. — Provision in relation to foreign seeds and plants. — Government should not manufacture for itself. — Individual enterprise favored. The extra session of Congress caUed by the president commenced on the 4th of September, 1837 ; and Colonel Pratt was present on the first day, and took Ms seat. Mr. Polk — afterwards President of the United States — was chosen speaker. This was regarded as an adminis tration triumph ; but was reaUy owing as much to the well-known high qualities of the speaker as a presiding officer, as to any other cause. On the question of elect ing a public printer, the administration party was beaten, and a member of the so called conservative party was chosen. TMs party was composed of a few persons who had originaUy belonged to the democratic party, but who, becoming dissatisfied with the financial pohcy of the administration, and not wishing to unite with the whigs at a single step, had formed a tMrd party, which made up, by intrigue and unscrupulous View of Prattsville Tannery, on the Rocks, 1844. at which a million side* of sole leather were Tanned in 20 years, by Hon Z. lJr;itt. \. M. BIOGRAPHY. 141 action, what it lacked in moral powers, Mgh talents, and numbers. With the exception of an eminent Virginia statesman, who, by joming them, prostrated his political character, hardly a man of high intellectual powers was to be found in the faction. Their importance consisted in the uncertain resorts to incidental acts of cunning, and their position was based upon no principle, except to oppose whatever was originated with the other parties, which were nearly balanced. They had some thing to do with the defeat of the democratic party in 1840, but more with that total failure of the wMgs which occurred in 1841, and which was the consequence of the inordinate expectations excited in the previous year, when men became infatuated, and beheved in extravagant promises of statesmen, and were led to believe that a sort of poUtical miUennium was to foUow from a mere change of administration, not accompanied, or proposed to be foUowed, by a single organic modifi cation, or social revolution. The conservatives proved themselves quite sufficient to ruin any party with which they connected themselves. Their friendship was more fatal than their enmity. They were to the pohtics of this country what Lord Stanley, the Duke of Rich mond, and some few other supporters of the Reform Ministry, became to parties in England, after the whig party there broke up through its own weight. It would, however, be very unjust to these English states men not to say that they were in all respects the 142 BIOGRAPHY. superiors of those who sought to imitate their action in America. Colonel Pratt manifested no sympathy for the class of pohticians of wMch we have spoken. He was a democrat from conviction. He saw that the good of the country imperatively demanded the continuance in power of the democratic party. He had been chosen a representative in a season of apparent general prosperity, by a democratic constituency, and he did not see m the reverses of that party any reason for a change of opinion or position. The more vehemently the enemy assaUed what he was firmly convinced was the soundest pohcy for the country, the more earnest were Ms labors in its defence. Increased danger was the signal for greatly increased exertions on his part to avert it. His was no hohday attachment ; and we shall find him, on ah occasions, pursuing that course wMch was best cal culated to aid his party, whUe it exalted Ms own repu tation. The standing committees were announced on the 10th of September, and Colonel Pratt was appointed a mem ber of the committee on the mUitia. His knowledge of mihtary affairs, his comprehensive views of their import ance, and his ardent desire to have aU the national defences in proper order, were guarantees that the labors of the committee would be thoroughly performed. On the 11th of December, after the commencement of the second session of Congress, Colonel Pratt was appointed to serve on the committee on pubhc buUdings. BIOGRAPHY. 143 Perhaps there was no committee of Congress on which he was better qualified to serve than this ; and it is cer tain that the labor which he performed, as a member of it, was immense, and eminently useful, in numerous respects, to the country. His coUeagues on the com mittee were Messrs. LincoM of Massachusetts, Legare* of South Carohna, Mercer of Virgima, and Jackson of Georgia, men remarkable for their general knowledge, and for the versatility of their talents. The com mittee was, indeed, constituted with singular feUcity, — particular reference being had to the objects of its crea tion. The members possessed practical knowledge, severe and correct taste, and sound judgment ; so that they were fuUy competent to decide how far the arts of architecture, painting and sculpture, may be made sub- * We are reminded, by the mention of this gentleman's name, of the points of difference which he presented to Colonel Pratt. Mr. Legare was a man of exten sive attainments, and his reading was not confined to beaten paths. He was one of the very few Americans who at that time had anything like a correct idea of the history and constitution of Rome. His reputation as a lawyer was deservedly high ; and it was his ambition to occupy a seat on the bench of the Supreme Court of the United States. His oratory was always good, and often surpass ingly beautiful. Yet, with all his learning and ability, he distrusted the people, and at one period of his life indulged in the most imprudent denunciations of anything of a popular character. His associations were unfavorable, at this time, to the growth of enlarged views. Colonel Pratt, unlike Mr. Legare, had passed his life among the people, and did not look to books to find out what men were. He had risen from the mass himself, and was still proud to be counted as a mechanic — one of the working men of the country. He had a confidence in their abiding integrity, which was fully justified by actual experience ; and he needed no theory to sustain facts which had transpired within the limits of his own knowledge. 144 BIOGRAPHY. servient to purposes of national utility, with a due regard to economy, and existing circumstances, place, climate, time and design. On the 28th of January, 1839, Colonel Pratt moved an inquiry respecting the materials of which the pubhc buildings in Washington were constructed ; and four weeks later, on the 25th of February, he made a report on the question, What material should be preferred in the construction of such buildings ? Sandstone had been used, and the question was then between granite and marble. The report which he presented on this subject was much admired at the time, and it has proved to be a most valuable document for purposes of practical refer ence. It may be found, at length, in the second part of this work. Colonel Pratt, in his report, took the ground of true economy, which does not always imply the outlay of a small amount of money for the accompUshment of a cer tain purpose. He beheved that the public buildings should not only be sufficiently spacious to accommodate the pubhc business, but that they should — that end being kept steadily in view — be made to ornament the nation's capital, and be constructed for endurance. He held — with one of the greatest minds of our day — that government should promote other ends beside the chief end, if in so doing it does not sacrifice any practical element. " Though it is desirable that every institution should have a main end," says Mr. Macaulay, "and should be BIOGRAPHY. 145 so formed as to be in the Mghest degree efficient for that main end, yet if, without any sacrifice of its efficiency for that end, it can promote any other good end, it ought to do so. Thus, the end for which a hos pital is built is the reUef of the sick, not the beautifying of the street. To sacrifice the health of the sick to splendor of architectural effect ; to place the building in bad air, only that it may present a more commanding front to a great pubhc square ; to make the waUs hotter or cooler than they ought to be, in order that the columns and windows of the exterior may please the passers-by, would be monstrous. But if, without sacri fice of the chief object, the hospital can be made an ornament to the metropohs, it would be absurd not to make it so." This was precisely Colonel Pratt's view of the subject which he had under consideration : he sought, first, the pubUc convemence, and then aimed at the erection of buUdings wMch should beautify the capital. In Ms report, he clearly demonstrated the foUy of using sandstone for the public structures. Its tendency to absorb water, and its Uability to injury from the weather, unite to render it the worst possible material for buUding. He showed that fifteen cubic feet of this stone, weigMng one ton, would absorb seventy-three and a half pounds of water to a cubic foot ; whereas, the same body of gramte or marble would not absorb any sensible quantity. A building constructed of sandstone can never be thorougMy dry. Marble and granite 13 146 BIOGRAPHY. require no exterior defence, while sandstone requires frequent painting, which will not wholly prevent absorp tion, though it may diminish its amount. Other objec tions to sandstone were urged, for which the reader is referred to the report itself. To offset them all, it could only be urged, that sandstone is more easily wrought than other materials. Colonel Pratt then showed that marble could be furmshed at cheaper rates than gramte, including the cost of working ; but, as some difference of opinion existed in the committee as to the relative prices of granite and marble, the report recom mended that, until the question should be settled, aU government buildings should be constructed of either marble or gramte, as circumstances might dictate — pref erence being given to marble whenever it should be found to be as cheap as gramte. We may, with singular propriety, relate an anecdote, in tMs connection, which iUustrates the peculiar prompt ness of Colonel Pratt in aU business matters, whether of a pubhc or of a private nature. Our readers cannot be ignorant of the different degrees of formahty practised by pubUc men in their intercourse with citizens who have interests to defend, and of the real necessity which, aU must admit, exists, of exercis ing, to say the least, in such intercourse, a common pru dence. Some are distant and reserved in their manners, seeming to think that silence, or the absence of cor- diaUty, constitutes true official digmty ; while others say too much, promise too much, and seldom fulfil in anything. BIOGRAPHY. 147 But few, when placed in authority, combine the charac teristics of a true gentleman. But few can take the petitioner by the hand, and assure him of an earnest welcome, and of a sincere interest in his business, with out compromising duty, or gaining a reputation either for ignorance or intentional neglect. It was not so with Colonel Pratt. His courtesy was quite equal to his promptness, and his frankness was only surpassed by his profound reverence for justice. His eye, Ms smile, the tones of his voice, and the close grasp of his faitiiful hand, all indicated the man. He granted favors with heartfelt pleasure, — he refused them with unaffected regret. If he could not say yes, his manner and his reasons would satisfy any honest man that any answer but "no" would be culpable. But to our anecdote : In 1839, when Colonel Pratt was so active a member of the committee on pubhc buildings, and the Secretary of the Treasury had suspended the work of the mechanics on the treasury building, with a view to determine the question respecting the material to be used in its erec tion, he was waited upon, at the capitol, by a delegation" of twenty-one mechanics from Virginia, to confer with him in regard to a subject in which their interests were essentiaUy involved. He was called out from his seat, and received a por tion of the delegation with his usual courtesy and cor diality. " We have caUed on business," said one ofthe number, "which is important to us, at least; and we 148 BIOGRAPHY. wish to know on what day we can have an interview with you." "To-day," said the colonel. "At what hour?" "Now," was the response. "At what place?" was the third inquiry; and the answer was instant, and stUl in a single word, — " Here." Finding that they had to deal with a man who neither waited nor asked others to wait, they proceeded to state directly the object of their visit. They were interested in the working of a quarry of sandstone, in Virginia, wMch was owned by government, and which was pur chased, and even worked, in the time of WasMngton. He was reminded that it was government property, and that, should he adhere to the recommendation contained in his report, to use nothing but gramte or marble, they would be injured in their business, and government would lose in the cost of material, as weU as in the cost of labor. They spoke of what others had said upon the subject, what others had proposed, of what others had done. They felt sure that he would be wiUing to Usten to them, — they being mechanics, — as he had always claimed to be stiU one of their class, and evinced a deep interest in their welfare."* After Ustemng patiently to aU they had to say, he remarked, with evident feehng : "I understand your case ; I can see it aU. My friends," he continued, " it * It has been said, by a modern writer, that " one of the greatest requisites is the art of listening discreetly. To listen is a delicate piece of flattery, and a com pliment so gratifying as to surely recommend you." This accomplishment is possessed by few men in a greater degree than by Colonel Pratt. BIOGRAPHY. 149 is a plain matter to see your interests and your wants. It is proper, it is right, that you should make them known ; otherwise, you would do yourselves injustice. Indeed, it is strictly a business of your own. You say that you are mechanics, — I am one ; that you are of the people, — so am I. You are all resolved, I doubt not, to serve your country faithfully, in whatever capacity you may be caUed upon to act ; — so am I. As business men, you are bound to look after your own interests ; for, unless you do tMs yourselves, it is quite impossible for you to thrive. I am a business man, and am placed here to labor for the good of twenty millions of people and their descendants. You are of the number, — I am one of your servants. I shaU be true to you, true to aU, and true to my country. It is only by pursuing this course that I can be true to the princi ples of right, which I prize far above the possession of wealth. " What I can do for you, as an honest man, I will do, with all my heart, and with great pleasure. But this, my friends, is a very plain business, and may be very easUy understood. If you suppose it possible to persuade me that sandstone is as good for a pubhc buUding as marble or granite, I can assure you that you will meet with no success, because I know to the contrary. It is not a matter of opinion, but a matter of fact ; and when I have knowledge, I never speculate against it. We have the best of governments ; and it 13* 150 BIOGRAPHY. wUl not be my fault, if we do not have the best of buildings." Such boldness and fairness, and so kindly spoken, instantly settled the question. The delegation saw immediately that the chairman of the committee not only understood his business, but he knew the difference between honestly using knowledge, and the passive sub mission to error for selfish purposes. It was to this report that the nation owed the erection of that beautiful marble edifice, the General Post-office, universally conceded to be the finest struc ture of its dimensions in the United States. But for Colonel Pratt's exertions, that building would have been made of coarse, porous and fragile sandstone. "It is to the untiring perseverance of Colonel Pratt," said the Washington Globe, in 1841, "that we are mainly indebted for this beautiful specimen of the mechanic arts. He is a practical man, — Mmself a mechanic, — who has arisen to affluence and distinction by his energy of character and unyielding integrity. It was his practical knowledge and perseverance that enabled him to break down the opposition to the white marble, of wMch he proposed that tMs building should be constructed. Justice, then, requires that praise should be awarded where it is merited." As tMs fine building covered almost the whole ground possessed by the government on the square where it stands, Colonel Pratt recommended that aU the adjoin ing private property then unoccupied should be pur- BIOGRAPHY. 151 chased for public use, which was done. He saw that the rapidly increasing business of the government, in the postal department, would render more room necessary ; and time has proved that the purchase was one of importance. In tMs connection, it is proper to mention that Colonel Pratt has always been an advocate of cheap postage, — the subject having attracted his particular attention some time before he entered Congress. The anomalous character of the then existing system of postage, whereby the burden of supporting the depart ment was thrown upon the poor, could not fail to strike a man of Ms sagacity, and general knowledge. He saw that the rates of postage were made to bear most unequaUy upon the different classes of men who avail themselves of mail facilities ; and he could not under stand the justice of the franking privilege enjoyed by members of Congress, and which was the source of great abuses. Thus regarding the system that then prevaUed, and anxious to do his part in removing, or, at least, in attempting to remove, a great evil, he, on the 19th of March, 1838, — but a few months after he had taken Ms seat in the House, — as soon, indeed, as he had made the inquiries necessary to enable him to act judiciously on the subject, — introduced a resolution looking to the immediate reduction of the rates of postage to the lowest practical standard ; and he brought a large amount of statistical information to bear upon the question, show ing how the old system operated on various parts of the 152 BIOGRAPHY. country. His general labors had great effect in bringing about that condition of opinion which has, at last, led to the abohtion of a tax on intelUgence and comfort, and to the maintenance of friendly feelings, and the progress of civilization. About the same time that Colonel Pratt was engaged in advocating the reduction of postage, he engaged in another undertaking, calculated to have an important bearing on the interests of the most important class of producers. On the 12th of March, 1838, he introduced a resolution providing that foreign seeds and plants should be procured by our government, and distributed, free of cost, among the farmers of the United States. This was one of those acts which do not attract much attention at the time of their occurrence, but which are attended with the most important consequences. Already has much good resulted from it, and much more must foUow. The number of our productions has been increased, and the character of aU has been raised. So various is our cUmate, that there is scarcely an article that the earth produces which cannot be made our own, and afford scope, in its cultivation, to American ingenuity and enterprise. Colonel Pratt never omitted a good opportunity of making use of aU constitutional and legal means to advance the welfare of the great agricultural interests of this Umon, whether its members are employed on the plantations of the south, or on the farms of the north and west. Their welfare he considered identical BIOGRAPHY. 153 with the welfare of aU others, and with the prosperity and the glory of the repubUc. In a debate, which grew out of a motion to increase the appropriation for national armories from three hun dred thousand to three hundred and sixty thousand dol lars, Colonel Pratt showed his zeal for the interest of the mechanics. He advocated the increased appropriation, but at the same time contended that government should not manufacture for itself, but should continue to pro duce its arms by contract, as formerly. " Govern ment," he said, "had business enough of its own, in attending to its proper departments, without entering upon that of a great manufacturer. So far as economy was concerned, aU the advantages were on the side of the contract system. AU experience showed that, in establishments owned and carried on by government, there never could be that strict economy which is so common in manufactories of private individuals or com- pames. This was the reason why such individuals and compames could manufacture articles so much cheaper for government than the government could for itself. He was for exciting a healthy competition among mechamcs ; for keeping up that spirit of emulation by which aU their ingenuity is brought into play, and improvements effected in the mechanic arts which might otherwise never be known to the world. For various other reasons, he was opposed to governments going into the manufacturing business. In times of Mgh party excitement, it would be impossible to prevent the con- 154 BIOGRAPHY. flict from finding its way into the government workshops. The party which should succeed would probably be induced to make pohtical preferences, and employ only those who suited its poUtical views ; and thus, with the rise and faU of every administration, would be seen the discharge of one set of workmen, and the employment of another set. Could anything be imagined more likely to be adverse to aU mechamcal exceUence, to the pro duction of good articles, to the sentiment of self-respect among the workmen ? He wished to see the mechanics of this country on high and independent ground, beyond the influence of mere party ; the position, in short, which they now held. For himself, he desired never to see any man's labor so connected with government as to bias and control, in the remotest degree, his political opinions. Public offices belong to the nation, and are not created for the benefit of private individuals, or conferred upon them for that purpose, but for the general welfare. But a man's labor is a man's private property ; it is exclusively his own, and he alone has the right to guard and protect it. He deprecated a state of things which would tend to violate so sacred a right ; and therefore it was that he was opposed to government manufactures, or government monopoly. He was himself a mechanic, and he was proud to acknowledge Mmself as belonging to a class of men who were the ornaments of their country, and whose labor and skiU had so much to do in creating its wealth ; and, to the extent of his power, he was deter- BIOGRAPHY. 155 mined to protect their interests. BeUeving, as he did, that it was a saving on the part of government to purchase their arms by contract, he should vote for the amendment. Labor should be left untrammeUed, and free as air." CHAPTER X. Close of Colonel Pratt's first session in Congress. — Address to his constituents. — Declines a reelection. — Proposes the construction of a Dry Dock in Brook lyn. — Speech. — Comparative claims of New York and Philadelphia. — Branch Mint in New York. — Increase of salaries of mechanics and clerks pro posed. — Construction of steam frigates. — National defence. — Called "the working member." — Opinion of John Quincy Adams. — Anecdote of Colonel Pratt and the Postmaster General. The session of Congress in which Colonel Pratt first served closed in the early part of the summer of 1838. On the 4th of July, he announced to his constituents that he should not be a candidate for reelection. The announcement was made in a brief but able address, which the reader may find in another part of tMs volume. It is a specimen of composition worthy of general imitation. It is to the point, and aU can under stand it. In the last session of the twenty-fifth Congress, Colo nel Pratt took a leading part in the proceedings. Besides his labors on the subject of the pubhc buildings, already spoken of, he gave M3 attention to other ques tions of importance, prominent among which was that relating to the construction of a Dry Dock at Brooklyn, New York, on which he made one of the very few regular speeches that he ever delivered. This speech was made on the 18th of March, 1839, BIOGRAPHY. 157 three days before the termination of the last session of the Congress to which Colonel Pratt had been chosen. It may be found in the second part of this volume, and the reader will perceive that it was one of those speeches wMch are made for advancing the business to which they relate, and not for mere poUtical effect. It abounds with historical and statistical information, and is one of those documents wMch wiU be found most useful by the future historian of the country. The sen timents advanced are thoroughly national. " I shah," said Colonel Pratt, "in the first place, examine this question in a national point of view. I will throw aside State pride, and merge the interest of the State in the national interest. This is the ground we should all take, though, unfortunately, some gentlemen have attempted to bring the question into the common vortex of a local scramble, without regard to the pubhc weal. But, when tMs should be the issue, he would not shrink from a comparison of the site contemplated for the creation of the dock in his own state, with Philadelphia, or any other place, nor relinquish the claims of his state to those of any other. It was deeply to be regretted that this kind of legislation had too much obtained ; but it is not too late to correct it, and the sooner we do it the better, because it wiU prevent a great and useless expenditure, or rather waste, of the public money; which, by management and compromise, is applied to other than national objects, resulting, in fact, to the benefit of individuals, and not to that of the 14 158 BIOGRAPHY. nation, and the end of which there are none in tMs haU who can anticipate, or who can foreteU the always exhausted and deranged condition of our pubhc treasury, the onerous taxation to replenish it, and the consequent strife and disaffection of the people, and their distrust of our institutions. Whenever I hear the question stated that A gets more of the pubhc money than B, I feel some forebodings for the future. I feel that, should it become a settled principle in our government that B shaU have as much of the people's money as A, not withstanding his wants are not so great, — or, in other words, that it cannot be applied to the use of B without great waste, or, indeed, a total loss, — I feel, I say, that the great national interests, the army and navy and civil service, must become dilapidated and broken up ; the commercial, agricultural and manufacturing interests be deprived of their proper stimulants ; and this nation, hke aU others that have preceded it, become enervated, dwindle into insignificance, and be despised by aU well- conducted governments on the earth. What a great responsibility, then, rests upon us, and how strongly are we called upon to make use of aU proper means to prevent such fatal results. We should, in this national haU, spurn all attempts to create other than national interests, — interests which shall embrace the whole country. The States, by their inherent sovereign power, can regulate their own peculiar interests, and thus protect them against the overshadowing influence of the national government. BIOGRAPHY. 159 He then proceeded to show how fit a site was afforded by Brooklyn for a Dry Dock, and how necessary it was that such a Dock should be there constructed, to sub serve the public interest. He proved, by a tabular state ment of the number of national vessels which had entered the port of New York in a given time, that the so caUed " claims" of PhUadelphia could bear no com parison with those of the commercial metropolis of the republic, if the question were to be determined in that way. For the want of a Dry Dock at Brooklyn, the expense of repairing pubhc ships at the navy-yard there had been increased, it should seem, about one-half. The tonnage of New York exceeded that of Philadel phia in the proportion of eleven to one ; and the value of imports in that of almost six to one, during a term of nine years. The superiority of New York, in aU respects, was clearly set forth ; and, in conclusion, Colonel Pratt said : " It is with pleasure that I recur to the state of pros perity wMch New York presents. The representatives of that great state can say, with pride, that she has within her bounds the main artery of the Union, — that she disperses the life-blood through the whole commercial system ; and the statistics which I have furnished, in con nection with this subject, irrefutably establish the fact. We are proud that such is her position, not from local, narrow views, but because her greatness adds so much to the honor and fame of the whole United States. I go, sir, for my country, and for that which will most benefit 160 BIOGRAPHY. it in the aggregate ; and whenever I am satisfied of the utility of an appropriation in a national point of view, I shall be found ready to record my vote in its favor, whether it apply to the North or the South, to the East or to the West. All I ask is, that gentlemen will act on an equally Uberal principle ; and that they wiU do so, I shall be slow to doubt." No subject has been more often agitated in Congress than that of establishing a branch of the national Mint in the city of New York, and yet without anything being done to carry out what is clearly the popular will. That the great mercantile city of America should not only be without a Mint, but that the proposition to establish one there should be steadily opposed, year after year, as if it were something calculated to injure the pubhc interest, something monstrous and absurd, is among the facts which cause plain people to wonder at what may be denominated governmental paradoxes. They are not aware how slow are even the best governments to move in the work of reform, nor how potent are special inter ests to prevent changes from being effected which are clearly demanded by the general good. Col. Pratt is one of those who have labored earnestly and much to have a branch Mint established in the city of New York. He moved for a bUl for that purpose in the session of 1839. On the question of increasing the salaries of certain clerks employed in the departments at Washington, a motion to that effect having been made by Mr. Dromgoole, of Virgima, Col. Pratt spoke with much point and effect. BIOGRAPHY. 161 After aUuding, in spirited terms, to the poUtical and social positions of the persons whose pay it was proposed to increase, he said : " He would ask gentlemen to look at the mechanics and workingmen in the government's employ, who labored from sun to sun, and who emphati cally earned their bread by the sweat of their brow, and received, perhaps, the pittance of one doUar and fifty cents per day. Their pay should be increased, as they were the men who were building up the navy, and add ing to the wealth of the country. They were quite as meritorious as those whose pay it was proposed to increase ; and their employment, to say the least of it, was as intel lectual as that of mere scribes, or examiners of accounts. He sincerely wished that he could aid in paying this class of men more in accordance with their merits and their usefulness. He hoped that the amendment would be rejected ; but, if there was to be an increase of pay, let it be done in the regular manner, at the next session, and include the workmg men, as weU as the clerks." At the time of wMch we are writing, the difficulties between this country and England, on the North-eastern Boundary, appeared as if they would lead to war. The subject being under discussion in the House, Col. Pratt offered an amendment to the biU providing for the con struction of three steam frigates. He said : "He could not let the opportunity pass without saying a few words in support of the amendment. He would much prefer giving a sUent vote, if he could do it, and perform Ms duty to his country. He was for peace, and 14* 162 BIOGRAPHY. had no doubt but the country desired peace, if it could be preserved on honorable terms. But, whether peace or war was wished, it was due to the people that the coun try should be placed in a state of defence. It is our duty, as their representatives, and as the guardians of their rights, to see that the country is prepared to meet and repel invasion. He did not know that invasion was likely to happen, but we should make ready for the worst. We should, as prudent men, prepare for war : and, for that purpose, we should place all necessary means at the dis posal of those who are at the head of the government. As the times wore a threatening aspect, he would sug gest, as one of the best modes of defence, the buUding of three steam frigates in the shortest possible time. He said that the nations of Europe, with whom, in aU proba- bUity, we should be brought into coUision, were an age in advance of us in tMs mode of warfare, and were keep ing up with the improvements of the times, whUe we adhered to old systems. The whole mode of warfare would, in a few years, be changed, and for that change we should be preparing. He referred to the facility with wMch an European naval power could send its steamsMps and bombard our defenceless cities ; and aUuded, partic ularly, to the improved condition of the navy of England, — that power having a large steam force, as had France, whUe the same arm of the Russian marine was more than respectable." During Ms Congressional career, Col. Pratt was caUed the " working member." He never missed attending BIOGRAPHY. 163 the House during the whole of his term of service, and he gave the utmost attention to every question that was dis cussed. He often took part in debate ; but, as has been before observed, rarely made what are known as "set speeches." His name wUl be found to occur very often in the reported proceedings of Congress, especiaUy in accounts of the transaction of business. But a very smaU part of what is done by a faithful member of Con gress can be made to appear, in even the most thorough and complete report of the proceedings of that body. He has much to do of wMch the pubUc can know nothing. His correspondence, especially if he be a man of stand ing and influence, must be large, and always demand ing prompt attention. The demands upon the time of Colonel Pratt, in this respect, were constant and numerous. When he was particularly active, one day, in the House, in putting Ms short and practical interrogatories to the members engaged in the debate, the question was asked of John Quincy Adams, who it was that was so ready to act in aU directions and with so much skiU. " That is Col. Pratt, of PrattsviUe, New York, the tanner. If he had our experience, with his practical knowledge, he would be a match for us aU." To show with what pecuhar thoroughness he performed Ms pubhc duties, we may here state the fact, that, even before he took his seat in Congress, he had prepared, at his own expense, and for Ms own personal convemence, a map of the district wMch he was to represent, together 164 BIOGRAPHY. with a Ust of the postmasters therein, the date of their appointments, the amount of their compensation, and that of the maU-carriers ; the distances between the several post-offices; the length of the various routes, and whether the mails were carried by railroad, steamboat, stage, wagon, or on horseback. He was thus in posses sion of a thorough knowledge of the local circumstances of Ms district, and was ever ready to answer any ques tion that related thereto, and to defend or explain the true interests of Ms constituents. Besides, he had a Ust of nearly two thousand of the most respectable citizens of his district, of the different trades and professions, to whom he sent all such pubhc documents as he deemed useful. In tMs again we see his love of system. On reference to Ms book, any one could teU the particular disposition of the numerous documents wMch are usuaUy placed at the disposal of the mem bers. The title, number and date, are all detaUed with scrupulous exactness. Before leaving for Washington, it was Ms practice to make aU necessary arrangements, in his private affairs, for the time he expected to be absent, so that Ms pubhc labors might not be interrupted by caUs from home. SometMng of Ms pecuUar manner may be inferred from a short anecdote which we wiU relate. Soon after the commencement of a session, he had occasion to caU on the Postmaster General. Seeing that he was engaged, though disposed to be quite pohte, Col. Pratt remarked, bowing, " Sir, I have the honor BIOGRAPHY. 165 to represent the 11th District in the State of New York. I shaU have occasion to caU on you. But I shaU not trouble you when you are busy, nor shall I ask two things in one day. Good-morning, sir." CHAPTER XI. Retires from oflice. — Again nominated for Congress (1842). — Personal sacri fices. — Political changes and events of 1840. — Nomination of General Har rison for the presidency. — Success and subsequent disappointment of the whigs. — Veto of President Tyler. — Whig party in the minority. — Colonel Pratt takes his seat in Congress, Deoember, 1843. — Appointed chairman of committee on public buildings. — Moves for a uniform return of all the banks. — Proposes again a national mint in New York. — Refunding of the fine im posed on General Jackson, in 1815. — States in favor ofthe measure. — Natu ralization laws — triumph of democracy in 1800. — Native American party. — Bureau of statistics proposed by Colonel Pratt. — Note. — Considerations respect ing compliment of Mr. Cobb. — Growth ofthe country. — Reannexation of Texas. — Report on the North and South. — Information asked for respecting Texas. — Whitney's railroad project. — Trade with Japan. — Reform in the patent office. — Journal of the Franklin Institute. — Preservation of the flags, &c, taken in war. — National monument to Washington. — Proposition to have government property reported in schedule, every two years. — Distribution of national medals. — New public buildings proposed to be erected. — Paulding's letter. — Anecdote of Dromgoole and Pratt. — Report on banking in the Dis trict of Columbia. — ' ' Gold spoons ' ' of Van Buren. — Repairing of the Presi dent's house. — Curtains. — Example of extraordinary patriotism — inter esting anecdote. — Colonel Pratt and Mr. Hammatt. — Loan of marquees to agricultural societies. — Political career of Colonel Pratt. — Address to his constituents. — Declines reelection. — Newspaper press. — Anecdote of Pratt and C. J. Ingersoll. On retiring from Congress, in the spring of 1839, it had been Col. Pratt's intention never again to be a can didate for a seat in that eminent body. To the resolution wMch he then adopted he would have adhered, but that a sense of duty led Mm to accept the nomination tendered ''!r^J- EPISCOPAL CHURCH. Erected 1845. BIOGRAPHY. 167 Mm in the autumn of 1842, by the democracy of Ms district. The sacrifice which he made was great ; but, as he had never allowed personal interest to stand in the way of the fuU performance of pubUc duties, he could not depart from the path wMch he had marked out for Mmself, pursued with so much honor and usefuMess. Since Colonel Pratt had closed the period of Ms first term in Congress, the country had experienced many changes. When his first term had expired, the demo cratic party had partiaUy recovered from the depressed condition in which it had passed the year 1837. It had, throughout 1838, gained, on the whole, though it was far from having won back the proud position it had occupied when General Jackson's presidency had reached its close. StiU, in March, 1839, there was much to encourage an observing man, who was attached to democratic princi ples. The poUtical events, too, of that year, were of a character to leave the impression, that, before the presi dential election should occur, the democratic pohcy would have commended itself to the warm support of the major ity of the people. But under tMs fair show were lurk ing the seeds of the greatest evils, the elements of a vast change, the causes of the greatest defeat ever experienced by the patriotic and constitutional democratic party, — and springs of action that have not even now spent their force. The democracy, confident of victory, and, for once, dreaming only of their past acts, when they should 168 BIOGRAPHY. have been laboring for the future, were marching to the edge of a precipice covered with flowers. The union of all the discordant materials of the oppo sition party, — the fusion, for a time, of a number of fac tions into a vast pohtical organization, ammated by no common principle of action, and knowing no bond of union but a deep-seated, concentrated hate of that party which had directed the national energies for almost forty years, — took place in the year 1840, a year that wiU be memora ble as long as liberty shaU exist in the occidental world. Toward the close of 1839, the Whig National Conven tion met at Harrisburg, in Pennsylvania, and placed Gen eral William Henry Harrison m nomination for the pres idency. AU the great statesmen of the whig party sus pended judgment and action, in the hope that the mazes of expediency might prevail, in the absence of substantial reasons. The ardent and brilliant Clay, who had sacrificed himself for the whig cause, and who has been looked upon as the type and embodiment of wMg principles, — the profound Webster, who has done so much honor to the whig party, — were both discarded, as were aU the inferior whig statesmen, and a gentleman of respecta ble military standing was selected to lead the opposition. Of the incidents of the great contest that foUowed, tins is not the place to speak. Suffice it to say, that, after one of the warmest political contests that had ever been wit nessed in the country, the democracy were beaten, and the opposition remained, at the close, complete masters of the field. BIOGRAPHY. 169 They were, indeed, victorious ; but the fruits of victory were to be as ashes in their mouths. The newly elected president died in a month after his inauguration. Mr. Tyler, who had been elected vice-president, and who, in accordance with the provisions of the constitution, succeeded to the presidency, on the death of General Harrison, proved to be adverse to the designs of the party, the success of which had led to his unexpected elevation. The most violent quarrels broke out among the men who had united for no purpose except to defeat the democratic party, and destroy a democratic adminis tration. In less than six months, the Harrison cabinet was broken up, and the veto power, that special abhor rence of the whig party, had been repeatedly exercised at the expense of their favorite measure, a national bank. Of the great party, which, but a twelve-month before, had threatened to trample upon and extinguish the democracy, wMch had stood up against the wars of half a century, notMng remained worthy of the name. The elections which took place between the summer of 1841 and the close of the autumn of 1842 left the whig party in a hopeless minority ; in that condition which may, however, be said to be hopeful, from the very excess of its depression, — any change being for the bet ter. The Congress which succeeded that elected under the effect of the "hard cider" orgies of 1840, was found to be so strongly democratic as to lead to fears that the victors might imitate the conduct of the wMgs, and 15 170 BIOGRAPHY. quarrel among themselves, — a not unfrequent result of party strength. It was in the House of Representatives, thus strongly democratic, and at a most important period of our poht ical history, that Colonel Pratt took Ms seat, in Decem ber, 1843. He became, at once, a most active member, assuming a position similar to that which he had held five years before. On the 4th of January, 1844, he offered a resolution, providing "that the Secretary of the Treasury should fur- msh, annuaUy, a uniform return of all the banks in the Umon ; giving the number in each State, the amount of capital, bills in circulation, specie, deposits, loans, dis counts, &c, — with the indebtedness of the states and United States, the import and export of specie and bul lion, and also the amount of imports paying duty, the amount of revenue collected thereon, and the amount of articles free of duty ; also, the amount of foreign arti cles exported, and that of goods the produce or manufac ture of the country, and also the tonnage of the same, in the tabular form caUed for by the resolution." On the 12th of January, 1844, Colonel Pratt, for the second time, moved to estabhsh a branch of the National Mint in the city of New York, not having been discour aged by his previous failure. He brought statistics to show that more specie was imported into that city than into any other port in the Union, and that it exceeded the amount received at Philadelphia in the proportion of fifteen to one. These facts, and others of a simUar char- BIOGRAPHY. 171 acter, showed conclusively that the Mint should have been estabhshed at New York, instead of PhUadelphia. The great commercial city of the country (and seven-tenths of the revenue were coUected at New York) should have means of coinage. He alluded to the fact that our circulation was largely composed of foreign coin, owing to our neglect to provide the means of re-coinage. TMs was bad policy on the part of a repubUcan govern ment, and reflected discredit upon it. The question of refunding the fine paid by General Jackson, in 1815, — a fine inflicted on him by a pubhc functionary, whose skiU was akin to treason, whose judg ment to disgrace, as an evidence of the spite felt against one who had inflicted on the arms of Britain the sever est defeat they ever met with in America, — was much discussed in the first session of the twenty-fifth Congress. That it ever should have been discussed, — that an Amer ican Congress should have hesitated, for one moment, about paying back the amount of an unjust and illegal imposition, — -reflects no great credit either on the sagacity or the patriotism of some of those who composed it. On the 11th of January, 1844, Colonel Pratt presented the resolutions of the Legislature of New York, instruct ing the senators and requesting the representatives of that state in Congress to use their utmost exertions to procure the passage of a bill refunding the amount of the fine to the citizen-soldier who had so briUiantly defended the south-west against the English. The part which Colonel Pratt took in the discussion was marked by his 172 BIOGRAPHY. usual good sense, and patriotic zeal ; and the facts wMch he laid before the House, bearing upon the ques tion, were of the most pertinent character, and had much to do with the final decision of the question. He showed that the Legislatures of eighteen states, which states contained almost fifteen of the seventeen millions of people in our country at the last preceding census, had passed resolves in favor of the restoration of the amount of the fine. TMs was a practical view of the subject, and probably had more weight with some men than the real merits of the case. Not so, however, with Colonel Pratt. He had never entertained any doubts on the sub ject ; but his knowledge of human nature made him aware how convincing such statistics could not faU to be, with a certain order of minds. * * The States which had, through their legislatures, instructed their senators and representatives to vote for refunding the amount of the fine imposed — literally so — on General Jackson, were Arkansas, Alabama, Connecticut, Georgia, Dli- nois, Louisiana, Maine, Missouri, Mississippi, Michigan, New York, New Hamp shire, North Carolina, South Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Virginia. At the census of 1840, these states contained 14,645,106 inhabitants. As to the merits of the question, no man who has examined the subject can have even the slightest doubt of the strict legality and propriety of General Jackson's conduct. It has often been said, by General Jackson's friends, too, that the excuse for his conduct is to be found in the circumstances of the time and place ; but a careful examination of the facts will be sufficient to convince any reasonable man that his conduct requires no excuse or defence. The mere statement of the facts affords not only his complete justification, but also the utter condemnation of the other parties. His conduct was in all respects lawful. The reader who wishes to become familiar with this subject is referred to the Democratic Review for Jan uary, 1843, where he will find an able paper on the subject, from the pen of the Hon. Amos Kendall. BIOGRAPHY. 173 The requirements of our naturalization laws have always appeared to Colonel Pratt as short-sighted and unfriendly; and he made an effort to have them modified, but without success. He holds to those Uberal views in relation to foreigners which were so common at the time when the original naturaUzation laws were passed, more than sixty years ago. The recoUections of the Revolu tion were then fresh in men's minds, and did not allow them to entertain those uncharitable opinions which have smce found advocates in a country of increasing power. The success of the Revolutionary war was largely owing to foreigners, and Americans sought to show their grati tude by placing them on an almost equal footing with themselves. With the pronounced ascendency of fede ralism, during the presidency of John Adams, came the sedition law, which made every man in the country of foreign birth the slave of the government. The triumph of the democracy, in 1800, led to the repeal of that law ; but the naturaUzation laws, which had been made with severity by the federalists, were not restored to the liberal state in which they had existed in the earhest days of the republic. A sort of compromise of two extremes was adopted, and has existed until our time. BeUeving that the character of our country would be elevated by the adoption of a more liberal pohcy, and that its interests would also be thereby advanced, Colonel Pratt sought to bring about a change. His labors were directed to that end at the very time when the party known as the Native American party was most active. 15* 174 BIOGRAPHY. It is not possible to overrate the importance of statis tical knowledge. For the want of such knowledge, reformers not unfrequently do quite as much miscMef as good. Based on such knowledge, movements having for their object the improvement of mankind have greater chances of success than can be claimed for them under other circumstances. Colonel Pratt's habits of Ufe lead Mm MgMy to appreciate the science of statistics, and he has never lost any opportumty of advancing its interests. At this time he gave a striking proof of Ms desire to promote it, by the legitimate aid of government. On the 29th of January, 1844, he moved the appoint ment of a select committee to inquire into the expe diency of establisMng a " Bureau of Statistics and Commerce," to be connected with the Treasury Depart ment. He said that, ' ' Whilst nearly every government in Europe has had its Home Department, — or, at least, an equivalent, under the name of Board of Trade, Bureau of Commerce, or Department of Statistics, — the Umted States had been working their way, in a great measure, in the dark, for the want of similar assistants ; or with such partial and wavering lights as emanated from isolated facts, and often erroneous statements, in wMch none of that confi dence could be placed which is derived from information systematically arranged, or from principles based upon experience. The most enlightened governments of Europe have spared neither exertion nor expense in coUecting facts wMch throw Ught upon the internal con- BIOGRAPHY. 175 dition and foreign relations of their respective countries. But they were once new countries, like our own. England has long enjoyed the advantages desirable from her Board of Trade ; France has her Bureau de Com merce ; Austria, her Statistical Bureau ; and the statis tics of Prussia, of Belgium, and of the states of the German Customs' League have been committed to the care of persons abundantly able to do them justice. The efforts made by the Russian government to obtain statistical returns from every part of that immense empire are deservmg of aU praise. Nearly the whole of Europe appears to be aUve to the great importance of statistical information. It is, indeed, a matter of both surprise and regret, that so Uttle has hitherto been done in this country, by the general government, to promote this object. It is true that we have a great mass of statistical knowledge in the volumes of Seybert and Pitkin, in the Congressional documents, in the National Calendar of Peter Force, in the volumes of the American Almanac, in the publications of Hazard and Niles, and in Hunt's Magazine. But it is scattered, and, therefore, practically useless. To be really useful, it should be coUected, and made of easy access." • Colonel Pratt closed his remarks by saying that so palpable a deficiency could not fail to attract the atten tion of every business man in Congress ; and that it was hoped measures would be taken to remedy the evil ; and he then offered his resolution, in the following terms : "Resolved, That a select committee, of five members, 176 BIOGRAPHY. be appointed to inquire into the expediency of estabhsh ing a Bureau of Statistics and Commerce, in connection with the Treasury Department." The few but very pertinent remarks with wMch Colonel Pratt prefaced this resolution had their influ ence with members. The committee was voted, and the mover appointed chairman. On the 8th of March, he reported in favor of establishing the bureau, and accompanied Ms report with a biU providing for its organization, and prescribing its duties. The report was much admired, and received marked commendation, not only in the House, but in all parts of the country where men dwelt capable of thoroughly appreciating the great purpose which its author had in view. Mr. Cobb, of Georgia, speaker ofthe House of Repre sentatives in the thirty-first Congress (1849-51), pro nounced it to be "one of the most valuable reports made to Congress during the session, and contaimng a great deal of valuable information, which had been col lected and arranged by Mr. Pratt, with much labor, and which could be found nowhere else." The New York Journal of Commerce declared that the realization of the plan would save half a miUion of doUars per annum to the government ; and the press of the whole country was warm in praise of the measure, and of the faithful ness and abiUty of the chairman, in setting it forth with so much precision and clearness. Colonel Pratt saw, however, that, from the advanced stage of the session, it would be impossible to get this BIOGRAPHY. 177 bUl through at that time — Congress being then in its fourth month. He, therefore, introduced the subjoined joint resolution, wMch was adopted : " Resolved, That the Secretary of the Treasury be authorized to assign to those clerks in Ms departments, not otherwise employed, the duties of the Bureau of Statistics, agreeably to the report made by the commit tee on that subject." The report made by Colonel Pratt can be found in the second part of this volume, and wiU amply repay the reader's most careful attention. It not only shows the precise object had in view by the author, but also contains much matter of importance, set forth in the most lucid order. No one can read the report without agreeing with the late Colonel ^kinner, so well known for his writings on subjects having a most intimate con nection with statistical science, that the estabhshment of a Bureau of Statistics by the general government, on the basis laid down by Colonel Pratt, wiU make an epoch in the history of the country. Every citizen in New York feels a just pride in the recoUection of the fact, that the work thus pronounced by competent judges to be so important was accom plished by one of their own representatives. It is far from being the least of those acts by wMch New York, through the hands of her sons, has given evidence of her abiUty to add to the glory and the stability of the repubUc. To every man of strong patriotic feeUng, nothing can 178 BIOGRAPHY. be the source of more pleasure than the progress of Ms country to wide-spread domimon ; and, if he be at the same time anxious — and what good man is not ? — that tMs extension of dominion should be also the exten sion of civUization, of reUgion, of education, and, what is the consequence of aU these, of liberty regulated by law, he wiU, if an American, have ample cause to rejoice in the career of his country. Colonel Pratt, as Ms associates weU know, is foremost among those who beheve emphatically in the " mission of America," — that it is destined to estabhsh on tins continent a great nation, whereby the peace of the whole continent shaU be preserved, just as it has been witMn the Umted States tMoughout the whole of their existence as a government. He is not one of those weak-minded, visionary personages, who see in every extension of American power over new regions some- tMng to alarm them for the safety of the country. On the contrary, he believes that our system is so exceUent in itself, and so capable of being appUed to almost every possible condition of things, that it is susceptible of infimte expansion. Among the earUest of his pohtical recoUections is the controversy respecting the purchase of the territory of Louisiana, the chef-d'ceuvre of Mr. Jefferson's admimstration, and, perhaps, aU tilings con sidered, the greatest event of our age, if events are to be judged, as they should be judged, by their consequences. Though a mere youth, he rejoiced over the spread of his country's rule ; as he did forty years later, when, in the BIOGRAPHY. 179 maturity of Ms inteUect, he was among the leading spirits who reannexed Texas to the United States. In the giant strides wMch this country has made to universal, occidental empire, durmg the last seven years, few men have done more towards enabling her rapidly to reahze her destiny than Zadok Pratt. And more : Ms course has been the result of calm delibera tion, of a thorough exammation of the subject. Study and reflection have confirmed his early impulses. Instinct and knowledge have joined hands. All the propheoies of evU from the purchase of Louisiana had turned out to be the vaticinations of false prophets who knew not what they said ; and it was but a fair inference that the whig prophets of 1844 would not prove to have been more wise than their predecessors of 1804. Colonel Pratt presented a report to the House on tMs subject, — or, rather, on the relative condition of those two important sections of the Umon, the North and the South, — for wMch the reader is referred to the second part of tMs volume. " Rarely indeed, very rarely," it has been weU remarked, " are the relative positions of the two great sections of the Umon — the slave-holding and non- slave-holding states — considered with the impartial spirit which characterizes the report aUuded to. A perusal of the document would furmsh strong corrobora tion of the assertion of the report itself, that the com mittee had no sectional feehngs to gratify, no party objects to promote, no personal interests to advance 180 BIOGRAPHY. when engaged, in a proper spirit, in 'calculating the value ofthe Umon.' " Colonel Pratt took an active part in the warm contest of 1844, when the Texan question was the principal point at issue between parties, and when the battle was fought on more even terms than had marked the contro versy in 1840. January 14, 1845, Mr. Pratt submitted the foUowing important resolution, wMch was adopted, namely : "Resolved, That the Secretary of State be directed to commumcate to this House such information as he may possess, or be able to procure, of the whole amount of the debt of Texas ; the amount for which bonds or scrip have been issued, and the present market value of such scrip or bonds in Texas, in the Umted States, and in Europe ; the amount in value of the exports from and the imports into Texas for the years 1843 and 1844 ; with the amount of revenue accruing and coUected for the same years, with the expenditures for the same time. Also, the present population of Texas, distin guishing in number between free and slaves ; also, the quantity, in acres, of land, wMch it is supposed is covered by vahd grants from the present and former government of that country ; and the estimated quantity, in acres, of good and arable land, suitable for cultiva tion, wMch remains ungranted witMn the undisputed and acknowledged limits of Texas, as the same existed prior to the year 1834." Whoever shaU examine the records of the twenty- BIOGRAPHY. 181 eighth Congress will find Colonel Pratt's name often occur ring in connection with subjects demanding the most con stant and searching attention. He was not prevented from giving his aid to any undertaking because of its being new or startling in its character. The more grand or extensive the proposition was, the more Ukely was he to investigate its practical bearings. Hence he was one of the first favorably to receive the great project of Mr. Whitney, to construct a railroad from Lake Michigan to the Pacific Ocean. Looking upon it as an undertaking of the first consequence to the country, and far from being appaUed by its magmtude, he was anxious that it should be cooUy and fuUy considered by the national legislature. On the 28th of January, 1845, he presented Mr. WMtney's memorial to the House' of Representatives. He spoke with great earnestness on the occasion, observ ing that "the subject was one of the most important character, ahke magnificent and useful, and weU worthy the attention of the American people. Now," said he, " that the Oregon question is under discussion in Con gress, and tMoughout the country, — now is emphaticaUy the time for most seriously considering all the bearings of an important project Uke this. For the most extended commercial purposes, for the convemence and advantage of the whole American people, and last, but not least, for the purpose of securing American interests in the vast regions of Oregon, and promoting the capacities of our common country for warUke 16 182 BIOGRAPHY. defence, as weU as for aU the advantages of peaceful intercourse between the people dwelling on the shores of the Atlantic and the Pacifio, tMs project of facili tating intercourse by railway and steam-power is one of the noblest to wMch the attention of our feUow-citizens, and the energies of our government, could now be directed. Such a vast hne of communication, once com pleted, would prove an invaluable auxUiary in cement ing the interests of our country, and of widely extend ing the blessings of our free institutions ; and would greatly strengthen the friendly bonds which hnk together these states in one grand poUtical confederacy. In addition to all this, from the faciUties which such a hne of intercourse would afford, in furnishing a direct west erly passage between Europe and CMna, it would accomplish what Columbus and other navigators long sought to obtain. In addition to all the foregoing con siderations," he repeated, " this Atlantic and Pacific railroad, if managed with proper hberaUty, would soon become the highway of nations." In conclusion, he again asked for the whole subject the earnest consideration of the House, and of the people at large, especially as the project contemplated the settlement of the country along the route, as the work on the road advanced toward the Pacific Ocean. Had the views which Colonel Pratt then sought to impress upon the House been responded to by the government and the nation, a large part of the great BIOGRAPHY. 183 railroad would ere this have been constructed, and the power of the nation largely increased. In February, 1845, Colonel Pratt laid before the House a report in favor of taking preliminary measures for entering into commercial arrangements with the empire of Japan, and the kingdom of Corea. The report gave aU the accessible statistics of these two great nations, and pointed out the advantages which would result from an intimate intercourse with them. The successful issue of the mission to CMna showed that an attempt to extend intercourse in that quarter of the globe might be safely undertaken. In April, 1844, Colonel Pratt made an attempt to accomplish an important reform in the Patent Office. The fund wMch had accumulated there amounted to upwards of one hundred thousand doUars, and was increasing at the rate of ten thousand one hundred dol lars per annum. He proposed to engrave and pubhsh aU the important inventions patented, — numbering thir teen thousand five hundred and twenty-three, — and to distribute the engravings, at the expense of the office, throughout the Umted States, every town in the country to be suppUed, so that aU persons may know what inventions have been patented, and have, at hand, for reference, a compend of aU the models and drafts of machinery connected therewith. He also proposed that a sufficient sum should be appropriated out of the patent fund to purchase a Ubrary on mechamcal subjects, for the use of citizens interested wisMng to refer to them, under 184 BIOGRAPHY. regulations preventing misapplication and abuse. This attempt to make the Patent Office more useful than it had been, and to extend its benefits over the whole country, was one of the most commendable undertakings in wMch a man desirous of the good of Ms country could engage. It was highly favored by the leading presses of the coun try, and deserved the success which it was not fated to receive. Those only who know how much misery is caused by ignorance of the history of inventions can properly appreciate the exceUence of the proposed reform. Many a man passes years in perfecting some machine, under the mistaken notion that it is new, and only finds out his error when it is too ' late for such knowledge to be useful to him. Had Colonel Pratt's proposition been accepted, the means of quickly ascer- taimng the exact character of aU the inventions that have been patented in the United States would have been placed withm the easy reach of every one. Another measure of this character, which he proposed, met with no better success. It was that a monthly distribution of twenty thousand copies of the Journal of the Franklin Institute should be made among the mechamcs of the country. This would have been, in some degree, a substitute for the measure just mentioned, as the Journal contains a Ust of aU the patents issued. These, and other simUar movements, failed, for the want ¦ of time. In January, 1845, Colonel Pratt introduced a resolu tion, preceded by a report, on the preservation of flags BIOGRAPHY. 185 and similar articles taken in battle. This report shows that, previous to the war of 1812, very httle care was taken of the evidences of our miUtary successes by the government, though a resolution directed to their preser vation had been passed by the Continental Congress, in 1778. The report says : " The smaU number of the Revolutionary trophies in possession of the executive department should cause Congress to take immediate measures for the preserva tion of those wMch remain. The capture of Lord Corn wallis alone furnished twenty-four standards and colors. Perhaps as many more were taken with General Bur goyne. Where are they now ? Either mouldered into dust, or rotting in some obscure place, at this time unknown. The committee believe that any custom wMch has the sanction of aU nations must have its origin in some deep feehng of the human heart ; and they think that even a partial glance at the history of any people will show that the custom of displaying their tropMes of victory has its origin and preservation in the wonderful influence wMch symbols are known to exercise over the fancy and heart of every beholder." From the Secretary of War the committee learned that " of the standards and colors taken by the army of the Umted States, during the war of the Revolution, six remained in his office ; others, it is understood, were deposited in PMladelphia, while Congress sat in that city. Whether they were, or were not, brought to tMs place with the pubhc offices, cannot be ascertained." 16* 186 BIOGRAPHY. The account from the Secretary of the Navy was even worse than this,— Ms department possessing not a smgle memorial, in the shape of a flag, of either of the war of the Revolution, of the quasi war with France, or of the chivalrous contests with the Barbary powers ! Surely, the annals of the world might be defied to furnish any paraUel to such indifference to what, in aU ages, have been considered objects of the first care. The American people have been accused of overrating, not only their own mihtary exploits, but also the worth of mihtary glory; but this fact would seem to betoken in their minds sometMng very like a phUosophical contempt for everything connected with the art of war. It was to prevent such losses of military tropMes that Colonel Pratt, in the name of the committee, presented a reso lution for the coUection and safe-keeping of aU national trophies.* In March, 1845, Colonel Pratt drew up a careful *The following is the joint resolution which was passed: " Resolved, by the Senate and Souse of Representatives of the United States of America in Con gress assembled, That all the foreign flags, and other warlike trophies, in posses sion of the United States, which have been taken in battle, and such American flags now in possession of the government as have been used in memorable bat tles, or on other important occasions, either by the army or navy of the United States, or by the troops in service of any of the States of the Union, together with such other flags and trophies of similar character as may come into possession of the government, shall be collected and arranged, under the direction of the President of the United States, with the view of having them all safely deposited in a suitable apartment, to be prepared and reserved for that purpose, in any new edifice which may hereafter be erected for the use of the War and Navy Departments ofthe United States." BIOGRAPHY. 187 report relative to the number of persons employed at the seat of government, in the various pubhc offices ; the salaries which they received, the states to which they belonged, &c. The object was to afford correct inform ation on a subject concerning which very erroneous impressions prevaUed. The report answered fully the object for which it was undertaken. At an earher day, he had made a report on the expenditures in the District of Columbia, from which it appears that the amount of public money thus disposed of exceeded ten miUions of doUars. He was also very active in regard to a variety of matters connected with the district, and especiaUy with the city of Washington. His labors in behalf of the erection of a National Monument to Washington were of the most assiduous character, and greatly promoted the object had in view. He received for these labors a public and formal vote of thanks from the National Monument Society. Being aware that a greater degree of accountabihty, on the part of pubhc officers, would tend to the benefit of aU parties, Colonel Pratt, in May, 1844, moved a joint resolution, requiring that an inventory of aU public property should be taken every two years, to be returned by every officer in the employ of govern ment. A more useful measure than this, it would be difficult to imagine ; as it would tend to render officers more careful, and to place before the members of the national legislature an exact picture of the state and character of the pubhc property. He introduced, too, a 188 BIOGRAPHY. joint resolution providing for periodical renewals, and greater security of the bonds of pubUc officers. On the 7th of June, he moved a joint resolution providing for the preparation and distribution of the national medals to coUeges, academies, and state libra ries.* He moved for a biU providing that the income from the Smithsonian bequest should be expended in promoting improvements in agriculture, manufactures and commerce, for awakening attention to the natural sciences, and to the improvement of the common school systems of the several states. Had some such disposition been made of it, the design of the liberal testator would unquestionably have been carried out ; for in no other way would the promotion of knowledge among men have been so surely secured. * Resolved, by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United State: of America in Congress assembled, That the President of the United States be and he hereby is authorized to have prepared, from time to time, of bronze or copper, at the mint of the United States, in Philadelphia, copies of any or all the medals that may have been prepared, or authorized to be prepared, by laws or resolutions of Congress, to distinguished officers and individuals of the United States, during and since the Revolution, to be distributed under his orders, as follows, namely : A full series or set of all such medals to the library of Congress, to each of the executive departments of the general government, to the national library at West Point, to the executive of eaoh state, to be deposited and kept with its public archives or library, and to each university or chartered college for conferring degrees in the arts and sciences in any of the States : he is also authorized to cause to be kept in the Department of State additional copies of all such medals, for the purpose of distribution and exchange with foreign govern ments for medals of like character, of distinguished individuals, and incidents of the present or former periods. Provided farther, that the series shall embrace medals of all the Presidents of the United States. BIOGRAPHY. 189 On the 20th of February, 1845, Colonel Pratt, as chairman of the Committee on Public Buildings, proposed to appropriate the sum of eighty thousand doUars for erecting fire-proof edifices for the use of the Depart ments of Navy and War, twenty thousand doUars for a south wing to the Treasury buildings, and forty thousand doUars for the west wing to the Patent Office. He spoke very forcibly of the true economy involved in such expenditures. He showed that government was at that time renting ninety-four rooms, at an annual rent of six thousand dollars, which were not fire-proof, and were exceedingly unsafe. He thought that government should buUd, not hire. Three pubhc buildings, namely, the Post-office, the Patent Office and the Treasury, had been burned down within twelve years. There was not a fire-proof room in the buUding of any one of the three Departments of State, War and Navy, nor in any of the bureaus con nected with them. It was proposed to buUd an edifice, with one hundred and sixty rooms, connecting, ulti mately, the War and Navy buildings, with a front of about six hundred feet, and two hundred feet in each wing ; the whole, when completed, to contain two hun dred and sixty-four rooms, there being, at that moment, one hundred and eighty-five rooms wanted for the pubhc service. No prudent business man would, for a moment, be without the fire-proof buildings necessary to protect so much valuable property ; and he felt bound to say that enlightened legislators would not deny them to govern- 190 BIOGRAPHY. ment. The good sense of the members would cause them to see the necessity, and to provide the remedy. The treasury was fuU, and the money could not be better laid out.* A previous report had been made on tMs subject by Colonel Pratt, in March, 1844 ; and other reports thereon had been made in the interval. On each occa sion, he had laid before the House many facts showing the necessity wMch existed for the performance of the work he was so earnest in recommending. He caused * Letter from the Hon. J. K. Paulding, former Secretary of the JVavy, to Colonel Zadock Pratt, dated New York, February 9, 1845. Sir : • — I yesterday received, under cover of your frank, a, number of the Washington Globe, containing an article on the subject of the condition of the War and Navy Departments, and presume I am indebted for it to your kind attentions. I have not been an inattentive observer of your highly useful and patriotic labors in this and other matters, which, though they don't make so much noise, are not the less important. I can bear testimony to the condition of the Navy Department while I occupied it. It was totally inadequate to the pur poses for which it was originally erected. There was neither safety for the pubhc archives, nor accommodations for the public servants. Single rooms were occu pied by three or four clerks ; there was no room for placing the public documents in such order as that they could be readily found ; — an hour, sometimes days, were passed in searching for a paper, simply because it was not and could not be placed where it ought to be. No one can conceive, except from actual experi ence, the delays, inconvenience and confusion, resulting to the transaction ofthe public business, from these causes. I sincerely hope that, by the steady, sober, matter-of-fact course you are pursuing, you will, if not this session, at least during the next, succeed in the full attainment of your important object. With great regard and consideration, I am, sir, Your friend and servant, J. K. PAULDING. Hon. Z. Pratt, &e. &c, Washington. BIOGRAPHY. 191 plans, drawings and estimates, to be prepared, of those buUdings, which the public interest, rightly understood, imperatively required to be erected. He was but par- tiaUy successful, but stiU it wUl be found that he did not labor in vain ; for he demonstrated the necessity that exists for the adoption of a very different system from that wMch has so long prevailed. Time will show the entire correctness of his judgment, and government wiU, sooner or later, carry out the plans which he originated. In connection with this debate, it is due to the reader to relate an anecdote which tends to illustrate with what tact and grace Colonel Pratt was ever prepared to meet ah antagonist. WhUe this subject was under discussion, Colonel Pratt perceived that his biU could not be reached before the close of the session ; and he therefore moved an amend ment to the civil and diplomatic bUl, appropriating eighty thousand dollars to commence the buildings of the War and Navy Departments. Mr. Dromgoole, of Virginia, famed for his movements in matters of order, objected, not because he was unfavorable to the object of the mover, for he was rather incUned to favor it, but because it was not in order ; no plan or estimates were before the House, and it certainly was not in order to propose this amendment under such circumstances. Colonel Pratt, with his usual quickness, stepped to the speaker's desk, and soon returned with the report, and the plan of the buildings which he had submitted with the other report, and, with admirable grace and good- 192 BIOGRAPHY. natured meamng, held them up to the gaze of Mr. Dromgoole, and before the House. It was the work of a moment, but the effect was quite exciting. He held the papers in one hand, and, with the other, schoolmaster-like, pointed out the Unes of a lesson to Dromgoole which he had not expected so soon to learn. The members were convulsed with laughter at seeing Dromgoole matched for once, and the amendment was immediately adopted. In June, 1844, he introduced into the House of Representatives a bUl authorizing a system of banMng in the District of Columbia. TMs bill contains substan- tiaUy the same provisions that constitute the weU-known banking system of New York, which has been found to work so well. On few subjects of a secondary character has there been so much misrepresentation as on that of the expend itures for furmshing the presidential mansion. Those who recoUect the canvass of 1840 weU know how the gold spoons* that Mr. Van Buren was said to have pur chased were made the subject of accusation against him. One might have been excused for beUeving that a gen tleman of remarkably plain and simple habits was hving in a style of Median splendor, so strong were the repre- * These spoons were purchased at an early period of our government by Mr. Monroe, in France. They were subsequently taken of him to be used at the White House. They were heavily gilded, but not made of solid gold, as many supposed. So much for the golden spoons of Mr. Van Buren, and the truth fulness of reckless politicians. BIOGRAPHY. 193 sentations, or, rather, the misrepresentations, that were current that year on the subject. Unquestionably, the votes of some of the closely contested states were that year lost to the democratic candidate, because ofthe wide spread behef that he was a sort of luxurious spendtMift, who had departed from the simple habits of the early presidents. Yet, during the period of half a century, not much above two hundred thousand doUars had been expended on the furMture, decorations, etc., of a mansion represented as having been the scene of such splendid living. In 1845, some of the furniture was as ancient as the administration of Washington, and some of the carpets were patched. As there is an interesting anecdote of Colonel Pratt, in connection with his official duties as chairman of the Committee on Public Buildings, it wiU not be inappro priate to relate it in this place. As chairman of the committee, he asked to have the usual appropriation of twenty thousand doUars for re-fur nishing the House before the inauguration of President Polk, and he reported a bill for that purpose. Action on the subject was repeatedly delayed, notwithstanding he frequently called attention to it. As the day of inaugu ration was rapidly approacMng, Colonel Pratt, on his per sonal responsibihty, ordered the old and ragged curtains, that hung before the windows of the reception room, to be removed, and new ones, of the best American manu facture, to be substituted, worthy of the place and occa sion. The work was done, and the members began to 17 194 BIOGRAPHY. wonder at changes that they had not authorized. This excited the indignation of Mr. Hammatt, of Mississippi, who, m the House, charged Colonel Pratt with want of propriety and want of patriotism, by incurring unauthor ized and extravagant expenditures for useless decorations in the reception room. To judge of the scene which foUowed, the reader must translate himself, for a few moments, to the gaUeries of the House of Representatives, and observe an unusual attendance of members in their seats, and aU turning their eyes towards the seat of Colonel Pratt, whose name had just been announced, as entitled to the floor by the speaker. AU manifested a Uvely interest in his position ; and, knowing Ms skUl at repartee, they were bending for ward in the attitude of the most earnest expectation, to watch Ms sigmficant manner, as weU as catch the words of Ms reply. Added to tMs, the colonel was a favorite, and Ms antagomstwas generaUy unpopular, and, as many beUeved, not entitled to much consideration, either for what he had been, or for what he was. The venerable sage of Quincy had put aside his pen, and the clerks and reporters had for once raised their heads, to note the cause of so much and so sudden stiUness. The colonel, with Ms usual self-possession, arose with a grace and digmty that would have done honor to a Chatham, a Henry, or a Wirt, and, making to the speaker one of his stately bows, and casting a look of playful sarcasm, and suppressed indignation, at the gen tleman of Mississippi, he turned deUberately in his place, BIOGRAPHY. 195 took a survey of the members, and of the visiters in the gallery, untU his eye again rested upon that of the speaker, when Ms strong voice was first heard ; and the foUowing is the substance of his speech : " Mr. Speaker : The gentleman from Mississippi has given us a speech on patriotism. He has led us to infer that he knows what it is, and has intimated that I am yet a subject to be taught its first principles. Perhaps so. It has been wisely said, that some men are made to say things, and others to do them; some passionately to exclaim, others to feel; some boldly to assert the value of integrity, others to be honest in their practices. I am not placed here to compare the merits oi- professors, or to judge of motives, but to do faithfuUy my duty as a member of that government wMch is here convened as the agent of the people. I am not here to make speeches, but to do the business of the House. We want acts, not words. I have been accused, by the gentleman from Mississippi, of having exceeded my authority, by compelhng the American Congress to incur a useless expense in adorn ing the reception room of the WMte House. It is not my practice to presume to teach others, who are their own masters ; but I cannot avoid the conviction that the man ifestation of so much apparent feeling in the matter of furnishing the house of our chief magistrate with a little furniture that is but decent, is no better than a dehberate trifling with our duties, a solemn mockery of what an American citizen should be. " If gentlemen wish to make pohtical capital, I beg 196 BIOGRAPHY. that they wUl be entreated to take some raw material, and work it for their deceptive purposes, without descend ing to misrepresent the rags of the White House, as costly and splendid fabrics. They have been used too much already for other things, and should be exempted from the pohtician's touch. Gentlemen were willing to vote nearly one hundred thousand doUars to pay for books for themselves, — and they give their negative to a proposition for the smaU sum of twenty thousand doUars to put their own house m order. "It is weU known to members that the present incum bent of the White House came there not by my vote ; but it was enough that I found him there. He was Pres ident of the United States; and it was my duty, as chair man of the Committee on PubUc BuUdings, to see that he was comfortably provided for, in a manner suited to the digmty of the nation. "As to the president elect, I think he would not feel proud of Ms new friends, after the course they took yes terday, to bring down Ms accommodations to their stand ard of propriety. I am confident, from what I know of the man, that he would rather have seen the House fur- mshed at Ms own expense, than to have seen the vote of yesterday." Turmng now to the gentleman from Mississippi, and making a significant pause, he continued, — " Mr. Speaker : As a representative of the people, I hold to the duty of strict accountability. I am always ready to be called to account for what I have proposed BIOGRAPHY. 197 or done. I prefer tMs course, as being the best and only proper course. "It is true, Mr. Speaker, that I did request the upholsterer to take down the greasy, tattered curtains in the reception chamber, because I considered them a dis grace upon our national character ; giving to our foreign ministers and their suites opportunities for sneering at our want of national pride, taste, and decency. But the order was given, Mr. Speaker, not as chairman of the Committee on Pubhc BuUdings, as the gentleman of Mississippi would represent. No, sir ! but as an Amer ican citizen, anxious to see my country's audience cham ber in a condition that should not bring the blush to my cheek when mentioned, or when compared with those of the proudest courts of Europe. As an individual, I requested the contractor to provide the best adornments for the reception chamber which the country could pro duce of American manufacture, stating that, if Congress did not see fit to pay the biU, i" would ! (Great sensa tion.) AU that I said then, I reassert now." Again turmng to Mr. Hammett, he concluded, with a look that completely paralyzed his antagonist, and elec trified the auditors of the House and gaUeries, — ' "Mr. Speaker: The gentleman from Mississippi has talked of patriotism in himself, and of the want of it in others ; but, if he is able to bring forward an act of Ms own, exerted in behalf of his country, of a more disin terested character than the one of wMch he complains, I am sure that aU wiU join me in beUeving that such an 17* 198 BIOGRAPHY. unlooked for fact would constitute a subject for sincere congratulation." When Colonel Pratt sat down, the sensation became intense, and the member from Mississippi was glad to be relieved from the lash of the tanner. In order to under stand fuUy the extent of feeUng manifested in this par ticular case, the reader should bear in mind that the member from Mississippi was not distinguished for his pubUc liberality, and was evidently confident of an easy victory. It was a prevailing habit with Colonel Pratt to study with a view to find out in what way the most good could be done. This feature of his character was illustrated by the resolution, which he offered towards the close of his Congressional career, authorizing the Secretary of War to loan marquees and tents to State agricultural socie ties, when holding their fairs. The course of Colonel Pratt in the twenty-eighth Con gress gave great satisfaction to his constituents, who had watched his activity with great pride and interest. They saw that he was close and unremitting in his atten tion to pubhc duties, and that his industry, integrity and ability, had caused their district to become a subject of interest throughout the nation. Among the most gratify ing of the means used to express their sense of the con duct of their member, was the passage of the following resolution, by the Democratic convention of Greene county, on the 29th of August, 1844. The resolution, as wiU be seen, enumerates some of the most important BIOGRAPHY. 199 of Ms labors at Washington ; but not aU, as the very busy session continued several months after the resolve was passed. It may be here mentioned, that the whole num ber of elaborate and carefully prepared reports made by Colonel Pratt, in the Twenty-eighth Congress, was nineteen, embracing about one thousand pages in print, many of wMch are made up of valuable tables, and cost much research and labor. The vote of Greene county convention, just alluded to, is as follows : " Resolved, That our warmest thanks are due to the Hon. Zadock Pratt, our faithful representative, for his eminent public services and untiring devotion to the busi ness of the present session of Congress ; and especiaUy in placing on record the fact that more than fourteen mil- Uons of freemen had instructed their representatives to vote for refunding to General Jackson the fine imposed upon him whUe fighting for his country at New Orleans ; in establisMng a Bureau of Statistics, which is of incalcu lable benefit to legislation, to government in aU its departments, and to business men of the country ; in causing a resolution to be passed, by which the inven tions of our mechanics which are patented are to be litho graphed, and furnished to each town, free of expense ; for his admirable taste in the construction of pubhc buildings, in the laying out and disposition of the pubhc grounds, in the surpassingly beautiful monument to the memory of Washington ; in the various and able reports from time to time submitted by Mm to that body ; and 200 BIOGRAPHY. finaUy, in causing government, Uke individuals, to take and keep an inventory ofthe property ofthe nation." On leaving Congress, Colonel Pratt again addressed Ms constituents, giving an account of his proceedings as their representative. It wiU be seen that, though longer than the address which was issued in 1838, it is so only because he had taken part in the settlement and discus sion of a greater number of important questions than in 1837-8. It is embraced, at length, in tMs volume, and the reader wiU be amply compensated for giving it a most attentive perusal.* In a work Uke the present, it is not customary to copy much from the pubhc press. It is supposed that a biog raphy should be written independently of all such coUat- erals and aids. In some respects, this is a rule which appears to be dictated alike by good taste and a proper regard for scrupulous accuracy. In the present volume, however, we have deviated from this Une of Uterary cus tom, and for reasons which we deem conclusive. It must be considered that pohtical position depends much for its importance on popular appreciation, and popular author- * In making extracts from this Address, the " National Intelligencer " (Wash ington) says : " From a circular letter addressed to his constituents, at the close of the last session of Congress, by the Hon. Zadock Pratt, of New York, a copy of which has fallen into our hands, we make the subjoined extracts. We insert these extracts, not alone for the just conception which they furnish of the true representative character, but as a merited compliment to an honest and worthy member, who aimed to be useful rather than showy, and who (opposed though he was to us in political opinions and relations) has claimed to himself, in his address to his con stituents, not an iota more than is justly his due." BIOGRAPHY. 201 ity. To avaU ourselves of these sources of influence, we shaU make some quotations from the public press, and cMefly for the confirmation of views which we have so confidently expressed. Of the many notices which we find of Colonel Pratt's public Ufe, in the leading journals ofthe country, we can transfer to our pages but one or two. The editor of the Albany Argus* one of the ablest political journahsts of the country, said : " Colonel Pratt has devoted himself to the utility of legislation. He has given his attention to public objects designed to advance science, the arts, commercial inter course, the dissemination of useful knowledge, and to facihtate the practical labors of the departments. Few men have accomplished as much, in these important respects, as he has done, in the course of four years of Congressional service ; and he has laid the foundation of good that wUl mature graduaUy hereafter, as views and suggestions truly enlightened, and worthy of a practical, repubhcan people and government, shaU be brought to the popular consideration, and the action of Congress." The Troy Budget remarked: "Colonel Pratt has represented the eleventh Congressional district of this state for two terms ; and we may safely say that but few, if any, who have been sent to the House of Representa tives, since the period when he first took Ms seat there, have rendered more important services to the country, or watched with closer fidelity the interests of their imme- * Edwin Croswell, Esq. 202 BIOGRAPHY. diate constituents, than he. He is distinguished for the possession of more than an ordinary share of plain, prac tical common sense, a trait much needed to make a safe and useful legislator. His address,* like his speeches upon the floor of Congress, is characteristic of the man. It makes no attempts at display, and is devoid of all rhetorical flourishes ; but it stamps the writer as a man of vigorous mental powers, and as one who might be safely reUed upon in any emergency." "It maybe affirmed," says the Niagara Democrat, Dec. 9, 1846, "that no member of Congress ever per formed more labor, in four years, than did the New York leather-maker." To copy more extracts would seem to imply the want of confidence in our own premises and conclusions. To have done less, would indicate the want of a species of influence higMy estimated by the public. Pubhc opimon is made, advanced and swayed, by the newspaper press. The newspaper may be made the instrument of evU, the dispenser of incitements to the lower passions, and the instigator of plots, treasons and falsehood ; but these are the abuses incident to its nature, and belong equally to the purest agents of virtue, and to the holiest of causes. We cannot refrain from introducing in this place another Congressional anecdote, as it iUustrates the pecu liar readiness of Colonel Pratt to respond either to sal lies of wit, or to the attacks of reason. * Address to his constituents, in second part of this volume. BIOGRAPHY. 203 Among the numerous reports which he made, as chair man of the Committee on PubUc Buildings and Grounds, was one relative to the removal of the unsightly buUding in wMch the statue of Washington was shut up, in lieu of which he proposed an iron railing. The Hon. C. J. IngersoU, of PhUadelphia, then chair man of the Committee on Foreign Relations, thought the opportunity a good one for exhibiting his wit to the crowded gaUeries, at the expense of Colonel Pratt ; and he thus addressed the House, who were in committee : " Mr. Chairman : I beg leave to suggest to the hon orable chairman of the Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds, that he had better embrace in his report the Indian lady next to the statue of Columbus, at the east portico of the capitol. The gentleman had better first provide for enclosing her." Now, as the scantiness of this aboriginal dame's apparel had just been commented on by the newspapers with some warmth, Mr. IngersoU thought his joke a cap ital one, and the House and the galleries enjoyed it much. Colonel Pratt, however, saw that the joke was but half finished ; and, arising with great gravity, and with a dehb- eration worthy the most momentous subject, he said : "Mr. Chairman: In no one respect, sir, have I so uniformly insisted on having my way as in aU necessary measures to secure the fitness of things. I may be in error ; but, in my opinion, that duty can with peculiar fitness be discharged by the honorable chairman of the Committee on Foreign Relations, himself; for, if report 204 BIOGRAPHY. speaks truly, that gentleman has had a great deal of prac tice in c embracing ' and ' enclosing ' the fair sex." The effect of this severe retort was instantaneous. The whole House was convulsed with laughter, in which the visiters in the galleries joined. It was a shot in the very centre of the target, and for some time it was impossible to restore order. No one laughed more heartUy than Mr. IngersoU himself; and, leaving his place, he went to his antagomst, and exclaimed, with much good-nature, "Pratt, I never had so dead a shot in aU my Ufe. After that, I 'U never attack you again." At the close of the session, he gave a grand entertain ment to the members of Congress, and then bade fareweU to public Ufe. He had responded to the caU of his fel low-citizens to serve them, and he now surrendered a trust wMch he had most faithfuUy discharged. He was desired to continue ; but he dechned the honor, as incompatible with his own interests, and with the claims of others. Few men have ever left Congress with a fairer fame, or a purer conscience. -ij;sy£i~, — ,\ — ^n_ m m Iiii REFORMED DUTCH CHURCH. CHAPTER XII. Letter respecting the tariff. — Letter respecting railroad from Lake Michigan to the Pacific. — Public spirit. — Colonel Pratt a candidate for governor. — Declines the honor. — Political parties in New York. — Conclusion. — Review of the life of Colonel Pratt as a mechanic, as a business man, as a banker, as a man — as a writer and speaker, as a statistician, as a legislator. — Anecdotes. The tariff question was warmly discussed in Congress during the year 1846, wMch led to the adoption of the system now in force, that has been found to work so well, both in peace and in war, furnishing an ample rev enue, and not pressing too hard on any of the interests of the country. WhUe the House of Representatives was engaged in the discussion, Colonel Pratt visited Wash ington, and was addressed by several gentlemen, of the Committee of Ways and Means, who desired to know Ms opinions on the pohcy of continuing the then high rates of duty on Mdes and leather, and on articles into the manufacture of wMch leather entered, together with any facts and suggestions which he might think proper to offer. Colonel Pratt has often been known to say, that he never looked into the almanac to ascertain the character of the weather, nor into tariff laws to learn how to reg ulate Ms business. His rules were, he said, to buy as 18 206 BIOGRAPHY. cheap as he could, to manufacture as cheaply and as quickly as possible, and to forward his goods promptly to the market, seUing them for the highest prices he could get, and always keeping his customers good-natured. In tMs way, he said, he had carried on business very satis factorily for twenty years, each year affording him a fair profit ; and with that he was content. The opinion of such a man on the question then under consideration would have much weight, and the gentlemen of the com mittee acted wisely in opening the correspondence with him which may be found in another part of this volume. In respect to his letter, it may be asserted, with much truth, that it would be difficult to find better sense, expressed in better language, in anything wMch has been published, during the whole controversy on the relative merits of protection and free trade. Had the views which he, through hfe, adopted for himself, been entertained by others in business matters, how different would have been their fortunes ! It is clearly obvious that men should not depend upon the action of government to regulate their business ; for, if government can raise them, through the favor it shaU show to a certain course of pohcy, to the zenith of prosperity, a change in that policy must depress them to the very nadir of ruin. The varium et mutabile of the poet is but too applicable to governmental action ; and that, too, without those who hold the reins of government being the subjects of censure. The ship of state, even in countries that are far less free than our own, must be BIOGRAPHY. 207 directed in accordance with the popular breeze. The very prosperity that follows from government favors raises up enemies ; and that which was to have been the source of permanent wealth often is made the means of destruction. Our manufacturers but too closely resemble those court favorites, who used occasionaUy to appear when royalty was a vital thing, and whose destruction was the necessary consequence of their prosperity. There is, indeed, nothing like the sun of prosperity for developing poisonous qualities in soUs that apparently teem with flowers. The deep interest which Colonel Pratt felt in the con struction of a raUroad from Lake Michigan to the Pacific led him to address the people of the United States on the subject. The address was published in the National Intelligencer, WasMngton, Aug. 28, 1847.* No one had a better right than Colonel Pratt to speak to his feUow-citizens on tMs subject. Not only had he mastered aU the details connected with it, but he saw clearly what would be the result of the undertaking, if it were carried out to completion. He had, too, been the first man to bring the subject before the national legisla ture. The address is exceedingly interesting and instruct ive. It was extensively pubhshed, and attracted much attention both here and in Europe. f * See second part of this volume. t Li February, 1847, Colonel Pratt was invited to take stock in the Hudson River Railroad Company. The Journal of Commerce publishes his reply, which authorized a subscription of ten thousand dollars. He closes in his brief, 208 BIOGRAPHY. Although Colonel Pratt has been frequently mentioned by the pubhc prints m the State of New York, as a can didate for the first office within the gift of the Empire State, — and though he has many ardent friends who have long desired to place him in nomination, — still, it is not our purpose here to discuss the question of his fitness for that Mgh station, or to give opinions in regard to the prob abilities of success, should the democrats decide upon such a ticket. To predict, or to speculate, as to what he would be as governor of a state, after so many practical trials of skiU and judgment to which he has been sub jected, would be equivalent to a rejection of the teachings of experience. To have been well tried, and at no time found wanting, are facts which the people can understand, and which they wiU ever appreciate. We can give, in respect to this subject, therefore, only a brief statement, wMch may serve as completing the record already written. At a Democratic Convention, held at Cairo, in Greene county, on the 26th February, 1848, the foUowing reso lution was unanimously adopted : " Resolved, That in view of Ms proved integrity and characteristic manner, by saying, "I am happy to see that you are up and doing. As no dead man does any good, we must do good while we live." On the occasion of the celebration of the opening of the New York and Erie Railroad to Binghampton, December 27, 1848, Colonel Pratt acted as one of the vice-presidents. Being called on for a sentiment, he gave — " The Merchants of Arew York: The builders of the New York and Erie Railroad ; by it they have opened new hemlock forests to the tanner, who in return will furnish them with soles for the rest of their days ; but may their souls have no rest until the road shall have been extended to the Pacific." BIOGRAPHY. 209 sound judgment, of Ms tried devotion to the best interests ofthe masses of the people and Ms famUiarity with their wants, and especially in view of his popularity with the mechanics and working-men of the state, we take pleas ure and pride in expressing our preference for the Hon. Zadock Pratt as our next candidate for governor, subject to the decision of the regular democratic state conven tion." It wiU be recollected, by aU persons who are famiUar with the pohtics of New York, that the democratic party in that state had been defeated there, in 1846 and 1848, in consequence of intestine quarrels. It is not within our province to go into an examination of the causes of these, or to inquire wMch branch of the democratic party was deserving of censure. It is enough for us to know the consequences of those quarrels. In 1846 they led to the defeat of Governor Wright, and to the state's passing into the hands of the whigs. In 1848 it caused, not only the local defeat of the democracy, but their defeat in the nation, the presidency passing into wMg hands. It was the desire of aU men who wished weU to the cause of sound principles that these differences should be removed, and the umted democracy once more show its strength. Efforts to that end were made in 1849, but were not attended with results so complete as could have been desired. In 1850 a governor was to be chosen, with other state officers of the first class ; and it was soon apparent that the candidate of the democracy would be supported by both sections of his party. StiU the pros- 18* 210 BIOGRAPHY. pect of success was involved in doubt. Many felt that it was a great object to have such a nomination made as would be likely to secure for its support something beyond what mere party could give it. During the pubhc discussion of candidates, no one was more frequently referred to than Colonel Pratt.* It was thought, by many, that he was almost the only man who had a sufficient popularity to master the opposition. The Democratic State Convention met at Syracuse, on the 13th of September, 1850. The nominations were made in the afternoon, that of candidate for governor being first in order. Just before the baUoting was commenced, Mr. Tre- maine, of Greene county, rose, and said : " There were members ofthe convention who proposed to cast their votes for a distinguished citizen of Greene county. He alluded to the Hon. Zadock Pratt, weU known tMoughout the state, as a sterling democrat, a gentleman of high personal character, and of undoubted qualifications for the office. " As a friend of that gentleman, he desired to say that it was his wish not to have his name introduced into the canvass ; and to return thanks, on Ms behalf, to such of * In alluding to this fact, a Washington correspondent of the New York Sun, September 5, 1846, says (in a description of public men), " That tall, earnest, animated man, who is talking with James Buchanan, is Zadock Pratt : that Zadock Pratt who was so famous in Congress for unanswerable reports ; the Zadock Pratt who put the cheap postage ball in motion in 1836, and put the annexation ques tion so strictly before his party, in 1843 and 1844, that they were forced to adopt the measure. The very man, in short, that so large a portion of the people of New York State would like to see governor." BIOGRAPHY. 211 the convention as had intended to cast their votes for him." Colonel Pratt had maintained the strictest silence on the subject of the candidacy ; and, until Mr. Tremaine had spoken, his determination was not known to any member of the convention, except the gentleman who had been authorized to speak in Ms behalf. Many members of the convention were disappointed, on hearing the remarks of Mr. Tremaine ; but the hour of action had arrived, and the baUoting immediately commenced. The choice of the convention fell on the Hon. Horatio Seymour, a gentleman of much experi ence in pubhc Ufe, of great talents, of sound poUtical principles ; in short, one who deserved to be elevated to the place for wMch he was put in nomination. He was nominated by a vote of more than two to one, — receiving eighty-nine votes, to thirty-seven cast for other gentlemen. At the election in November, the contest proved to be so close, that it was for a time doubtful whether the democratic or the wMg ticket had prevailed. The choice was first announced to be in favor of Seymour ; but the official returns showed that Washington Hunt, the wMg candidate, was elected by a very smaU plu- raUty, thus placing the state admimstration again into the hands of the whig party for another term. Having set forth the fundamental principles of biography based upon a pMlosophical analysis of charac ter, and having given the principal facts and events con- 212 BIOGRAPHY. nected with the subject of our notice, notMng now remains to be accomplished, but to review the detaUs as illustrating the several highly responsible positions in wMch he has so eminently and so honorably sustained himself. In other words, we propose simply a practical conclusion. As a mechanic, Mr. Pratt has proved himself to be an example entitled to the highest consideration. Indus trious, skilful, faithful, and prompt in the fulfilment of aU his engagements, he not only labored for Ms own profit, but for the good of others. He did not ask suc cess at the expense of his neighbors or Ms patrons, but amply earned it by giving the fuU value for the prices which he received. It has ever been Ms pride to excel as a mechanic, — to be master of Ms business ; weU know ing that method in its arrangement, and thoroughness in its execution, were indispensable conditions to suc cessful results. His advice to apprentices, in his address before the New York Institute, forcibly indicates not only the plain course of conduct which he has himself pursued, but such as he would urge upon others. " Allow me to say to apprentices, guardians, or men employed in any and in aU situations, make yourselves useful ; yes, make your time, your talents, so necessary, that your employer cannot do without you ; and then wUl come a price equal to your earmngs, or a partner ship worth your having. "It belongs to you who would rise in the world to BIOGRAPHY. 213 mind your business ; and remember, that a man is known by his works as weU as by the company he keeps ; and, I will add, I have never known a person regret being honest, frugal, industrious and prompt, a lover of order, and a respecter of the Sabbath. Young men are not apt to be conscious of what they are capable of doing. They are too often daunted by difficulties ; they see too many lions in the path. They do not task their facul ties, nor improve as they ought the gifts that God has bestowed. Some are too diffident to succeed well in a world of strife ; others are too proud to ask advice, or to foUow it when honestly given. More young men are ruined by false pride than by anything else, except lazmess. Therefore, my young friends, be wUUng to be advised by those who have experience. Consult the wise and good, and profit by their examples. If you would suc ceed in Ufe, let your motto be not only to look ahead, but to go ahead. Set your mark Mgh, and strive to reach it. You can succeed, if you wiU. Remember, my young friends, the almost omnipotent power of perse verance, — the power of mdustry and of labor. Remem ber, you who are just beginning the world, that fourteen or sixteen hours a day are sure to foot a good account, and seldom wiU need an endorser. " You must remember, also, that ' Order is heaven's first law ; ' and that the Scripture teUs us to ' Let everything be done decently and in order.' The man of method is generaUy a successful man. The neglect 214 BIOGRAPHY. of this great principle has ruined its tens of thousands. An exceUent rule is, -Let nothing be neglected this day." Again, in Ms "Address before the Franklin Library Association," he says, "I look upon intelligence, my friends, as the main pUlar in the character of the mechanic ; and the superior advantages which the working-man enjoys in our country, the freedom from restraint, and the general intelligence which every where prevail, constitute the great difference between the working-men of the old and of the new world, and furnish an additional reason why every one should act well his part." That he ever manifested enlarged views of the true position of the mechamc, may be inferred from his method of remark on Dr. Webster's definition of the word mechanic. In his "Address before the Catskill Mechanic's So ciety," he thus improves upon the definition of the great lexicographer : " Noah Webster, the great American dictionary and school-book maker, says : ' A mechanic is a person whose occupation is to construct machines or goods, wares, instruments, furniture and the like.' " I should define a mechamc as one who takes certain substances and materials in certain states, and works them into other combinations and conditions, by which they are rendered of higher use and greater value. " Some writers on poUtical economy have claimed that the producing class alone add to the national wealth. BIOGRAPHY. 215 But what real wealth would there be in wheat, if there were no mechanic in the miU to grind it, and no mechanic in the kitchen to knead and to bake it into bread?" It is interesting to observe with what Uvely interest and proud reflections he contemplates the mechamc's place in the diversified callings of the world. " The digmty of mechanical pursuit is not, I think, generaUy understood. To me it seems to be everywhere undervalued. "But I would ask, is notmechamcal labor, in fact, one of the Mghest and noblest pursuits of man? What pursuit, let me ask, has produced such great results ? We hear of the old phUosophers and astronomers ; but did any of them find out how to make glass, or con struct a watch, or a water-wheel 1 No. Did any of them discover the art of printing 1 Certainly not ; they were buried so deep in their pMlosophy that their prin cipal labors consisted in casting nativities, or searcMng for the pMlosopher's stone ; whUe, to practical men, to mechamcs, the world owes these and other great discoveries. "We read of Sir Isaac Newton, who developed the system of the umverse, and counted some three mUlions of fixed stars through Ms telescope. But who made the telescope 1 who contrived the wonderful instrument which revealed to him these glories 1 A mechanic ! Who, at a late day, enabled another great astronomer, Herschel, to penetrate stiU further into the mysteries of 216 BIOGRAPHY. the stars 1 Why it was a practical mechanic, as weU as pMlosopher ! "A poor barber of Bolton, in England, about a hun dred years ago, conceived a plan of shortemng the labor of spinning cotton, — of making thread by macMnery, wMch, from the earhest times, had been done by hand, — and, with the aid of a watch-maker of a neighboring village, he constructed the spinning-jenny, which has added milUons to the wealth of England, and multiplied the comforts of the civihzed world. The poor title of " Knight" was all the reward which the haughty aris tocracy of England could concede to the mechanic Ark- wright ! But his name wiU Uve longer than the proud est of theirs, — as long as that of England herself. " To the skiU of the mechanic the world owes the invention of the cotton-gin, which has tripled the value of the acres of the Southern States, and made fortunes by hundreds of millions to the planters and manufacturers of cotton. And yet I have looked in vain, tMoughout the cities of the south, for a monument to WMtney. Though a mechamc, he will outlive the generations to whom he opened the way to wealth, because he put his mark upon the age in wMch he lived, and created a monument that can never be destroyed. And the great mechamc of New York, — who would not be proud of the name of mechanic, borne by such a man as Fulton ! " With what undisguised sincerity is the poor barber of Bulton remembered, the memory of WMtney rescued from neglect, and the name of Fulton held up for grate- BIOGRAPHY. 217 ful contemplation ! He does not speak of them as an orator would, as surrounded by their ultimate glory ; but looks to their origin, to their vocation and to their obvious means of success. He claims their glory for the mechanic ; and, wMle an admiring world' is grateful for the splendid results of their discoveries, he points to the mechamc as the legitimate inheritor of their acquisitions, and as the true successor and representative of their power and name. There is no better test of a man's true character than the trial of his pride as he advances in the scale of honor, and from the mere position of labor rises to one of Mgh distinction. As he rises, he wiU either elevate and dignify Ms profession and his associates, add charac ter to his class, or falsely desert them to seek a place in other circles, to assume new pretensions, and to forget old ones. He either endeavors to improve the skill of his brother-mechamcs by teaching them new processes of labor, or strives to forget that he has ever worked with Ms hands, or that he has been clothed with a laborer's apron. He is too apt to consider that eminence in one profession entitles Mm to pecuhar distinction in all others ; and to bring upon himself the ridicule wMch severe observers deem just to aU who attempt to accom plish what they do not understand, or what they have never practised. It has been weU remarked, that ridicule is the easiest kind of wit, and that contempt and arrogance are the readiest phUosophy ; but it must be confessed that no 19 218 BIOGRAPHY. attempts at either, unless circumscribed within the prob- abUities of truth, ever reduce their objects to a rank below their real merits. The shafts of ridicule and of contempt dissolve in the potent light of truth, and fall powerless in their passage when aimed at her invincible votaries. Men err in feehng, as weU as in thought. There is a wise adjustment of sentiment, as well as a logical judg ment. AU men have vamty. They differ cMefly in their abiUty to conceal it. Franklin confessed its rule, and provided for its control. Diogenes could see it in the habiliments of Socrates, and Socrates in the rags of Diogenes. The Quaker finds it in the colors of fasMon, and the draper in the Quaker's fastidiousness in the choice of a fabric, or in the shade of a color. Even Cicero exclaimed, " Let arms revere the robe, the warrior's laurel Yield to the palm of eloquence ; " while Demosthenes better understood the power of modesty, and gratified Ms vanity by apologizing for Ms imperfections.* But few men seem to be more alive to the wisdom of a just distinction between modest merit and Ul-disguised assumption than the subject of this biography. He neither disowns the pride wMch elevates the pretensions of men, nor the vanity which is gratified by success and * It is said that Demosthenes confessed he was pleased when even a fish-woman of Athens pointed him out. BIOGRAPHY. 219 advancement. He claims for pride the high motives which characterize worthy and ambitious men ; and for vanity that self-gratulation wMch is satiated only by great and useful ends. This striking feature of his character is well iUustrated in the opemng of his "Address before the Catskill Mechanic's Society," from which we have already quoted. Nothing can be more apt ; and it would be difficult to find in history a confession so open, so candid, and so free from thoughtless vanity, in one who had proved himself to be a thinker, a speaker, and an adviser of men. He waves no personal prerogative that inheres in merit ; he claims no extraneous compliment that belongs to others. "I am sure you have not invited me to address you, on this occasion, with any expectation of hearing from me the silvery sounds of eloquence.. Like you, I have been taught to use my hands, rather than my tongue. I am not ashamed at not being skilled in that which is not my business ; and if any professional man, who has spent Ms days in schools and coUeges, undertakes to criticize me to-night, I have only to say to him, come to my tannery and do your best ; and then see if, while you laugh at my lecture, I might not have reason to laugh louder at your leather. If, gentlemen, you had given me an order for leather, you would, I trust, have expected the best quality, and you should not have been disappointed. But, as you have ordered an address, I know that you have done it not expecting much ; and so I have in tMs 220 biography. also the consolation that you cannot be greatly disap pointed." In claiming for the mechamc an honorable rank in society, he does not leave his motives to be conjectured, or Ms meamng to be misconstrued. " Bear in mind," says he, " that the mechamc should educate Ms head, his hand, and Ms heart. He wUl thus learn to distinguish good from evU ; to know how to supply Ms wants and add to his comforts ; and how to dispense blessings to all around him."* As a business man, our subject has but few equals. The requisite mental powers for a superior business man are those of perception and reflection, combined with those sentiments and propensities which give beauty to motives and energy to action. To analyze business in aU its near and remote relations, is to study men as to judgment, wants and wishes, and to study things as to nature, design and end. Business is a practical illustra tion of cause and effect ; and whether we contemplate the narrow circle of the humble mechanic, in Ms neigh borhood, or the more extended range of the merchant, whose ships whiten the waters of every ocean, the plain and simple aphorisms of experience are equaUy appUca ble, equally true, and equaUy requisite. * Colonel Pratt was on board the steamship Princeton when the gun called the " Peace-maker " exploded, and caused so many deaths among the distinguished men of that time. He gave a practical illustration, on that sad occasion, of his capacity to be promptly useful. He was the first to recover from the terrific shock, and to proceed to take those measures most proper, under the heart rending calamity. BIOGRAPHY. 221 As the business career of Col. Pratt must be regarded as remarkable for its system, consistency and successful results, a brief view of the principles wMch character ize his methods of thinking and acting cannot be con sidered by the reader as otherwise than useful. It was his habit to clothe Ms principles in language so simple that aU could understand ; and to reduce them to maxims, to be so frequently read and spoken, that all within the timits of Ms influence should be induced to practise them.* Among the rules which it may be said formed the business creed of Ms Ufe, we find the foUowing unpretending, though true and useful sayings. They may be found scattered tMough the pages of his journals or scrap-books, or posted in his workshops : " Mind your business." " Do one thing at a time." " Remember that ' order is heaven's first law.' " " The man of method is generally a successful man. The neglect of tMs great principle has ruined its tens of thousands." " Whatever your trade be, never be ashamed of it, or above it." "Never think people of your own class too mean for your associates, but rather court their acquaintance ; the conversation of men of trade gives information and * His selection of sentiments was always appropriate, and directly to the point. Thus, at a school celebration, he gave the following : " Learning is the rich man's ornament, the poor man's riches." 19* 222 BIOGRAPHY. brings trade ; — men first talk together, then deal together." " Without dihgence, appUcation and perseverance, every trade must languish, and be unsuccessful." "Trust notMng to speculation; and avoid all paper- money schemes, to deceive the pubhc, and uphold a false credit." " Be just, and fear not." A just conception of the nature of tilings is the basis of a business man's character. To him it is hteraUy true that "knowledge is power." Knowledge is no more to the world, without practical application, than water is to the steam-engine before the appUcation of fire. Steam is water in action ; and it may be said that business is knowledge in action ; and, although the negative quality of passive acquiescence, in tMs world of activity, may be looked upon by some as entitled to notice, stiU, we can hardly assign to it a place of much merit, or count it a cause of much efficiency. The pre-requisites of a good business man are indicated by the simple maxims wMch we have given, and may be summed up in a single sentence : Application, persever ance, order, frugality, justice, integrity, benevolence and courtesy, make up the combination necessary to success in business, and to happiness in society. It has been truly said that "the Mghest panegyric that private virtue can receive is the praise of servants." It has been estimated that Col. Pratt has paid wages to more than thirty thousand different men, to the amount BIOGRAPHY. 223 of several millions of dollars ; and yet he has avoided aU personal difficulties and law-suits.* In order to have a just comprehension of the true busi ness character of Col. Pratt, we have only to examine the several documents embraced in this volume, which fur nish the facts and details of what he has accomphshed as a mechamc, trader, banker, farmer, and legislator. In aU these positions he has acted ; and he has done what few have done, he has placed upon record, not only the his tory of his deeds, but has indicated complete methods of proceeding, so that aU who have a desire to improve in systematizing their labors may derive some benefit from his experience. Look at the accounts of his tanneries, and see with what order and efficiency every department is arranged. In the first place, an exact classification of labor is made, and a foreman is appointed to overlook each subdivision, and to control all the details, so that they may be reported to a general head, which superintends aU. Then we find a system adopted wMch gives an exact account of the stock to be manufactured, the kind, the quantity, and the materials to be used, — the process, the time of the pro cess, and of the ultimate finish. Look tMough his extensive estabhshments, and you will find everywhere extraordinary neatness, order and indus try. He did not adopt the old maxim, " A place for * For a period of above thirty years he has been in co-partnership; and, during that time, though connected with more than twenty different partners, all accounts have been amicably adjusted. 224 BIOGRAPHY. everything, and everything in its place," without practising it to the fuUest extent. FoUow him to the market of the metropolis of the Empire State, and you will find in Ms movements no omission, no indifference, no neglect as to smaU tinngs, as they might be termed by some persons; but, on the contrary, the same observing eye is discov ered noting every step, every circumstance, indeed, everything wMch is in any way connected with Ms inter ests, or Ms business. His teams are chosen with the nicest judgment, both in respect to beauty and use ; their capacities for strength measured, their loads weighed and adjusted with human ity, and their doings recorded with a precision that would do honor to a club of antiquarians. He then becomes an example as a merchant, and studies with rare abihty the markets of Ms country. He seeks the precise knowledge which enables him to judge with safety where to seU, how to sell, and when to seU. When it is necessary to act, he is prepared to act, and always according to a system.* If we observe Mm as a farmer, he is the same indom itable lover of method, insisting upon a knowledge of all the facts relating to agriculture ; to the various modes of *" We have been frequently amused," says an editor, " at the quaint remarks of Hon. Zadock Pratt, ex-member of Congress (a man of strong common sense), who was originally a tanner by trade. A speculator was showing him u. new method of tanning, by which he represented that great quantities of money could be made. Mr. Pratt told him he did not doubt it, but he was making money enough ; that he (the speculator) had better find some one who was not doing so well. He was never allured by speculators to leave his legitimate business." BIOGRAPHY. 225 management of the countless products of the earth, such as are useful and profitable ; to the raising and improving of stock ; to the economy of labor, enforcing upon the minds of aU the acknowledged truth, that, to the tiUers of the soU, more than to most other classes of men, we are to look for private virtue, domestic peace, and a safe ambition. Whether we regard Mm at home, wittiin the limits of Ms own particular business, or trace his cooperation with Ms feUow-citizens, in Ms own town, county or nation, we find that strict observance of principles which he has ever deemed indispensably necessary to success. He adopted but few rules, but these he observed.* They were inva riably apphed, whether he was caUed to buUd a bridge, a church, a court-house or a capitol. In a thousand different ways he exemplified that line of encourage ment, wMch we find in Virgil, as given by Dryden, " For they can conquer, who believe they can." * " There is," says Lord Chatham, " one plain maxim to which I have invari ably adhered, through life ; that, in every question in which my liberty or my property was concerned, I should consult and be governed by the dictates of com mon sense. I confess (he added) that I am apt to mistrust the refinements of learning, because I have seen the ablest and most learned men equally liable to deceive themselves and mislead others. The condition of human nature would be lamentable, indeed, if nothing less than the greatest learning and talents, which fall to the share of so small a number of men, were sufScient to direct our judg ment and our conduct. But Providence has taken a better care of our happiness, and given us, in the simplicity of common sense, a rule for our direction by which we shall never be misled." In view of this opinion of confidence in plain common sense, so forcibly expressed by Lord Chatham, Colonel Pratt was accustomed to remark, " If great men extol it, why should common men hesitate to use it ? " 226 BIOGRAPHY. To speak of Mr. Pratt as a banker, we can do but little more than has already been done. His acts speak for Mm better than our humble pen can do. As a banker, he is seen in the institution he founded. Its man agement is fuUy characterized by Ms own genius, secur ity, facility and promptitude, in aU that relates to the pub hc ; and the order, system and profit, which are con sistent with the requisitions of law, his own views of duty, and feeUngs of self-respect. His views of what a bank ought to be are clearly and forcibly set forth in the occasional documents which he has pubUshed, but wMch need not be repeated here. We find in them a degree of practical remark wMch indicates Ms usual thorough mastery of principles. He has aU the dignity wMch is clahned by the dispensers of wealth for the banker, with out any of the habits of the aristocrat, the Shylock, or the speculator. As a man, Mr. Pratt has ever been aUve to the noblest sympatMes of our nature ; and, as a citizen, his course of duty has been alike true to Ms country, and to his God. We may say of Mm as was said of Dr. Johnson : "He stands displayed in open day-light. Nothing remains undiscovered. Whatever he said is known." In person, Colonel Pratt is above the medium size, and of a strong muscular frame. He has a finely marked head, of the practical order, somewhat resembhng that of Henry Clay. His eye is dark and expressive, and his whole countenance beams with a Uvely inteUigence, and a benevolent frankness. His manners are easy, cour- BIOGRAPHY. 227 teous and dignified ; and his temper mild and uniform. His movements are rapid, Ms salutation earnest and cor dial, and every one is made to feel at home in his pres ence. We have seen several portraits of him, but no one is true to the life, unless it be the full-length one engraved by Dony. In this, the spirit and the natural language of firmness are weU combined ; and it requires but Uttle of a poet's genius to imagme the man standing before us rebuking a Hammatt, or lasMng an Ingersoll. In the sacred relations of friendship, he was the candid adviser, the liberal advocate, and the substantial contrib utor. He was always free, open and cheerful,* ever imparting to the weak a confident spirit, and to the depressed an inspiring courage, f His domestic life was one of true affection, devotion and duty. Kind, firm, and susceptible of the holiest * The same may be said of Colonel Pratt that Dr. Haller said of Boerhaave : "He was modest, not timorous, and always cheerful. Calumny and detraction (which sometimes assailed even him) he never thought it necessary to confute, nor could they ever fret or sour his temper. He said they were sparks, which would go out of themselves, if you did not blow them ; and that the best way to get the better of malice was to live it down." t He used to quote, with much meaning, the lines of the poet on " modern friendship," as true to the world : " When fortune smiles, and looks serene, "I is — ' Sir, how do ye do 1 Your family are well, I hope ; Can I serve them or you I ' " But turn the scale, — let fortune frown, And ills and woes fly t' ye, — 'T is then — ' I 'm sorry for your loss ; But times are hard, — good-by t' ye.' " 228 BIOGRAPHY. emotions, he could rejoice in the sunshine of joyous good, and weep with the chUdren of affliction. He looked for ward with the bright hopes of the Christian, and enjoyed, with the hveUest satisfaction, the exalted anticipations of future growth and condition. He was armed against the adversities of hfe by a knowledge of the causes which produced them ; and, in meeting with the most afflicting dispensations of Providence, he bowed in humble submis sion to the wUl of Him whose infinite wisdom alike pro tects the sparrow, and controls the destiny of the universe. It is within the haUowed circle of home and neighbor hood that the citizen imbibes the spirit of righteous inten tions to Ms kind and to his country. His fireside asso ciations become Unked Avith the love wMch he bears to his native land ; and we soon find the true and faithful citizen as happy in Ms country's glory, as he is miserable in Ms country's shame. It is seldom that we enjoy the privUege of finding such examples for study, as we have in Col. Pratt, as a citizen. Honorable, prompt, Mnd and liberal, he sought to be useful to others by inciting them to acts of duty and patriotism, whUe he scorned to avoid the share of respons ible action wMch belonged to Mmself. He was not con tent to utter words alone, but endeavored to exMbit the true interests of men by a course of practical virtue and sound phUantMopy.* * In 1847, there was a " common school celebration " in Prattsville ; and, as the interesting procession was moving to the church, where appropriate exercises were to be performed, the instructors were requested to stop opposite the residence of BIOGRAPHY. 229 As a speaker and writer Col. Pratt made no preten sions. His profession required no rhetorical accomphsh- ments. In his conversation he always employed simple and direct language, such as all could understand, and such as none could misconstrue. Whether he conversed, or spoke, or composed for the press, the same habits of simphcity predominated. His style was bold, concise, emphatic, and comprehensive. He used but few words, and they were well chosen. He employed language merely for the purpose of conveying useful suggestions, and he sought no occasions for display which were not embraced as opportimiti.es to do good.* If for any one thing he was more remarkable than for anything else, it was his earnestness and smcerity of manner. He had no disguise. His thoughts were seen in his movements, ¦ — Colonel Pratt. With a step and air as youthful as the youngest of the children, the colonel came out, and presented them with a superb banner, emblazoned with an American eagle and stars and stripes, thus early inviting the new generation to study and love Hie flag of their country. * While Colonel Pratt was in Congress, the first time, one of his constituents requested an appointment to office in Washington. Faithful to the wishes of his fellow-citizen, he made inquiries in all the departments, but found no vacancy. The most favorable reply which he received, in answer to his inquiries, was from Mr. Poinsett, Secretary of War, who said " the best that he could do would be to place the name of his friend on his 'favorite list.' " Colonel Pratt thanked him, but added, " May I be allowed to ask how many names are already on that list?" The clerk counted, and answered " four hundred and fifteen." Then turning kindly to his friend, Colonel Pratt, who remarked, " So you see how diffi cult it is to get a clerkship in Washington. And I can assure you that it would prove equally hard to retain it. There is much more eertainty in any other busi ness ; and, what is quite as important to you, my friend, in any other business you can be your own master." 20 230 BIOGRAPHY. or, as phrenologists would say, in his natural language ; and his speech followed only in confirmation of their truth fulness. His interesting encounter with Mr. Hammatt, in Congress, exhibits the man in his peculiar strength and power. Who could be more brief, and yet who could say more ? After completing his report which resulted in the erection of the beautiful building for the General Post- office, he read it to a Uterary friend, and desired him to correct the grammar, saying that he had never the fortune to go to college. "You may thank God for that," replied his friend; "for, if you had been there, you would never have been here." His ability as a statistician was great. In this depart ment his works will prove his best monument. They indicate a wide and systematic survey of men and tMngs, and comprehend their various relations in practical posi tions. They teach useful knowledge, and iUustrate the appUcation of principles. He would not consent to act upon any important subject, unless placed in possession of all the facts necessary to a knowledge of the truth. These he immediately classified, with a precision and judgment that commanded the respect of the citizen, and the confi dence of the legislator. This striMng characteristic maybe seen in all Ms plans and business purposes. He commanded influence not only on account of his extensive knowledge of facts, but because he was skiUed with an extraordinary judgment in the right use of them. His bureau of statistics was a meas- BIOGRAPHY. 231 ure in which he felt a deep interest. He had just reason to be proud of this national project ; and, if our govern ment had executed the plan as faithfuUy as it was set forth by its author, our people would long ago have indulged in a feeUng of something more than pride — a heart-felt gratitude. The sphere of the legislator is one of fearful responsi bility. To be a successful law-giver impUes a knowledge of human nature, an abihty to point out the best means for its advancement, and a capacity to see clearly the numerous wants of society and of nations, and promptly to provide for them. To be able to study the acts of men in combination, and to trace out the results of conventional measures practicaUy appUed, requires a Mgh order of intellect, and a just, clear'conception of the natural laws. In claiming for the subject of this biography a high position as a legislator, we are sustained by a mass of evidence wMch is witMn the reach of every mind, how ever humble, and which would be admitted by every mind, however exalted. He proved Mmself to be, in the haUs of legislation, what he always had been in other spheres, a practical and a working man. He was called, throughout the country, " the working man of Congress ;" and probably no one was ever better entitled to the com plimentary appeUation. He was always at his post. During the two terms which he served, he was not absent a single day ; and, if we except the example of the late John Quincy Adams, this has no paraUel in Mstory. Nor 232 BIOGRAPHY. was Ms presence that of a passive member, to look on, and sUently and indifferently witness the labors of others : but every motion was scrutinized, every statement veri fied, every sentiment scanned, and every proposition reduced to a practical analysis. He disliked speculation, or random action ; and would consent to no measure untU prepared with a full knowledge of all the facts calculated to illustrate each particular case. He did not ask a course of labor in others, which he did not practicaUy adopt for himself. He proposed no biU for consideration, unless accompanied with a fuU statement of the facts and reasons wMch influenced him to urge it upon Ms government, and to commend it to his feUow-citizens. In this respect, his course was one of perfect method, — an example worthy to be studied and followed by the statesmen of aU countries. When he was appointed chairman of the Committee on Public Buildings, he proceeded, at once, in a business way, to ascertain particularly what property was com mitted to his charge, its condition, and what steps were necessary to protect it. This really had never before been systematicaUy attempted. His report wiU show how faithfuUy the labor was accomplished. If a building was to be erected, Ms first inquiry was as to the real wants of the government, present and pro spective ; and then to provide for them with a Uberal, yet prudent hand. His comprehensive inquiries reached every particular of every part ; and members of Congress were not asked to give their votes for any undefined prop osition, any uncertain expenditure. His suggestions BIOGRAPHY. 233 upon the subject of using the most permanent materials in the erection of public buildings are among the most valuable to be found in the document room at the Cap itol. That the influence of his report is likely to prove permanent, may be inferred from the fact that the addi tions made the present year (1851) to the Patent Office are of marble, a material altogether dissimilar to that of the original buUdings. Thus, the singular contrast between the old and the new portions will afford a lasting monument to the good sense of Mr. Pratt. His reports and views respecting a Branch Mint in the City of New York, a Dry Dock at Brooklyn, Whitney's Railroad Project, the Cheap Postage System, the Remis sion of the Fine on General Jackson, the Bureau of Statis tics, Public BuUdings, "Imports, Tonnage and Revenue," the Relative Condition of the Northern and Southern States, &c, aU forcibly Ulustrate his pecuhar fitness to overlook and to direct the great interests of a nation, almost with as much ease and simplicity as the affairs of Ms tannery at PrattsviUe.* Every subject has its boundaries, however small or however great ; and it is the test of true skiU and judg- * The Democratic Review, December 9, 1846, in giving an extended notice of Colonel Pratt, together with a finely executed portrait of him, says : "In select ing the founder of Prattsville as the subject of this memoir, we have been actu ated by a desire to do merited honor to that noble and enterprising spirit which marks the characteristic of the man, and to spread before the rising generation of our great and happy country the benefits of his example. He stands out in bold relief, — first making his fortune in active business, and then aiding in the councils of his country." 20* 234 BIOGRAPHY. ment to fiU those boundaries with well-directed exertions to master principles, and practically to apply them. They are similar in kind, though different in degree. If prop erly understood, they are simple, and easUy appUed. The way to do a thing weU, is first to understand it. To do it at the right time, is to master whatever is incident to its nature or condition. A knowledge of theories may make a ready disputant, but a knowledge of facts alone can make a powerful one. To understand the use of things involves necessarily a knowledge of principles. Superadded to this, the abihty to survey at a single glance the realities of life, in all their diversified relations and ultimate uses, is a power which may be regarded as the highest effort of wisdom and experience. Although we might readily extend this chapter, and enlarge upon the requisites of a legislator of the practical school, stiU, we could not so easily and clearly convey our views, and do liberal justice to the honored subject of our notice, as to refer the reader to the various reports and documents which are the productions of his active mind, and which make a part of this volume. What we have endeavored to explain and elucidate, he has done. His acts are well defined, and his views are the connecting links which exMbit their consistency. To say more, would be to doubt our own sincerity in what we have already advanced ; to say less, would indicate a cul pable indifference to duty in the cause of truth. Words are but feeble symbols in the service of immortality, when thoughts, acts and works, rise up in their strength and BIOGRAPHY. 235 majesty, multiplying and extending their kind and results, in a world of being which is ever onward, upward and eternal. It is weakness to supphcate blessings upon the head of a good man ; for the good man is blessed in his own strength, in his own deeds. His prayer is for health, continuance and duty. He does not labor for reward ; he does not exercise his conscience to meet the stipulations of a contract ; he does not keep an exchange account of virtues and courtesies with Ms neighbors or his God ; but simply asks the privilege of being actuated by the ele vated motives of disinterested love, duty and patriotism. He walks forth among men as the embodiment of truth, brotherly love and freedom. Such has been the example of Zadock Pratt, of Pratts viUe. His deeds wUl rear for him a monument in the hearts of the people, more beautiful and more enduring than can be chiselled by a Canova from the marble quarry, more truthful than the record of a Tacitus, and more abiding than the pyramids of Egypt. They wUl be interwoven with the destiny of man, and continue to bless created being so long as life continues, and progress is a condition of the soul. PAET SECOND. LITERARY AND STATISTICAL. ADDRESSES. MECHANICS THE ARCHITECTS OF THEIR OWN FORTUNES* Gentlemen of the Mechanic Society: I am sure you have not invited me to address you on this occasion with any expectation of hearing from me the silvery sounds of eloquence. Like you, I have been taught to use my hands rather than my tongue. I am not ashamed at not being skilled in that which is not my business ; and if any professional man, who has spent his days in schools and colleges, undertakes to criticize me to-night, I have only to say to him, come to my tannery, and do your best, and then see if, while you laugh at my lecture, I have not reason to laugh louder at your leather. If, gentlemen, you had given me an order for leather, you would, I trust, have expected the best quality, and you should not have been disappointed. But, as you have ordered an address, I know that you have done it not expect ing much, and so I have in this also the consolation that you can not be greatly disappointed. Noah Webster, the great American dictionary and school-book maker, says, "A mechanic is a person whose occupation is to construct machines or goods, wares, instruments, furniture and the *An address delivered before the Catskill Mechanic Society, on Thursday evening, December 29, 1842. 21 242 MECHANICS THE ARCHITECTS like." I should define a mechanic to be one who takes certain substances and materials in certain states, and works them into other combinations and conditions, by which they are rendered of higher use and greater value. Some writers on political economy have claimed that the producing class alone add to the national wealth. But what real wealth would there be in wheat, if there were no mechanic in the mill to grind it, and no mechanic in the kitchen to knead and bake it into bread 1 I do not see that the process of growing is any more a creation of wealth than the process of grinding or baking. All are neces sary to render it really of value. In fact, all the distinctions which have been made so laboredly between the usefulness of the producer and non-producer are but efforts to make out something where there is nothing to make out. I am not disposed to deny that even a lawyer, if he be an honest man and not a pettifogger, or a doctor, if he do not doctor too much, may both in their way be promoters of the peace, the health, and the wealth also, of the community. The trader, too, although he neither produces anything nor man ufactures anything, does the exchanging, collects and transports, and thus adds to the value ; and so may it be said of the freighter and shipper, for they employ the mechanic, and in so doing benefit the community, and are promoters of the public wealth. In various ways all honest men help society with their labor and skill ; and if we could but persuade men to be honest and industrious, there would be no trouble about the public wealth. They are consumers of the public wealth, who, destitute of any useful occupation, hve by robbing the industrious by one means or another, — sometimes by the help of bad laws, and sometimes in violation of good ones. The brawling politicians, who are so numerous in our free coun try, belong to the useless, and more than useless class. They have OF THEIR OWN FORTUNES. 243 spared no pains to make it out that there are other ways to get rich, both individually and collectively, much shorter and better than the old way of industry and economy, by which so many mechanics have travelled to competence and wealth. They would make you think that, if you can but have plenty of banks, you will, of course, have plenty of money ; and that, if you can but borrow what you want, it is about as well as to own it. But these delusions of speculators and political gamblers have been pretty essentially used up, within the last five years; and so have, I am sorry to say, a great many worthy men who attempted to practise on the run-in-debt theory. Knowledge is easy to him thatftnderstandeth. Never before, gentlemen, did the mechanic arts occupy so high a position as now. The mechanical discoveries of this century have revolutionized the world. They have almost annihilated space, and outrun time. They have increased the powers of man by the aid of machinery, until one man can now perform the labor of ten, yes, of a hundred men. We should expect that this increase of power would put an end to labor, and make man an idle being, — his work being all done up by a few minutes' exertion, — but the opposite is the case, exactly. The savage, with no other means of conveyance but those which he finds in his own limbs, and no tools better than an axe rubbed from a hard stone, has plenty of leisure. But industry becomes more urgent, as human powers increase. He whose mechanical genius has given him the ability to do the work of fifty men has no time to stop, is always pressed with labor. I need not repeat to you, if I could, the catalogue of the mechanical inventions which have flooded our land. The cotton- gin of the much wronged Whitney, and the spinning-machine of Arkwright, have opened upon the world the boundless benefits of the cotton plant ; so that, in fifty years, cotton has grown from nothing to be the largest commercial article in the world. 244 MECHANICS THE ARCHITECTS The wealth of the richest nation on the globe has been created more from cotton than any other source , and there is nothing, in all the round of things produced, which compares with cotton, in benefiting mankind. Yet cotton without the mechanic is nothing. The application of steam as a power, by means of machinery, has marked an era in the advancement of our race ; and now steam has become a universal servant of man. Horses, oxen, and all animal powers, tire ; but steam labors without fatigue. I need not repeat to you the boundless benefits which are now conferred on mankind by the means of steam. You see them in the magnificent palaces which float upon our noble rivers, transporting their hun dreds of guests from place totplace, with almost the speed of an eagle's flight. You see them in the railroads by which our coun try is intersected and bound together in almost every direction. They are familiar to you as household words. All the physical powers man holds in control by the still higher powers of his own genius. Vast powers pervade matter in all directions ; but there is no soul in cotton, or iron, or steam ; no spirit to move them, — but how numerous their combinations for use and power ! The spirit is all in man. The Great Mechanic, who made the vast machinery of the universe, and created the mighty powers which, one after another, man has found buried in the confusion of matter, He made little man the genius of the whole. Man turns the ships with a little rudder, and lets out or shuts in the tremendous powers of steam by turning a key which he holds between his thumb and finger. Not contented with the powers already at his service, man has thrown his halter over the neck of the thunderbolt, and bade him stop and change his course, or wait his pleasure. Electricity is made to fly from point to point, many miles apart, at the twinkling of an eye, and carry and deliver messages with the docility of a child. OF THEIR OWN FORTUNES. 245 Let me quote to you, on this subject, from the London Quarterly Review : " The electro-magnetic telegraph of Professor Wheatstone, now in use upon the Blackwell and Grand Western Railway, was the first achievement in this science. "The telegraph, with its alarums, goes into a case not larger than that of a small table-clock ; and so simple are its operations that a child can both read and send the messages, with scarcely a minute's instruction. "The electro-magnetic clock of Professor Wheatstone is another of those singular inventions, and one which, though it may be less useful, is certainly not less ingenious and surprising than his telegraph." The object of the inventor was to enable a single clock to indi cate exactly the same time in as many different places, distant from each other, as may be required. A standard clock would then keep in order another clock in each apartment; and then, too, with such accuracy that all of them, however numerous, will beat dead seconds audibly, with as much precision as the standard' astronomi cal time-pieces with which they are connected. But, besides this, the subordinate time-pieces thus regulated vary none of the mechanism for maintaining or regulating the power. They consist simply of a face with its second, minute and hour hands, and a train of wheels which communicate motion from the action of the second hand and to that of the hour hand, in the same manner as an ordinary clock train. I see, by the newspapers, that large numbers of wooden clocks have recently been imported into England from the United States. Professor Wheatstone must keep a sharp look-out, or the Yankees ""ill have their wooden clocks galvanized so that they will all go "(together, and cut out the professor's. If all these benefits, and ten thousand others, have been conferred 21* 246 MECHANICS THE ARCHITECTS on our race by the mechanic arts, we certainly, as mechanics, have no need to be ashamed of our business, or our positions in society. If we look at the men who have been distinguished for useful ness in our world, many of the most distinguished have been mechanics. One of the most popular lecturers of the present day is the learned blacksmith. Among ourselves, many of our mechanics are most useful and highly respected citizens. To con firm this, I need only mention the names of the much lamented William Seaman, Henry Ashley, Foster Morss. It is not wealth, but worth, that makes the man. Other worthy men will occur to your minds, as they do to mine. The list, I am> happy to say, is too long to be all recited. I am sorry to say, in connection with these honorable examples, that the mechanic artists have not been free from examples of a very opposite character. 0, how many mechanics of great skill have destroyed their faculties, and ruined themselves and their fam ilies, by intemperance, by gambling, by indolence ! How many, who might have been respected and happy all their lives, have ren dered themselves miserable and odious by their vices ! A sentiment was at one time prevalent which almost compelled mechanics to be vicious. Practices grew into laws, compelling men to treat and be treated, until genius and skill were changed into besotted stupidity. The wages of a month's labor were expended in a day's debauch. But I will not dwell on this, nor repeat the names which so sadly crowd on my memory and yours. Let us rejoice that a better day has dawned upon us. The odious customs which bad opinions had established have most of them been repealed by more enlightened views. Temperance has performed a mighty work of reformation, and no class of our fellow-citizens have felt the benefits more than mechanics. Let us press on to a still higher state of moral and religious character. Let us do what we can to reclaim those who MECHANICS AND THEIR FORTUNES. 247 have entered upon wrong courses, and to confirm the resolution of those who maintain their integrity. Let us all sustain each other. I rejoice, gentlemen, in the establishment of an association, among the mechanics of our county, for the promotion of knowledge and virtue. I rejoice in the establishment of the respectable associa tion which I have the honor to address this evening. I commend your design. I commend you for all the good you have already done, and all that you intend to do. With the industry and ingenuity of mechanics, I am sure you will be able to overcome all the obstacles which may be in your path. I hope that, with the favor of God, your association may be long and prosperously con tinued ; — that it will do much to promote the intelligence and happiness of its members and their families ; much to elevate the mechanic's character, wherever your influence shall extend ; teach ing that honesty, sobriety, industry, and punctuality, should be the corner-posts of every mechanic's shop. I will close by saying, Learn to think for yourselves. Remem ber you are the architects of your own fortunes. PRACTICAL EDUCATION.* Ladies and Gentlemen : In obedience to the call of the trus tees of the Spencertown Academy, I appear before you on this occasion, and am happy to congratulate both you and them, and the citizens of Columbia county generally, on the completion of this beautiful edifice, and the opening of its halls for the purposes of public instruction. It is truly an ornament to your pleasant village, and reflects honor upon the intelligence and public spirit of those who have taken hold of the enterprise with earnest hands, and have carried it through to its completion. Credit is also due to the fairer portion of creation, who on this occasion have shown themselves truly the " help-meet of man." It is truly an honor to its noble-minded founders, and to the state ; and this beautiful and substantial building is now set apart for the purposes of education, where all may come and taste of the fountain of knowledge, as they go to your neighboring springs to drink in the waters of health. I doubt not, generations yet unborn will rise to bless the memory of the Uberal founders of this academy ; and, if there be any amongst you, who, from avarice or selfish motives, have withheld their due share from this great and noble undertaking, I would say to them, come in even at the eleventh hour, lest your children and posterity should rise up against you ; for, truly, the great object of accumu lating wealth is to be useful. I confess, my friends, that I was not a little surprised, when I received the invitation to address you ; because, as a plain business man, I am not much given to making speeches, and am not in the * An address deUvered at the dedication of the Spencertown Academy, New York, September 23, 1847. PRACTICAL EDUCATION. 249 habit of making pretensions to what I do not understand, or of giv ing promises which I cannot perform. Little did I think I should ever be called upon to address my fellow-citizens on an occasion like this, so near my native place [Stephentown]. Had it been your pleasure to call for an essay upon the qualities of hemlock bark, as used in the preparation of an article without which you would have nothing to stand upon, and but for which, I dare say, not an individual in this assembly would have been here to-day, I should have been ready; for in that field I am at home. Had you required of me to tell you how a young man, thrown penniless upon the world, may carve out his own fortune, by industry, economy, integrity, virtue, and perseverance, I think I could have given some hints upon that subject, also. But I must say I felt great reluc tance, when your worthy trustees invited me here to address you, — because we generally see liberally educated men, men belonging to the class called the learned professions, and not plain farmers or mechanics, singled out to appear, on occasions like the present. I dare say, too, that many a gentleman now before me could give you a much more edifying and instructive address than I shall pretend to offer. All I can promise is, that I will not detain you a great while, in the delivery of a few brief thoughts that have occurred to my mind, amid the busy cares of life, since I received your invitation to be here ; and all I have to ask is, that you will bear in mind that you are listening to a plain man, and give to his remarks just as much consideration as they deserve, and no more. In other words, " Do as you would be done by." We Uve in a free country. So our constitutions and laws tell us ; and, from all that we can see and feel, we believe it is so. The pulpit and the press declare this great truth ; and it is still the burden, occasionally, of our Fourth of July orations. But are we so educated as to understand that we are free 1 to know, in real ity, what freedom is 7 Is enough attention paid, in our higher 250 PRACTICAL EDUCATION. schools and academies, to this great object 1 I think not. There is not one of us, at the present day, who knows anything of oppres sion, as exercised by a despotic government. We never saw it, or felt it, or feared its coming. We all have a voice in public affairs, the poor man just as much as the rich man. We vote just as we please, and for whom we please ; and we sometimes, it would seem, put men up or put them down, just to let them understand that the people govern, — that we are, in fact, the governors. We go to church where we please — and I hope all go to church some where ; we pay what we choose and can afford to do for the sup port of the gospel ; and we know nothing, practically, of kings, lords, or hierarchy, — nothing but what we read in books, or in the current history of other nations of the world. Such being our position,' — substituting, as we do, the government of the people for the rule of a king, — • how important is it that all the people should be educated, so far, at least, as to know their rights and privileges. and how to maintain them ! It has been said by a great man of England — Lord Bacon — that "knowledge is power;" and, if it be true as applied to a monarchical system of government, how much more true is it when applied to a republic ! Young men, remember that you are soon to take the place of your elders ; soon on you this academy will lean for support ; and, before you are aware of it, you will become the pillars of society. The youth now at their studies will soon fill these important sta tions, for good or for evil ; and, truly, the instruction which will here be given will flow forth over the land, if rightly given, by good teachers, dispensing wisdom and power. Our greatest statesmen have, on all occasions, recognized the vast importance of educating the people — the great masses, who constitute the bone and sinews and greatness of a country. Wash ington, though not himself trained to the wisdom of the schools, PRACTICAL EDUCATION. 251 as a great self-taught man and leader among men, recognized this great duty of education. And Franklin, the apprentice boy, who rose to be one of the greatest men of the age, gave his testi mony in favor of education. Let me stop here, just to remind my young friends that they must not adopt it as a rule, that, because Ben Franklin, the philosopher, ran away from his master, therefore all runaway boys will make philosophers ! But what is education? It is the business of life ; and he is the best scholar who is always learning, in the school or out of it, from teachers, from friends, companions, from all about him. Nature is a great teacher, and we may learn many a lesson that may be useful to us from the world of living things around us. The school-room is not the only place where knowledge is to be found, the knowledge which is practical and useful in life. I look upon our schools as the great instruments, under Divine Providence, of opening to the rising generation the grand vista of knowledge; and if I could recommend, any change in our system of education, it would not be to relax their tone, or subject them to any new-fangled theories, but to inculcate upon all teachers the importance of making the pupil thoroughly understand what he is taught, and how to apply it to use. Make everything, as far as possible, practical, substantial ; and, while the scholar is laying up a stock of knowledge generally, his great aim should be to make it available and useful particularly in reference to the trade or occu pation he intends to follow. We know in practical life that men often accomplish much without learning, — but how much easier could they do it with it ! Many of you may be called to fill high stations in government, which you now little think of attaining to. The scholar who feels his way along, carefully and surely, will know every part of the ground he travels over, and can tell you all about it ; whilst one who has been allowed to skim the surface with 252 PRACTICAL EDUCATION. a sort of railroad speed, knows no more at the end of the journey than he did at the beginning, only that he has been over so much ground, has been through certain books in certain studies, and has good marks for lessons, and all that ; but what is in the books, or what he has learned, he cannot, for the life of him, tell ! I have seen some men, wearing coUege honors, who could not state an account, measure an acre of upland, or even tell who was governor ! This may be an extreme case ; but it shows that faults exist in our systems of education, which ought to be remedied. Some say the fault is in the teacher, and others say it is wholly that of the pupil. I am inclined to think there are faults on both sides, — a desire, in both teacher and scholar, to go ahead too fast, to cover too much ground, for the sake of making a show. This getting an education in a few weeks, or months, seems a Uttle Uke imposture. It is not unlike some of the new discoveries for tanning hides, by which good sole-leather is said to be made in six weeks, — while your old- fashioned, thorough method of tanning, requires as many months. Look at the leather produced by each. The one is but half-tanned, green and worthless, while the other is soUd, owns its affinity to the tanner, and is durable. So with a boy pushed ahead too fast in school; — he comes out " half -tanned," and, practically, knows but little more than when he entered it. The truth is, my friends, that education, after all, is principally the work of the individual himself. The idea that a teacher, however patient and faithful, can make a boy learn, without his hearty cooperation, is absurd. Some have supposed that if a young man be sent to the grammar- school, and then to college, he must, of course, become a scholar. But the professors can tell you how great a mistake this is ; and let me tell you, my young friends, that, if you expect to obtain an education without labor, — constant, ever-active and willing labor, — you will find yourselves mistaken. You must labor with your head, as well as your hands. If you aspire to excellence, you must PRACTICAL EDUCATION. 253 work, — work with your teachers, work early and late, and con stantly at your studies, endeavoring to understand everything as you proceed, and never laying by one study for another, until sure that you have mastered it, and never saying " you can't do," but boldly saying " you '11 try." Let every young man remember that he must be the architect of his own fortune. Schools may open their doors, friends may lend a helping hand, — but of what avail is it, if he does not love to study 1 Academies and colleges may open their portals, and extend to him the very best opportunities for instruction ; but on him, after all, it depends whether he will be instructed or not. As the good book saith, "He that asketh receiveth, he that seeketh findeth." Slothfulness in study brings the same result that it does in any business of life — failure and disappointment. Let the young man understand that he has but to study earnestly, and he wiU learn ; if he wishes to become learned, the way is opened to him in our common schools ; and, in such excellent establishments as this, the humblest scholar may rise to the highest honors, if he will only form a steadfast resolution to do so. Set your mark high up, and then strive to reach it. Our country, above all others on the globe, holds out prospects of wealth and honor to the gaze of all, the prizes of such as are found faithful and persever ing to the end. There is no country, under the broad canopy of heaven, where nature has done so much for man, — none where the growth of the whole man is so favored, — as in this free country. And now let me say a few words on what I conceive to be the great secret of every man's success in the struggle of Ufe. It is, decision of character. This is a quality which every young man who hopes to succeed in the world should endeavor to cultivate and estabhsh, and which I think our teachers would do well to encourage and develop. I do not mean, by decision of character, a blustering spirit, for your blusterer is never brave. Nor do I 22 254 PRACTICAL EDUCATION. mean obstinacy, or that sort of rashness which sticks to error because it has been adopted. Neither do I mean that rudeness of manners, or arrogance, which is sometimes thought to proceed from calm purpose and decision. Far different. I mean that decision which looks to truth as its pole star, and has wisdom and virtue for its allies ; that strong and vigorous decision, which embraces the right and despises the wrong, steadily pursuing its ever onward and honorable course. I look upon decision, in this light, as the lead ing characteristic of man, whether in public or private life, in the learned or unlearned professions, in the hum of business or in the domestic circle. Some may, perhaps, say that this is a quality which is born with us, and which cannot be acquired. Without disputing the fact that some men have constitutionally more marked characters and greater courage than others, I am stiU of the opinion that every man possesses the gift to a certain degree, and that he only needs the proper discipline to bring it into action. If it be asked how is this to be done, I answer, it is nothing more nor less than the firm resolve of the mind to do, always, and under aU circumstances, what is right, and to keep doing it. The man who resolves upon this course already possesses the charm which will protect him ; and his way of life will be firm and steady, because he has nothing to fear from the world, and is sure of the approbation of Heaven. In the busy scenes of Ufe, we are, or ought to be, every day of our Uves, learning something, and living to be useful, whether our path lie in the pursuits of literature or the pursuits of wealth. Let the young men who desire to succeed adopt the great prin ciple of doing right, and they will see no Uons in the path. Allow me to say, " Young men, learn to think for yourselves ; " and this will apply as well to the ladies as to the gentlemen. Don't let any think their education completed when they have left the acad emy or the college. When they begin business, and are struggUng PRACTICAL EDUCATION. 255 to be rich, let them remember the wise man's advice to his son, "With all thy gettings, get understanding." If any are strug gling to gather all kinds of knowledge, let them remember that there is a knowledge of conjmon things which is essential, and that in more senses than one it is important for every student to cultivate and preserve a good stock of common sense. It has been my fortune to meet with men, in public and private stations, richly gifted with all sorts of sense except plain common sense. Another lesson to be learned by the young is that of persever ance. There is a good old motto, that " Perseverance conquers all things." So that, when any of my young friends, seeing a heavy task upon them, begin to get discouraged, they have only to per severe. If they fail at one trial, they must try again, and never despair ; and the truth of this good old motto will become apparent to them. Knowledge is easy to him who understandeth, and there are few who by constant and faithful effort fail to win it. It is true that, in this world, we are born to equal rights, but not with equal gifts. There is one talent given to one, two to another, and more to a third, — all to be rightly accounted for in the great day of settlement. There are inequaUties of genius and fortune, because our Maker has so ordered it ; but Providence has endowed all with the capacity of improvement and happiness, and there is no limit set to our progress in knowledge and goodness. All have the power to be good, to be just and merciful, to be kind to one another and to the poor, and to seek the happiness of those around them. All have the power to do good, in one way or another ; and this is one of the first lessons that should be im pressed upon the minds of youth. Is a man prosperous? He should rejoice in the prosperity of others, and be wiUing to "live and let live; " in other words, to " live with his neighbor, and not on him." Is he poor and unfortunate? He should not envy his 256 PRACTICAL EDUCATION. more fortunate neighbor, but set himself to work to find out the real cause why he is not better off himself. Nearly a hundred years ago, a quaint writer, under the signa ture of Poor Richard, gave to the world a Uttle pamphlet, entitled " The Way to Wealth." It was full of striking proverbs, contain ing the wisdom of many ages and nations, which, being thus brought forward, formed one of the most valuable publications ever given to the world. It was pubUshed and circulated aU over this country, and was printed in the different languages of Europe. It was read in our schools ; and the lessons it inculcated, of economy, sobriety, temperance, industry and virtue, were such as should be still taught by every teacher in every school of our land. I need not repeat the glorious maxims which glitter Uke gems in that little book ; but I most earnestly request all my young friends, — and old ones, if there be any who have not often read it, — to procure the tract, and learn it by heart. It contains a vast fund of practical wisdom, which, duly considered, would multiply and extend the means and desire of doing good. My friends, I am sensible I have detained you too long with my desultory remarks. In my youth, I felt the want of such an institution as this ; but I know the value of education in a country Uke ours, and am for doing all that I can to promote the cause. I have lived among an industrious, working people, all my days ; and it gives me great pleasure to be now addressing people of that class, — the bone and sinew of the land, — the only people in the world we cannot do without. If I have met with a reasonable share of success in life, by "minding my own business," it has been owing to the blessing of Heaven upon a Ufe of active industry and perseverance — virtues which I have in my plain way endeav ored to recommend. I rejoice, as a citizen of this great state, in the prosperity of all her various interests. I am proud that she has done so much for her schools and academies, and that you are INDEPENDENCE OF THOUGHT. 257 now to add one more to the thousand springs from whence the streams of knowledge flow to bless our land. In doing all that we can, by encouragement and counsel, in aiding institutions like this, as well as our reUgious societies, we do much to support society, to promote the cause of virtue and reUgion, and to honor the God that made us. 22* LEARNING TO THINK FOR OURSELVES, AND TO MIND OUR OWN BUSINESS.* Ladies and Gentlemen: Were I only to consult my own feelings, in reference to appearing before an audience so highly respectable and intelUgent as the one I now see around me, I should refrain from addressing you on this occasion, and ask some one of the many gentlemen now present to assume the task, and discharge the duty which your committee has assigned to me. But it always has been a maxim with me, that the object of Uving is to do good, and to do all the good we can ; and, while entertaining these views of duty from man to man in the social state, I have not felt at liberty to decUne the invitation to appear before you, this evening. I most heartily approve of associations of this kind, for mutual benefit and improvement. They can scarcely fail to do good, in one form or another, by the information derived from these cheer ful meetings, — the curiosity aroused to read, to hear, and to learn more and more, — and by the spirit of self-respect and self-reliance which these unions of mechanics and reading working-men are cal culated to nourish and sustain. I say, I am warmly in favor of these meetings for improvement, and am wiUing, therefore, to con tribute my mite to the general stock of knowledge which your course of lectures is calculated to produce. The subject to which I would ask your attention, for a brief space, is a very plain one, and, therefore, not often dwelt upon in lectures or addresses. It is one which more naturally calls for ?Address delivered before the Franklin Library Association, Hudson, New York, 1848. ATTENTION TO BUSINESS. 259 practical than theoretical observations ; and you will not, therefore, expect any high-wrought and showy language from me, but a few reflections of a practical kind, in the nature of land-marks, such as the subject and my own experience suggest to my mind. I pro pose to address a few words to all who would earn the title of true mechanics and business men, upon the value of the simple maxim, — "mind tour business." The young mechanics of our country have every reason to be thankful for the privileges which they enjoy in this highly favored land. The iron hand of oppression can never trouble them, so long as they are true to themselves, and fulfil their high duties as sons, brothers and citizens. A comparison of the condition of the mechanics in England, France, or any other part of Europe and the eastern world, with your situation here, ought to fill your hearts with gladness, strengthen your hands, and nerve your arms to defend your high privileges, and to act well your part in the business of Ufe. In England, for instance, the young mechanic, no matter how faithfully he has served out an apprenticeship to a trade, is obliged to continue in the parish where he was born ; or, if he attempt to set up his trade anywhere else, he is compelled to degrade himself, by giving security that he will not become a pauper, and a charge to the parish. Suppose, now, any one of the young mechanics I see here should go down to Catskill and commence business there, and the day he is all prepared, his sign up, and his hands busy at work, the super visors of Greene should step in and ask him to give bonds that he will not become a pauper, — what would he think of it? And yet, such is the law of England. In France, the young mechanic, however industrious and worthy, can, in no case, set up business without a Ucense, — always hard to be obtained ; while in Germany, no young man can set up as 260 ATTENTION TO BUSINESS. master workman, in any trade whatever, except to supply the place of some one deceased, or some person retiring from business. Thank God, my young friends, — and you cannot be too thankful, — that your lot is cast here, in this free and happy land, where no such cruel restraints are imposed, but where each one can pursue his own calUng wherever he chooses to establish himself, with none to molest or make him afraid, and where every young man, who puts forth the necessary energy and perseverance, can assuredly succeed. One would be apt to think, from the common talk of poUticians and statesmen about our institutions, that the only improvement we have made, beyond other countries, is in adopting a free consti tution, where every man has a voice in the government, is a part of it, and bears a part of the sovereignty in his own person. But it is not so ; a greater even than that is the freedom which per vades the social state, — which gives unrestrained scope to talent and industry, — which promises encouragement and sure reward to labor, and which recognizes true worth, in whatever rank of Ufe or fortune it is placed. It is this principle, which, more than any thing else, keeps down the grasping spirit of the aristocracy of power and wealth, and prevents any man, or set of men, from acquiring an undue ascendency or control over our Uves and fortunes. In other countries, mechanics and working men are generally looked upon as an inferior class, — as if industry and labor were something degrading, and to be ashamed of. Men who have hap pened to be born to a title, and to the possession of wealth, plume themselves upon the merit of their ancestors, for want of any of their own ; while he who, by enterprise and energy, earns an independence for himself, and by integrity of character obtains the noblest of aU titles, — that of an "honest man," — is passed by, because he is a mechanic, or the son of a mechanic. ATTENTION TO BUSINESS. 261 My friends, there is something in all this pecuUar to monarchical systems ; and we can pardon the man who conforms to a system that fills his pocket, and gives him power over others. There is something stately and imposing in the aristocracy of old England. It can boast of antiquity ; it has sometimes done service to the state ; and, though it crushes the people like the car of Jugger naut, it is their custom to look up to it, and they are fools enough to prostrate themselves beneath its crushing weight. But what shall we say of those who would assume to be a privileged class in our country ? Of those who would ape the aristocracy of Europe, or the parvenus of our own country, — of those who are weak enough and foolish enough to pretend to despise honest labor, and to neglect, or affect to undervalue, the industrious mechanic and labor ing man, or the tiller of the soil, who furnishes food or raiment alike for us all ? I need not express my opinion of such an absurdity. Such beings are really too contemptible to waste words upon. Your own opinion of all such pretenders to superior rank or station I am sure agrees with mine. I fear they too often Uve, after all, on the labor of others. Happily, the number is small of those who ape the aristocracy of other countries; and, thanks to our free institutions and the republican tendencies of the age, they are every day growing less. The dignity of mechanical pursuits is not. I think, generally under stood. To me it seems to be everywhere undervalued. But, I would ask, is not mechanical labor, in fact, one of the high est and noblest pursuits of man ? What pursuit, let me ask, has produced such great results ? We hear of the old philosophers and astronomers ; but did any of them find out how to make glass, or construct a watch or a water-wheel ? No. Did any one of them discover the art of printing 1 Certainly not ; they were buried so deep in their philosophy, that their principal labors consisted in casting nativities, or searching for the philosopher's stone, while 262 ATTENTION TO BUSINESS. to practical men, to mechanics, the world owes these and other great discoveries. We read of the great Sir Isaac Newton, who developed the system of the universe, and counted some three millions of fixed stars through his telescope. But who made the telescope ? who contrived the wonderful instrument which revealed to him these glories ? A Mechanic ! Who, at a later day, enabled another great astronomer — • Herschel — to penetrate still further into the mysteries of the stars ? Why, it was a practical mechanic, as well as a philosopher. Who made the great telescope which, turned towards the heavens, exhibited, as was estimated, two hundred and fifty thousand stars passing over its fields in a quarter of an hour? A mechanic. Without the aid of the mechanic, then, neither of these great men could have unfolded his sublime conceptions, or have secured the fame which the world has accorded to his discov eries. Look at the great discoveries ; you will see that nothing succeeds, no discovery is made useful, unless the practical mind is there. A poor barber of Bolton, in England, about a hundred years ago, conceived a plan of shortening the labor of spinning cotton, — of making thread by machinery, which from the earhest times had been done by hand, — and, with the aid of a watchmaker of a neigh boring village, he constructed the spinning-jenny, which has added milUons to the wealth of England, and multiplied the comforts of the civilized world. The poor title of Knight was all the reward which the haughty aristocracy of England could concede to the mechanic Arkwright; but his name will live longer than the proudest of theirs, — as long as that of England herself. To the skill of the mechanic the world owes the invention of the cotton-gin, which has tripled the value of the acres of the Southern States, and made fortunes by hundreds of millions to the planters and manufacturers of cotton. And yet I have looked in ATTENTION TO BUSINESS. 263 vain, throughout the cities of the south, for a monument to Whit ney. Though a mechanic, he will outlive the generations to whom he opened the way to wealth, because he put his mark upon the age in which he Uved, and created a monument that can never be destroyed. And the great mechanic of New York, — who would not be proud of the name of mechanic, borne by such a man as Fulton? I need not pursue these reflections here, for I am sure that among the inteUigent people of this flourishing city, which owes so much of its prosperity to the labor and skill of its mechanics, the name and pursuit of the mechanic are properly understood and appreciated. No industrious man is thought the less of here, I venture to say, because he is a mechanic. Our country owes her present unexampled prosperity to the mechanical interests, more than to any other ; and our history, from the Revolution down to this day, shows that our people fully understand the importance of them. The council of the nation. and the legislative bodies of the states, have never been less distin guished or less fortunate from the presence of a due proportion of mechanics in their halls. From the nature of our institutions, it naturally follows that practical knowledge is that most valued, and which everybody wants ; in other words, is that which can do the most good. Like the Christian religion, it is never out of place. The farmer, the mechanic, or the business man, who succeeds in life, will tell you that his success resulted from his practical knowledge, rather than from theory ; and, more than all, from a strict adherence to the maxim, " Mind your Business." Practical knowledge makes the man. Who amongst you can do without it? Eloquence has swayed multitudes, has sometimes perverted justice, and corrupted States ; but did it ever build a monument, construct a telescope, invent the art of printing, dis- 264 ATTENTION TO BUSINESS. cover and apply the tremendous agency of steam, or invent any of the thousand machines which have helped the hand of labor, and blessed the millions of mankind ? Certainly not ; and the practi cal man may say to those most gifted in eloquence, as was said to the great Athenian orator, " What you say, I CAN DO." I look upon intelligence, my friends, as the main pillar in the character of the mechanic ; and the superior advantages which the working-man enjoys in our country, the freedom from restraint and the general intelligence which everywhere prevail, constitute the great difference between the working-man of the Old and of the New World, and furnish an additional reason why every one should act well his part. The eastern nations are favored by nature beyond those of the west, but are oppressed by the tyranny of rulers, and degraded by ignorance. With every encouragement to perseverance, both from the advantages we enjoy from our peculiar cUmate, so well adapted to bring out the whole energies of man, and from the hope of reward, let me urge all young men, mechanics especially, to remember that perseverance conquers all obstacles; and that the promise that he who seeks shall find, and to him that knocks, the door shall be opened, is as true as the ordinary business of Ufe, as in the concerns of immortahty. Learn to take care of yourselves, my young friends ; so shall you cease to be dependent, and be able to fulfil your mission in life, which is to do good. Study men and things, and carefully make up your minds for yourselves. Seek the truth till you find it, and never forsake the paths of virtue. So will you be sure to prosper ; and, though anxieties and difficulties may often beset you, remember that, if you persevere, you will find no Uons in the way. My young friends, whatever may be said to the contrary, man is a working being. It is his destiny, the law of his nature, to ATTENTION TO BUSINESS. 265 labor. He is made for it, and he cannot Uve without it ; and the Apostle summed up the whole matter, when he declared, with emphasis, that "If any would not work, neither should he eat." All the great men who ever Uved were workers ; and you never heard of a reaUy great man who was not a hard worker. The Ufe of every great and good man points to this as a fact. The history of greatness is itself but a history of great labor ; and all the great statesmen, divines, and philosophers or warriors, of ancient and modern times, were renowned as hard workers. This constitutes a part of their fame, and Avithout it they would no longer be famous ; for no one, now-o'-days, hears it said in com mendation of a man, that he can sleep fifteen hours out of the twenty-four ; that he can eat six meals a day, and never get tired of his easy-chair. No, my friends, such kind of praise as that would soon use a man up. I have said that man is a working being. Labor makes wealth, and to none will it apply with more force than to you, my brother mechanics. Learn to labor, and you will have a fortune, if you but save it. Nothing compares with labor; it is the lamp of Aladdin to the poor as well as to the rich. Some may say that it is in vain to try, — it is impossible for me to succeed ; I can't do it ; I am not a lucky one ; I was not born to good fortune. To all such, I would say, as the brave Miller did, when storming the heights at Bridgewater, "Try, sir." That magic word "try" has wrought wonders in the world, I can assure you. Try, my young friends, try. It is true that the success of men is not the same, for the Creator has not endowed aU men aUke ; but the Scripture parable of the talents intrusted to the three servants, and the rebuke administered to the slothful servant, who hid his one talent in the earth, instead of striving to improve it, is an admonition to all to make the best use of the gifts which they have. 23 266 ATTENTION TO BUSINESS. The rich man is often envied for his costly possessions. But who is the truly rich man ? I will tell you : it is not he who has the most money, but he who does the most good in the world ; who does it while living, — for no dead man does any good. We live to learn, and should learn something every day of our Uves ; and we ought to say, freely we receive and freely we will give. Learning is the rich man's ornament, the poor man's riches; and the best of all learning is that which we never repent of, nor wish to forget. When King David gave up his throne to Solomon, he charged him to be strong and show himself a man, — to walk in the ways of the Lord, that he might prosper. And how beautiful is the vision which came to Solomon in a dream, at Gibeon ! He prayed the Lord to give him an understanding heart, that he might judge and discern between the good and the bad. "And God said unto him. because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked it for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies, but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment, behold, I have done according to thy words, and have given thee also that which thou hast not asked, both riches and honor." This grand vision of Solomon is a lesson for all mankind. Such wisdom, such understanding ! Put forth the powers which the great Creator has given you. Do you expect to flourish in this world without exertion ? Can any one hope for success unless he tries to succeed ? Seed-time and harvest are promised to all ; but he who does not sow can scarcely expect to reap. The harvest does not come for him ; and it is vain for him to say he is unlucky, — he certainly will be so always. For what is the use of talent, of skill, of learning, or enterprise, unless you exert it ? The good book tells you that faith without works is dead ; and, if it be true in spiritual things, how much more so in temporal ! We read of a bigoted Spanish monarch, who refused to have a ATTENTION TO BUSINESS. 267 canal cut across some part of his dominions, because, said he, if God had designed it, he would have made it. It is of a piece with those narrow and wretched views of life and duty which would make man a mere animal, without intelligence or usefulness. No, my young friends, action and effort are necessary to accom plish the end of life. God has placed mines of wealth in the earth, in ores of iron, copper, silver and gold ; but we must dig to find them, must labor to bring them from the bowels of the earth. Action, I say, action is necessary, and without it no one can suc ceed ; the sea-faring man might as well throw up his chart and compass, and depend upon the winds and currents of the ocean. There are lucky men in the world, my friends, as you have often heard and seen, no doubt ; but this thing, let me say to you, I never saw a lucky man, nor heard of one, who was not an active man, and who did not try to be lucky, and labor hard to win his good fortune. Accident may sometimes lead to great enterprises. But you will find, in such cases, the mind of the fortunate man was directed with intense eagerness to the object which he at last accompUshed. He did not let the subject chain a little of his attention, but a good deal. He laid down his landmarks, he studied, he pushed ahead, determined to succeed ; and he did suc ceed. It was so with Sir Isaac Newton ; it was so with Franklin, Fulton and Whitney, and so it may be with you, my young friends. I have said that there is no country on the globe so well calcu lated to produce the whole man as our northern region. This is proved by the fact that the enterprise of the Yankees pushes itself into the remotest corners of the earth. I was some time since trav elling in company with an intelligent Englishman, when the con versation turned upon the adventurous spirit of the Americans. He said he had travelled in all parts of the globe. When in the northern seas, he went as far as an Englishman dared to go, and there he heard that the Yankees were a hundred leagues 268 ATTENTION TO BUSINESS. further north, catching whales. In the centre of Russia, he found the enterprise of the Yankee engaged in making railroads, engines and locomotives ; and was there told of a party of Yan kees going to Lapland, with air-tight stoves ! In the interior of the great Mogul empire, he met these persevering Yankees ; and crossing the Great Desert of Sahara, who should overtake him but a camel-driving Yankee, with India-rubber water-bags for market! He could only stop to say, "How are you? If you see any of my countrymen, say that I am well, and hope to dine with the Prince of the Arabs in nine days more. Good-by!" Yankee indomitable perseverance stops for nothing. With a con stitution as hardy as that of the grizzly bear, an eye that glances over a continent, a mind that grasps at a single view all God's creation, — such is the high-wrought opinion of an Enghsh traveller of Yankee enterprise and perseverance. I beUeve it is a pecuUar trait of our people, and that great good is yet to grow out of it, for the benefit of the whole world of mankind. One of the great secrets of success in Ufe is perseverance. Let me commend it to you, one and all. When trials and discourage ments dishearten you, and you feel as though you could not sur mount your difficulties, perseverance wiU save you, and prove the sword of Alexander to cut the Gordian Knot. Never give up, my friends ; never despair. I see before me young men, some of whom it is no vain thing to prophesy will yet become known and distin guished in the world, and be called, perhaps, to high and honorable stations. I bid them God speed ; and I would whisper in the ear of every one, and ask him to remember the talismanic words, Mind your Business ! It is homely advice, but it is nevertheless good advice, and never yet led any one astray. I have seen many, in the course of my dealings with men, and acquaintance with the ladies, who have made themselves useful, rich and happy, by Minding their own Business; and I can truly ATTENTION TO BUSINESS. 269 say, I have never found the person yet who ever regretted it. The maxim may with propriety be addressed to all classes. You who are in humble Ufe, who would be respected and esteemed, if you wish others to aid you, let me tell you that the first step is to Mind your Business. You who are rich must remember that a due observation of this great maxim made you rich ; and that, if you would not be poor, you must continue to Mind your Busi ness. To the poor man who wishes to be rich, there is no surer way than to Mind his Business. You now and then, perhaps, see a farmer hanging about a tavern or store, while his neighbor's brindled cow or unruly steer is in his corn-field, his fences broken down, or the gate to his field left carelessly open. How excellent a thing it would be for that man, if he would only Mind his Business. The mechanic, too, instead of wasting the hours of the morning or evening in running up scores at the tavern or the grog-shop, would find it vastly for his comfort, and that of his family, to Mind his Business. The pettifogger who thrives best when he can set people by the ears would earn a better name, if he would Mind his own Busi ness; and the honest lawyer, who would earn the confidence of his clients, the respect of jurors and of the bench, must Mind his Business. The man ambitious of honors, and sacrificing his time and money, and sometimes making a guilty conscience to obtain them, wiU learn, perhaps, when it is too late, that it would have been better for him to Mind his Business. The man who for popularity neglects his own affairs, and suffers them to go to ruin, certainly misses a figure when he neglects to Mind his Business. The clergyman who would save the souls of the congregation intrusted to his charge, instead of busying himself with pohtics or 23* 270 ATTENTION TO BUSINESS. affairs of state, or making to himself friends of the mammon of unrighteousness, should Mind his proper Business. The physician who would stand well in a community must not be seen too often in a dram-shop, or at a frolic, at a horse-race, or a barbecue ; but be ready, at all times, to do all the good he can by Minding his Business. The shoemaker, tailor, wheelwright, or carpenter, who each promised you a job of work during a certain week, but, instead of going to work, went off to a squirrel-hunt, would each have made more money, and secured more custom, had he stuck to his bench, and Minded his Btisiness. You who are in office, high or low, the best thing you can do, if you wish to keep it, is to mind your business. And you who wish for office, let me tell you that it would be a great deal better for you, in the long run, to Mind your Business. To the busy-body, the fault-finder, wherever they may be, and to the critic, who finds it easier to detect the faults of other people than to mend his own, I would say, in all mildness, Mind your Business. And now, ladies, lest you might think that I intentionally neglect you in this connection, • — • for I know that, in all the best interests and pursuits of men, you have a controlling influence, and the greatest share in forming their characters for Ufe, for good or evil, — permit me to say to you, in the language of respect and kindness, and I hope you will not take offence at it, be pleased to Mind your Business. In short, my friends, Mind your Business, homely as the maxim is, may be well applied to every pursuit in life. Mind your Business, you who would creep up to high stations; and be sure to mind your business, you who think yourselves up, lest you faU. Mind your Business, you that would be rich; and ATTENTION TO BUSINESS. 271 you that are poor, if you would not be poorer still, Mind your Business. To all, in whatever station placed, — the rich, the poor, the humble, the exalted, the proud, the lordly, the ambitious, young and old, male and female, in whatever condition or pursuit, in whatever station your lot is cast, — if you would succeed in life, if you would be loved and respected, if you would be happy, — remember this maxim, "Mind your Business." The more you think of it, the more you will Uke it ; the oftener you ponder over these three words, Mind your Business, the more you will find in them ; and the more you will learn to prize the simple maxim, because it embodies the secret of the success of every one in life, — the success of the whole man. And, my friends, I will here close the labors of the orator, quite content practically to apply my own advice, by Minding- my own Business. " In the world's broad field of battle, In the bivouac of life, Be not like dumb, driven cattle, — Be a hero in the strife ! " Lives of great men all remind us We can make our lives sublime, And, departing, leave behind us Footsteps on the sands of time. " Let us, then, be up and doing, With a heart for any fate ; Still achieving, still pursuing, Learn to labor and to wait ! " THE DIGNITY OF LABOR, AND THE TRUE POSITION OF THE MECHANIC* Mechanics and Friends : The great object of living is to be useful, — useful to ourselves, to our neighbors, and to our country. In this spirit, my friends, I have accepted your call to the chair of this institution, and your invitation to be present on this occasion. My purpose is to offer some observations, in my plain way, upon a few of the many subjects interesting to the mechanic and truly practical man ; and if anything that a working-man and tanner can say will be of service to you, you are heartily welcome to it. You will not expect, however, any flowery harangues or richly- turned periods from me ; for most of you know that I have had, through life, a better acquaintance with matters of fact than of fancy ; and I assure you that, while I have a high opinion of what is caUed oratory, as well as fine writing, I have a still higher opinion of what we plain mechanics sometimes caU practical com mon sense, — I mean that sort of training and education which leads to practical, substantial results; which, instead of sending men through the world complaining of Providence, and laying plans and telUng what they mean to do, actually put their shoulder to the wheel, and do something for their own good and the benefit of mankind. The gold of eloquence, or the sUver of rhetoric, I have none ; but such as I have, bring I unto you. It has been sometimes said, my friends, that we mechanics have hard hands. Be it so ; but no matter for that, so long as the *An address delivered January 16, 1849, before the Mechanics' Institute of the city of New York. THE MECHANIC, AND LABOR. 273 heart is warm, and in the right place. Better is the man who has a hard hand than a hard heart. Better is he whose hand shows the marks of honest toil, but who has a sound, Uving, Uberal heart within, than the man with soft and delicate palm, who has no heart at all, or, what is just as bad, a heart that is chilled by the love of gain, is miserly, ice-bound in all its objects, ungrateful to the Giver of all blessings, warmed by no sympathy for his feUow- man. My friends, who is nature's nobleman ? I am sure you will say, as / do, he is the working-man, who, with an honest heart, open hand, and cheerful face, meets you half way, with a hearty grasp, and with a soul that feels every word he says, and a coun tenance which displays the light of kindred feeling in the human heart. What is man, indeed, without a kindred feeling for his brother? A cold, marble-hearted image of death itself, — like the miser, withered by the icy hand of selfishness. My friends, shall I ask you what constitutes the true wealth of this great country ? You will answer, and you will answer truly, it is labor. Fix it how you will, — let who will live upon our bread and butter, beef and pork, — still labor Ues at the foundation of all, and without it neither society nor civiUzation could exist. He, who derides labor, or undervalues it, strikes at the order of nature, the foundation of society, at civiUzation, and at Christianity itself. Labor is the very gold of Ophir, the true intrinsic wealth of a nation. Yes, the hardy tillers of the soil are the foundation, and the industrious, working mechanics are the support, the builders, of our mighty fabric of national wealth, independence and happiness. I here repeat what I have often said, that the laboring men and mechanics of our country are the true bone and sinew of the land, the main-spring and support of the machine of government. They are, in truth, the creators of a nation's wealth ; and would to God, my friends, that I could make you feel your real importance in the 274 THE MECHANIC, AND LABOR. community; that I could sufficiently impress upon your minds the conviction that you are, in our happy country at least, the great artificers of the national prosperity, — nay, the most important part and parcel of the government itself. If the tyrant Louis XIV., in the glory of his most splendid reign, could utter, in the pride of his borrowed royalty, the sen tence, "lam the state," with how much more truth can we say, and how much more noble and true does it sound, when we, the people, say " We are the state " ! My friends, I wish you seri ously to reflect upon this point, and to consider its bearings upon your own and the nation's welfare. Where the mechanics are down-trodden and depressed, made hewers of wood and drawers of water to those who have robbed them of their rights, then such a monster as Louis, and other crowned heads, might well say, "I am the state ;" but let labor be honored as it is here, let light be shed upon the great deeps of despotism as we now see it beginning to beam in Europe, and you will see the people there, as here, rising up in their majesty, and saying to their banished monarchs, " We are the state ! Let there be no more kings or queens ! " I maintain that the mechanic is not only the architect and builder of his own fortune, of society's and of a nation's prosper ity, but that his is one of the most independent classes in the com munity. The professional man depends upon his mental gifts, or acquirements ; and when he fails, as he sometimes does, to gain the popular favor, or, by some sudden change, loses it, he is put to desperate shifts to earn a UveUhood; and not unfrequently, my friends, have you and I seen the crest-fallen lawyer, or proud statesman or politician, humbly suing for aid at the comfortable fire-side of the mechanic. I say, then, that the skilful artisan is an independent man ; for, place him in whatever part of the world you may, he can always secure bis bread, because he is capable of doing something that is useful to his fellow-man. The story of THE MECHANIC, AND LABOR. 275 the two men cast away among savages is an apt illustration. One was a gentleman, — the other was a basket-maker. The basket- maker was well treated, because he could do something for him self; but the savages, in their simplicity, could not understand what a "gentleman" was, — and the basket-maker's handiwork saved the poor gentleman from starving. In the circles of false refinement, or where true refinement per haps never dwells, you may hear the expression sometimes used, as if in derision or commiseration, " 0, he is only a mechanic ! " It may seem strange, but there are men, and women too, who can boast no other Uneage themselves, and who, when told of this poor man's misfortune, or that man's sudden fall, pass over the matter with the cold remark of " He is only a mechanic — no matter. God help him, — he is only a mechamc." God does help him, my friends ! God helps those who help themselves ; and I say it boldly here this day, that there are more happy, prosperous, ay, noble men, among the mechanics of this our land, than in any other class of equal numbers. " Only a mechanic ! " Why, I remember there was a certain man called Felix, in the Scriptures. What his pedigree was, I do not know ; but his countrymen were a proud race, and hated the mechanics. But one of these despised mechanics, a tent-maker, made this same Felix tremble. " Only a mechanic ! " Why, Noah was a ship-wright, Solomon an archi tect. And who built the pyramids ? who, the ancient cities whose ruins all the historians, philosophers and learned men of modern times, are unable to explain ? The great temples of the holy city, Tyre and Sidon, Balbec, PersepoUs, Babylon, Palmyra, Thebes, and other wondrous monuments of the east, whose magnificence no modern art can excel, — who built them? "0, it was only mechanics ! " In another place, and on a different occasion, I aUuded to the impulse given to modern improvement, and the change wrought 276 THE MECHANIC, AND LABOR. upon the face of the whole world, by the invention of Faust, who gave light and knowledge to all mankind, — by the discoveries of Columbus, the science of Franklin, the ingenuity of Arkwright, the genius of Fulton and of Whitney, — mechanics, all, — -ay, " nothing but mechanics." I need not attempt to say what we owe, what this nation owes, what the civilized world owes, to these great men. All the improvements that were ever made by all the kings and emperors, and by all the artists, poets, philoso phers and statesmen, that ever Uved, you may pile up in one scale, and they are outweighed by the discoveries of Faust, Fulton and Whitney. And yet these men were " only mechanics ! " You have a right to be proud, my friends, and I certainly feel proud, that Franklin, and Fulton, and Whitney, all were country men of yours and mine, though they were "only mechanics." I feel as if I could hold up my head proudly, when I can say that, young as we are as a nation, such is the free scope and tendency of our institutions, and of our glorious cUmate, to foster the full energies of the mind, and to produce the whole man, that, in all the useful mechanic arts, we are outstripping the nations of the Old World. In arts and in arms, and in every worldly pursuit of man, our advancement stands unequalled since the world began. I saw a statement somewhere, not long since, whether true or false I know not, that the King of the Belgians refused to receive an ambassador from the French republic, because he was " only a mechanic." He was a man of rank, to be sure, — had earned it by industry and integrity, and was honored at home, in regenerated France, — but, sad to relate, dreadful to think of, he was once a shoemaker at Brussels ! Follies of this sort we might expect from the present race of kings ; and it is no wonder that, as the arti sans, the mechanics, the working-men, learn to think for them selves, and arise to assert their rights, the crowned heads take to their heels. Mechanics, my friends, have been tyrannized THE MECHANIC, AND LABOR. 277 over, for centuries, in Europe. Titled profligates, in church and state, have trodden them under their feet. To keep them from knowing their rights, it has ever been the policy of tyrants to keep the people in ignorance. To prevent their accumulation of the means of resistance, they have degraded labor, and absorbed its fruits. Our Ught, a great beacon raised on high, shines among the nations. We offer an asylum to the oppressed of all the earth. MilUons of the toiUng sons and daughters of Europe are now turn ing their eyes for safety, and seeking homes in our favored land ; for the inevitable tendency of the institutions of the Old World is to drive the laboring and working classes to the New, — and, thank God, there is room enough for all. Allow me to call your attention, for a moment, to the present condition of Great Britain, the most stable of any European mon archy. I find, from authentic statements, that the number of per sons owning lands in England is thirty thousand, in Scotland three thousand, and Ireland six thousand, — only thirty-nine thou sand in the whole, — leaving more than twenty-five millions of the population who do not own a single foot of God's creation. In 1780 — no further back than that — the number of landed proprietors was two hundred and fifty thousand ; so you may see how rapidly aU the lands in Great Britain are passing into the hands of the few, — into the hands of the nobles, and favorites of church and state. Here is a specimen of the landlord and tenant system; and it is one to which, perhaps, a Uttle "anti-rent" and "free soil" leaven might well be applied, without harm. And I may add, in this connection, that, while here, in our country, every man has a voice in the government, and in the choice of his rulers, in England only one in nineteen is allowed the privilege of voting, in Scotland one in thirty, and in Ireland one in forty-three. Is it strange, then, that, under such institutions, where labor is degraded, and industry deprived of its reward, — 24 278 THE MECHANIC, AND LABOR. where the poorly-sheltered and poorly-fed millions are compelled to toil for landlords, priests and aristocrats, — 'is it strange that there should be misery and starvation, bloodshed, riots and revo lutions ? No ; it would seem more strange if there were none. The truth is, the people cannot always remain down-trodden and oppressed. Their efforts during the year that has passed have excited your sympathy. The great God of battles will yet, we trust, crown their efforts with victory ; and we may still hope to see our Ught shine across the ocean, and our great example point ing ever to the pole-star of Uberty and happiness. My friends, while reflecting upon the condition of other lands and climes, we should not be unmindful of the great blessings we here enjoy. As mechanics, as artisans and manufacturers, you are the creators of a nation's wealth, as well as your own. No odious task-master here can grasp the fruits of your industry. Your time is your own ; your money is your own, for you have earned it, and you have a right to employ it in any lawful pursuit you please, and to enjoy it as you please. You can dwell in peace ; you can worship where you will ; there is no galUng yoke of an estabhshed church upon your necks ; and if your servants, the officers of gov ernment, state, national or local, abuse their trusts, and go con trary to your interests or wishes, you have the remedy in your own hands ; — you can easily get rid of them, not by resorting to barricades and the cartridge-box, but by the never-failing remedy of the ballot-box. But you have duties to perform, my friends, as citizens, neigh bors, members of the great community of working and active men. Rome was not built in a day, nor can anything great or noble in human existence be accompUshed without labor. It is the boast of the working-man that he can do what he says. You all remem ber the story of the two Athenians offering themselves for office. The one, an eloquent man, sought their votes with promises of THE MECHANIC, AND LABOR. 279 great things. He had done nothing for his country, but harangued the people long and loud on their rights, and what he should do for them. The other, a brave man, but of few words, arose and said, " All that this man says, I do." The man of deeds, rather than of words, was chosen. So with mechanics, my friends, — while the mushroom politician, the self-sufficient aristocrat, seeks to gain popularity with the people by promises and loud profes sions of honeyed words, the plain mechanic, the true working-man, goes forward and accomplishes what the other promises. He is a man of deeds, rather than of words. The mechanics of our country, active and intelUgent as they are, may proudly hold up their heads as a body, and say boldly to the poUticians and the orators of the day, " What you promise, we do." While making these observations, you will understand that I do not undervalue the occupation of the merchant or professional man, or any useful calling, — aU being necessary in the, great whole. My friends, I see around me, in this great metropolis, destined to be the greatest in the world, evidences not only of what mechan ics can do, but what they have done. Go through your streets of palaces, and there you wfll see what the mechanic has done. Go into your pubUc edifices, your Exchange, your temples devoted to worship, and your haUs of education, and there you will see the handiwork of the mechanic. Look into your banks, your city councils, and then abroad into your state and national legisla tures, and you will see the mechanics duly represented. I may also say, that, in every department of society and of government, in pubUc stations and private enterprises, you will invariably find that man the most useful, the most successful, the most iUustrious and beloved, who early learned the lessons of labor, and to think for himself, — who was always up to his business, but never above it. Before closing, I may, perhaps, be aUowed to offer you a few words of advice. Allow me to say to apprentices, guardians, or 280 THE MECHANIC, AND LABOR. men employed in any and in all situations, make yourselves useful ; yes, make your time, your talents, so necessary, that your employer cannot do without you, and then will come a price equal to your earnings, or a partnership worth your having. It belongs to you who would rise in the world, to mind your business, and remember that a man is known by his works as well as by the company he keeps ; — and I will add, I have never known a person regret being honest, frugal, industrious and prompt, a lover of order, and a respecter of the Sabbath. Young men are not apt to be conscious of what they are capable of doing. They are too often daunted by difficulties ; they see too many lions in the path. They do not task their faculties, nor improve as they ought the gifts that God has bestowed. Some are too diffident to suc ceed well in a world of strife. Others are too proud to ask advice, or to follow it when honestly given. More young men are ruined by false pride than by anything else, except laziness. Therefore, my young friends, be willing to be advised by those who have experience. Consult the wise and good, and profit by their exam ples. If you would succeed in life, let your motto be not only to look ahead, but go ahead! Set your mark high, and strive to reach it. You can succeed, if you will. Remember, my young friends, the almost omnipotent power of perseverance, the power of industry and of labor. Remember, you who are just beginning the world, that fourteen or sixteen hours a day are sure to foot a good account, and seldom need an endorser. You must remember, also, that " Order is Heaven's first law," and that the Scripture tells us to "Let everything be done decently and in order." The man of method is generally a suc cessful man. The neglect of this great principle has ruined its tens of thousands. An exceUent rule is, "Let nothing be neg lected this day." I may add a good word, which is none the less true and useful because I have before said it, — a very plain and THE MECHANIC, AND, LABOR. 281 simple maxim, in which any of you may find the important secret of success in Ufe, — and that is, " Mind your business." In what ever you undertake, pursue it steadily, if you wish to succeed; for, wherever there is a will, there is a way. But do not be led away by the idea that property is the only thing necessary to your comfort and happiness. Remember that worth makes the man, and not money. Neglect your minds and your morals, and aU the money in the world can neither make you happy, useful or honored. Remember, then, the advice of the wise man, and, " With all thygettings, get understanding." Bear in mind that the mechamc should educate his head, his hand, and his heart; he will thus learn to distinguish good from evil, to know how to supply his wants and add to his comforts, and how to dispense blessings to all around him. In passing through your schools, and observing the young, eager and intelligent faces, it was a pleasing thought to fancy that I there beheld many who are destined hereafter to fill high posts of trust and honor ; that from these would come your princely mer chants, your aldermen, mayors, representatives, men of iron nerves, warm hearts, and clear heads, ready to compete for the highest places in pulpit, bar or forum, and even perhaps the highest office in the gift of a free people. Nor was a glance at the female department less satisfactory. Why may they not rank, by their industry, intelUgence and virtue, among those whom America wiU be proud to number among her devoted and patriotic daughters ? I may add, in closing, that not for ourselves alone is the grand law of nature inscribed on all the Creator's works ; not for himself, but for others, does the sun dispense his beams ; not for them selves alone do the clouds distil their showers, nor the teeming earth unlock her treasures. So, my brother mechanics, it is not for himself alone, but for others and for all, that the blessings of 24* 282 THE MECHANIC, AND LABOR. God are so plentifully bestowed upon man. All that any of us can say is, that we are the almoners of God's bounty, and that we have duties to perform, not only for ourselves, but for the good of others, in order to fit us for happiness here or hereafter ; for the man who Uves only for himself is Uke a bleak and barren rock, desolate, fruitless, and worthless. TEMPERANCE.* Fellow-Citizens : It gives me great pleasure to meet with you on the present occasion, and to lend my humble aid in the promotion of so good and glorious a cause. And, although rather late in the day, allow me in the first place, ladies and gentlemen, to wish you all a Happy New Year. In our late war with Mexico, the ladies with their fair fingers wove many of the colors which waved in the battle-field, and urged on our gallant countrymen to victory. But in this great moral conflict with intemperance, the daughters of our land have not con tented themselves with preparing our banners, but, with woman's true devotion, they have stood by us in the fight. And, now, the presence of the fairer portion of creation lightens our labors, and is indispensable to our success. Of late, there has been much excitement, and great diversity of opinion, respecting the propriety of annexing new territory; but of the importance of taking immediate possession of the wh.ole terri tory of Intemperance, all will agree. But, to accompUsh this, we must not stand still, — we must keep moving ; for all nature teaches us this great lesson, Action ! Action ! Onward ! Onward ! Let our cold water army, then, advance boldly into the enemy's country, resolving that, whenever we meet the foe, we will conquer. But, feUow-citizens, I have always been a strong lover of system in everything ; and I would therefore respectfully suggest that to * Address delivered to the Temperance Society at Prattsville, on taking the chair at their New Year's Meeting. 284 TEMPERANCE. the various regiments shall be assigned particular duties. For instance, let the ministers of the Gospel, with the weapons of love, attack their opponents in the church. Let the lawyers dash man fully into the ranks of their legal brethren. Let the doctors attack the medical fraternity, — and so on with every trade and profession, — and, my word for it, we shall take more prisoners than we shall know where to accommodate. The good book tells us that " of those to whom much is given, much will be required." With a country, then, blessed with a free government, with the finest climate in the world, and one which Providence has destined to favor the growth of the whole man ; with natural scenery for variety and magnificence unsurpassed ; where the fields teem with wealth, and the whole face of the land is covered with plenty ; where are millions of gifted men, of untiring energy, and intelli gence of the highest order ; and with the smile of woman, too, ever ready to cheer the labors of the wise, and add flowers to the laurels of the brave, — how great is our responsibility ! Thus preemi nently favored by the goodness of the Creator, how sacred is our duty to take the lead in this great reform, and by our example proclaim to the whole world, " This is the way, — walk ye in it." In a great country like this, destined to be the largest upon the face of the earth, and into which the tide of emigration is con tinually pouring, it is our especial duty to take the lead, and, in the spirit of a lofty daring, to say, not "Go on," but Come on! Example is a Uving lesson. Every action has a tongue. Let us, then, show to the whole human race how great an amount of good can be accomplished by indomitable perseverance. And let us march onward, until the glorious news shaU be borne on the Ughtning wings of the electric telegraph, from one end of the country to the other, that Intemperance is no longer ! But it is to you, reverend gentlemen, who are the moral standi- TEMPERANCE. 285 ard-bearers of the country, that we must chiefly look, to lead the vast multitudes out of the modern Egypt, through the Red Sea of Intemperance ; and, being unto them a pillar of cloud by day, and a piUar of fire by night, to conduct them safely through the wilderness to the Promised Land. But, my fellow-citizens, one of my strongest reasons for advo cating this glorious cause is the rich blessings it will shed upon the home of the laboring man. The working classes are the real foundation of the prosperity of our country. They are the true bone and sinew ofthe land, — the real wealth. Be it, therefore, our care to guard them from this greatest of all their enemies, Intemperance, which has so long robbed the poor man of the fruits of his labor, filled his household with sor row, and multipUed widows and orphans through the land. In the course of my life, I have, at various times, employed many thousand men ; and I always found that the man who revered the Sabbath, and practised temperance, was the safest man to employ. I, therefore, ardently hope that the day is not far dis tant when this poisonous serpent shall no longer creep into the cottage of the laborer, to devour the fruits of his industry. When Peter the Great, of Russia, desired to abolish the fashion of wearing long beards, he commenced by depriving the rich men and the nobles of the useless appendage ; wisely observing, that the poor would give no trouble, as they would naturally imitate the rich. And, although in this country, thank God, we bow to the will of no man, this may serve as a hint to the wealthy. Shall we, my friends, in the prosecution of this mighty enter prise, ask the aid of government ? No ! for we are the govern ment. Shall we, then, to aid us in carrying out our principles, enforce the law? No ; for, by our example, we will show that Temperance is wisdom ; and that all her ways are ways of pleas antness, and all her paths are paths of peace. 286 TEMPERANCE. In a few years, my friends, we shall all have passed away. Let us, then, be up and doing, while life lasts. Let us do well, leav ing it for those who come after us to do better. In conclusion, I would say to you, whose faith is equal to your works, let your prayers go up to Him who has said, " Ask, and ye shall receive," that he will bless this good work ; and, in the power of his might, speedily cause the sin of Intemperance to cease from the land. For, as I look around upon this intelUgent audience, I am sure there is not one who with me will not respond to the sen timent that, with Heaven on our side, we have nothing to fear; and who, with a voice of joyful enthusiasm, will not exclaim, " If God be for us, who can be against us ? " ACT WELL YOUR PART.* " Honor and shame from no condition rise ; Aot well your part, — there all the honor lies." Gentlemen : The couplet of the poet, though conveying what may be deemed an obvious truth, is full of wise meaning, which nothing but long and close study of the life of man could have suggested ; and yet that study was not, in his case, in the company of men who, Uke you and me, were accustomed to toil, corporeally and mentally, for ourselves and others. His was the knowledge of facts, in the circumstances of those around him, whose vocations he had known, and whose progress to honor and fame he had wit nessed : but he never smote the heated bar on the anvil, or guided the share through the furrow, or threw the shuttle for the weaver's beam. He never appUed chemistry to the arts and man ufactures, or tested its agencies in mechanic Ufe. That he wrought industriously with his pen, — that powerful instrument for good or iU, — there is no doubt ; and, as mind is superior to matter, his labors may have been — and, as is generally beUeved, were — useful to the literary world; but as a useful citizen, blending physical with mental labor, he could not compare with thousands of his day and of ours, of less acute and less cultivated intellect. Hence it is that he was the mere chronicler of a fact, but could not say, as an ancient poet made one of his heroes say, "All which I saw, and most of which I was." He was no part of the mechanic age in which he Uved ; but he *An address prepared for delivery before the Mechanic's Society, Baltimore, Maryland, 185 J ; but not delivered, on account of illness. 288 ACT WELL your part. states a fact honorable to our nature, and undisputably true, — true in his day and country, and true in our day and country, — true in a monarchy, and true in a repubUc. Painters as well as poets, tanners as well as historians, the inventors of cotton-gins and spinning-jennies as well as statesmen, soldiers as weU as generals, have been elevated to distinction by the fact of their having "acted weU" their several parts; and it was no empty boast of the Roman general, Marius, who rose from obscurity to the Consulate, that, if the patricians despised his mean birth, he despised their mean actions ; — that he could show the spoils which he himself had taken from the vanquished, and could point to his honorable scars won in seas of blood and scenes of action, where those effeminate patricians dared not to show their faces. He acted well his part as a soldier and general, and consul of Rome. The world, even the lazy and idle world, admire industry, and enterprise, and courage, and fortitude, and patience ; and, without pausing to ask whence they spring, they ask who possesses them, and him they honor. In monarchies, the sovereign head of the state, the theoretical fountain of all honor, calls to distinction, and ennobles, by rank, all, of every vocation, however humble their origin, who render special service to the country; and, in our country, where the government rarely rewards merit or honors industry, the people, the true sovereigns, never fail to mark with their approbation the man who acts well his part. They never fail either to discover or appreciate, or to recompense by their favor, him who faithfully serves his fellow-countrymen. Our glorious constitution, framed by sages unsurpassed by the great men of any age, puts up no bars against the advance ment of our citizens, either on account of their religion, their birth-place, their poverty, or their occupation. It matters not, in ACT WELL YOUR PART. 289 this free land, whether a man be a judge or a ploughman; whether he ministers in the temples of religion, labors in the smithy, or assuages the "ills that flesh is heir to" by his medical skiU, — prevents disease by fashioning leather to exclude the wet and cold from the feet, or weaves fabrics for the protection of the rest of the body, — each is honored, respected, and compensated, in his respective vocation, if he evinces his fitness for it, if he acts well his part. It may be said that popular applause is not worth having, and that " instability" is written on every record of pubUc favor; but there is, inherent in the heart of every one worthy the name of man, — fit to Uve here, and be immortal hereafter, — there is "a divinity that stirs within," — call it conscience, or call it what we may, — that does, sooner or later, control the actions of all men, and render them desirous of having it said of each, "He acted well his part." This divinity is worthy of all adoration. It whispers courage to the faint and weary ; it gives strength to the feeble, persever ance to the flagging, hope to the discouraged, victory and triumph to the self-denying and indefatigable. It stimulates, invigorates, cheers all, from the highest to the lowest, to press on, to surpass cotemporaries, and to distance progenitors in the march of human improvement in the attainment of human exceUence, in approx imating to that perfection which is to be hereafter. This inward friend of man teaches him that, whatever may be the advantages of some in wealth, in social or political position, others, without the advantages of birth, or station, or position, in the great race of life, may, by appUcation, — by the right use of the thews and sinews, the heart and mind, with which they are endowed, — overtake the best-trained courser, and, if not pass him at the goal, come out full-breathed and in time, and prove that he has acted well his part. 25 290 ACT WELL YOUR PART. That wealth and position are important auxiliaries to every one who aspires to contribute to human happiness, is undeniable ; but they are not indispensable essentials. He who is resolved to suc ceed is not intimidated by opponents, discouraged by repeated failures, deterred by obstacles, daunted by dangers, terrified by the wastes and forests through which he must pass, nor rendered desperate by reverses. If his wagon is stalled, he puts his shoul der to the wheel ; if he cannot ride, he will walk ; if the winds whistle and the tempests roar, he waits the luUing of the storm. If the deluge of unpopularity threatens to engulf him, he breasts himself to the shock, and becomes immovable as "the everlasting hills" in his purpose. He will act well his part. It is of little moment in what business we may engage, if it be honest and useful ; what art we may cultivate, what science explore, what labor achieve; the manifest duty of man is to pursue steadily, honestly, soberly and actively, whatever he undertakes. Not content to reach as far as others have reached, we must strive to surpass them in one or every particular of their attain ments. This may often be done by the Ught of day ; but, in case of need, the midnight oil must be burned, rest must be abridged, and the cravings of appetite but partially appeased. In the sweat of our brow must we earn even our bread. What must we not suffer, if we would teach others how to earn their bread, or if we would earn bread for the helpless ! What must we not do, if we mean to Uve not for ourselves only, but for our kindred, our country, our race ! What not do, if we would have it said of us while living, and recorded of us when dead, that we acted well our parts ! The century in which we Uve is the most remarkable in the annals of the world. We have witnessed greater moral and poUti cal revolutions, greater advances in arts and science, greater dis- ACT WELL YOUR PART. 291 coveries of agents to carry out the designs of an all-wise Creator, greater progress in all that elevates our nature above all that is base towards all that is superhuman, — greater progress than the generations of any by-gone age ; and yet we seem to be but in the infancy of our mental capabihties. The inventions and discoveries and mechanical contrivances of yesterday are to-day ecUpsed by some new Ught, which may, in its turn, be paled to-morrow. The lightning which FrankUn coaxed from the clouds is to-day compelled to span the globe on electric wires. Steam, which "Fulton could scarce command to propel a boat four miles per hour, is now hissing at sceptics from engines wheeUng through space at the rate of a mile per minute ; and the upper air, which was but lately the medium through which toy-balloons sailed like bubbles, for the amusement of the world's big children, is to-day seriously thought of as an atmosphere for a silken eagle, whose flight is to reach the very eye, almost, of the sun; or, poising itself in mid-air, and folding its wings at will, may rest on any spot to which it may stoop, as the world revolves on its axis, and reascend, until the very antipodes shall change position, again to stoop at will to the earth. Thus, air, fire and water, elements alike of animal and vegetable life, are becoming almost omnipotent in the hands of "man, whose breath is in his nostrils." But, if the great agents are so powerful, how various are the purposes to which they may be made subservient ! What new combinations are yet to come ! " Through what varieties of untried being" must they pass ! How many thousands are yet to act xoell their parts, before the full purpose of man's creation shall have been accompUshed ! Shall all the new lights of science be extinguished ? Will there be anymore "dark ages"? Will mental chaos and moral despotism again visit the world ? These 292 ACT WELL YOUR PART. are questions, but they should be ejaculations only in praise of Him " whose ways are past finding out." As new combinations of power are brought into use, new gen erations of those who apply them are born ; and the lights of science having iUuminated successive communities, and what was the dawn in the past century having become the perfect day in ours, men look behind and around them at what has been done, and before them at what is yet to be accompUshed, and take a start at the point at which their predecessors halted. The survey gives courage and hope, while it shows that labor is not to be less than heretofore, if progress is to be made. The fact that harvest follows planting, and that he who sows will reap, stimulates every new hand in the world's great labor- field ; and although a few may faint, the masses wUl stiU toil on. Though mildew, and blight, and storm, may injure a first or second crop, yet the law of our nature is toil ; and they who are in the field wiU remain there, amid disappointments and losses, so that, whatever may be the result, it shaU be manifest that they have acted well their parts. The school-boy may whimper for the loss of his dinner-basket, at the end of his weary tramp to the distant school-house ; but man, whatever be his loss, has no right to murmur at depriva tions, so long as the world is before him. His energies are god like, and should never be suffered to flag. Self-confiding and self-relying man can perform miracles ; and many a one I know who never had the lore of the schools, the degrees of a coUege, or a Ucense from a bench of judges, but who has bruit for himself a fame of which the proudest might be proud. This is the result of the nature of our institutions, and the character of our laws, all based on equal privileges, permitting no exclusiveness. We have no claims here founded on the accidents of birth or of ancestral fame ; no hereditary title, but that of merit ; and yet we have seen ACT WELL YOUR PART. 293 the career of some of our untitled citizens so brilhant, amid the surrounding gloom of disappointment and discouragement, that the older nations of the east are fast coming to the conclusion that their sun has set, and that the day-spring of political liberty and human progress is soon to ecUpse, in this hemisphere, all that monarchies ever saw or dreamed. Already, they who scoffed at our Herculean infancy stand amazed at our manhood ; and the thirteen rebeUious colonies of Great Britain are now consoUdated into the "Model Republic." 25* ADDRESS DELIVERED AT THE FAIR OF THE GREENE OOUNTY AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY, SEPTEMBER 25, 1845.* Gentlemen : You have chosen for your president one who does not boast the graces of eloquence ; and you cannot, and do not, expect from him, on this occasion, a display of fine words and happy fancies, but rather a plain statement of true and practical ideas. You are working-men, and you have chosen a working- man ; and it is on this account that your choice confers honor upon me. It was in Congress, where my strength has always been given to the protection and advancement of American labor, that I heard of this new evidence of your kindness and confidence ; and I thank you for it, and for thus affording me another opportunity, and a more honorable place than the halls of legislation, to express my high sense of the dignity of those occupations the interests of which this society is so happUy designed to promote. I need not say, to those who know me, that through Ufe I have practised and encouraged industry, and exerted my influence, in every sphere (according to my ability), in promoting the true welfare of my fel low-men. I have acted upon the principle, and so have you, that it is not mere physical or mental structure that makes the man in the best sense of the word, but the mode of Ufe. It is not to have a head, a heart, an arm, a human body and soul, that makes one worthy of so noble a name ; but to give the wisdom of that head, the strength of that arm, the combined energy of all the powers, to constant and useful industry. The hard-working farmers and mechanics of our country are its glory and strength. Their labors * At the time this address was delivered, Colonel Pratt was president of the society. ADDRESS. 295 have produced wealth ; their honesty, their patriotism, and faithful ness to the institutions of Uberty, have given our land its standing among nations ; and, in times of danger, their strong arms and firm hearts are its safeguard. He is not the Lord of the soil who calls so many acres his own, yet has no power to use them ; but he, rather, who ploughs, and sows, and reaps, and scatters abroad over the country, the products of the glorious harvest, to feed the hungry and clothe the naked. He is not master of earth's treasures who has the bare title to a mine ; but rather he whose skill and industry raise the ore, reduce the metal, mould it into countless shapes of usefulness, and set to work the gigantic engine with its thousand hands. Farmers and mechanics, if faithful to their duties, are men in the full meaning of the word, — useful men, men that the world cannot do without. Their occupations develop all the faculties, and produce " sound minds in sound bodies;" they accustom men to rely on their own strength, to love labor, and to feel that independence of other men, and that contempt for little difficulties, which are the foundation of true greatness of mind. These, feUow working-men, are the occupations, this is the land. ours the institutions, and our fathers the stock, which have pro duced the noblest race now Uving ; and, if we value and use our privilege aright, we shall yet exhibit human nature in its highest degree of perfection. We have resources and advantages pos sessed by no other nation ; and a people better fitted than any other to develop those resources and improve those advantages. We need Uttle aid from abroad, for we have everything at home ; we need little teaching from strangers, for we know best what is best for ourselves. According to my observation, farmers are too easily persuaded to look to other states and countries for the means of increasing the products of their fields, and improving their flocks and herds. We are not in England, nor at the north, nor at the south ; and neither EngUsh, northern, or southern improvements, 296 CHOICE OF STOCK. are what we want. We want improvements of our own, suited to our own wants and position, such as none can make for us as well as we can make them for ourselves. Is it not better, as a gen eral principle, both as to animals and vegetables, to choose and improve the best of such as are already adapted to our climate and soil, than to be shifting and changing, in the vain hope of arriving by some short cut at such results as God intended we should accomplish only by close attention and the sweat of our brows? Of all the animals created for the use of man, none has been the subject of so much observation and esteem as the horse. In their native wilds, nature forms them into herds and groups, and gives them in command of the strongest and fleetest ; and, by this and other wise arrangements, of which only God is capable, guards the species against general degeneracy. The same kind care has been shown in special provision for the security of every race of ani mals ; but, when this security is taken away, and they are brought under the dominion and management of man, the most skilful attention is required in changing the general character of the spe cies, and producing and improving distinct breeds, each adapted to its own specific purpose. It is not every breed that is suited to every locality ; for climate, and the face and food of different countries, will modify the shapes and qualities, not only of the domestic animals, but of the human species. The raw-boned, industrious, hardy and temperate man of the north becomes ener vated and indolent, both in the mental and physical constitution and energies, in tropical latitudes, where he reposes in the lap of lux ury, enjoying, without exertion, the abundance which nature lav ishes around him. The horse best fitted to travel in the sun and sands of the south is the descendant of the small, hard-boned, Ught-footed Arabian, with his high courage and silken coat ; while grain-grow ing Pennsylvania and Ohio, with their cumbrous wagons, prefer to CHOICE OF STOCK. 297 use a heavy corn-fed breed, that will throw a greater weight upon the collar. The north, again, is better served by a more compact and active race of middle size, endowed with much more strength in proportion to their weight, and greater powers of endurance ; who bravely champ the bit, and nobly strain to the load, with Uon- like vigor; rejoicing at toil, and answering to the driver's voice with proud step and martial air, as if it was the trumpet calling them to battle. Thus the wants and peculiarities, the soil, cU mate and uses, of each district, require and produce that peculiar breed which is best suited to itself. What better stock do we need than such as can be bred from the best of those we already have? The teams of Z. Pratt & Co., composed of a single span (natives of our own region), are in the habit of drawing from Catskill, over the mountains, to Prattsville, and back, loads of hides and leather of from thirty to fifty, and even sixty hundred weight each, the wagon or sleigh not included, the distance being thirty-seven miles, and requiring three days to go and come. The quantity thus transported within the year is nearly two and a half milUons of pounds ; and the expenses the last season, includ ing all risks and charges, was only thirteen cents a hundred. During twenty years of this service, which I make bold to assert has not been equalled by horses of any other district or county on the globe, not a horse has been injured, in the hands of a careful driver ; and, to the honor of the county be it said, that we have never lost a hide or a side of leather, of the milUon and one half thus transported. I am aware that there are those, and among them my friend, Mr. Skinner, the experienced editor of the Farmer's Library, who have strongly recommended mules for slow and constant work, on the ground of much longer life, greater exemption from accident and disease, and more economy in feeding; but experience, the best of teachers, seems to show that the mule and the slave are 298 CHOICE OF STOCK. destined to work together in the sunny south ; both are incongenial to us and our latitude. The horse which we have is just the kind that we need ; and if we pay proper attention, in breeding, to the selection of both sire and dam, we shall soon have, of our own raising, a class of ani mals that for our purposes cannot be excelled. Aheady, indeed, two of the most celebrated trotters the country ever saw have been raised in our immediate neighborhood. We do not want such horses as roam half wild over the pampas of South America. They are small, light, active, always on the gallop, and admirably fitted to chase the ostrich over the sand, or the ox through the tangled grass ; but, when put to severe tests, they are found want ing in strength, power of enduring fatigue, and even fleetness. Neither do we want the English dray horse, which represents the other extreme. He is large and strong, Uke the ox, and, like him, too, sluggish, heavy and unwieldy. The requisite vigor and spirit are not to be looked for in over grown size and fatness in the horse, any more than in the man: animation that insures perseverance, the muscle that gives activity, and that ardor and ambition which never permit them to look back and balk, are what is wanting in both. What I have said as to the improvement of horses on the found ation of our native stock, appUes with equal force to cattle. In every settlement, a stock of good cattle is of the highest importance ; and every sagacious farmer will learn to choose for breeders such as promise best for his particular object, whether it be butter, beef, cheese or labor ; and he should study this subject with a deep feeling of scientific interest, as well as for the sake of gain. Let his first care be to put aside the very best progeny of his stock, and never permit his dearest friend to cast a wistful eye on them, and never be tempted by any price to sacrifice them to the butcher's knife. If he has a favorite cow, of the real fill-pail CHOICE OF STOCK. 299 breed, let him reserve and turn out that one of her calves which most resembles herself, before it grows old enough to be sold to the butcher, and always guard it with special care. We read of premiums being given to large imported cows, that have yielded some thirty quarts a day ; but every dairy-woman will tell you that it is not the cow that gives the largest quantity at a milking that makes the best one in the long run. A better one still is she that keeps on through the year, giving milk for your dairy, and cream for your table, in winter as well as summer, let the feed be short or long. Run-fast is a good name, but hold fast is a better one. In the agricultural journals I have read an account of a middle- sized country cow. I refer to the celebrated Oakes cow, bought out of a drove in Massachusetts for a mere trifle. Her history illustrates two things worthy of note : First, what we can obtain from the best of our old breed ; and, secondly, how much depends on good feeding. And just as it was with the Oakes cow, so will every man find it with his farm. If he won't feed his farm, and that often and well, he need not expect it long to feed him. Always taking out of the meal-tub, and never putting in, will soon come to the bottom, as Poor Richard says. But, to return to the Oakes cow, that did so much honor to the name of Caleb Oakes ; it is stated on the most unquestionable authority, such as satisfied the Massachusetts Agricultural Society, that in the first year, with ordinary keeping, she made but one hundred and eighty pounds of butter ; the next year, she had twelve bushels of corn-meal, and then gave three hundred pounds of butter ; the next, thirty-five bushels, and she gave more than four hundred pounds ; the next year she had a bushel of meal a week, and all her own milk skimmed, and then she gave, from the fifth of April to the twenty- fifth of September, the day of the show, four hundred and eighty- four pounds, besides suckling her calf for five weeks. She was 300 CHOICE OF STOCK. exhibited, and deservedly took the premium on the last-mentioned day ; and will carry down her owner's name, with credit, to pos terity, as long as oaks grow. After all, my friends, in respect to cattle, the true question is, not what breed can be made the heaviest, if stuffed with food, as in some counties they stuff geese and turkeys, until no more can be crammed down their throats ; but what breed, according to our locahty and objects, will do the most work, or yield the greatest weight of milk, butter, cheese, or beef, as the case may be, from the food at our command. In cold, mountainous districts, says a writer of high authority, it is necessary to restrain, within certain Umits, the ambition of having highly improved stock. In such cir cumstances, the grand point is to have a hardy race, not over nice in its food, which consists, through a considerable portion of the year, of but short and coarse herbage. The best milch cow, gen erally, as every good dairy-woman wiU tell you, is the one that, while she is at the pail, turns everything into milk, and is least disposed to be or to look fat. The same considerations that apply to breeding domestic ani mals apply also to vegetables and grain. We cannot contradict nature ; but we can cooperate with her, and, working in her methods and in conformity to her laws, produce all the results that the Creator ever designed to put witliin our reach. A man passing, a few years ago, by a field of ripe wheat on Long Island, was struck by the rich appearance of two or three heads that grew near the road, and hung down as if the grain was of great weight. He stopped and plucked those heads, and sowed them the next season in a place by themselves, and so cultivated them year after year, till they had increased to over a hundred bushels, that, for color, weight, and uniform plumpness of the kernels, are, perhaps, not surpassed in the country ; at least, they are expected to take the premium at the approaching fair of the American Institute. This CHOICE OF SEED. 301 shows what we should do, if we wish to carry out nature's plans, and finish what she has begun. The very best specimens should be chosen from those that have been grown on our own or on a neighboring farm, instead of sending to a distance for such as, when we get them, wiU be forced, by the irreversible laws of soil and cUmate, to change their character, and adapt themselves to their new locality. The high-scented Cuba tobacco loses its flavor on being transplanted to other countries. So the eight-rowed Dutton corn of the north refuses to exchange localities with the ground seed of James river. Wheat, too, changes its character, and cannot be transferred from one cUmate to another without losing its original color and other characteristics. As well might you attempt to transplant the beautiful hemlock of our mountains, where the God of nature placed it, to regions designed for the live oak and the ohve, as to neglect the peculiar varieties of grain that our own region produces in perfection, and cultivate those whose distinctive properties are the result of a different soil and climate. Therefore, let me urge upon you to hold on upon what you have proved to be good. Choose always the best of its kind in the animal and vegetable departments, and depend on your own clear heads and strong arms for the rest. You are in the very middle region between the extreme rigors of the north and the enervating heat of the south ; in the finest cUmate that the sun ever shone upon ; and, of aU positions, the one best adapted to develop the human faculties and to bring forth the noblest displays of mental and physical energy, and, in a word, to rear the whole man. Rely, then, on yourselves to do your own work, to make your own laws, to improve your own animals and agricultural products, and to pursue, on all subjects, those investigations, and make those discov eries and arrangements, which your own interests require. Bring up your children to respect the character and to love the labors of the farmer and the mechanic ; for on them, at last, as I before 26 302 WASHINGTON, WHITNEY, FULTON. said, does every country depend for support in peace, and defence in war. Who does the world pronounce the greatest man that ever headed patriot armies in defence of freedom, in ancient or in modern times ? Was not Washington a farmer? — he whose fame will be as eternal as our own Catskill Mountains ! " Great Cincinnatus at the plough with greater glory shone Than guilty Csesar e'er could do, though seated on a throne ! " And again ; — among all the benefactors of American industry, who have contributed most to promote our national wealth and honor ? With pride let me name two brother mechanics, Whitney and Fulton ! Let us, gentlemen, follow these bright examples ; let us study to inform our minds and improve and enlarge our hearts ; and then we shall not only know how to increase our crops, and improve our fortunes, but how, at the same time, to benefit our country and our race. Washington was great in war, but greater still in peace. He presided, with unsurpassed wisdom and dignity, over the affairs of state, but added increased lustre to both by the calm contentment of Mount Vernon. Every farmer cannot expect to occupy so high a position, or gain so much applause; but every one ought, in his own sphere, to practise the same strict integrity and faithful performance of duty, and be, in his principles and conduct, a Washington, possessing the same virtues, though he may never have the same glorious opportunity to exemplify them. Every mechanic cannot expect to make so useful discoveries as the steam boat and cotton-gin ; yet every one can and ought to acquaint himself with all the mysteries of his art, and give dihgence to make himself as capable, and his work as nearly perfect, as possi ble, and thus do all that Whitney or Fulton would have done in his place. VALUE OF KNOWLEDGE. 303 I rejoice to be able to say, not only that this is the course our farmers and mechanics ought to pursue, but also that, to a great extent, they are pursuing it now. The formation of this and other like associations, and the variety and standard worth of the many periodicals which are devoted to agriculture and the mechanic arts, show the spirit of our people. The benefit which the country receives, on account of the free interchange of thought, and general diffusion of intelligence, through these channels, is incalculable. An intelligent and well-informed gentleman from the south once asserted that, through the influence of the Albany Cultivator alone, the wealth of that part of the country had been increased more than two milUons of doUars. Before I close these remarks, let me suggest — being myself a father, with some opportunities of observation — that you should incline your sons, above all things, to prize that honest station, however humble, which is gained by personal industry, and enjoyed without dependence on the capricious breath of party, or of any mortal man in power. Any honest pursuit will be esteemed, by a young man of inde pendent spirit and honorable ambition, in preference to being seen lounging in the ante-chambers of public departments and the lobbies of the capitol, a suppUant for the precarious emoluments of office. Let it ever be deemed a high honor to be qualified to serve the people ; but, when you see your son, made in the image of his God, incUned to quit the handles of his plough, or throw down his hammer, and sell his birth-right for a mess of pottage, put into his hands the homely fable of the dog and the wolf, which inculcates the love of independence as a boon above all price. It is the independent spirit of our people that ranks them above all other nations of the earth; because each man has, in himself, the abiUty and resolution to accomplish his ends of and by himself. It is on this account that an American may be cast penniless and 304 AMERICAN LADIES. alone in any corner of the earth, and amongst any people, and, instead of wasting his life out, a poor and despised stranger, he will sumnon his energies, and bear himself like a conqueror. Whatever the natives are doing, he does better than they ; he makes the most money, exerts the most influence, and soon becomes a leader and a prince among them ; from soUng a shoe to heading an army, he shows himself in all things capable, in all things superior ; and, having accumulated sufficient fortune for himself, and honor for his country abroad, he returns to lay at her feet the spoils of other lands, and enjoy in his native home the society of equals. What does such a man want of official patron age or protection ? He scorns to eat the bread he has not earned, or to enjoy honors he has not deserved. I should give, however, but half the praise that is due to my countrymen, did I not add, that, remarkable as they are for independence of spirit and ability to take care of themselves, they are equally distinguished for benevolence, true poUteness, and a liberal and enlightened regard for the best interests of others. Nowhere on the globe are women treated with more tenderness and respect, and nowhere are they more worthy of it. It is, indeed, under the gentle and kindly influence of mothers, sisters, and wives, that the best points of our national character have been formed ; and who would not yield to that influence ? If men have all the strength, women have all the loveUness. Strength is needed to protect loveUness, and loveliness is equally needed to adorn strength. Depend upon it, the young man who pretends to despise the society of virtuous females does so because his con science tells him, secretly, he is unworthy of it. Intending always to practise what I preach, it has been with me a matter of pride to appear before you to-day clothed in the produce of manufacture of our own country. With the labors of our own husbandmen, and the skill of our own mechanics, no man needs SELF-RELIANCE. 305 to send abroad for subsistence or clothing. For my own part, so fully am I impressed with the importance of looking for comfort and happiness within ourselves, that I would have the very chil dren in our schools taught to sing the old song, which says : " I '11 eat my own ham, My own chicken and lamb, — I '11 shear my own fleece, and I '11 wear it." 26* HISTORICAL STATISTICS OF GREENE CO. AND PRATTSVILLE,* N. Y. Ladies and Gentlemen : It gives me great pleasure to meet with you on this interesting occasion, " to rejoice with those who do rejoice." It cheers my heart to see so large a gathering of the hardy tillers of the soil, each one looking a lord of creation, honest- hearted and upright, — not only the man, but the better-half also, with the sons and daughters of home industry and inherent inde pendence. I speak it proudly ; I have never stood before a more substantial and intelUgent audience, although I have travelled all over the United States. I bear this witness cheerfully, for it is your due. As your speaker has aUuded to the tanner, it should seem that I cannot do less than to state how useful he has been to the farmer, or, rather, what he has done for the farmer; and, if I may be allowed to say so, it is a law of providence that he who worketh for himself wisely worketh for mankind. When I first came among you, nearly fifty years ago, through dark hemlocks and bad roads, with but few inhabitants, my parents settled in that part of Windham which is now called Lexington. They taught me to go to the then only meeting-house in town, over two and a half miles, on foot, every Sabbath, and it was before I had tanned enough leather to wear. These early Sabbath exercises on foot gave me a good constitution, kept me out of mischief, and secured my attention to those serious and sacred subjects which concern and interest us all, both here and hereafter. Blessed are the * An address delivered at Greene County Agricultural Fair, Windham, N. Y., Sept. 25, 1850. TOWN OF WINDHAM. 307 barefooted boys who are seen going up to the Sabbath-schools ; for out of such will come the rulers and law-makers of a free and Christian people. I thus learned early to think and act for myself; and this thinking for yourselves will hurt none of you, my young hearers. There were then about fifteen hundred inhabitants in one town, — since divided into six towns, — and now numbering nearly ten thousand of the most hardy, honest and industrious inhabitants on the globe. Who would not be proud of such a people, and covet them as neighbors ? I see here some of those early pioneers, who had to back grain twenty miles to the grist-mill, to support their families, after having worked at low wages to earn it. Some made maple-sugar, and carried it from fifteen to thirty miles, to exchange it for corn, pork, and potatoes. They could not buy on credit. So poor was old Windham in her infancy ! But now look around, and behold one hundred pairs of oxen come from these towns to this fair, — and they will compare favora bly with those exhibited at the state fair at Albany. We have here in view all the substantial evidences of our abundant pros perity, resulting from the free and enlightened government of an inteUigent and enterprising people, whose moral and religious principles can be vouched for by the ministers of the Gospel. For one meeting-house then, we now number twenty ; and from the then despised hemlock-forest have arisen beautiful towns, splendid villages, and princely farmers, who have reared cheerful house holds of smiling daughters, who must inevitably become the "better-half" hereafter to a still more affluent and intelligent com munity. To you, daughters, who now grace this fair by your presence, after having adorned and embellished it with your works of taste, skill and industry, will be committed the destinies of a new generation ; and to your purifying and refining powers will 308 STATISTICS OF PRATTSVILLE. they be indebted, as we are to our mothers, for all that is exalted and ennobling in man, and for all that is pure and of good report among men. Without your cheering smiles and presence here, we should be thrown back to the dismal and dreary shades of the hemlocks. And now I will show you the advantages these dreary hemlocks have been to the farmers of our mountain towns. Since I first engaged in farming, it has been my lot to employ over fifteen thousand years of other men's labor ; an army of over thirty thousand men have I employed, and I have paid those men for their labor alone over two milUons five hundred thousand dollars. I have cleared above ten thousand acres of land, used above two hundred thousand cords of hemlock bark, and paid above half a million of dollars for it. I have used and worn out five hundred horses and one thousand oxen; used two hundred thousand bushels of oats, one hundred and twenty thousand tons of hay, thirty thousand barrels of beef and pork, and nearly one hundred thou sand barrels of flour, and potatoes without number or measure. I have tanned one miUion two hundred and fifty thousand sides of leather, stock enough to furnish every citizen of the United States, at the present time, with a pair of shoes. My daily dis bursements are over five thousand dollars per day ; and I have used in my business here above ten milUons of dollars. Every laborer received his money, yea, every man his penny, in peace ; and, to the credit of this community be it said, that I never had a side of leather stolen, and was never defendant at law, on account of any business transactions, during my residence among you. The great object of living is to be useful. Live with your neigh bor, and not on him. Allow me, gentlemen and ladies, to conclude by congratulating you upon the rich blessings of health, peace and prosperity, which surround you ; and may succeeding generations CLOSE OF LIFE. 309 do as much as you have done towards national wealth and indus try, which are the safeguards of our independence. In the evening of my days, I have no ambition but to render what I have done available for our mutual happiness. Our confi dence has been mutual, — our growth identical. Our sympathies have been blended upon a common altar, and the actuating motiveg of each have been the motives of aU. I have claimed no exemp tion from the ordinary lot of humanity ; — I ask none now. I look and hope for a participation in the quiet comforts of Ufe, which I desire to see possessed by you all ; and you will, I trust, appreciate my deliberate choice, when I assure you that there is no seat more inviting to my grateful heart than the mossy mound to be found under my favorite hemlock- tree. To me that tree has a beauty which I fail to discover in aU others. It has not only sheltered me with a refreshing shade, but has proved to be a source of wealth to all whose industry has been identified with its properties and uses.* * A vote of thanks was passed, amid the general joy and rejoicing of Colonel Pratt's friends and neighbors, numbering over four thousand persons. MISCELLANEOUS. DESCRIPTION OF THE PRATTSVILLE TANNERY. Prattsville, Greene Co., N. Y., ) November 27, 1847. \ T. B. Wakeman, Esq., Sec'y of the American Institute, N. Y. Dear Sir : Having been honored by the American Institute with a medal for the best sample of hemlock-tanned sole-leather, in compliance with your request, I have drawn up a brief but compre hensive account of the processes and extent of the manufactures carried on at my establishment in Prattsville, together with several tabular statements, designed to illustrate its importance as an indus trial pursuit. As I have worked and talked about the business for many years, and love to do so still, I know not how a mechanic can answer, except by stating what he did, and hoio he did. \[ am aware that, through you, I am addressing the State of New York, whose chief commercial city imports a-greater number of hides, and car ries on a more extensive trade in leather, than any other city in the world. In this cold cUme, every one must realize that, next to food and raiment, leather is the sole for man. The improvements which I have made, from time to time, in this branch of business, have been the result of experience ; and demonstrate satisfactorily, to my own mind, that, however important are the discoveries of 312 PRATTSVILLE TANNERY. science, they would be of Uttle value, without that practice which must ever prove the ultimate test of utility, and the sure taUsman of success. Throughout the whole world, American enterprise has become a proverb. Go where you wUl, from the ice-bound north to the regions of the torrid zone, in any path where civilized man has ever trod, upon the land or the sea, and you will not fail to encounter evidences of the pecuUar genius of our people. You will find their adventurous enterprise pushing itself into every nook and corner of the globe, where the materials and opportunities of commerce may be found, or industry may hope for reward. Nor is this spirit impelled by the pressure of any general poverty or want of employ ment at home, which bears so heavily upon some of the European nations ; but it is nourished by a natural love of independence, har monizing with the theory of our own institutions,' — by a sense of self-reliance and the hope of fortune, which more or less actuates every individual. It is a spirit of progress, the spirit of the age, in which our country seems destined by Providence to take the lead. But it is at home that the workings of American enterprise are to be seen on the grandest scale. Here, untrammelled by ancient customs, uncurbed by despotic institutions or royal monopolies, the American artisan finds a fair field for the exercise of his powers. His talents and energies are ever in a state of productive activity. He wills, he invents, he toils. Cities arise in the wilderness ; the habitations of man take the places of the huts of the savage ; and the wheat-fields move their yellow ears where, but a few months before, stood the beautiful ever-green hemlock of the forest. It need not be denied that the American, in all this, is mainly actuated by the selfish principle, — the desire of gain,— which is the very Ufe of commerce and enterprise ; but we do maintain that the pursuit of money here is dignified, as it is nowhere else, by a PRATTSVILLE TANNERY. 313 sense of the vast ultimate effects of industrial causes upon the des tiny of the country. The American feels that he is working, not for himself alone, but in furtherance of the glorious experiment of building up a free people, whose protecting shield may yet cover the whole continent. His natural pride partakes of this peculiar sentiment of expansiveness, the grand feature of the country and cUmate ; and he glories not only in his country as it is, but he looks forward to a future which he may almost hope to see reaUzed, when the valley of the Hudson shall contain its milUons of people, and when the cities and towns of the Pacific, by way of the great pass of the Rocky Mountains, the Oregon Railroad, and the Hud son, shall seek a market for their treasures in the emporium of North America. It would be a curious subject of speculation to inquire into the causes that have conspired to mark the American people with such an extraordinary degree of enterprise ; but such an inquiry would lead me altogether too far from the immediate object of the inform ation which you desire. I shall therefore proceed, without fur ther digression, to give you a succinct historical and statistical account of my tannery, which I hope, without incurring the charge of egotism or vanity, I may be aUowed to say has been conducted with sufficient energy and skill to realize for me a competency, while it has been the means of spreading comfort and plenty to all directly or indirectly connected with its operations. And, having closed the operations of the tannery, I may be allowed here to remark that the improvement in the business of a community, the aid to society where such an establishment exists, always paying promptly, and UberaUy rewarding the diligent laborer, can only be appreciated by the few who understand its advantages. And I may, in justice to myself, express the proud satisfaction of having conducted this vast business without litigation, — truly accompUsh- 27 314 PRATTSVILLE TANNERY. ing what I said to my neighbors in the outset, that " I came to Uve with them, not on them." A little more than twenty years ago, the district of country in which the tannery stands was a perfect wUderness. Although just back of the well-known CatskiU range, and not more than thirty- six miles from the banks of the Hudson, the great thoroughfare of our interior trade, the depths of its hemlock forests, the sohtude of its mountain glens, and the gUstening spray of its tumbling brooks, had been explored only by the foot of the hunter, and were as Uttle known to the pubUc as the slopes and valleys of the Rocky Moun tains. In 1824 I visited this district, and my judgment at once decided me to select it as the most advantageous location for the prosecu tion of my enterprise. It has ever been my motto, that to will and to do are one and the same thing. I accordingly went to work, and in less than ninety days a tannery was erected, and all was ready for the commencement of business. My tannery is an immense wooden building, five hundred and thirty feet in length, forty-three feet in breadth, and two stories and a half high. Within this area are contained three hundred vats, tanning over sixty thousand sides of leather a year, with con ductors to draw the Uquor to the pump, affording about forty-six thousand cubic feet of room for tanning purposes. A large wing, forty feet by eighty, extending over the stream, contains twelve leaches, six of them furnished with copper heaters, containing about twelve thousand feet, and also the bark-loft, through which, in the course of the year, pass more than six thousand cords of bark. The mills through which it is ground are capable of grinding over a cord of bark per hour ; and it has connected with it a pump of sufficient capacity to deUver one thousand feet of "ooze," or water charged with tannin, in thirty minutes. The beam-house contains thirty vats, equivalent to seven thousand six hundred and forty PRATTSVILLE TANNERY. 315 cubic feet. It has connected with it three hide-miUs for softening the dry Spanish hides, and two rolUng machines, capable of rolUng five hundred sides per day. Outside ofthe building, but connected with the beam-house by an underground communication, are eight stone sweat-pits, with pointed arches and flues. The pits are of the most approved size, being in area ten feet by fourteen, and in depth eight feet, with a spring of water at one corner. Since I first commenced business, the gain of weight in convert ing hides into leather has been increased nearly fifty per cent. That is, that from a quarter to a third more leather can now be obtained from a given quantity of hides, than at the time when I learned my trade at my father's tannery, conducted in the old- fashioned way, some forty years ago. The great improvement in weight seems to have been gained by the judicious use of strong liquors, or " ooze," obtained from finely- ground bark, and by skilful tanning. The loss and wastage upon hides, from hair, flesh, etc., may be estimated at from twelve to fifteen per cent. In order to produce heavy weights, the hides should not be reduced too low in the beam-house, and should be tanned quickly with good strong liquors, particularly in the latter stage of the operation. To green hides, especially, nothing can be more injurious than to suffer them to remain too long in weak " ooze." They become too much reduced ; grow soft, flat and flabby ; lose a portion of their gelatine, and refuse to " plump up." On the other hand, however, the effects of an early appUcation of " ooze " that is too strong and too warm to green hides is very injurious. It contracts the surface fibres of the skin, tanning at once the external layers so " dead," as it is termed, as to shut up the pores, and prevent the tannin from penetrating through the hide. This renders the leather harsh and brittle. It will, from this, be seen, that in the question of the proper strength of liquor alone, 316 PRATTSVILLE TANNERY. there is room for the exercise of the greatest judgment and the most extensive experience. In view of the great difficulty of adopt ing fixed rules to the innumerable variety of cases, nothing can be depended upon but the judgment of the practical tanner. In softening hides, and preparing them for the process of tan ning, a great deal also depends upon the judgment of the person superintending the operation, inasmuch as the diversities in the qualities and characteristics of hides render it impossible to subject them to anything more than a general mode of treatment. La "sweating," the character of the hides, and the temperature, are essential but ever-varying considerations. As a general rule, however, the milder the process of preparing the hides for the bark, the better. Unnecessarily severe or prolonged treatment is inevi tably attended with a loss of gelatine, and a consequent loss of weight and strength in the leather. Too high a temperature is particularly to be avoided. In almost every lot of hides, particu larly Orinocos, however, there are generaUy some that prove very intractable, resisting all the ordinary modes of softening. For such, a solution of ashes, potash, or even common salt, wiU be found beneficial; and pecuUarly so in hot weather. As I have said, no precise rule can be given as to the length of time required for the preliminary process of soaking and " sweating," so much depending upon the qualities of the hides, and the temperature at which these operations are conducted. The following table may, however, be found useful in conveying an approximation to a definite idea of the practice in my tannery : soasxso. 40° 50° 60° 70° Buenos Ayres hides, Days. 10 to 12 Days. Days. 8 to 12 6 to 8 Days. 3 to 6 Carthagena and Laguira, 8 to 12 7 to 9 5 to 7 SWEATING. 2to5 40° 50° 60° 70° Buenos Ayres hides, Days. 15 to 20 Days. Days. 12 to 16 8 to 12 Days. 2to3 Carthagena and Laguira, 15 to 20 10 to 15 6 to 8 2to3 PRATTSVILLE TANNERY. 317 I would here remark that I changed the process from Uming to sweating, for the sole-leather, in 1836, the only change in tanning I have made for twenty years ; and, for heavy sole-leather, it has been proved to be quite as good as liming, if not better, and some what cheaper, besides yielding a greater gain of weight, and, when well tanned, making leather more impervious to water. Liming and " bating," however, for upper and Ught leather, is preferable; and, if the same improvements had been adopted with the lime pro cess, of strong Uquor and quick tanning, it is not yet certain that the same results would not have been attained. Salted hides do not require more than two-thirds the time to soak, but generally rather longer to sweat. After the hides are prepared for tanning, the next process is what is commonly called " handUng," which should be performed two or three times a day in a weak "ooze," until the grain is colored. New liquors, or a mixture of new and old, are preferable for Spanish or dry hides, — old Uquor for slaughter. They are then, after a fortnight, laid away in bark, and changed once in two to four weeks, until tanned. Much care and judgment is requisite in proportioning the continu ally-increasing strength of the liquors to the requirements of the leather, in the different stages of this process. The Uquors should also be kept as cool as possible, within certain Umits, but ought never to exceed a temperature of eighty degrees ; in fact, a much lower temperature is the maximum point, if the liquor is very strong ; too high a heat, with a Uquor too strongly charged with the tanning principle, being invariably injurious to the life and color of the leather. From this it should seem that time is an essential element in the process of tanning ; and that we cannot make up for the want of it by increasing the strength of the Uquor, or raising the temperature at which the process is conducted, any more than we can fatten an ox or horse by giving him more than he can eat. 27* 318 PRATTSVILLE TANNERY. It may be questioned (if anything may be doubted in the pres ent improving age) whether any patented schemes for the more rapid conversion of hides into leather will be found, on the whole, to have any practical utility. I have mentioned the injurious effects resulting from too strong a solution of the active principle of the bark ; on the other hand, the use of too weak solutions is to be avoided. Hides that are treated with Uquor below the proper strength become much relaxed in their texture, and lose a portion of their gelatine. The leather necessarily loses in weight and compactness, and is much more porous and pervious to water. The warmer these weak solutions are applied, the greater is this loss of gelatine. To ascertain whether a portion of weak liquor contains any gelatine in solution, it is only necessary to strain a Uttle of it into a glass, and then add a small quantity of a stronger liquor. The excess of tannin in the strong, seizing upon the dissolved gelatine in the weak Uquor, wiU combine with it, and be precipitated in flakes, of a dark, cur dled appearance, to the bottom. At the Prattsville Tannery, the greatest strength of Uquor used for handUng, as indicated by Pike's barkometer, is 16°; of that employed in laying away, the greatest strength varies from 30° to 45°. After the leather has been thoroughly tanned and rinsed, or scrubbed by a brush-machine or broom, it will tend very much to improve its color and pliability to stack it up in piles, and allow it to sweat until it becomes a little sUppery from a kind of mucus that collects upon its surface. A little oil added at this stage of the process, or just before rolling, is found to be very useful. Great caution is necessary in the admission of air in drying, when first hung up to dry. No more air than is sufficient to keep the sides from moulding should be aUowed. Too much air — or, in other words, if dried too rapidly in a current of air — will injure the color, giving a darker hue, and rendering the leather harsh and PRATTSVILLE TANNERY. 319 brittle. To insure that the thick parts or butts shall roll smooth and even with the rest of the piece, it is necessary that the leather should be partially dried before wetting down for rolUng, and that, when wet down, it should lay long enough for every side to become equaUy damp throughout. The following table, condensed from the tanning records of two hundred thousand hides, exhibits the time required to tan the various description of hides at my establishment, during a period of four years. It will be seen that the same description of hides require different times in different years. This is owing mainly to a difference in the temperature and weather of the several seasons, and the quantity of sides and strength of Uquor in the vats, and partly to the different conditions and qualities of different lots of the same descriptions of hides. No. of Time of No. of Time of eides. tann'_. eides. tann'?. mo. da. mo. ds. 1841- - San Juan, . . . 7,500 4 20 1843 — Rio Grande, . . 5,800 4 20 Orinoco, . . . . 3,500 5 15 1844 — Buenos Ayres, . 6,500 6 20 " . . . 1,900 6 Orinoco, . . . . 5,400 7 " . . . 9,000 6 10 California, . . . 1,200 6 20 Laguira, . 22,000 7 15 Buenos Ayres, . 900 7 10 Orinoco, . . . . 6,500 5 15 »H t— I rji HQa>d 47,593,464 * Of this, 4,631,247 pounds were Sea Island cotton. t Of this, 5,708,698 pounds were Sea Island cotton. f Of this, 1,606,177 pounds were Sea Island cotton. § Of this, 1,545,401 pounds were Sea Island cotton. COOi No. 3 — Continued. Bread-stuffs exported prom the United States during the year ending September 30, 1841. CoOSto Sweden and Swedish West Indies, Denmark and Danish West Indies, Hanse Towns Holland and its dependencies, . . Belgium England and her dependencies, . France and dependencies, .... Spain and dependencies Portugal and dependencies, . . . Italy, Sicily, and Trieste Turkey, Levant, &c, Hayti, Texas, Mexico, South America, generally, .... West Indies, generally, Asia, generally, China Africa, generally South Seas and Sandwich Isles. . 1841. Wheat. Flour. Indian corn. Rye and corn meal. Rye, oats, &c. Biscuit Total. $80,247 #3,204 $18,025 $3,936 #776 $106,186 217,475 5,470 147,466 9,745 12,249 392,405 3,227 3,227 130,874 35,636 27,932 3,654 4,468 202,564 $800,363 4,433,138 187,933 582,008 100,952 265,740 6,370,154 34,259 8,399 668 5,130 1,257 49,713 1,387 442,480 7,885 32,286 11,460 35,641 531,139 34,879 30,243 39 2,490 67,651 1,275 1,314 2,589 3,271 214 3,485 188,173 30 446 909 3,679 193,237 29,547 1,081 124 3,271 3,314 87,337 20 90,464 3,096 842 1,005 95,407 21,111 2,006,423 21,985 7,370 13,911 26,019 2,096,819 8,601 7,947 4,423 5,352 1,168 27,491 4,388 35 1,328 5,751 1,247 1,719 2,966 21,170 64 112 7,399 28,745 27,928 47 111 684 8,261 36,931 822,881 7,759,066 312,954 820,962 159,893 378,041 10,253,797 1-3>t-Hto1-3 i-iCt t>t-lw d Ht>d No. 8. — Continued. Breadstuffs exported from the United States during the year ending September 30, 1842. To Sweden and Swedish West Indies, Denmark and Danish West Indies, Hanse Towns, Holland and dependencies, . . . Belgium England and dependencies, . . . France and dependencies, . . . . Spain and dependencies, . . . . Portugal and dependencies, . . . Italy, Sicily, and Trieste, . . . . Turkey, Levant, &c, Hayti Texas Mexico, South America West Indies, generally, Asia, generally, China Africa, generally South Seas and Pacific Ocean, . . $911,140 26 5,150 916,616 Flour. $64,345233,299 4,110 95,958 150 4,707,415 51,119 338,515 7,165 147,991 19,033 115,388 1,562,092 5,289 3,247 1,612 15,508 3,048 7,375,356 Indian corn. #1,322 3,761 15 3,210 275,282 6,978 6,484 27,263 2,064 12,253 4,721 1,721 76 345,150 Rye and corn meal. #21,926 151,273 18,772 517,066 704 28,879 145 114 97 3,194 43 742,213 Biscuit. #1,379 9,738 7,776 194 220,933 783 26,518 2,981 7 233 3,1201,534 1,430 30,561 646392 5,1545,3025,078 323,759 Total. #88,972 398,071 4,125 125,716 344 6,632,186 59,584 400,396 37,554 7 305 151,225 22,754 129,071 1,605,718 7,6563,6396,766 20,853 8,202 9,703,094 TO H3 >M TO1-3 *-HO > w d Sd >d CO os oo 364 STATISTICAL BUREAU. No. 3. — Continued. Provisions exported from the United States in the tears respectively ending September 30, 1841, and September 30, 1842. Swedish West Indies, Danish West Ladies Hanse Towns, . Holland and dependencies, . . . Belgium, England and dependencies, . . . France and dependencies, . . . Spain and dependencies Portugal and dependencies, . . Italy Trieste and other Austrian ports, Turkey and the Levant, .... Hayti, Texas, Mexico, South America, West Indies, generally, . . . . China, Asia, generally Africa, generally, South Seas and Sandwich Islands, $31,578 $23,093 79,195 76,020 25,890 31,141 46,725 52,110 2,363 8,104 2,160,306 2,048,073 183,079 988,544 1,063,566 684,842 8,204 8,403 2,305 1,296 390 1,629 1,956 231,359 156,527 33,984 20,436 20,242 20,757 161,378 177,827 14,129 7,699 9,504 4,942 7,287 3,652 22,392 19,682 39,962 11,752 4,144,068 4,348,315 1842. Beef, tallow, hides, and live horned cattle, . . . $1,212,638 Pork, hams, bacon, lard, and hogs, 2,629,403 Butter and cheese, 388 _85 Potatoes, 85,844 APPles, 32,245 4,348,315- - exports of 1842. Note.— The above account includes the exports of beef and horned cattle ; pork, hams, bacon, lard, and live hogs ; butter, cheese, potatoes and apples. The return for tallow and hides is also included, as the official dooumenta do not furnish a separate statement. No. 3. — Continued. Leather, and manupaotures op leather, exported prom the United States during the tears ending September 30, 1841 and 1842, respectively. Co 1841. 1842. * To Pairs of boots and shoes. Pounds of leather. Value. Pairs of boots and shoes. Pounds of leather. Value. 1,882 17,057 445 12 1,060 500 53,533 1,018 611 14,474 966 3,6283,286 4,200 5,472 353,232 15,120 453 3,858 7,249 540531 $2,720 1,026 98,803 3,728 21 1,080 485 62,566 729579 14,670 682 3,3683,126 965 350 23,545 2,121 96 1,202 28,159 1,690 5,182 24,281 1,074 2,6522,663 160 3,494 4,449 310,178 6,7921,1742,7971,526 14,700 615 75 17,893 $1,855 1,011 95,231 3,732 390 Hayti 884 28,395 1,2665,261 22,119 1,2871,860 2,699 2,985 98,472 390,655 193,583 94,140 363,693 168,925 TOTOi-i t> tr< Wd d CO OS No. 3. — Continued. Manufactures of cotton exported from the United States in the year ending September 30, 1841. Co OSOS To Swedish West Indies, . . Danish West Indies, . . Hanse Towns, .... Holland and dependencies, Belgium, England and dependencies, France, &c, Spain, &c Portugal, &c Italy and Siciiy, . . . Turkey, Levant, &c, . . Hayti, Texas and Mexico, . . . South America, .... West Indies, generally, . Asia, generally, . . . China, Africa, generally, . , . South Seas and Pacific, . Non-enumerated. 7,108 14,472 125 919 8,264 267,504 3,0881,534 303,701 Printed and col ored. $4,751 2,000 1,530 68 4,884 8,487 6,100 106,472 235,669 43 2,029 33,097 45,373 450,503 White. $76 35,478 1,412 86,162 10,894 209,856 3,536 75,50417,743 10,774 81,780 34,111 104,613 1,151,165 9 183,577173,755 84,26660,128 2,324,839 Twist, &c. 14 12,211 153 16,667 14,264 125 43,503 Total. 40,985 1,412 88,162 10,894 218,508 3,604 107,071 26,355 10,77481,78041,130 219,502 1,671,005 52 185,606 188,019 120,576 107,035 TO > 1-3h-i TO H3t— I a. > M dfed > d 3,122,546 No. 8. — Continued. Manufactures of cotton exported from the United States in the year ending September 30, 1842. Swedish West Indies, Danish West Indies, Hanse Towns, ........ Holland and dependencies, . . . Belgium, England and dependencies, . . France, &c, Spain, &c, Portugal, &c Italy, Sardinia and Sicily, . . . Trieste and other Austrian ports, Turkey, Levant, &c, Hayti, Texas and Mexico, South America, West Indies, generally Asia, generally, . China, Africa, generally South Seas and Pacific, .... Non-enumerated. $420 1,414 ¦ 18 9,765 185 14,760 220,800 2,800 199 250,361 Printed and col ored. $4,356 50 930 10,936 123 2,830 12,850 905 3,405 8,822 47,418 223,373 22,447 38,370 8,225 385,040 31,38751,823 134,015 9,852 188,008 8,9711,6481,758 57,27326,776 103,020 1,115,636 171,109 337,470 44,749 14,314 2,297,964 Twist, &c. #2,554 11,474 1,380 3,662 18,255 37,325 $155 35,743 50 53,173 148,919 9,993 212,077 21,821 2,5531,758 60,67835,783 166,578 1,563,471 193,556 355,725 85,91922,738 2,970,690 TO 1-3>>— t TO1-3h-i Q >tH a d wM> d CO OS 568 STATISTICAL BUEEAU. No. 4. Post-office statistics for the year ending June 30, 1843. Length Total of an Total of an Set postage Excess of Excess of routes. nual trans nual cost. for the year. revenue. of cost. States, &c. portation. Miles. Miles. Maine, 3,941 1,029,511 #71,447 #65,831 $5,616 New Hampshire, . 2,279 655,481 43,998 41,349 2,649 Vermont, .... 2,404 713,430 46,009 41,383 4,626 Massachusetts, 3,373 1,598,081 131,749 246,962 $115,213 Rhode Island, 338 111,852 10,115 30,474 20,359 Connecticut, . 1,924 770,608 51,371 74,548 23,177 New York, . 13,018 4,778,064 352,329 725,187 372,858 New Jersey, . 2,024 731,321 62,330 46,115 16,215 Pennsylvania, 10,328 3,020,862 187,437 334,846 147,409 Delaware, . . 619 158,110 8,303 10,396 2,093 Maryland, . 2,335 887,010 147,235 122,787 24,448 District Columbia, 19,572 19,572 Virginia 11,740 2,386,460 199,753 148,976 50,777 North Carolina, . 6,945 1,616,510 151,495 47,552 103,943 South Carolina, . 4,400 936,580 122,378 86,613 35,765 Georgia 6,587 1,448,525 171,671 95,660 76,011 Florida, . . 1,735 269,884 44,199 14,734 29,405 Ohio, . . . 11,577 2,977,036 194,607 183,445 11,162 Michigan, . 3,522 756,702 40,635 41,356 721 Indiana, . 6,362 1,175,692 68,688 45,116 23,572 Illinois, . . 7,027 1,458,530 121,269 55,343 65,926 Wisconsin, 1,541 195,842 12,234 15,278 3,044 Iowa, . . . 413 127,192 6,919 9,373 2,454 Missouri, . 7,809 1,386,850 69,081 61,841 7,240 Kentucky, 7,475 1,814,604 130,566 77,727 52,839 Tennessee, 6,761 1,239,040 96,065 59,101 36,906 Alabama, . 6,133 1,299,386 218,055 89,149 128,964 Mississippi, 4,478 914,002 95,580 49,734 45,846 Arkansas, . 3,372 531,376 53,825 12,819 41,006 Louisiana, . . . 1,825 264,264 37,976 104,261 66,285 Totals, . • • 142,285 35,252,805 *2,947,319 2,957,528 773,185 762,976 * Cost of transportation, . . #2,947,319 Expenses of mail agencies, 28,965 Together, 2,976,284," the amount stated in the Postmaster General's report. STATISTICAL BUREAU. 369 No. 5. Summary statement, showing the condition of the banks, and the amount, etc., op the commerce of the United states, prom the year 1834. Banks. Tears. No. Loans and discounts. Specie. Circulation. Deposits. Capital. 1834 506 $324,119,499 $94,834,570 $75,666,986 $200 005,944 1835 704 365,163,834 $43,937,625 103,692,495 83,081,365 231,250,337 1836 713 457,506,080 40,019,594 140,301,038 115,104,440 251,875,292 1837 788 525,115,702 . 37,915,340 149,185,890 127,397,185 290,772,091 1838 829 485,631,687 35,184,112 116,138,910 84,691,184 317,636,778 1839 840 492,278,015 45,132,673 135,170,995 90,240,146 327,132,512 1840* 901 462,896,523 33,105,155 106,968,572 75,696,857 358,442,692 1841 1842 Commerce. Imports. Exports. Balance Y'rs. Balance in Domestic. Foreign. Total. against U. S. favor of U. S. 1834 $126,521,332 $81,024,162 $23,312,811 $104,336,973 $22,184,359 1835 149,895,742 101,189,082 20,504,495 121,693,577 28,202,165 1836 189,980,035 106,916,680 21,746,360 128,663,040 61,316,995 1837 140,989,217 95,564,414 21,854,962 117,419,376 23,569,841 1838 113,717,404 96 033,821 12,452,795 108,486,616 5,230,788 1839 162,092,132 103,533,891 17,494,525 121,028,416 41,063,716 1840 107,141,519 113,895,634 18,190,312 132,085,946 $24,944,427 1841 127,946,177 106,382,722 15,469,081 121,851,803 6,094,374 1842 100,162,087 92,969,996 11,721,538 104,691,534 4,529,447 Revenue. Y'rs. Gross revenue from imports, tonnage, &c. Drawbacks, Bounties, and expenses of collection. Net revenue. Expenses of collecting. Per cent for coll'n on net revenue. Remarks. 18341835183618371838 1839 1840 18411842 $18,195,905 25,571,966 30,681,668 17,607,127 18,751,589 24,521,416 13,884,45719,221,01815,894,014 $4,737,794 4,019,6944,355,829 4,291,998 3,378,351 3,960,977 3,725,118 3,704,429 3,113,841 $13,458,111 21,552,272 26,325,83913,315,12915,373,23820,560,43910,159,33915,516,589 12,780,173 $1,264,545 1,284,9971,397,469 1,492,9471,514,6331,724,5911,542,3191,483,960 1,458,442 9.405.96 5.31 11.21 9.86 8.39 15.19 9.56 11.40 The gross revenue for these 9 years was $184,329,160 ; the gross amount of expenses of collec tion was $13,163- 903, or about 7.14 per cent, on the gross receipts, or 8.83 per cent, on the net revenue. *The above table shows the condition ofthe banks to ihe year 1840, inclusive, beiD» as far as the official reports have been made respecting banks. The following table exhibits a comparative statement of the condition of a portion of the banks, for the years 1836 and 1844, respectively ; showing a very important diminution of the circu lation, loans, &a. 370 STATISTICAL BUREAU. 5 oo rH P a fi 00iOMIr'C001 (MHHOCDHICO> tDffiWCNHi^HOJ __— cq co^t-^o oo ncfj 00 CO Os" -rft CO rH OS* <_sf rHOSt— CDCOiO> I— "**< CS CN t— O OQ00 H O O M M O co r- ¦*** cm as as rH CO o" CM** CD o" iO (N CO J> «D HH OIXNO CN,.cC> ICO* (xT-H^CO CN lONODOHCOCOO HCOCHiCOt-r-INH ¦^ CO tP CO O0 G) CN CO cDcor-O'-tfCNcor— <_MrHMiOCOCiCT)»OOONCDCD'OCrjOCOcO«'XiON>OOCSOO'*WKi ¦^CMCDCDCMiOCNCNCOOCOt^LOCMCNi_^as"cD,oo'''M"'i>^i>^co CD CO 00 OS LO lo"»o WHOt-tN'#iOLOQl>OCR'HlHr- COCMcDLOOCDLOCMJr~OOSOOX~-i— ICO CD OS rH !— I CD rH (M rt H H H H IN ^ cDOLOCN-^ascNcO'HicOLOr^r-csao^COCDCOOCDCOOLOCSC^CNOOCOCMCDCNt-rHCOaSLOOSOTiLOLO'^iOCOvO *hh io r- cd ¦•* cd"co"t_h,os,t-h'cn,o r- as cm (NiOOMU.iN'JKMQNOOOtOiO CN -H^ CN CO ©,CO cOOSrHCOCDiOcOCOO cD^rH *HH t-T CN rH CN CM CN* rH *£= rH rH i— ( iO CM CO O rH 1— CO I— rH CM rH rH rH O^O^CD^ CD CO^r-To"^^ CNtHcOOrHCO CO CD CD £-~ rH cO ^rtrtMHCOCD r-^ as" co co co cd" -^ ¦¦* as" LOt— rtNCOHCOOIN HOC0 03iHCO¦ CO "^ LO lo"lO CM",Lo"r-r-^"cO*,CO' 00'NCNCOCSCN-H I- CD^Jf r- CN CD lO 00 rH t-Tlo'os* CNOSH^iO t-C5 tDI^H H CO CO I> ¦* iM CfJ CO OO Nt-COOMCO CN -* LO CD lONiOcOI^r-T CO"0 rH CM r- co co co co OS tH ri OS rH J^t-^Jr^rH 00* Condition of the banks, and the amount, etc., op the commerce of the State op New Yore. BANKS. COMMERCE. Years. No. Loans and dis counts. Specie. Circulation. Deposits. Capital. Imports. Exports. Total imports and exports. 1834 1835 Deo. 31, 1836 183718381839 184018411842 Nov. 1, 1843 Feb. 1, 1844 9895 96959590 134142 $61,968,094 72,826,111 79,313,188 60,999,770 68,300,48668,057,067 54,691,16354,543,073 52,386,467 61,534,12958,444,293 $7,169,949 6,224,646 6,557,0204,139,732 6,602,7087,000,5295,429,6225,329,8578,477,076 11,502,789 10,086,542 $16,199,505 21,127,927 24,198,000 12,432,47819,373,14914,220,30415,235,05613,949,504 12,031,871 17,213,10116,335,401 $20,088,685 29,539,616 30,833,179 15,895,684 18,370,044 20,061,234 17,053,27917,063,774 19,100,415 27,387,16029,026,415 $37,000,000 37,101,46036,611,46036,801,460 36,401,46036,401,46034,551,460 43,369,15243,649,887 $73,188,594 88,191,305 118,253,416 79,301,722 68,453,206 99,882,53860,440,750 75,713,426 57,875,604 46,515,681 $13,849,469 21,707,86719,816,52016,083,96916,432,433 23,296,99522,676,60924,279,608 20,739,28622,407,719 $87,038,063 100,899,172138,069,936 93,385,691 •84,885,639 123,179,433 83,117,35999,993,034 78,614,890 68,923,400 Aggregate statement of banks in New York, November 1, 1843. Revenue from customs and excise in the kingdom of Great Britain, and expense op collection. Banks. Capital. Circulation. Specie. Deposits. Years. Total receipts. Total charges. Kate per cent. 18361837 1838 £38,765,091 36,355,67736,874,595 £2,851,225 2,813,792 2,848,500 7 3-10ths per cent. 84 Incorporated, 50 Free, $32,391,460 10,977,692 $13,850,334 3,362,767 $9,953,270 1,549,519 $22,743,793 5,231,238 7 7-10ths per cent. 7 7-10ths per cent. The expense of collecting the indirect taxation in France is 16 per cent. That of collecting the revenue from customs in Austria is 25 per cent. Do. do. in the Papal States is 2 3-10ths per cent. The expense of collecting the indirect taxation in Prussia is 10 per cent. The expense of collecting the revenue in Mexico is 6_ per cent. 43,369,152 17,213,101 11,502,789 27,975,031 50>o~ 1-3a tda > co 372 STATISTICAL BUREAU. No. 6. Table exhibiting the population, congressional representation, and amount of revenue collected in each state, etc. etc. States and Terri Entire popula White popula Free colored Slaves. Whites tories. tion. tion. population. under 20 years of age. Maine, .... 501,793 500,438 1,355 266,261 N. Hampshire, . 284,574 284,036 537 1 134,125 Massachusetts, . 737,699 729,030 8,669 325,269 Rhode Island, . 108,830 105,587 3,238 5 48,752 Connecticut, . . 309,978 301,856 8,105 17 138,013 Vermont, . 291,948 291,218 730 147,082 New York, 2,428,921 2,378,890 50,027 4 1,223,368 New Jersey, 373,306 351,588 21,044 674 184,624 Pennsylvania 1,724,033 1,676,115 47,854 64 910,198 Delaware, . 78,085 58,561 16,919 2,605 30,932 Maryland, 470,019 318,204 62,078 89,737 163,762 Virginia, . 1,239,797 740,968 49,842 448,987 410,899 N. Carolina, 753,419 484,870 22,732 245,817 275,185 S. Carolina, 594,398 259,084 8,276 327,038 147,421 Georgia, 691,392 407,695 2,753 280,944 246,738 Kentucky, 779,828 590,253 7,317 182,258 347,288 Tennessee, 829,210 640,627 5,524 183,059 391,869 Ohio, . . . 1,519,467 1,502,122 17,342 3 853,382 Louisiana, 352,411 158,457 22,502 168,452 79,457 Indiana, 685,866 678,698 7,165 3 310,649 Mississippi, 375,651 179,071 1,369 195,211 97,226 Illinois, 476,183 472,254 3,598 331 273,841 Alabama, . 590,756 335,185 2,039 253,532 204,285 Missouri, . 383,702 323,888 1,574 58,240 192,209 Arkansas, . 97,574 77,174 465 19,935 30,555 Michigan, . 212,267 211,560 707 115,371 Dist. of Colun ¦> 43,712 30,657 8,361 4,694 15,642 Florida Ter., 54,477 27,943 817 25,717 13,999 Iowa Ter., . 43,112 42,929 172 11 23,468 Wisconsin Ter., . 30,945 30,747 182 16 13,776 17,063,353 14,189,705 386,293 2,487,355 7,615,646 CO r • I " ' . : : . . j_l(_lr-* CO OStOtOr-*r-»tOCOr-» -^l-»r-*l-»l-»rf^l-*tO pHMH(^I^COWiOOOCJ) S* S0 2° £*¦ ^^^^^^^"cO^'bo'o o"---J --T^cO cOOJO)Orr*-OJtDcDCnr-'COCOHr^lN3CJSCOC7irJr-'-- «HCn o Qrr^lr^MHI^bJOKOOr^Wr^W^r^^^lMW^^r^^OlHWMOSW 05«WlsDQtOtOQOMOtOiDQ^S[0(»C^riwS3fed t> CO 374 STATISTICAL BUEEAU. No. 6. — Continued. States and Territo ries. Maine, . . . N. Hampshire; MassachusettsRhode Island, Connecticut, Vermont, . New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania Delaware, . Maryland, Virginia, . N. Carolina, S. Carolina, Georgia, . Kentucky, Tennessee, Ohio,. . . Louisiana,Indiana, . Mississippi, Illinois, . . Alabama, . Missouri, . Arkansas, . Michigan, . Dist. of Columb, Florida Ter. Iowa Ter.,. Wisconsin Ter., White persons above 20 yrs. of age who can read and write represented by each mem. ber. 32,99137,242 39,931 27,610 40,829 35,46632,67832,11630,498 22,79723,771 18,08917,00813,007 16,28020,294 17,293 29,20718,53532,99518,37224,41615,47222,44440,05231,339 aver.26,744 Gross revenue Expenses of each state, of collec for the year tion. ending Dec. 81, 1839. $218,597 $99,755 17,968 18,711 4,068,955 213,139 186,177 36,173 193,145 31,436 7,850 9,473 14,141,977 639,604 28,305 8,970 2,899,149 129,367 12,977 22,187 1,172,694 126,074 294,593 57,685 17,527 7,460 657,396 54,620 132,360 41,911 2,999 336 42 407 4,621 5,273 1,619,672 106,640 55 583 79,884 37,112 12,251 519 6,182 11,350 38,448 10,764 55,676 36,227 25,869,500 1,705,776 Net revenue for the year 1839. $118,842 3,855,816 150,004 161,709 13,502,373 19,335 2,769,7821,046,620 236,908 10,067 602,776 90,449 2,663 1,513,032 42,772 11,732 27,684 19,449 24,182,013 «£§ 1,623 9,210 365652 528 5,168 18,289 ¦g "S ||| ° 1 % B_ _ _ V V 816,977 385,581 75,002 40,427 397,128 3,867 115,407 174,454 15,794 1,119 86,111 11,306 266 378,008 6,110 2,346 Gross revenue, $25,869,500 Expenses of collection 1,705,776 24,163,724 Net revenue for the year 1839 $24,182,013 Excess of expenses over gross revenue, 18,289 24,103,724 STATISTICAL BUREAU. 375 "5 C3 Value of real and per sonal estate. oooOO CD Oi CO 3* Free colored persons. Number of voters; one- fourth the number of whites over 20 years of age. CO CO WD Oi OS *0 CN iO Amount which ought to be expended, allowing each teacher 30 schol ars, and $12 for each scholar. Amount now expended on common schools, allowing $12 for each scholar. No. of common schools required, allow'g 30 scholars to a teacher. Children from 5 to 15 who ought to be at common schools. -^ CD CM-* COC-1 00 CM i-t O Jr- co Schol's at pub. charge. Scholars at common schools. Primary and common schools. Academies and gram mar schools. t- CM C5CM.O co" Number of colleges. No. of white persons over 20 who cannot read and write. Number of white per sons over 20 years of age. Whole number of white persons. O CO CD r-( r-i CM CD CO OS O CO O I ^o - th fe ,5 v UC5 N(N tH CO Bushels of r- oats. OO t-H CO t-H O T—l T"H fl ' [- CD CO Ph barley. O CO tHCM th 05 t- CD Bushels of CM CO Oi wheat. 00 lr- cMrH CO O CN (M B Value of CO CO poultry. CM T-H CO T* B 3 m- CO t-H U3 CO ¦4 Swine. Oi CO U3 T-H th" cOCN om Sheep. O CO n CNCN lO CO CM WS Th T-H IO Horses and CO "D Th mules. OS O lO t— i O O Capital O O invested. T-H T-H !o $& a Men empl'd. I ^ i r-i o s O o Value OS 2 produced. O o s& OO o O O o £ Capital O O o y invested. T-C-HHUOCM Ut> Men empl'd. 00 00 Ci CO CDCO ou l-H CN *-- co O consumed. r-T tH o »o O Tons CO CO lO produced. °« tH t-H T-H § o <3 Total c >o 376 STATISTICAL BUREAU. Gallons of wine made. Value of produce of the orchard. CO CO O CO tf_> co Value of produce of the dairy. CD CO CD O lOCN^ rH f-^ O "0 (M tH j CO 00 1 t-H Cords of | cm co 1 o wood sold. ^"o" 1 csf 1 t-h tH 1 CN Pounds of wax. ir-o r- co CO *- Jr-O T-Hl—< Pounds of j O Oi i ci , O Oi Th hops. | | t-H Pounds of wool. Pounds of sugar. Oi O co *n CO T-H Tons of hay. CO CO T-H xh CM O CD Jr— ia Th Bushels of potatoes. Oi CN t-H O OD Oi o"(M CO O iQ CO Bushels of Indian corn. CM CN co r- CM oT T-HOTh t-H Bushels of buckwheat. Bushels of rye. Oi O oi Th CN 00 UO s§ Persons empl'd in internal transport ation. Capital. 2°Oo Persons employed in commerce. Capital. Lumber yards andj trade. Capital invested. OO O rH Oi CD ir- Oi CO OO Retail dry-goods, grocery and other stores. CO CM o U3 r- ir- Gallons of sperm oil. o_CO O^ Jr-? CO Men employed. COCO COCO o O Ginseng, and all other o o W products of the forest. :? Th » cq CN m o oo o Value of lumber pro -*¦>* oCO duced. CO CO m CO • • • 2? 03 ' " | Us 3 © -*£ H UO OO o Capital. oo U3 o o i ^(M* CN Men. ioth Oi Goods made. w_> o 00 CO Th «= iH oo o oo o Capital. CO o CO co" Oi CO Ci"Oi 00 3 m- Men. O Oi Oi oo o Value of Th CO Th rH o CO goods made. OTtlJr-Th OJr-Th rn m- 13 3 H oo O 3 Capital o o ThTh 00 "tt e invested. CO Jr- O Oi CO CO o 1 i m T-H 1 CO t-H iO CO 1 employed. GO CO t-h CM oo O Value of OO O Oi oOi goods made. Oi CO CO CN T-H CDrH O «3 o Capit al in the fore- lOCMCO CD Jr- Oi gomg nanufactures. O CO co Th 3^1-H CO Jr- i-H J>Oi CD I employed. CNOi CO ** ¦s ^ OO Olr- oJ>* Value T-f l-t CN 'El tt produced. 00 CD ThCOrH . . . a a * • 1 Is" 3 o l| H OO 32* 378 STATISTICAL BUREAU. oo o o Capital. °«o,cm"t_T o CO 1— 1 tH m Men CM O CN employed. r-i rH CN Pounds of OO O sperm & wax o O o o o o o Pounds of oo o tallow candles. CO o CD Th^O Oi o O Pounds of oo OO Soap. Th Th CO CD T-H T-H Capital. 1U.CU <£, <£, employed. co cm Value manufactured. co o Th o io CO Capital. oooo O^iOT-H oomT-H Men employed. (MCN T-H Th 1-t Value manufactured. OOOO *o o co" c3 ' o is" a o olu ree To OO ' STATISTICAL BUREAU. 379 o fe oo o o o o Capital. cOO^ COco"IO a .9 Men 00 Th CM employed. T-H t-H CO r! H .4 M CM « Weekly CO CO newspapers. oo o o o Capital. o,°«oo" oT T-H CO o^ Jr—»o 1 «= Men employed. T-H CM Th a rH R h y o o oo p Value vO o lO < produced. Oi O Th S &co Th o o o o Capital. o^ rHT-H o^ T-HT-H a S3 €& 3 Men employed. CN CM -u rt K CN00 CM Value CM CM produced. CM ~—l CMT-H oo oo m OJ Capital. t-h^t on T3 «= § Men CO OS Jr- 1 ft employed. rH of oo O oo o 3 fi Value CO CO T-H produced. CO CO VO m- i * • ¦ Hi *o8 o •5 s H OO fe oo O oo o Th CN CO Capital. CD JT- ¦—i rH COCO €& i Men O 00 00 h employed. CO o rH 00 rH oo o oo o Value O CO CD produced. - Jr-CM CO orH • • - * * • oS ' o riff 3 o <-> ^H « EH OO ' 380 STATISTICAL BUREAU. Navigation of canals, rivers and lakes. Navigation of the ocean. Learned professions, and engineers. lO vO CMTh (NH e 5 Total of persons employed in manufactures. Total capital in manufac tures. o o vO CD O^lr-VO T-H ThOi Capital. ooto CO 00 Men employed. "Wood. Brick and stone. % *"• ^ oo o oo o Capital. vO O oo"cd" oTh rHCM Th «= oo o 00 VO CO Value produced. CD VO oo"oo" CMJr-^ CO o Oi m- la 3 is s o_S oo STATISTICAL BUREAU. 381 Banks in Columbia county, New York, Feb. 1, 1844. Name of bank. Loans and discounts. Specie. Capital. Circulation. Deposits. Farmers' Bank, Hudson, . . Bank of Kinderhook, . . . $237,264 109,406 66,779 $8,894 5,501 4,189 18,584 $150,000 135,450 125,000 $149,710 70,002 53,282 $50,616 66,819 41.199 Total 413,449 410,450 272,994 158,634 Banks in Greene county, New Yoke. New York Stock Bank, . . $160,184 194,791 99,718 2,370 $6,041 4,0384,000 1,504 $150,000 100,000 100,000 44,000 $82,524 120,815 78,883 43,150 $60,778 43,567 7,8416,140 457,063 15,583 394,000 325,372 118,326 Summary. Banks in Columbia county, . Banks in Greene county, $413,449 457,063 870,512 $18,584 15,58334,167 $410,450 394,000 $272,994 325,372 598,366 $158,634 118,326 804,450 276,960 Distribution or the income of the literature fund. $40,000 of the income of the literature fund of the State of New York, for the year 1843, was divided among the different academies, &c, on the 27th Feb ruary, 1844 ; and the following seminaries, &c, in Columbia and Greene coun ties, received as stated below : Columbia county, Claverack Academy, $163.66 Hudson Academy, 150.30 Kinderhook Academy, 400.80 $714.76 Greene county, Coxsackie Academy, 26.72 Greenville Academy, 123,58 150.30856.06 REPORT ON THE IMPORTANCE OP A STA TISTICAL BUREAU.* The developments of public sentiment within the last year have indicated a lively interest excited among reflecting men by the project submitted to your honorable body in the resolution under which the first committee on this subject was organized, at the last session of Congress. Rarely, indeed, has any measure of the kind been productive of more extended and approving comment by citi zens capable of appreciating the importance of the subject. It would be derogatory to the character of the American people to suppose that statistical researches and reports should meet with less favor in the United States than is bestowed upon them in the mon archies of. Europe ; but your committee are highly gratified in being able to state that the degree of popularity which has followed the project of a statistical bureau as a part of our government fur nishes satisfactory evidence that the intelligent freemen of our coun try are ready in this, as in all other cases, to approve of any rea sonable expenditure for promoting a correct knowledge of the mul titudinous facts concerning the interests and resources of every state in our republican confederacy. Results would richly repay all expense incurred in this matter. Your committee deem it proper, in this connection, to bring in review some of the numerous reasons presented last year, in the course of the report approving the project of a Statistical Bureau. * 28th Congress, Second Session. House of Representatives, JVb. 110. Feb. 1th, 1845. — Report of the select committee appointed on the 7th of January on the subject of statistical information, and to whom was referred the letter from the Secretary of the Treasury upon the same subject. STATISTICAL BUREAU. 383 Those reasons are now again respectfully submitted for the consid eration of Congress, in connection with the present efforts for giving greater efficiency to the movement on this subject, for creating what may properly be termed a Bureau of Statistics, with ade quate means to promote the objects which led to its creation, instead of the very restricted plan which was adopted last year, on account of the deficiency of means furnished by the simple provis ion for allowing the employment of a single extra clerk (at fifteen hundred dollars) to attend to this important duty. The bill now before the house contemplates the appropriation of reasonable sala ries for several officers competent to the discharge of duty in this valuable branch of the public offices ; and your committee fervently invoke the attention of gentlemen who have not yet fully reflected on the subject to the reasons herewith submitted (and many others might be enumerated) for sustaining the proposition for rendering the organization of the Bureau of Statistics more consonant with the important matters committed to its charge, — matters which require a high order of intellect, and much intelligence and zeal, on the part of all employed about the business of that bureau. We repeat what was stated last year, when this subject was first pre sented for your consideration in the resolution for a Bureau of Sta tistics, that, 1. By furnishing correct and official information relating to all the great interests of the country, it would prevent unintentional partial legislation in favor of one or more, to the injury of the rest. The knowledge which such a bureau would annually present would form the safest basis for both national and state legislation. 2. It would facilitate legislation, by supplying ready information to the national legislature upon all subjects on which it might wish to act. The replies given to all calls for information would be prompt ; and, when compared with those which are now obtained, after weeks or months of delay, they would be found to be more 384 STATISTICAL BUREAU. complete and accurate, more compact and better digested, giving the information sought in a smaller compass and more convenient shape. Thus, correct and ready information would be furnished to the inquirer ; the hurry and inconvenience, and often injurious delay to the regular work of the departments, would be avoided ; and the pubhc service be promoted, by a more ready and accurate despatch of public business. 3. The establishment of such a bureau would greatly facilitate the business of the departments, by enabling the respective officers thereof to ascertain, by a brief inspection, the absolute and relative condition of every interest, the amount of every source of revenue, and every object of expenditure ; and every question which the duties of their oflice, the wishes of the legislature, or the interests of the public, might prompt, would receive a ready and correct reply. 4. Such a bureau would, in a comparatively short time, furnish correct information respecting the commercial, financial, the navi gating and shipping, the manufacturing, and the agricultural inter ests of the country ; a digested body of facts relative to the reve nue, the custom-house, the post-office, the land-office, and the Indian department ; correct statements respecting the population, the expenses and details of the army and navy, the progress of internal improvements, the state of banks and other institutions, and of monetary affairs and exchanges ; and, in short, a regular, connected, and methodized arrangement of every subject to which facts and figures bear any relation, and which are in any way con nected with the history, the progress, and condition of the nation at large, and those of the various states and territories. And here it may be remarked, that, by a full and complete arrangement of the prices of stocks, the rates of exchanges, the quantity of unem ployed capital (as exhibited by the amount of deposits in banks, and other variations in the money market), the best opportunities STATISTICAL BUREAU. 385 for the execution of government financial operations would be ascertained, and materially promoted. 5. The duties of the bureau would extend to the arrangement, condensation and elucidation, of the statistics of foreign nations, and to all the various branches oi international commercial inter course. Materials for this part of the business are daily accumu lating, especially from consuls, and other public agents abroad. The information contained in the various documents received is always of importance, and often of the highest value ; but it is now only of partial service to the legislature and the public, by its not being methodized and arranged ; and the various insulated facts are rendered valueless, for want of collocation and juxtaposition. 6. The labors of a Statistical Bureau would most essentially con tribute to the increase of sound knowledge upon all subjects con nected with national and international affairs among the people. The theories (often conflicting) of political economists would give place to the practical results of experience, the sober truths of fig ures, and the unerring demonstrations of facts. The true interests of the people of the country, as a people one and indivisible, would be perceived and understood. Knowledge of the most important kind would be given to the community ; additional power, the result of knowledge, would be placed in the hands of the legislature ; the welfare of the country would be advanced, by its interests being better understood ; and legislation would be con sistent and onwards, uniformly conducing to individual happiness, and national honor and prosperity. It is hoped that nations will no longer seek to conquer by war or physical force, but by an hon orable rivalry in the cultivation of the arts of peace, of commerce, of agriculture, of manufactures, and of science. Practical and use ful information must be furnished to our people, to enable them to compete with other nations in this laudable career. The object of the bureau would be to furnish this information, and thus place the 33 386 STATISTICAL BUREAU. materials for sound thought, and the foundation for correct action, within the grasp of every American citizen. Holding these sentiments in reference to the importance of a Bureau of Statistics, — sentiments that are strengthened by the reflec tions and experience of the last year, — your committee conclude, for the present, by expressing their warm approbation of the bill now before your honorable body, for placing this bureau on some thing hke an adequate foundation. Yet they cannot take leave of the subject, even temporarily, without invoking your special atten tion to the letter from the Secretary of the Treasury, which is herewith submitted, as a part of this report. c Department of the Treasury, ( January 6, 1845. To the honorable the members of the Senate and of the House of Representatives of the United States of America in Con gress assembled : At the last session of the Congress, the honorable Mr. Pratt, of the State of New York, with a spirit worthy that great state, intro duced in the House of Representatives a joint resolution, which was approved on the 15th June, 1844, in the words following : " Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Secretary of the Treasury be, and he is hereby, authorized to transfer from any office or offices of the treasury department, from which their services may, in his opinion, be dispensed with, three or more clerks, to be employed, under his direction, in col lecting, arranging and classifying, such statistical information as may be procured, showing, or tending to show, each year, the con- STATISTICAL BUREAU. 387 dition of the agriculture, manufactures, domestic trade, currency, and banks, of the several states and territories of the United States. The clerks which may be transferred and employed under this authority shall receive the same salaries as at present. And a report, containing the results of the information obtained upon the before-mentioned subjects, shall be annually made to Congress by the Secretary ofthe Treasury, on the first Monday of January." In the general appropriation of the 17th June, 1844, the sum of fifteen hundred dollars was provided for the employment of a clerk qualified to conduct and execute the statistical compilations and returns required by the joint resolution before quoted. In obedience to the joint resolution and the appropriation, clerks were employed to execute the work. The result of their labors is herewith most respectfully communicated to Congress. The benefits which would bederived from a Statistical Bureau, well organized and conducted, are manifold. The want of a statistical work, well executed, has been felt in legislating for the Union. In the execution of a statistical work, time, money, and a high order of intellect, are necessary. Individual exertion and private resources cannot compel the necessary information. Such a work properly belongs to the government, having the power to command the collection of the facts, and the ability to pay for the talents and time necessAy to the due execution. It is, with the most respect ful deference to Congress, suggested by the Secretary of the Treasury to their consideration, whether the resolution before quoted be not too limited in its objects, and too scant in the means, to enable the secretary to cause a statistical work to be executed sufficiently comprehensive and useful, worthy of the government and its purposes, and suited to the majesty of the people of the United States. The resolution confines the information to be collected to the 388 STATISTICAL BUREAU. agriculture, manufactures, domestic trade, currency, and banks of the United States. It is respectfully recommended that the inform ation be enlarged to the foreign trade, foreign manufactures, for eign agriculture, foreign products, foreign currency, and foreign regulations and restrictions of commerce. All these subjects, domestic and foreign, seem to fall within the circle of knowledge useful, necessary and proper, for the legisla tors, statesmen, and people of the United States. In a country Uke ours, agricultural, manufacturing, and com mercial, our interests are deeply concerned in having the best attainable information of all that relates to our own soil, and its products, natural and artificial ; the products of industry, our sur plus and our wants, as well as the products of foreign soils and climates, foreign industry, foreign wants, foreign surplus, foreign modes of conveyance, foreign prices of labor, foreign coins and cur rency, foreign laws imposing duties on imports and exports, and the annual consumption of foreign nations of those articles not the growth or product of their respective territories. An accurate knowledge of those will enable our merchants to pursue their com mercial enterprises more advantageously, and the Congress and the Executive of the United States more effectually to counteract the rivalry and injurious pohcy of foreign nations in respect to our own trade and commerce and domestic industry. These subjects are intimately connected with our national prosperity, and national wealth. Six enumerations of the population of the United States have been taken, connecting therewith other facts relating to the resources, industry, and wealth of the states and territories ; yet, heretofore, those materials have remained, comparatively, in a rude and undigested heap, inconvenient and inaccessible, unless by great expense of time and labor to legislators, statesmen, philosophers, and philanthropists. STATISTICAL BUREAU. 389 The various subjects before alluded to would properly fall under the cognizance of a Statistical Bureau ; and if well appointed, and with means to enable the secretary to collect the necessary inform ation, and to purchase books relating to the proper duties and subjects of the bureau, it would be eminently useful. To enumerate the various duties to be confided to a Statistical Bureau, and explain in extenso the many benefits and advantages to result from such an establishment, would protract this commu nication to an unreasonable length. Some of the most prominent objects and benefits have been noticed ; the collected wisdom of the Congress will supply the rest. The multifarious duties of the Secretary of the Treasury require an unremitted assiduity, leaving only time for a general superin tendence and direction of the objects and labors of a Statistical Bureau. It is, therefore, of great importance that the head of such a bureau be a man of genius, cultivation, experience, and judgment, and that the clerks be of capacities and turn of thought adapted' to the business. All men are not fit for all things. From that which has been done, in the short space of six months, by the clerks to whom the duties have been assigned, under the resolution of the 15th June, 1844, laboring under disadvantages of a first entry into the business, an argument may be drawn in favor of the very great convenience and benefits which may be expected, in the progress of time, to the Congress, to the execu tive, and to the people, from the matured works of a Statistical Bureau, operating from time to time in collecting general and spe cial facts, enlarging, revising, correcting and improving, the sum of information. The nations of Europe — France and Great Britain -in particu lar — have adopted the wise pohcy of collecting, arranging and classifying, all matters which can minister to the knowledge of their national commerce, national wealth and national prosperity. 33* 390 STATISTICAL BUREAU. An examination of the French and British works on general and special statistics will demonstrate the utility of an establishment by the government of the United States devoted to inquiries relating to the population, agriculture, manufactures, mines, minerals, internal and external commerce, banks and currency, of the United States, as primary subjects of knowledge, and as connected with similar interests in every quarter of the globe. In the preparation for the press, and in the publications, hereto fore, of the data collected in taking the census, great expense has been incurred in printing the information in an unwieldy and unsatisfactory manner. Under the management of a Statistical Bureau, the future mate rials collected in the after-enumerations may be published in a con venient, well-digested form, to the saving of expense. The Secretary of the Treasury is led to the conclusion that a Statistical Bureau, properly organized and supported, will be able to respond promptly and correctly to all calls by the Congress for information on statistical subjects, save great waste of time and money, and furnish information highly interesting and useful to the great body of the people. A parsimonious policy in the establishment will greatly diminish, if not defeat, the utility of the works of the bureau, and demean them in comparison with the statistical works of other nations. To obtain the services of a competent bureau, it is respectfully suggested that the Secretary of the Treasury be authorized, in execution of the purposes of the resolution, to appoint a chief of the bureau, with an annual salary of three thousand dollars ; two clerks, with an annual salary of two thousand dollars each ; and one clerk, with an annual salary of fifteen hundred dollars. These four to compose the bureau, to be conducted under the control and superintendence of the Secretary of the Treasury, with a moderate STATISTICAL BUREAU. 391 sum annually for the purchase of statistical works, and for contin gent expenses. In conclusion, the Secretary of the Treasury has to remark, that this branch of knowledge, so interesting, so important, and so eagerly desired, remains, as yet, in the United States, veiled in obscurity and mystery. Private fortunes and private means will not — the Congress can, if they will — cause light to shine through the dark ness. All which is most respectfully submitted to the collected wisdom of the Congress. George M. Bibb, Secretary of the Treasury. REPORT ON THE IMPORTANCE OP STATIS TICS.* In the opinion of the committee, the propriety of sustaining the Bureau of Statistics, by placing it on a more liberal foundation, is strongly illustrated by the course of discussion which now convulses the whole land concerning sundry important territorial questions. In this discussion, frequent reference is made to matters about which the Bureau of Statistics, when properly organized on a suitable basis, would *be able to furnish facts for the ready examination of the representatives of the people, and for diffusion through all sec tions of the Union, in the printed reports of Congressional proceed ings. And it is under these circumstances, with a consciousness of the utility of the measure impressed more strongly upon them by the important discussions now daily transpiring around them, that your committee would most earnestly invoke the favorable action of Congress in sustenance of the Statistical Bureau, in a manner commensurate with the interests and character of our com mon country ; the very limited provision made last year being insufficient for the purpose contemplated. By way of illustrating their views of the importance of Statistical inquiry concerning the permanent interests of the whole Union, and with the purpose of enforcing the necessity of thorough atten tion to statistics when legislating on questions concerning the interests of different sections of the United States, your committee * 28th Congress, second session, House of Representatives, JVo. 186. Feb. 25, 1845. — Report of the select committee, to whom was referred the subject of the Statistical Bureau, established in connection with the treasury department, under authority of Congress, at its last session ; and also upon the subject of statistics generally. IMPORTANCE OF STATISTICS. 393 are induced to believe that they cannot promote their objects more effectually at this time than by inviting the attention of Congress to the statements herewith submitted, on the subject of national statistics as applicable to important national questions, and as sup plying a sound basis for correct and permanent national legislation. Among all the various important applications of statistical knowledge, there is none where it would prove more preeminently useful than in the case of sectional differences arising from sup posed conflicting interests. In a great confederacy like the United States, extending into such a variety of climates, and embracing such a diversity of soils, productions and employments, and con taining, as it does, social and domestic institutions varying in their nature and relation, and induced by peculiarity of circumstances, these sectional questions cannot fail to be frequently occurring. Whenever these questions do occur, it is not saying too much to affirm that a reference to such statistical information as applies to the question at issue would, if it did not at once remove every dif ficulty or misapprehension in which it originated, furnish such a basis for correct and equitable national legislation as would heal all sectional differences, draw tighter the bonds which unite us as a nation, and promote, in a most essential manner, the happiness and the prosperity of every part of the Union. There is certainly no question arising out of these sectional dif ferences of such perpetually annoying recurrence as that of slavery, and the circumstances caused by, and arising from, the existence of that condition of society in a part of the Union. The committee wish to call the attention of the house to what may be termed the statistics of slavery,— not to the moral, intellect ual, or physical condition of the slave, for that would be travelling out of the sphere of their legitimate duties,— but such an examina tion and comparison of the statistics of the slaveholding and non- slaveholding portions ofthe Union as may remove much prejudioe, 394 IMPORTANCE OP STATISTICS. error and misapprehension, and prevent, for the future, much of that spirit of hostility and unkindness, and those feelings of irrita bility and morbid sensitiveness, which pervade even the halls of our national legislature, when any allusion is made to the subject. The committee have no sectional feelings to gratify, no party principles to promote, no personal interests to advance. The sec tion they represent is the territory of the United States, from east to west, and from north to south ; the party they espouse is the American people, "one and indivisible;" the personal interests they contend for are those which belong to every American citizen. They wish to show the importance of statistical knowledge, by giving an example of its application to a subject of the highest national importance, and thus add another argument in favor of the establishment of the Bureau of Statistics, the commencement of which they have recommended. If a survey be taken of the various circumstances, relations, interests, products, population, &c, of the United States, dividing it into sections of north and south, and determining the division line between them by the existence and the permitted continuance of slavery on one side of that line, and the operation of state laws either against its existence or its continuance on the other, certain results will be arrived at. This line of demarcation, and the prin ciple which determines it, are not assumed for any invidious purpose, or as the ground of disparaging calculations. The ques tion of slavery or no slavery appears to have been adopted as the slogan shout of both parties, and almost every pohtical question is made to turn upon it. Any allusion to it on the floor of Congress operates like an electrical shock through the entire body of legisla tors. The annexation of Texas to the Union will be advocated or opposed with an ultimate, if not an avowed, reference to this ques tion. Its discussion has more than once endangered the peace and the integrity of the Union ; its operation, at the present, is inimical IMPORTANCE OP STATISTICS. 395 to calm and dispassionate legislation ; its tendency, in the future, may be to produce results which the patriot sighs to contemplate, and the philanthropist shudders to anticipate. And yet, were the matter left to adjust itself by the simple but most efficacious laws by which Providence, in its wisdom and its goodness, calls principles into operation, and directs them to their salutary results, — would men calmly use the reason with which God has endowed them, — would they pursue the right, and abandon the expedient, — would they curb their passions, their tempers and their selfishness, — this at present all-absorbing and dangerously exciting question would, in a comparatively short time, resolve itself by a very peaceable, simple and satisfactory solution. More of this in the sequel. At present, let facts speak for themselves ; and the statistics of the two sections, and the con clusions to be drawn from them, show how far the north is inde pendent of the south, and how far the south is independent of the north, — not for any purpose of teaching either section how it can best do without the other, but in order that both may be convinced that the true policy of both is to abandon denunciation, threaten ing and unkindness, and to adopt the language of moderation and courtesy. Let each portion regard the other as a member of the same family, each necessary for the preservation of the best inter ests of the other, and both as component parts of a fair, free and happy republic, upon whose progress the eyes of the whole civihzed world are turned, and upon whose failure to realize the truth of the principles of government which they have adopted, the enemies of freedom throughout the world would rejoice, and the realization of the best hopes of mankind be postponed for centuries. Now, first, as to the extent and population of these two sections of the United States. The non-slaveholding states (or what, in these observations, will hereafter be termed the northern states) are Maine, New 396 IMPORTANCE OF STATISTICS. Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Michigan, and the territories of Iowa and Wisconsin. They contain, in round numbers, a surface of 661,200 square miles. The slaveholding states (or what will hereafter be termed the southern states) are, Maryland, Virginia, North Carohna, South Carolina, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennes see, Kentucky, Missouri and Arkansas ; to which add the territory of Florida and the District of Columbia. This section contains a surface of 627,400 square miles. The northern states had, in 1840, a population of 9,807,007 persons; of whom 3734 were slaves, and 187,644 free colored persons. The southern states had, in 1840, a population of 7,256,346 persons ; of whom 2,483,621 were slaves, and 198,649 free colored people. There were, therefore, 9,615,629 white persons in the northern states, and 4,574,076 in the southern states.* The power of the two sections, therefore, as represented by their respective white populations in 1840, — and population certainly forms an important element, and is evidently the foundation of physical power,— was as 9,615,629 to 4,574,076; that is, the power of the northern states was to that of the southern states as * The following statements have relation to this part of the subject ; they show the white population of the two sections, according to the several censuses : 1790. 1800. 1810. 1820. 1830. 1840. Northern States... Southern States... 1,900,9761,271,488 2,651,3371,653,128 3,708,580 2,153,434 5,085,6532,787,058 6,925,953 3,603,157 9,615,629 4,574,076 Total 3,172,464 4,304,465 5,862,014 7,872,711 10,529,110 14,189,705 Proportion of whites in the north and south, 1.49 to 1 1.60 to 1 1.72 to 1 1.82 to 1 1.92 to 1 2.10 to 1 IMPORTANCE OF STATISTICS. 397 21 to 10. The militia returns, however, as stated in the Army Register for 1841, do not agree with this ratio. They give the number of militia in the northern states as 903,211, those in the southern states as 600,741, — being only about 15 to 10. But other elements, besides mere physical force, enter into the attribute of power ; and of these, knowledge, mental energy, cli mate as affecting health and longevity, the soil as affecting produc tion, individual and collective industry, commercial enterprise, mechanical skill, pubhc institutions, and personal conduct, are among the most influential. Although knowledge is more the result and the consequence of education than education itself, and there are many men of great practical knowledge who have not received much education, still, generally speaking, the quantity of knowledge in any country will be in proportion to the degree of education possessed by its inhab itants ; and this amount of education will be in proportion to the means of instruction afforded, and is to be estimated by its prac tical results, as exhibited in morals and in manners, in scientific and literary advances, and in civilization and refinement. "The motives for giving knowledge a wide diffusion are peculiarly strong in this country, where, the people being the sole source of political power, all legislation and measures of public pohcy must, in a greater or less degree, reflect the opinions and feeUngs of the great mass of the community, and be wise and liberal, or weak and nar row-minded, according to the character of those by whose suffrages authority is given and is taken away. If the body of the people be not instructed and intelligent, how can they understand their true interests, — how feel the paramount obligations of law, order, justice and public faith?"* The number of universities and colleges in the northern states, * Tucker's Progress of the United States. 34 398 IMPORTANCE OF STATISTICS. in 1843, was 87 ; with 9150 students, and 41 libraries, containing 361,348 volumes. The number in the southern states was 86, with 7083 students, 39 libraries, and 205,807 volumes. Nothing can be deduced from these data to show the number of persons in each section of the country who receive a collegiate education ; for many of the students in the northern colleges are the sons of citi zens of the southern states ; and the same may be said of the med ical, law, and theological schools, established in the two sections. It may be mentioned here, however, that the northern states have 15 medical, 29 theological, and 5 law schools, containing in the aggregate 3324 students, with 21 libraries attached thereto, con taining together 101,810 volumes. The southern states have 13 medical, 9 theological, and 3 law schools, with 1529 students, and 7 libraries, containing together 21,800 volumes. In the northern states there are state and other hbraries con taining 227,100 volumes ; in the southern states, libraries contain ing 114,500 volumes ; being as 1 to 1.06 in favor of the southern states. It is to the academies, grammar schools, and primary schools of the two sections of the country, that we must look for the means of comparing the facilities for education afforded for each, and the extent, so far as numbers go, to which education is received. It may be supposed that the children receiving instruction at these schools are between the ages of five and fifteen. Referring to the census for 1840, we find that there were at that time 2,460,126 white children between the ages of five and fifteen in the northern states, and 1,266,954 children of the same description in the south ern states. The same document informs us that there were at that time 41,017 academies, grammar and primary schools, with 2,192,949 scholars, in the northern states ; and 9448 academies, grammar and primary schools, with 284,757 scholars, in the south- IMPORTANCE OP STATISTICS. 399 ern states. Also, that there were 208,638 white persons over twenty years of age who could not read and write, or about one in every 22tV of the entire number of persons of that description in the northern states ; and 341,267, or about one in every 5| in the southern states. These facts premised, the statistics of education for the two sections will be as follows : In the northern or free states, there is one academy, grammar or primary school, for every 60 children between five and fifteen years of age. In the southern or slave states, there is one academy, grammar or primary school, for every 134 children between the same ages — being more than two to one in favor of the former. In the northern states, out of 2,460,126 children between five and fifteen years of age, 2,192,949 attend at the academies, gram mar and primary schools; leaving 267,177 who do not attend any place of pubhc instruction, or about 10T9o- per cent. In the southern states, out of 1,266,954 children between five and fifteen years of age, 284,757 only attend at the academies, grammar and primary schools ; leaving 982,197 who do not attend some place of public instruction, or about 77£ per cent. A large portion of these, however, either receive their education at the northern academies, and consequently reduce, by their numbers, the pro portions above stated as existing in that section, or else receive education at home, or by private tuition; for, in 1840, only 341,- 267 white persons above twenty years of age could not read and write. Now, with respect to another branch of popular instruction (the newspaper and periodical press), the census of 1840 furnishes the following information : In the northern states, there were then 82 daily and 901 other newspapers and 178 periodicals issued; or one newspaper or periodical for every 8282 white persons. In the southern states, there were 51 daily and 365 other news- 400 IMPORTANCE OP STATISTICS. papers and 48 periodicals pubhshed; or one newspaper or periodical for every 9857 white persons. Knowledge and mental power and energy can only be estimated by their results, and we do not possess many means of ascertain ing these results. The relative inventive genius of the two sec tions, however, receives some illustration from the fact that citi zens of the northern states took out, in the year 1842, 434 patents for inventions and improvements in arts, sciences, manufactures and machinery, or one for about every 10,157 white persons above twenty years of age who could read and write. And the southern states took out 71 patents, or one for every 22,759 persons of a similar description • — • being a little more than two to one in favor of the northern states. In 1843, the northern states took out 450 patents ; the southern, 63. If we look to the subject of internal improvement, as exhibited by the extent of railroads and canals, we find that, in the year 1840, according to Mr. Tanner's statement, there was in the northern states a length of railroads and canals amounting to 6.298 miles. And in the southern states a length of . . 2.931 " Making a total of .... 9.229 " And the relative amounts are very nearly in proportion to the white population of the two sections ; but, as respects surface of country, two to one in favor of the northern states. A list of about 600 American authors is given in the American Almanac for 1840, of whom about 140 were natives of, or connected with, the southern states. This list includes persons born as far back as the year 1600, and therefore does not afford a fair criterion to judge respecting the two sections in question, — a great portion of each having been first inhabited by white persons within these last fifty years. Could this crite- IMPORTANCE OF STATISTICS. 401 rion be obtained, it is very probable, judging from what we do know, that each section would be found to possess very nearly its fair proportion. If we separate the population of the two sections into their various professions and employments, we obtain the following data : i c. fcJO *> 1 m .9 1 <0 a U 3 JCm 13 a'9 rt . § 8 so &~j 1-1 .9 8> a § V S a S < o a O 5 Kl Northern States, 10,353 1,751,100 80,658 607,771 51,439 22,605 45,162 Southern States, 4,858 •1,968,851 36,949 183,978 4,582 10,471 20,093 Total, 15,211 3,719,951 117,607 791,749 56,021 33,076 65,255 * Deduct for slave labor, 1,074,258. The white persons in the northern states being 9,615,629, and those in the southern states 4,574,076, we are enabled to make the following deductions : That the persons employed in mining in the northern states are, to those employed in the southern states, when compared with their respective white populations, in the proportion of 1.07 to 1.06 Those employed in agriculture, as . Those employed in commerce, as . Those employed in manufactures, as Those employed in navigating the ocean, as Those employed in internal navigation, as Those engaged in the learned professions, as These results are given as statistical facts. No particular inference can be drawn from them, excepting that the mass of the population of the southern or slave states are more decidedly an agricultural people than those of the other section; whilst the people of the northern or free states reverse the rule as to manu- 34* 1 to IJ IA to 1 IA to 1 5| to 1 2.35 to 2.29 47 to 44 402 IMPORTANCE OF STATISTICS. factures and navigation of the ocean. In the other avocations, the proportions are nearly according to their respective white popula tions. What effect these variations may have on the character of the respective communities, is more the province of the morahst and philosopher, than that of the political statist, to determine. The census does not afford the means of determining exactly how many white males above the age of twenty are not included in these industrious and productive classes, — the persons employed being classed in that document without distinction of age, sex or condition. We may, however, approximate sufficiently near, for all practical purposes, to a solution of this inquiry, by adopting the mode proposed at page 139 of Professor Tucker's " Progress of the United States." He supposes that two-fifths of the slaves and free colored population are employed in field-labor. Also, that out of the 109,612 persons employed in manufactures of cotton and other woven fabrics, one-half, or 54,806, are white females. Also, that the number of white males under twenty years of age, included in the industrious classes, is 575,519. Taking these numbers as the data of our calculations, we arrive at the following results : Persona. In the northern states, there are employed in the pro ductive classes, and in the learned professions, 2,569,088 Deduct females employed in manufactures, 54;806 proportion of 575,519 males under 20, 308,185 two-fifths of 188,004 free blacks, 75,200 438,191 Employed in industrious classes, &c, 2,130,897 White males above 20 years of age, 2,308,259 Leaving not so employed, 177,362 or about 1 in 13, or 7^ per cent. IMPORTANCE OF STATISTICS. 403 In the southern states, there are employed in the pro ductive classes and in the learned professions, 2,229,782 Deduct proportion of 575,519 males under 20, 267,334 two-fifths of free blacks (198,289), or, 79,316 two-fifths of 2,487,355 slaves, 994,942 1,341,592 Employed in industrious classes, &c, White females above 20 years of age, 888,190978,770 90,580 Leaving not so employed, or 1 in about lOf , or 9J per cent. This calculation shows that the unproductive classes of the northern states are, to those of the southern, as 7_70- to 9J, or about 1| per cent, greater in the latter than the former. So much for the education, means of acquiring knowledge, mental energy, mechanical skill, and industrious and productive habits, ofthe two sections ofthe Union.. With respect to the climate of the northern and southern states, as affecting health and longevity, we have but few data on which to regulate our decisions. Partial returns from cities or districts, and those relating only to short periods and particular seasons, will not direct us aright. The following tables, compiled from the census for 1840, may be of some service in this respect : WHITE POPULATION. Northern States. Southern States. Total. Per ct. N. States. Per ct. S. States. Under 5 years, 1,590,400 883,662 2,474,062 16.53 19.33 5 to 10 " 1,319,848 691,142 2,010,990 13.73 15.11 10 to 15 " 1,140,278 575,882 1,716,160 11.86 12.58 15 to 20 " 1,059,585 488,744 1,548,329 11.00 10.69 20 to 30 " 1,775,082 800,961 2,576,043 18.45 17.54 30 to 40 " 1,151,845 493,727 1,645,572 12.00 10.79 40 to 50 " 731,107 307,682 1,038,789 7.60 6.73 50 to 60 " 440,500 178,890 619,390 4.58 3.90 60 to 70 " 249,719 97,848 347,567 2.60 2.14 70 to 80 " 119,787 40,845 160,632 1.25 0.89 80 to 90 " 34,215 11,424 45,639 0.356 0.250 90 to 100 " 3,877 1,863 5,740 0.040 0.041 Over 100 " 383 409 792 0.004 0.009 404 IMPORTANCE OF STATISTICS. The greatest discrepancy in the above table is in the proportion of persons above one hundred years of age, which in the southern states is more than double that in the northern ones, in proportion to their respective population. A greater discrepancy, however, in this respect, existed in 1830 ; when, according to the census then taken, the proportion of white persons above one hundred years of age in the southern states was as 3.42 to 1, compared with the number in the northern states. The following mode has been adopted, in order to arrive at some tolerably correct ideas as to the salubrity of the chmate, and the healthiness and longevity of the inhabitants of the northern and southern sections. The number of persons (whites) in each section of the Union, of the various ages, as detailed in the census, has been multiplied by the average age of each class, — say those under five by two and one-half, those from five to ten by seven and one-half, and so on to the last term. The entire amount of these products was then divided by the whole number of white persons, and the quotient taken as the average age of all white persons living in the respective sections at the time the census was taken. By this rule, the average age of the white persons living in the northern states when the census of 1840 was taken was 22.567 years. That of those living in the southern states was 20.711 " The average of the whole country was 21.970 " Thus the population of the southern states was found to be 1.259 below the average age of the whole country, and 1.856 years below that of the population of the northern states. With respect to the relative salubrity of each section, and the quantity of health enjoyed by its inhabitants, we have no facts on which to base an opinion. Each portion has its advantages and disadvantages ; each its peculiar diseases ; and each is sought by the inhabitants of the other for a remedial change of air and IMPORTANCE OF STATISTICS. 405 chmate. The people of the north are evidently the more hardy and robust, and probably enjoy more of uninterrupted health, bodily vigor, and physical power, than those of the south. But these are general inferences, the correctness of which must here after be decided upon according to the result of observations and the accumulation of facts. If we proceed to an examination of the products of the soil in the two sections, we find the following facts : First, as respects metals and minerals, and the capital invested in their produce and manufacture : Northern States. Southern States. CAPlTAi INVESTED IN 1 o a o 3 o 3 1s 3 o i ~~i o O $15,748,334 4,683,797 $1,039,100 307,656 $100 234,225 $224,830 14,150 $6,470,860 527,185 $4,816,669 1,407,795 20,432,131 1,346,756 234,325 238,980 6,998,045 6,224,464 52,374,342 165,817 2,540,159 Secondly, as respects agricultural products, we have the follow ing facts on the authority of the census of 1840, and Mr. Tucker's " Progress ofthe United States." In the northern states, there was, in 1840, of horses, mules and neat-cattle, sheep, swine and poultry, an estimated value of $226,574,163. In the southern states, there was, in 1840, in the same descrip tion of property, an estimated value of $205,205,442. There was raised from the soil, in the year 1840, the following estimated value of the various products enumerated : .a « &S — o a, ft o 1 "3 to 3 ao "o ss .a o EX bo m o Northern States. Southern States. Dollars. 144,711,700 138,988,992 Dollars. 9,030,865 2,261,279 Dollars.1,955,840 Dollars. 57,130,302 Dollars. 388,122 10,012,402 Dollars. 684,847 4,814,427 Dollars. 130,764,037 36,298,704 283,700,692 11,292,144 1,955,840 57,130,302 10,400,524 5,499,274 167,062,741 406 IMPORTANCE OF STATISTICS. Thus, the total agricultural produce of the northern states is $285,579,571 ; to which add the value of the poultry, and one- fourth of the gross value of the hve stock (as representing its annually increased value), and the total amount is $345,474,495; equal to about $522 for each square mile of territory, or $35 per head for the whole population. The total produce of the southern states is $251,461,946. To this add the value of the poultry, and one-fourth the value of the live stock, and the amount will be $306,517,863 ; or about $488 for each square mile of territory, and $42.25 per head for the entire population. If the unsold portions of the public lands (February 7, 1839) situated in each section be deducted, the produce will be $664 per square mile in the northern and $786 per square mile in the southern states. The cereal grains raised in the northern states amount to 288,- 513,263 bushels, or about 29-| bushels for each inhabitant. Those raised in the southern states amount to 327,012,639 bushels, or about 45 bushels for each inhabitant. Of this amount, 250,344,- 443 bushels is Indian corn. The potatoes raised in the northern states are 86,526,099 bushels, or 8| for each person. Those raised in the south are 19,007,256 bushels, or 2-J for each person. Professor Tucker calculates that the quantity of grain and potatoes annually consumed in the United States by a family of five persons, either directly or in the shape of animal food pro duced by their consumption, is as follows : Indian corn, . 85 bushels, or for each person 17 bushels. Oats, . . 28 " " 5| " Wheat, rye, &c, 25 " « 5 " Potatoes, . 25 " " 5 " He allows one-tenth of the entire crop for seed. The consumption of Indian corn in the northern states would IMPORTANCE OF STATISTICS. 407 be, according to this calculation, in the year 1840, 166,719,119 bushels. The produce was 127,187,432, or, deducting one-tenth for seed, 114,468,689 bushels for consumption ; there would be, therefore, a deficiency of 52,250,430 bushels. The consumption of the southern states would be 123,357,882 bushels. Their produce is 250,344,443 bushels. Deducting one- tenth for seed, there is 225,310,000 left for consumption; and there is, therefore, a surplus of 101,952,118 bushels. The consumption of oats in the northern states will be 53,919,- 239 bushels. The produce is 80,967,827 bushels. Deduct one- tenth for seed, and there will be 72,871,045 bushels for consump tion, or a surplus of 18,951,806 bushels. In the southern states there will be 40,635,537 bushels of oats consumed. The quantity raised for consumption, after allowing one-tenth for seed, is 37,893,163 bushels. There is, therefore, a deficiency of 2,742,374 bushels. The northern states will consume of wheat, rye, &c, an amount of 49,035,035 bushels ; and as in 1840 they raised 80,358,004 bushels of these grains, there would be, after deducting for seed, a surplus of 23,287,969 bushels. The southern states consumed of the same grains 36,281,730 bushels. They raised 34,564,082; leaving, after deducting for seed, 31,107,674 bushels for consumption, and showing a deficiency of 5,174,056 bushels. The account for cereal grains will therefore stand thus : Indian corn. Oats. Wheat, rye, &c. Surplus. Deficiency. Surplus. Deficiency. Surplus. Deficiency. N. states. S. states. 101,952,118 52,250,430 18,951,806 2,742,374 23,287,969 5,174,056 49,701,688 surplus. 16,209,432 surplus. 18,113,913 surplus. 408 IMPORTANCE OP STATISTICS. RECAPITULATION. Northern states — total deficient, 10,010,655 Southern states — total surplus, 94,035,688 Surplus, 84,025,033 In 1840 the northern states raised 86,526,099 bushels of pota toes. Deduct one-tenth for seed, and there was 77,873,490 left for consumption. The consumption, at five bushels each, was 49,035,035 bushels ; leaving a surplus of 28,838,455 bushels. The southern states consumed 36,281,730 bushels, and raised 19,007,256 bushels; from which deduct the seed, and 17,106,531 bushels were left for consumption. There was, consequently, a deficiency of 19,175,199 bushels. With respect to manufactures of every description, the esti mated amount produced (1840) was, after deducting the cost of materials, in the northern states, $199,196,919, or $20| for each person, or $20^- for each white person. The amount produced in the southern states was, on a similar calculation, $39,873,496, or $5J for each person, or $8T7 bo co &_ ^ 0) in „ O _ v ft . > J ^'l ¦I'a & rt <~ ^ 11 "=3 3 § the position they held in & ¦%& II |«r ra gf=o£a CM 1790, — and loss. 1790 106 58 48 35,575 25,525 1.31 to 1 1800 142 78 64 33,991 25,830 1.31 to 1 64 — no loss. 1810 183 106 77 34,986 27,966 1.25 to 1 83 — loss of 6 members. 1820 213 124 89 41,013 31,315 1.31 to 1 96 — loss of 7 1830 242 143 99 48,433 36,395 1.33 to 1 109 — loss of 10 " 1840 223 136 87 70,703 52,575 1.32 to 1 101 — loss of 14 " The general deductions which appear to flow from this brief survey and summary are few, but highly important. They are — First. That there is nothing in the interests, the conditions, or the circumstances, of either of the portions into which we have 36 422 IMPORTANCE OF STATISTICS. divided the country, which is adverse to the most entire and per fect union and identity with the other. Secondly. That the peculiar products, capabilities and resources, of each section, render it necessary to the other, and capable of promoting its happiness and prosperity. Thirdly. That the union of the two presents a combination of power to produce all the elements and materials of wealth and prosperity, through their great channels, agriculture, commerce and manufactures, which has rarely, if ever, been possessed by any nation. We will not even glance at the disloyal and traitorous ques tions, ' ' How far can the north prosper without the south, or the south support itself without the north?" or, " What has the south to expect from the friendship of the north, or the north to dread from the anger of the south?" These are questions which will not be seriously asked, by any lover of his country, or her institu tions. They are questions which no friend to her best interests will raise into importance, by giving a serious reply to. At the same time, it is the part of wisdom to ascertain the truth, and to state facts. This the committee have endeavored to do. There do not appear to be, in the survey which has been taken, any circumstances in the present position of the two sections which can justify any morbid sensibility upon the subject of slavery, — which should make any allusion to it operate as a firebrand even in the councils of the nation, and cause the words " separation," " disunion," &c, to be bandied about, with menacing looks and angry tones, as phrases of common and trifling import. Is there anything threatening in the future, with respect to this class of society ? Anything denoting its dangerous increase ? Anything more subversive of the rights of humanity, more deroga tory to the principles of our institutions, or more adverse in its mode of existence to the general interests of the nation, than there IMPORTANCE OP STATISTICS. 423 has formerly been ? It is sincerely believed that all these ques tions may be answered in the negative. It was stated in the commencement of these observations, that if this troublesome and exciting question of slavery were left to settle itself by the operation of causes and principles which Prov idence kindly permits to be ceaselessly working in society for the education of good, and the prevention of evil, it would, in a comparatively short time, resolve itself by a very peaceable and a very satisfactory solution. Slavery exists among us ; it has existed ever since we were a nation ; it was fixed upon us before we became one. With our national independence commenced our endeavors to free ourselves from its effects, or, at least, to prevent its increase. A numerous society devoted to the suppression of the slave trade, and composed of men of all religious denominations, was organized here, twelve years before any association for the same purpose existed in Eng land. Virginia abolished the traffic in 1778 ; Pennsylvania, Mas sachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island, prohibited it to their citizens, under the severest penalties, in 1780, 1787, and 1788. Great Britain renounced the slave-trade on the 25th March, 1807, forbidding the landing of slaves in any part of her colonies after the 1st of March, 1808. "Federal America interdicted the trade from her ports thirteen years before, — namely, on the 22d March, 1794. She made it punishable as a crime seven years before (10th May, 1800). She fixed four years sooner the period for non-import ation, which period was the 1st of January, 1808. Great Britain determined the period for her colonies 1st of March, 1808."* Our entire course of legislation has been marked with humanity and justice ; for, whilst we endeavored to improve the condition of the black man, we did not forget that there were also white men, whose interests required protection, whose safety must not be * Walsh's Appeal, page 320, &c. 424 IMPORTANCE OF STATISTICS. endangered, whose comforts and happiness should also be regarded. In many of our states, slavery has ceased to exist as an authorized condition ; in others, it is gradually diminishing ; in all, the desire is exhibited to mitigate its severities to the utmost, to diminish the number of its victims as far as prudent and possible, and to get rid of it as soon as the combined interest of all parties, and the real well-being of the state, shall admit of such an event. Let us look a little at the sober rhetoric and the convincing logic of figures ; and what do they tell us ? First, that in the years 1790, 1800, and 1840, our population, and the different varieties of it, stood as follows : „_ ^_ i-i n_ °TJ a 3 .2 S °£ ft ? "S o ¦- o al o PH g 53 £ o fi 1790 3,929,827 3,172,464 59,466 697,897 80.72 per ct. 1.52 per ct. 17.76 per ct. 1800 5,305,925 4,304,489 108,395 893,041 81.13 « 2.04 « 16.83 " 1840 17,063,353 14,189,705 386,293 2,487,355 83.16 " 2.26 « 14.58 " The slave population, therefore, so far from having unduly increased, has diminished, in its relative proportion to the whites, from 17.76 per cent, to 14.58 per cent. Mr. Tucker shows, at page 55 of his work on the " Progress of the United States," that the whites in the slave-holding states have gained on both classes of the colored population. There is no occasion, therefore, for any excitement on this head. Again ; will it be asserted that the condition of the slave is worse now than it was when the basis of our constitution was fixed ? We do not think that any one, who would be regarded as a competent and unprejudiced witness, will make this assertion. No doubt, the progressive melioration of the condition of the slave has sometimes been arrested by injudicious interference. He may justly exclaim, " Save me from my friends ! " for through their means his condition has, in some instances, become absolutely IMPORTANCE OP STATISTICS. 425 worse. But, taking the subject in all its bearings, the position of the slave is an improved and an improving one. Nor is there any thing in the present mode or degree of the condition of slavery in our country more derogatory to our institutions, or more adverse to the general interests of the nation, than they have been ever since the date of our political existence ; on the contrary, they are tending most decidedly to an opposite issue. No one defends slavery in the abstract. The question is not "shall it now be estabhshed?" but " What is the most judicious mode of treating it now it is established, and has become part and parcel of our social and political system?" Let us again appeal to facts and figures, and inquire what has been the withdrawal of slavery towards the south ? This question will be answered by the following table : Slaves north of North Carolina. Slaves in Kentucky and Tennessee. Slaves in other states. In 1800 1810182018301840 496,639, or 55 3-5 pr. c. 540,073, or 45 4-10 " 561,438, or 36 2-5 " 584,941, or 29 1-10 " 546,788, or 22 53,927, or 6 pr. c, 125,096,orl0 5-10" 206,839, or 13 2-5 " 306,816,orl5 3-10" 365,317, or 14 7-10" 342,475, or 38 2-5 pr.c. 525,595, or 44 1-10 " 775,411, or 50 1-5 " 1,117,295, or 55 6-10 " 1,575,250, or 63 3-10 " 893,041 1,191,3641,543,688 2,009,0522,487,355 This statement shows that, whilst in all the states on the sea board north of North Carolina the proportion of slave population has been rapidly diminishing, and in Kentucky and Tennessee but Blowly increasing, it has very rapidly increased in the other states. These remaining slave states contain a surface of 440,980 square miles. In 1800 their slave pop. was only TVo- of a slave to a square mile. 1810 it was . 1820 it was . 1830 it was . 1840 it was . This tendency of the slave population to the south is produced 36* 11 slaves If (i 2J Ei 3* a 426 IMPORTANCE OP STATISTICS. by the strongest principle which operates on human nature — self- interest ; slave labor being more profitable in the states where it is rapidly concentrating than in those from whence it is removing. Louisiana, Arkansas and Florida, form part of the section where this accumulation is taking place. They have been added to the territory ofthe Union since 1800. In 1840 they contained 214,104 slaves. Now, although these added portions of territory embrace 148,220 square miles of surface for a slave population to spread over, the proportional percentage of slaves in the whole Union, compared with that of the whites, has diminished, since 1800, in the ratio of 16.83 to 14.58. Thus, not only the density, but the relative amount of slavery, has diminished since the acqui sition of slaveholding territory. Missouri, although not a southern state, is, in other respects, in the same position as Arkansas, Louisiana and Florida, — her ter ritory having been added to the United States since 1800, — and her surface and slave population ought to be included in the above statement; making the entire amount of additional space to be 211,220 square miles, and the number of slaves within the added territory 272,344. But yet the relative amount of slave popula tion, when compared with the whites throughout the whole Union, has diminished, since the addition of this vast area, from 16.83 per cent, to 14.58 per cent. Again, the number of slaves in the United States in 1790 was 697,897; in 1840, it was 2,487,355; proportion in the two periods, 1 to 3.56. The white population increased, in the same period, from 3,172,464 to 14,189,705 ; proportion, 1 to 4.47. But the whites increased in a greater proportion than the slaves, not only when the whole Union was considered, but a comparison between the census of 1830 and that of 1840 will show that this IMPORTANCE OP STATISTICS. 427 was also the case in the slave states taken alone, during the ten intervening years.* It follows, therefore, as effect follows cause, that the time will arrive when slavery must altogether cease, by being gradually swallowed up in the preponderating white population. How much this time may be hastened or deferred by other circumstances, is a matter of serious importance. These views of the case, particularly the fact that the addition of Louisiana and Florida to the Union has not had a tendency to increase slavery, but that the result, so far, has been directly the reverse, appear to have a very close connection with the (at pres ent) much debated subject, the annexation of Texas to the Union. The committee wish to allude to this question only so far as it is connected with the subject of slavery, and in relation to its bearing upon the statistics connected therewith. Viewing the annexation of Texas in this connection, the committee have come to the con clusion that, all other objections being removed, the question of slavery, and all matters connected with it, will not offer any valid objections to the union. On the contrary, this union would operate favorably upon that question in all its bearings ; and your committee would regard such union as one of the means which Providence has ordained for gradually freeing our country from this dangerous ingredient in its social composition. "Many causes may prolong or abridge the existence of slavery in the United States, but none of them seem capable of averting its ultimate destiny. We may say of it, as of man, — the doom of its death, though we know not the time or the mode, is certain and irrevocable." f Mr. Senator Walker's statements upon this subject (see his let- * Tucker's ' ' Progress of the United States. ' ' t Ibid. 428 IMPORTANCE OF STATISTICS. ter to the people of Carroll county, Kentucky) are deserving of very serious attention. "Since the purchase of Louisiana and Florida," says Mr. Walker, "and the settlement of Alabama and Mississippi, there have been carried into this region, as the census demonstrates, from the States of Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and Kentucky, half a million of slaves, including their descendants, that otherwise would now be within the limits of those four states." "Now, if we double the rate of diminution, as we certainly will, by the reannex ation of Texas, slavery will disappear from Delaware in ten years, and from Maryland in twenty, and have greatly diminished in Vir ginia and Kentucky." "In the District of Columbia it would disappear in twelve years." " As slavery advances in Texas, it must recede, to the same extent, from the more northern of the slave-holding states ; and, consequently, the evil to the northern states, from the expulsion into them of free blacks, by abolition, gradual or immediate, would thereby be greatly mitigated, if not entirely prevented." " This reannexation, then, would only change the locality of the slaves, and of the slave-holding states, without augmenting their number." " As regards the slaves, the Afri can being from a tropical climate, his comforts and condition would be greatly improved by a transfer from northern latitudes to the genial and most salubrious climate of Texas." " By the reannex ation of Texas, as the number of free blacks augmented in the slave states, they would be diffused gradually through Texas into Mexico and Central and Southern America, where nine-tenths of the present population are already of the colored races, and where, from their vast preponderance in number, they are not a degraded caste, but upon a footing, not merely of legal, but, what is far more important, of actual equality with the rest of the population." "The process (of diffusion) will be gradual and progressive, with out a shock, without a convulsion ; whereas, by the loss of Texas, IMPORTANCE OP STATISTICS. 429 and the imprisonment of the slave population of the Union within its present limits, slavery would increase in nearly all the slave- holding states, and a change in their condition would become impossible; or, if it did take place by sudden or gradual abolition, the result would as certainly be the sudden or gradual introduction of hundreds of thousands of free blacks into the states of the north." "There is but one way in which the north can escape this evil, and that is, the reannexation of Texas, which is the only safety-valve for the whole Union, and the only practicable outlet for the African population, through Texas, into Mexico and Cen tral and Southern America. There is a congenial climate for the African race." " There, the boundless and almost unpeopled ter ritory of Mexico and Central and Southern America, with its delicious chmate and most prolific soil, renders most easy the means of subsistence; and there they would not be a degraded caste, but equals among equals, not only by law, but by feeling and asso ciation." "If slavery be confined within its present limits, I do not per ceive when and how it is to terminate. It is true, Mr. Tucker has demonstrated that, within probably less than eighty years, from the density of population in all the slave-holding states, hired labor would be as abundant and cheap as slave labor, and that all pecu niary motive for the continuance of slavery would then have ceased. But would it, therefore, then disappear? No, it cer tainly would not ; for, at the lowest ratio, the slaves would then number at least ten millions. Could such a mass be emancipated ? No; ten millions of free blacks, permitted to roam at large in the limits of the south, could never be tolerated. Again, then, the question is asked, Is slavery never to disappear from the Union? This is a starthng and momentous question ; but the answer is easy, and the proof is clear. It will certainly disappear, if Texas is rednnexed to the Union, — not by abolition, but slowly 430 IMPORTANCE OF STATISTICS. and gradually by diffusion, as it has already thus nearly receded from several of the more northern of the slave-holding states, and as it will continue thus more rapidly to recede by the reannexation of Texas; and, finally, in the distant future, without a shock, without abolition, without a convulsion, disappear into and through Texas, into Mexico and Central and Southern America." " Be yond the Del Norte slavery will not pass ; not only because it is forbidden by law, but because the colored races there preponderate in the ratio of ten to one over the white ; and holding, as they do, the government and most of the offices in their own possession, they will never permit the enslavement of any portion of the col ored race, which makes and executes the laws of the country." " Mexico, Central America and South America, contain together an area of 8,376,000 square miles, and a population of 24,000,000, of whom about 2,700,000 are white, and the rest Indians, Africans, mulattoes, and other colored races." " The outlet for our negro race, through this vast region, can never be opened but by the reannexation of Texas ; but, in that event, there, in that extensive country (Mexico, Central and South America), bordering upon our negro population, and four times greater in area than the whole Union, with a sparse popula tion of but three to the square mile, where nine-tenths of the pop ulation is of the colored races ; — there, upon that fertile soil, and in that delicious climate, so admirably adapted to the negro race, as all experience has now clearly proved, the free black would find a home. There, also, as slaves, in the lapse of time, from the density of population and other causes, are emancipated, they will disappear, from time to time, west of the Del Norte ; and, beyond the limits of the Union, among a race of their own color, will be dif fused throughout this vast region, where they will not be a degrad ed caste, and where, as to climate, and social and moral condition, IMPORTANCE OP STATISTICS. 431 and all the hopes and comforts of life, they can occupy, among equals, a position they can never attain in any part of this Union." These long extracts have been introduced here, because the opinions expressed are in most complete corroboration of the calcu lations and the deductions already expressed in this report. They show the gradual withdrawal of slavery from the north towards the south, a fact proved by each succeeding census. They show that the locality of the slaves would be changed, and assert that the number of the slaves and the slave-holding states would not be augmented. This report has shown that the proportion of the colored population to the white has been reduced since the annexa tion of Louisiana and Florida. Why should a contrary effect be produced by the addition of Texas ? The committee meddle not with the political considerations arising from any prospective increase or diminution in the number of slave states. But it is very probable that slave states would diminish quite as rapidly in the north as they would increase in the south. Mr. Walker shows how the constantly augmenting number of free blacks in the southern states would be diffused, through Texas, into Mexico and South America, if Texas were incorporated into the Union. But, if Texas remain in her present position, this could not take place ; for they could not enter her territory, and, of course, could not pass through it to the free nations south of that country. Mr. Tucker's calculations have demontsrated that, " in about eighty years, all pecuniary motive for the continuance of slavery in the United States will have ceased." Where must the milhons of tins valueless black population find a resting-place and a home? Will the north say, "Come here"? Will the south say, "Stay here"? Both questions may be promptly answered in the negative. But, if Texas speedily becomes part of the Union, then the diffusion of this black population will be slowly and gradually made from the north to the south, until it disap- 432 IMPORTANCE OF STATISTICS. pears, through Texas, into Mexico and Central and South America. Thus do the deductions of the politician, and the arguments of the philosophical statesman, corroborate and fortify the calculations of the statist, and the unerring results of facts and figures. The committee have now completed what they purposed when they commenced this addition to their former report. They have stated the leading circumstances of the population, the commerce, the agriculture, the manufactures, &c, of the northern and south ern sections of the Union, making the existence or non-existence of slavery the division line. It has been shown, upon the highest statistical authority, that, whilst each section is rich in its own resources, and varies from the other in its products, its pursuits, and its institutions, yet their interests are one and indivisible ; that neither has any right to entertain towards the other any jealousies, heart-burnings or mistrusts ; that a little mutual bearing and for bearing with each other, and allowing each to think and act for itself in all matters which concern itself, will render their united progress easy and pleasant. The committee have also endeavored to show, from statistical facts, that slavery is gradually working its way to a result favor able to the wishes and the interests of both sections of the country, by a process more efficacious, and abundantly more secure and satisfactory, than any plan which can be suggested by the most enlightened and prudent advocates of abolition. The committee have also ventured to suggest, in the words of a distinguished statesman, that a great measure, now before the pubhc, if it be not objectionable on other accounts, may render most important aid to the object which both sections have in view. REPORT RESPECTING NATIONAL TROPHIES.* Victories, in all ages of the world, have been commemorated by the exhibition of trophies. Among the ancients, a trophy con sisted of a pile of arms taken from a vanquished enemy, raised by the conqueror in the most conspicuous part of the field of battle, and usually dedicated to some one of their gods. The spoils of the enemy were at first hung upon the trunk of a tree ; but, instead of trees, succeeding ages erected monuments of brass and stone, and the destruction of one of these was regarded as sacrilege. All European nations still sacredly preserve their trophies of victory ; and in England, Prussia, Bohemia and Austria, they are yet displayed, not only in the royal palaces, but in temples conse crated to purposes of religious worship ; and in France, the gal leries of Notre Dame, and the chapel of the Hotel des Invalides, are richly embellished with the many standards and other trophies which that power has, at various times, gained by her victories. In our own country, as early as the 23d of June, 1778, it was "Resolved, That the board of war be directed to collect the standards and colors taken by the army of the United States since the commencement ofthe [Revolutionary] war." This resolution of Congress was, however, lamentably neglected; for in January, 1814, when a committee of the House of Repre- * 28th Congress, second session, House of Representatives, JVo. 80. January 28, 1845 —Report of the Committee on Publio Buildings and Grounds, to whom was referred joint resolution No. 55, making a disposition of foreign flags which have been taken in battle, and of such flags of the United States as have been used in memorable battles. 37 434 NATIONAL TROPHIES. sentatives had this subject under consideration, they were informed by the then Secretary of War : " Of the standards and colors taken by the army of the United States, during the war of the Revolution, six remain in this office ; others, it is understood, were deposited in Philadelphia while Con gress sat in that city. Whether they were, or were not, brought to this place with the public offices, cannot be ascertained." From the Navy Department, the same committee learned that that department " possesses no knowledge of any flags which were taken anterior to the war of 1812 ; such as have been captured with the public armed ships of the enemy, subsequent to June 18, 1812, have been carefully preserved." The small number of Revolutionary trophies in possession of the executive departments should cause Congress to take immediate measures for the preservation of those which remain. The cap ture of the Earl of Cornwallis, alone, furnished twenty-four stan dards and colors. Perhaps as many more were taken with General Burgoyne. Where are they now ? Either mouldered into dust, or rotting in some obscure place, at this time unknown ! The committee believe that any custom which has the sanction of all nations must have its origin in some deep feehng of the human heart ; and they think that even a partial glance at the history of any people will show that the custom of displaying their trophies of victory has its origin and preservation in the wonderful influence which symbols are known to exercise over the fancy and heart of every beholder. A standard taken is an insignia of the power of an enemy, as well as of the glory of the captor ; and it is thus seen why, in the great battles fought in Europe, where thousands have been slain, the capture of a single standard or color constitutes a prominent feature in the report of the action. In the opinion, then, of your committee, the public exhibition of NATIONAL TROPHIES. 435 trophies of war must, in time of peace, have a tendency to develop national feeling ; and in war excite a spirit of emulation in heroic achievements, which will add other trophies to those which it should now be our pride to display. The committee which considered this subject, January, 1814,* remark, concerning the place most proper for the exhibition : " This should be public, and easy of access, at the same time that it should be perfectly secure from villanous attempts. These flags should be placed so as to be seen by every citizen who may wish to observe them. It will be of advantage that they should be noticed by every foreigner who may visit the United States. Can any objection be made to the spacious national apartments which are devoted to legislative purposes ? What ornaments can be more suitable ? Go abroad, and you may see the walls of the British House of Lords decorated with representations of some of the celebrated battles which were fought by the troops of Great Britain. At home, we find the principle already established by one branch of the legislature of the United States ; in the senate- chamber we observe engravings of some of the battles of our Revo lution ; and, had time allowed the execution of the original design of the architect, the precedent would have had existence in the chamber of the representatives of the United States. It was con templated that the frieze over the capitals of the Corinthian columns which sustain the dome should present, in relievo, a regular series of the battles which secured our independence. Such decorations might gratify the artist, and afford an oppor tunity to display his talents ; but, in a national view, little or no effect would be produced. It must be conceded that much more will be communicated to the spectators by the display of the cap tured standards." *See American State Papers, Military Affairs, vol. i., page 490. 436 NATIONAL TROPHIES. Tour committee cordially unite in approving the patriotic project submitted for their consideration; and, as an evidence of their approbation, they beg leave to submit to the house the following joint resolution : Joint resolution for the preservation of foreign flags and other warlike trophies which have been taken in battle, and of such flags of the United States as have been used in memorable battles, or on other important occasions, either by the army or navy of the United States, or by the military force in the service of any state in the Union. Resolved, by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That all the foreign flags, or other warlike trophies, in possession of the United States, which have been taken in battle, and such Ameri can flags now in possession of the government as have been used in memorable battles, or on other important occasions, either by the army or navy of the United States, or by troops in service of any of the states of the Union, together with such other flags and trophies of similar character as may come into possession of the government, shall be collected and arranged, under the direction of the President of the United States, with the view of having them all safely deposited in a suitable apartment, to be prepared and reserved for that purpose, in any new edifice which may hereafter be erected for the uses of the War and Navy Depart ments of the United States. SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTE.* A bill for establishing the Smithsonian Institution for dif fusing useful knowledge among men, by promoting atten tion to improvements in agriculture, the mechanic arts, common schools, Src. fyc. Whereas, James Smithson, of London, in the kingdom of Great Britain, bequeathed his property to the United States of America, and the bequest was duly accepted by Congress, for the purpose of founding at Washington, under the name of the " Smithsonian Institution," an establishment for the increase and diffusion of useful knowledge among men : And whereas, the sum of five hundred and eight thousand three hundred and eighteen dollars was actually received by Congress under this legacy, in the year eighteen hundred and thirty-eight ; which sum, with the interest thereon accruing at six per cent., will form on the first of next July an aggregate of seven hundred and seventeen thousand four hundred and twenty-one dollars : And whereas, it is desirable that the bequest, thus generously made, shall be sacredly secured for the purpose of extending, through long ages, the benefits to mankind contemplated by the individual whose name is perpetuated by the institution springing from his philanthropic munificence : * In the House of Representatives, February 28, 1845, Mr. Pratt submitted the above bill, as a substitute for the bill from the Senate (No. 18), entitled "An act to establish the Smithsonian Institution for the increase and diffusion of knowl edge among men ;" which was referred to a committee of the whole house, and ordered to be printed. 37* 438 SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTE. And whereas, the promotion of agriculture, manufactures, and commerce, by the distribution of premiums annually, and the encouragement of useful inventions and discoveries for rendering labor and enterprise more successful in the various branches of those three great departments of human industry, should be made prominent objects in an institution endowed by the philanthropic liberality of Smithson : And whereas, knowledge is most effectually diffused by well- conducted common schools, and will be greatly increased among men by improving and perfecting the common-school systems of the several states, by elevating the standard of qualification for common-school teachers, and, generally, by spreading among the people a taste for science, literature, and the arts, in connection with the promotion of enlightened industry in the ordinary pur suits of business, and the advancement of human happiness : Therefore, Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That out of the aggregate which will be formed, by principal and interest, on the first day of July next, the sum of six hundred and sixty-six thousand six hundred and sixty-six dollars be denom inated the " Smithsonian fund," and be loaned permanently to the United States of America, at the rate of six per cent., so as to pro duce an annual revenue of forty thousand dollars forever, payable semi-annually, for the purpose of promoting improvement in the common-school systems of the United States ; for extending useful knowledge concerning agriculture, manufactures and commerce ; for stimulating researches in astronomy, geology and chemistry ; and for promoting useful discoveries in the various other branches of art and science, conducive to the prosperity and happiness of society generally. Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That from the surplus SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTE. 439 l-emaining after the investment before mentioned (which surplus will amount, on said first day of July, to fifty thousand seven hundred and fifty-four dollars), and from the interest thereafter accruing on the Smithsonian fund, a plain and substantial fire proof granite edifice shall be erected in Washington before the fourth day of July, in the year eighteen hundred and forty-seven ; which edifice shall not cost more than sixty thousand dollars, and be so arranged as to furnish convenient apartments for transacting the business of the institution, and preserving carefully its records. Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That the establishment hereby created shall be distinguished as the " Smithsonian Institu tion;" and that, from and after the passage of this act, the busi ness shall be conducted under the direction of a board of managers, consisting of the Vice-president of the United States and the secretaries of the several departments of the government, none of whom shall receive any payment for their services ; and the said board of managers shall have authority to employ, at reason able compensations, such agents and assistants as they may deem necessary in transacting the business ; for the regulation of which business the said board is hereby vested with power to make any by-laws or rules which they may deem requisite for rendering the institution efficient in promoting the noble objects for which it is founded. Sec. 4. And be it further enacted, That out of the moneys controllable after the investment of the permanent fund aforesaid, and after discharging the cost of building and furnishing the edifice hereby ordered to be erected, the sum of thirty thousand dollars shall be appropriated annually for the encouragement of improvements in the common-school systems of the several states ; for stimulating researches in the natural sciences, particularly astronomy, geology and chemistry; and for promoting useful inventions and discoveries for rendering labor more successful in 440 SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTE. promoting the welfare of persons employed in the three great departments of human industry — agriculture, manufactures and commerce ; — thus stimulating attention to intellectual and physi cal improvement, in a manner which would constitute a permanent and effectual mode of "increasing useful knowledge among men," and furnish enduring mementos of the benevolent individual through whose liberality the institution is founded and endowed. SPEECHES, LETTERS, &c. LETTER TO HIS CONSTITUENTS.* Fellow-citizens : Viewing the representative of the people in the character of an agent or trustee, bound to do their will, and considering the importance and responsibility of the trust confided to him, it necessarily becomes his duty, not only to make himself acquainted with their views and interests, but to make known to them, on all convenient occasions, his own purpose and motives. With these views, and in reference to the coming election, I deem it my duty now to apprize my constituents that I cannot consent to become a candidate for reelection. I make this announcement, because I have been solicited by some of my friends to be again a candidate (whether or not a majority of my constituents desire it, it is not important now to inquire), but it is proper that I should now make my purpose of retirement known, in ordef to promote harmony and insure union in respect to my successor. The manner of my life and the nature of my employment have not furnished me with the requisites of an orator, and have deprived me of a mode (frequently resorted to) of communicating my views to my constituents by a speech upon the floor of Con- * Letter addressed to his constituents, declining a reelection, July 4, 1838. 442 LETTER TO HIS CONSTITUENTS. gress. I, therefore, respectfully, but briefly, address you in this familiar form. And, first, let me embrace probably the only opportunity I may have to return you my unfeigned thanks, — and language is too poor to express adequately ray grateful sense of the obligation I am under to you for the honorable station to which your kindness and partiality have elevated me, rather than any qualification of my own. These obligations I can never forget, and they will always be a source of pleasing recollection to me, in after life. To my constituents generally I am indebted ; and I hope it may not be considered out of place especially to thank my townsmen for the almost entire unanimity with which they supported me. It was known to most, if not all of my constituents, that I have ever been strong in the belief and warm in the profession of the republican doctrines of " rotation in office," "frequent elections," " short reckonings," and " strict accountability." It was, also, gener ally known that my extended manufacturing business and other interests, as well as domestic duties, would not permit my long continuance in public employment, at a distance from home. My plain but persevering business habits, coupled with my extended business relations, fit me to be more useful, in the local relations and intercourse with the inhabitants of our congressional district, than could be expected from me as a member of the national legis lature. I would, at the same time, by no means undervalue or depreciate the services of business men in that exalted and respons ible station ; rather I would wish every member a business man, for experience has taught me that not a legislative question occurs, that is not connected with, and does not more or less affect the employments, the business concerns, or the property of the com munity. In the mean time, I may be permitted to say, that I shall remain firmly at my post, and that whatever I possess of industry LETTER TO HIS CONSTITUENTS. 443 and common sense and application will be employed, to the end of the term for which I have been elected, as they have been hitherto, for the promotion of the best interests of the people of my district, and of our common country. You know, fellow-citizens, I am a man of few words ; and it was my purpose to say nothing more in this communication, but to signify to you my purpose of retiring at the close of my present term ; but I feel a desire to say a few words more. It is remarkable that the inhabitants of our congressional district, so extensively commercial, so largely manufacturing, and so vigorously agricultural, as they are, should require so little national legislation, and so few executive favors or aids. So indica tive is it of our local resources, industry and independence, that it has afforded your representative much gratification, and should be a source of just pride to yourselves. Indeed, there are few sections of the Union combining so many natural advantages, in point of soil, water-power, navigation, proximity to the great emporium of the nation, and with the prospect of a speedy addition by the completion of those great public roads, — the two railroads, connecting two of our large commercial towns on the banks of the Hudson with the fertile agricultural interior of the east and west. I say, with these facilities, with our continued industry, avoid ing those tendencies to excessive trading which have proved so disastrous to large portions of our country, we can hardly fail to be prosperous and happy. I am, respectfully, your obedient servant, Z. Pratt. Washington, July 4, 1838. LETTER TO HIS CONSTITUENTS.* Fellow-citizens : Twice has your friendly partiality made me your representative in Congress. The close of my second term admonishes me that I ought, Hke every other agent, to render you " an account of my stewardship," that you may see if the trust which you committed to my care has been faithfully executed. You all know that I am, and through life have been, a plain, hard-working mechanic, unaccustomed to handle the pen, and with no pretensions to elegance of expression, whether in speech or writing. You must pardon me, therefore, if, in rendering this account, I do it in my own rough way, — in a way which you and I can understand. Many of you have, during the time I have served you, confided to my management or attention matters in which you were indi vidually interested ; and well know whether my services were, in such matters, promptly and faithfully rendered. All of you, also, either through pubhc documents or the newspapers, have already had the means of knowing and judging whether I have duly attended to your local wants and interests. On those points, therefore, I need not detail either what I have done, nor the reasons for my acts. In those matters of legislation relating to the country at large, in which I have borne a part, the practically useful, however I may have come short of it, has been my constant aim. And, in estimating what was, or would be, practically useful, I have looked to the future, as well as the present. I have thought that in a country like ours, which may be said as yet hardly to have com- * Address to his constituents, in 1845, declining reelection. LETTER TO HIS CONSTITUENTS. 445 menced its career, no legislation could be wise which did not look to the future, provide for its probable wants, take care of its appar ent interests, and ward off its prospective dangers. Politically a democrat, elected by democrats, and firmly believ ing that the principles and policy of the democratic party are in strict accordance with the nature of our institutions, and best cal culated to secure our Hberty and promote our prosperity, the jour nals will show that, in the four years of my service, that policy and those principles have never lacked my sanction or my support. Believing, also, that I was bound to serve you faithfully, as well as usefully, I have endeavored, as far as was possible, to devote my whole time to the duties of a station which I owed to your kindness. I have considered myself as the servant of the people, and bound, in honor and in conscience, to labor as diligently as every "good and faithful servant" should. Hence, during the four years, and as many sessions, in which I have had the honor to be your representative, / have never, even for a single day, been absent from my post and my duty. I feel, therefore, whatever may have been my other faults, that indolence or negli gence has not been among their number. Wrong I may have done, — mistaken I may have been, — but I have never neglected to do. In short, I have been governed by the same rules, in attending to your business, which have ever governed me in regard to my own. Many of you know full well the difficulties which I have encountered and overcome, in establishing among the hemlock forests of the CatskiH Mountains one of the largest tanneries and thriftiest villages of which our state can boast. Many of you also know that I commenced this task only some twenty years since, and with Httle other capital or aid than were to be found in indus try, perseverance, and a proper devotion to that useful, though homely maxim, " Be always sure you 're right, — then go ahead." 38 446 LETTER TO HIS CONSTITUENTS. Among the many important questions in which I have borne a part, that of Texan annexation may be particularly mentioned. Viewing this matter as important to the interests of all sections of our country, I freely gave my views in its favor, in a report upon the national census and statistics, during the session of 1844. Many of the pubhc journals of the time rendered ample justice to my motives in this movement. The " Globe," in republishing a portion of my report, said, " Few documents compress in brief space a greater amount of valuable information bearing on the annexation question, as it concerns both north and south ; and he may be considered a public benefactor who discusses the matter in a manner calculated to disseminate facts, without exciting or aggravating prejudices in either section of our common country." I know you will pardon me for a quotation like this, showing the spirit in which my views were both expressed and received on this question, — a question which, in whatever hght it may be viewed, must be admitted to be a national question, and one of no shght magnitude. As such, at least, even at that early day, it will be perceived that I considered it. It will also be per ceived that I took my stand in favor of the measure at a period when very many of my democratic friends, whose opinions are entitled to the highest respect, were either averse from it or wavering. The recent and final vote upon the subject shows, however, that, so far, at least, as Congress is concerned, there is now a great harmony of views and feelings among the democratic party ; and gives a gratifying assurance that, in due time, justice will be rendered at least to the motives of those who, like myself, went for annexation even before the question was pre sented for the action of Congress. The whigs, it is true, still denounce it. So did their federal predecessors denounce the acquisition of Louisiana. But time, the great touchstone both of measures and men, has abundantly vindicated the patriotic wisdom LETTER TO HIS CONSTITUENTS. 447 and forecast of Jefferson and the democratic party in annexing that vast country to our confederacy. So may it be with Texas ! The Oregon question is one scarcely, if at all, less important than that of Texan annexation. Believing in our perfect right to that country, I have voted to give the British "notice to quit." I never Hked that "joint occupation," as it is called, but which, in reality, has been a British occupation. I have no prejudices against the British government, but I do wish to keep our country free from the efforts which it is notoriously and systematically making to influence our domestic institutions and narrow our boundaries. Above all, I believe it right that we should both claim and protect what is clearly our own. I go, therefore, for prompt and energetic action in organizing, under our auspices, a territorial government in Oregon. With a view of reaching Oregon, both for settlement and defence, the more readily, and with a view to commercial intercourse through it with China, and other rich and populous countries beyond the Pacific, I have also felt it a duty to urge upon Congress the pro priety of immediate and energetic efforts for improving our over land communications with that territory. For this purpose, I have urged that surveys be authorized for the route of a railroad through our territory, from Lake Michigan to the mouth of the Columbia, — that thus we may reaHze and profit by that shorter route between Europe and China, which has been so anxiously sought .for since the days of Columbus, and render tributary to us the commerce of the world. In an article on " Railroad Improve ment," Hunt's Merchant's Magazine, a work distinguished for its just commercial views, in alluding to the memorial I presented, with accompanying remarks, to the house, observes : " The eyes of settlers, merchants and statesmen, are all intently fixed upon the great country of the Oregon, through which the vast com merce of Asia is to be commanded by the United States." 448 LETTER TO HIS CONSTITUENTS. I know there are those who sneer at such projects, and call the friends of them "visionaries." Just so, as many of you well remember, they did with our own " Erie Canal," and its friends. The canal, nevertheless, was made, and is the glory of our own and the envy of other states. Nor, "though neither a prophet, nor the son of a prophet," do I hesitate to predict that, within the life-time of many of you, the whole route across our country between the Atlantic and Pacific will be traversed by railroad cars, in less time than it took, ten years since, for the mail to go from New York to New Orleans. Mihtary defence, settlement, and the wants and interests of commerce, will all combine to produce this result ; and in a matter of such vast magnitude, it is never too early to begin surveys and other preliminary arrangements, such as I proposed to Congress. In addition to those about Texas and Oregon, other questions concerning the extension of our confederacy have claimed atten tion. Among the last of my votes in Congress were those for the admission of Florida and Iowa. It is a beautiful feature of our political system, that it can readily accommodate itself to the widest extension, local and municipal matters being left to the care of each particular state, while the national government is confined in its action strictly to national interests. Hence, each new state strengthens, instead of weakening, our national Union ; because it adds one more to the number of those which have a common inter est in maintaining it. I cannot agree with those who throw obsta cles in the way of admitting new states. On the contrary, my voice and vote have been freely exerted in helping them to enter' our great family of states, whenever they have presented them selves, duly prepared. I have already said that my rules of action in public and private business were the same. I could not get along well in my tanning business, without knowing what was my stock in trade, where and LETTER TO HIS CONSTITUENTS. 449 how my raw materials could be best and most economically pro cured, and what were the best markets for my manufactured arti cle. Unless I know all these facts, I am liable to make blunders. Applying the same rule to public affairs, I thought no one could legislate wisely and prudently for a great and growing country, unless he had an accurate knowledge, not only of its wants, but its resources. Hence it seemed to me that a Statistical Bureau should form a prominent feature in connection with the government at Washington. It is, as I think, justly observed by the Secretary of the Treasury, in approving my plan for this purpose, that " an examination of the French and British works on general and spec ial statistics will demonstrate the utihty of a bureau at Washing ton devoted to inquiries concerning the population, agriculture, manufactures, minerals, internal and external commerce, banks and currency, of the United States, as primary subjects of knowledge, and as connected with similar interests in every quarter of the globe." I thought and said that a Statistical Bureau, properly organized and conducted, would, among other things, "be able to respond, promptly and correctly, to all calls by Congress for information on statistical subjects, save great waste of time and money, and furnish information highly interesting and useful to the great body of the people." Such were the views that influenced me in proposing the estab hshment of this bureau, in connection with the Treasury Depart ment. The approval which the project met with from Congress and the people satisfies me that I was right, and that the institu tion will be sustained. Another subject which seemed to me to require action was the existing defects in the mode of obtaining adequate security from public officers for the faithful discharge of their trusts. Security was, indeed, required ; but, being once given, it seemed doubtful if, under any circumstances, that the surety could exonerate himself 38* 450 LETTER TO HIS CONSTITUENTS. from continued liability, or the government ask for additional secu rity. I thought this was all wrong; for, on the one hand, it imposed sometimes an intolerable and cruel burden on the surety; while, on the other, if the surety himself became insolvent, the government seemed to be without remedy or redress. Accord ingly, my plan proposed that, on the one hand, new bondsmen may be required annually by the government ; and that bondsmen, on proper notice, may, if they have lost confidence in the integrity of their principal, exonerate themselves from future and further lia bility on his account. Thus both parties — the government and the bail — would be placed on a just footing. Had such pro visions been adopted in times past, the country would have been saved from loss and disgrace, and the innocent sureties from the ruin consequent on defalcations and other fashionable modes of squaring accounts with " Uncle Sam." What would you think of me, small as my concerns are, if you should find out that I had no means of knowing either what prop erty I owned, or where it was ? Yet such has HteraUy been, here tofore, the condition of these United States. With milhons of property scattered all over the Union, there was no adequate inventory of it that could be relied on, either as a check upon roguery, or as a source of information for statistical purposes. To remedy this glaring defect, I proposed that the principal pubhc officers should be required to cause all pubHc property in their charge to be registered and reported annually to Congress ; and I had the satisfaction of finding my resolution to that effect so warmly approved, that it was read three times successively on the day of its introduction, adopted, and sent to the Senate for concur rence. In accordance with the same pohcy which had led me to pro mote economy and responsibility by taking inventories and renew ing sureties, I recently proposed a plan for reorganizing the gov ernment offices at Washington, so as to equalize duties and salaries LETTER TO HIS CONSTITUENTS. 451 with a just reference to the importance and responsibility of the labors required, and to promote at once both efficiency and a just economy. Though the wisdom of Congress has not yet sanctioned the movement, I am persuaded that, before long, it must and will prevail, not only in reference to the public offices at Washington, but to the national functionaries of whatever grade, and wherever located. Times have changed since many offices were created ; and duties and responsibilities have changed with them. Why, then, should they not be overhauled, and made, one and all, to conform to those altered circumstances ? I know of no good reason, and I beheve none can be given. But important reforms like these require time. I have " set the ball in motion," and I am satisfied it will not be suffered to stop until those reforms are effected. I rejoice — for the benefit of our common country, I rejoice — that the bill for the reduction of postage has at length become a law ; and I cannot but feel, personally, highly gratified that the measure which I proposed in Congress some seven years ago has at last met the sanction of that body, as it had long since met the sanction of the people. In March, 1838, I moved that the Com mittee on the Post-office and Post-roads be instructed to inquire into the expediency of lessening the postage on letters, so as to make it only equal to the cost of transporting the mails, as nearly as may be. I repeat that it is heartily satisfactory to me, as I know it must be to you, to find that the system of reformed post age, thus foreshadowed in my resolution of 1838, has at last become the law of the land. Facilities of intercourse and of cor respondence are more important, and more efficient towards pre serving our admirable system of government, and binding together, by the ties of one common interest, all the members of our great and growing confederacy, than any paper constitutions or abstract theories of government can ever be. Let us see each other often, and hear from each other often, and there is no danger of our 452 LETTER TO HIS CONSTITUENTS. becoming estranged. Thus this measure, valuable for its economy, is still more valuable for its political effects ; and its adoption will give an impulse to the spirit of improvement in other branches of the pubhc service. Mechanic as I am, owing most of my success in hfe to the steady prosecution of one branch of mechanical pursuits, you might readily suppose, even if you had no other evidence of the fact, that, while I have thus labored to promote some of the great interests of the country, I have not been inattentive to the partic ular interests of my fellow-mechanics. Thus, among other meas ures having the same tendency, it seemed to me that I could not more effectually aid in promoting improvements in the mechanic arts, and thereby benefiting mechanics themselves, than by causing the most valuable models and inventions in the patent-office to be depicted and described in a manner that would enable the people of the whole country to know accurately their nature, structure, and uses. My propositions on this subject have met with much favor from the public journals ; and I feel warranted in believing that, ere long, the objects which I had in view will be reahzed in a manner to be both acceptable and useful, not only to mechanics, but to the people generally throughout the Union. The disposal of the " Smithsonian bequest" is one of the most interesting features in the miscellaneous legislation of the recent session of Congress. Several plans have been proposed for this purpose. One looked to the establishment of an immense Hbrary ; another, to a sort of common-school college, for educating teachers; and a third, to the estabhshment of an astronomical observatory, and the yearly publication of a nautical almanac. None of these plans were bad, but none of them went far enough to suit me. It seemed to me that the benefits of all might be not only combined, but extended ; and that, too, in a single bill. I therefore proposed a bill for investing enough — principal and interest — of this LETTER TO HIS CONSTITUENTS. 453 Smithsonian fund, to produce an annual income of forty thousand dollars, to be distributed chiefly as premiums for promoting improve ments in agriculture, manufactures and commerce, and for quick ening attention to the natural sciences, and to the improvement of the common-school systems of the several states. What better mode could be proposed for realizing, in their widest extent, the views of the benevolent Smithson, by diffusing useful knowledge among mankind ? Nor, in attending to the interests of the mechanical and agri cultural classes, have I suffered myself to overlook the importance of commercial and financial operations. On the contrary, the record will show that I have taken a deep interest in many matters relating to the mercantile and banking interests. I honor and uphold useful labor ; and know, by my own experience, that it is a blessing, rather than a curse, that man should "earn his bread by the sweat of his brow." But it is because I thus approve of and honor labor, that I would uphold the commercial, and, upon a proper basis, the banking interests, — since, without these, labor would too often be deprived of its just reward. In relation to banking, — believing the project of a national bank to be, if not unconstitutional, at least unwise and inexpedient, — I thought that the principles of free banking, so happily established in our own state, might be advantageously recognized wherever federal legislation extended. Accordingly, I proposed a plan for authorizing, in the District of Columbia, free banking, with certain safeguards, under the authority of the United States. I have not yet been able to see why a plan, which is working well in our own state, may not be advantageously recognized whenever congress ional action is deemed necessary on such subjects. The success of our recent embassy to China should prompt us to endeavor to extend American commerce into other secluded but not less favored regions of the globe. Among the movements 454 LETTER TO HIS CONSTITUENTS. which I made for that purpose, was a proposition authorizing the president to commence diplomatic and commercial intercourse with Japan and Corea. The importance of the Japanese empire, with its fifty millions of people in a condition scarcely less civilized than the Chinese, would alone warrant the mission and the measures for which I proposed an appropriation. I cannot doubt that the period is at hand when Congress, watchful to promote all the best interests of our country, will make adequate provision for thus extending commercial intercourse into regions which furnish wide scope for the intelligent enterprise of the American people. Having acted as chairman of the Committee on Public Buildings, it is proper that I should frankly declare to you the course I pur sued respecting them, and the motives that governed me. Most of you, I am sure, know me well enough to believe me, when I say that I go for economy in all things. I hate useless expendi ture, whether in public or private. But economy is not penury, and there is a fitness in things which should not be forgotten or neglected by those who have the control of public affairs. Our pubHc buildings are not merely national property, but they repre sent the nation. They are part of the appropriate exponents and monuments of her wealth and of her greatness, and their use is not only for the present, but for generations yet unborn. A common barn might contain and shelter your Congress ; and your presidents might live, perhaps, even more comfortably for themselves, as indi viduals, than they now do, in a mansion of less size and preten sions than the "White House." But what right-minded Ameri can, justly proud of our national greatness, will grumble at the expense of the capitol, as a place of meeting for the representatives of this vast and glorious confederacy ? What American, deserv ing of the name, does not desire a suitable mansion, with appro priate furniture, for the chief magistrate of the United States,— a functionary who is expected to receive and entertain his fellow- LETTER TO HIS CONSTITUENTS. 455 citizens from all parts of the Union, as well as ambassadors and visiters from foreign countries ? If such Americans there be, I glory in not being one of them. I tell you frankly, my friends, that I voted freely for placing the public edifices in proper order ; and I did it for the honor of my country, not for the gratification of the individuals whom your choice might call to occupy them. As for the buildings occupied by several of the departments of the government, the reports which I submitted on behalf of the committee will abundantly show the necessity for extensive changes in regard to them. The whole country knows that the treasury and post-office departments, and the patent-office, have all, not long ago, been destroyed by fire, occasioning incalculable loss and incon venience both to the public and to individuals. But it may astonish you to learn that, notwithstanding these repeated warnings, no measures were, until the recent session, adopted for preserving the archives and records of the war and navy departments, by con structing fire-proof edifices for their preservation. Not a single fire-proof room was occupied by either department ; and, indeed, nearly half the rooms they have necessarily occupied, and still occupy, are those in private buildings, hired at a great expense, and most of them extremely inconvenient. The nation has liter ally, as regards these departments, outgrown its public buildings. When you recollect that these departments contain the records of our warlike renown, the accounts of hundreds of thousands of our soldiers and sailors, and the vouchers for three or four hundred millions of dollars ; and couple that with a recollection of the fate of the treasury, post-office, and patent-office buildings, I am sure there are few among you who will not approve of the appropriations I asked, for commencing a suitable fire-proof edifice for their recep tion and accommodation, — an edifice designed to be one of the noblest structures in the world, as the present post-office edifice, in the plans for which I took a deep interest, is one of the most beau- 456 LETTER TO HIS CONSTITUENTS. tiful and convenient. The house, by a large majority, approved my plan, but the senate dissented. Time and pubhc sentiment will show which was right. It has been my aim, in everything connected with the national edifices and grounds, to favor such plans as tended to promote durability and good taste, as well as convenience and true economy; and I deem it due to the pubhc officers at Washington generally, and to many of the citizens of that place, to express my cordial approbation of, and thanks for, the liberality, aid and attention, which I have uniformly received from them, in all the intercourse which my official duties rendered necessary in relation to these and other matters. I might enumerate many other important subjects on which, as your representative, I have been called to act, and on which I have endeavored to act in such a manner as I considered most conducive to the best interests of our whole country. For, though your immediate representative, yet I was also a representative for the whole country ; and, in matters of national concernment, I should have been recreant to my duty, had I failed to act for the good of the whole, instead of a part. In such matters I felt myself to be an American, legislating for America. It has also been my aim, generally, to work, and not to talk. I thought that, among two hundred and twenty-three representatives, there would be talking enough, and more than enough, without much of my aid ; and I confess I have been more ambitious to be known by what I have done for my country, than by what I have said for it. In conclusion, feUow-citizens, while I thank you — yes, heartily thank you — for the many marks of your confidence with which you have honored me, suffer me, in restoring to you the trusts con fided, to hope that, if you cannot approve of all I have done, you will at least give me credit for honesty of intention, for zeal, indus try, and fidehty. Z. Pratt. Washington, March 5, 1845. SPEECH IN CONGRESS RESPECTING A DRY DOCK IN NEW YORK.* Mr. Chairman : I am unaccustomed to public debate. Other pursuits in life have somewhat indisposed me to present my views in that collected, comprehensive, and systematic manner, which long legislative experience has enabled those to do who have pre ceded me in the debate upon this question. But I will, in my own crude and undigested manner, present to the consideration of the house the various facts in my possession, which, in my humble opimon, should have a bearing upon this question. I dislike the practice of consuming the valuable time of the house, as some gentlemen are wont to do, upon other matters, irrelevant to the sub ject before them ; and I have no doubt that such a practice is viewed with displeasure by the people ; but, notwithstanding my great aversion to this practice, I cannot refrain, when a question presents itself, touching, in some measure, the interests of the state I have the honor in part to represent, to give my views upon the immediate question before the house. In the first place, the question is, whether we shall appropriate in accordance with the suggestions of the committee who reported this bill to the house, and who have, no doubt, weighed well the relative wants of the several sections of country, which have been indicated as proper places for Dry Docks ; or, whether we shall extend the provisions of the bill to embrace several, or a whole system, instead of this one provided for in the bill. There are two questions presented to my mind, when it is proposed to extend this * Delivered in the House of Representatives, March 1st, 1839. 39 458 DRY DOCK AT BROOKLYN. biU to cover other appropriations. 1st. Does the pubhc service require more than one Dry Dock? 2d. Will the condition of the pubUc treasury warrant the house in appropriating for more than one ? Mr. Chairman, I hold it to be the duty of governments, as well as individuals, before entering upon an enterprise requiring expendi ture, to first ascertain whether they have the means to effect the object contemplated. I shall apply this golden rule to the question now before the house, before I proceed to inquire whether the public service demands at this time more than one Dry Dock. The honorable chairman of the Committee of Ways and Means has presented to the house a very able and comprehensive report, in which he warns us against carrying on the lavish system of expenditures which has obtained within the past few years, no doubt caused from the great abundance of surplus means which distended our pubhc treasury. I coincide with the views of that committee, and trust the house will be so far influenced by its irresistible conclusions as to cut off all appropriations but such as the public service indispensably demands. By a statement of this committee, the present resources of the treasury, for 1839, are but $28,900,000; while the charges upon the same, for the same period (including treasury notes issued during the last year, to be redeemed, $7,712,350) amount to $32,876,857, leaving a deficiency of $3,976,857. I will, however, give the language of the committee : " To meet this deficiency, the Secretary of the Treasury is authorized to sell the remaining bond of the Bank of the United States, amounting, with interest, to $2,380,000 ; and there remains $2,287,650 of the treasury notes authorized to be issued by the act of 1838, which have not yet been issued.* Should the former * A bill was passed the house authorizing the extension of this act, to make up the contemplated deficit. DRY DOCK AT BROOKLYN. 459 be sold, and the Hmitation of the treasury note act of 1837 be extended to 30th June, and no appropriations be authorized during the present session but those embraced in the foregoing statement [which did not include an appropriation for Dry Docks], there would be an estimated balance in the treasury, on the first January next, of about $690,000. Even this balance will be reduced, by some additions which will be necessarily made, during the session, to the appropriations enumerated in the foregoing statement. Should Congress authorize the usual amount of new appropriations, and the three millions proposed for fortifications, harbors, &c, it would be necessary to provide five or six millions for the treasury, in addition to all the resources and receipts existing or contemplated." I hope, Mr. Chairman, the house will be admonished, by the sentiments and opinions of the report of the committee, so that they will dispense with, as far as possible, all extravagance. Let us commence with this bill ; for I hold to the doctrine that that which is not indispensable to the wants of the service is an inex cusable extravagance. I am of opinion that, for the present, we can do with one additional Dry Dock. The question will then suggest itself to the mind, Where shall that site be, best to enhance the public interest ? I will endeavor to show, hereafter, by the facts which I have gleaned from the public documents. Indeed, I am convinced, from reading this report, that we cannot have the means of building more than one at this time, considering the large amount it will cost to construct it, — say eight hundred thousand dollars. But I shall, in the first place, examine this in a national point of view. I will throw aside state pride, and merge the interest of the same in the great national interest. This is the ground we should all take, though, unfortunately, some gentlemen have attempted to bring this into the common vortex of a local scramble, 460 DRY DOCK AT BROOKLYN. without regard to the pubUc weal ; but when this shall be the issue, I will not shrink from a comparison of the site contemplated for the creation of the same in my state with that of Philadelphia, or any other, or rehnquish the claims of my state to that of any other state. It is deeply to be regretted that this kind of legisla tion has too much obtained ; but it is not too late to correct it ; and the sooner we do it, the better, because it will prevent the great and useless expenditure or waste of pubhc money, which, by management and compromise, is applied to other than national objects, — which, in fact, results to the benefit of individuals, instead of government, and to their private emolument. And, unless it be stopped, there are none in this hall who can anticipate the end, nor foretell the always exhausted and deranged condition of our public treasury, the onerous taxation to replenish it, and the consequent strife, disaffection of the people, and their distrust of our institutions. Whenever I hear the question stated that A gets more of the pubhc money than B, I feel some forebodings for the future. I feel that, should it become a settled principle in our government that B shall have as much of the money of the people as A, notwithstanding his wants are not so great,- — or, in other words, that it cannot be applied to the use of B without a great waste, indeed, total loss, — I say, I feel that the great national inter ests, the navy, the army, and civil service, must become dilapidated, broken up; the commercial, agricultural, and manufacturing interests, be deprived of their proper stimulants ; and this nation, Hke all others that have preceded it, become enervated, and dwindle into insignificance, and be doubted and despised by all well-regulated governments on the earth. Holding this view of the subject, what great responsibility rests upon us to use all proper means to prevent these fatal results inuring to and being realized by our posterity! We should spurn every attempt to create in the national halls any other interests than the national DRY DOCK AT BROOKLYN. 461 interests, — those which embrace the whole country. The states, by their inherent and sovereign power, can regulate their own peculiar interests, and thereby preserve them from the overshadow ing influence of the national government. Does not the public service require that Brooklyn should be first selected as a site ? When I come to consider the immense tonnage which arrives at that port, and belongs to that port, both mercantile and national, I have no misgivings in making it the first selection, if the want of the navy demand another ; and, to prove that it does, I will insert below a table apposite to this subject, showing the arrivals of vessels of war, the large number repaired, &c. The repair of many of these vessels, I have been told, has been frequently delayed, for a time, for the want of a Dock ; and when repaired, it is at considerable expense, caused by the removal of munitions of war, &c, and with great delay and injury to the service ; all of which could be avoided by the construction of one Dock. As some gentlemen have been pleased to refer to the number of national vessels which arrived in the port of Philadelphia, and have undergone repair at that place, the tables below will give information upon the subject, so far as relates to New York, as well as to that city. List of armed vessels, belonging to the United States, which have entered the port of JYetv York from November, 1828, to November, 1836, fyc. Hornet, sloop of war, November 19, 1828, thoroughly repaired. Natchez, sloop of war, November 28, 1828, repaired. Natchez, sloop of war, May 13, 1829. Boston, sloop of war, July 12, 1829, thoroughly repaired. Constellation, frigate, July 24, 1829. Ontario, sloop of war, February, 1828, thoroughly repaired in 1829. Peacock, sloop of war, rebuilt in 1829. Brandywine, frigate, October 8, 1829, slightly repaired. 39* 462 DRY DOCK AT BROOKLYN. Vincennes, sloop of war, June 8, 1830, thoroughly repaired in 1831. Falmouth, sloop of war, August 5, 1830, thoroughly repaired in 1831. Potomac, frigate, July 21, 1831, finished her outfits. Hudson, frigate, August 5, 1831. St. Louis, sloop of war, December 11, 1831, repaired in 1832. United States, frigate, repaired in 1831 and 1832. Experiment, schooner, August 18, 1832. Delaware, seventy-four, August, 1833, complete outfits, &c. Brandywine, frigate, July 10, 1833, repaired. St. Louis, sloop of war, July 23, 1833, repaired slightly. Shark, schooner, September 28, 1833, repaired slightly. Falmouth, sloop of war, February 3, 1834, repaired. Peacock, sloop of war, May 27, 1834, repaired. Erie, sloop of war, July 11, 1834, completed outfits. United States, frigate, December 11, 1834. Experiment, schooner, May 28, 1835, repaired for coast survey. Constitution, frigate, June 23, 1835, partially, repaired. Natchez, sloop of war, October 3, 1835, repaired. Experiment, schooner, November 28, 1835, from surveying. Ontario, sloop of war, June 24, 1836. Experiment, schooner, November 7, 1836, from surveying. There arrived at Philadelphia, during the same space of time, the Warren, sloop of war, Experiment, schooner, which were slightly repaired. The result for the last two years shows as great disparity between the two cities. This table is for a period of eight years ; and I have no doubt, upon further examination, a series of years will present the same result. I do not wish to consume the time of the house by any comments of mine upon these facts, but trust the members wiU draw their own deductions. Thus it will be seen that the govern ment have been compelled to have repaired at Brooklyn, at great expense, without a dock, in the space of eight years, twenty-nine vessels of war ; whereas, if there had been a Dry Dock at that DRY DOCK AT BROOKLYN. 463 point, they could have been repaired, in all probabiHty, at one-half the expense. I present, also, a statement of the aggregate of arrivals of American and foreign vessels into the United States for 1837, by which we may see the great advantage of the State of New York over Pennsylvania, or other states, in a commercial point of view. New York, Massachusetts, . . . Maine, Louisiana Maryland, Pennsylvania, . . . South Carolina, . . North Carolina, . . . Vermont, Ohio, Florida Rhode Island, . . . Virginia, Georgia, Connecticut, .... Alabama Michigan, New Hampshire, . . District of Columbia, New Jersey, .... Tonnage. Total, 10»656 4,123 1,003,229 1,908 320,544 1,379 119,687 634 136,435 441 96,892 441 91,830 253 58,688 204 25,027 193 27,011 169 7,169 163 10,805 141 26,278 122 22,971 119 34,246 110 21,411 92 27,531 72 5,035 36 10,742 29 6,844 27 12,863 10,656 1,065,423 . The arrival in tonnage into the State of New York is more than ten times as great as that of Pennsylvania ; and, in fact, constitutes one-half of the whole tonnage of the United States. To carry this view of the subject still further, I have had prepared a statement, comprising a period of nine years, showing the number and tonnage of vessels entered in the ports of New 464 DRY DOCK AT BROOKLYN. York and Philadelphia, from the year 1829 to 1837 inclusive, and the amount of imports, exports and revenue, for the same period. New York. Tear Amount of imports. Amount of exports. Net revenue. No. Tonnage. 1829 l',229 244,558 $34,743,307 $20,119,011 $11,169,193.76 1830 1,534 333,778 35,624,070 19,697,983 13,003,999.81 1831 1,534 333,678 57,077,417 25,535,144 17,613,659.47 1832 1,998 395,485 53,214,402 26,000,945 12,268,521.80 1833 2,702 537,741 55,918,449 25,395,117 9,236,091.67 1834 3,494 694,892 73,188,594 13,849,460 8,035,556.38 1835 2,008 455,665 88,191,305 30,345,264 13,147,376.19 1836 1,703 401,086 118,253,416 28,920,638 17,176,908.24 1837 2,222 579,194 79,301,722 27,338,419 7,856,826.77 18,424 3,976,077 595,512,682 217,201,981 109,510,134.09 PHUADELPHIA. 1829 385 73,454 10,100,152 4,089,935 2,766,128.12 1830 405 77,016 8,702,122 4,291,793 2,947,716.24 1831 416 79,058 12,121,083 5,513,713 3,867,794.37 1832 432 81,939 10,678,358 3,516,066 2,765,674.36 1833 370 71,487 10,451,250 4,078,951 2,074,101.07 1834 441 83,804 10,479,268 2,031,803 1,311,539.34 1835 416 78,993 12,389,937 3,739,275 2,151,583.86 1836 350 64,019 16,068,233 3,971,555 2,882,264.89 1837 438 91,715 11,680,111 3,841,599 1,526,813.16 3,653 701,485 101,673,514 35,074,690 22,293,616.11 14,771 3,274,592 493,839,168 182,127,291 87,216,517.98 The last of these totals gives the difference between the two ports. The value of imports into New York, from the 10th of May, 1837, to the 10th of May, 1838, was $58,814,645, and that of Philadelphia but $7,732,497 ; and Pensacola, the other place spoken of, only $3112; — the imports of New York city being more than half of all the importation into the United States. This table, though in a condensed form, is comprehensive. The DRY DOCK AT BROOKLYN. 465 latter Hne, or total of figures, exhibits the difference, — the great disparity in the receipt of revenues in the two cities, — and, to some extent, in the States of New York and Pennsylvania. Now, according to the above tables, if we put the claims of New York upon its commercial as well as agricultural interests, the Dry Dock should be located in that state. What a disparity does the above present between the two places ! With what pride should the representatives of that great state advocate her superior claims to the favorable consideration of Congress ! I will also show, by the statement below, in parallel columns, the great disparity between the domestic exports of the two states contending for this prize, embracing a period of nine years, com mencing in 1829 and ending in 1837. Pennsylvania. New Yokk. Tears. Value. Tears. Value. 1829, $2,617,152 1829 $12,036,561 1830, 2,924,452 1830, 13,618,278 1831 3,594,302 1831, 15,726,118 1832, 2,008,991 1832, 15,057,250 1833, 2,671,300 1833 15,411,296 1834 2,031,803 1834, 13,849,469 1835, 3,739,275 1835, 30,345,264 1836, 3,971,555 1836, 28,920,638 1837, 3,841,599 1837, 27,338,419 $27,400,429 $172,303,293 Pennsylvania, . . . 27,400,429 Balance in favor of New York, 144,902,864 Some gentlemen have been pleased to place their claims upon the mechanical or boat-building interest. If this be a just cri terion, and the claims of New York and Pennsylvania be tested upon this principle, to which I have no objection, New York will still be entitled to the prize ; to show which, see the following table: 466 DRY DOCK AT BROOKLYN. Statement showing the number of vessels built, and the tonnage thereof, in each state and territory of the United States, for the year ending the 30.A Sep tember, 1837. Maine New Hampshire, . . Massachusetts, . . Rhode Island, . . . Connecticut, . . . New York New Jersey, .... Pennsylvania, . . . Delaware Maryland, .... District of Columbia, Virginia, ..... North Carolina, . . South Carolina, . . Georgia, Ohio, Tennessee, .... Alabama, Mississippi, . . . • Louisiana, Kentucky, .... Florida, Michigan, Number of vessels built. 149 4 165 1259 136 8165 5 132 6 29 14 7 2 52 2 16 1 12 949 Tons, 95ths. 23,475 40 1,865 65 20,794 24 1,426 87 4,421 13 21,999 52 6,767 18 12,033 60 344 94 10,992 29 946 94 1,618 14 864 80 938 65 332 13 10,385 00 97190 1,741 57 7112 995,65 122,987 22 I am not disposed to find fault with the representatives of Pennsylvania, because they advocate the interests of their state, and place the claims of Philadelphia upon its most favorable foot ing ; nor have I presented these statements to draw an invidious distinction between the two cities ; but I have thought it my duty, as one of the representatives of the great State of New York, to stand up for her interests, and thereby, in my humble opinion, subserve the pubhc interest, by advocating the construction of the Dry Dock at the Brooklyn navy-yard. But why should I say any more upon the subject ? Has not the honorable chairman of the Committee of Ways and Means told the house that this is merely a reappropriation of a sum of money, DRY DOCK AT BROOKLYN. 467 carried to the surplus fund which had been appropriated to the building of a Dry Dock at Brooklyn, after mature consideration by the last Congress, but, owing to some difficulty in procuring the land at a moderate price, it had not been applied to this object ? The same difficulty does not now present itself. The claims of the several places now contesting had been fully examined by that Congress which made this appropriation. The palm had been yielded to Brooklyn. This had been done, too, upon proper sur veys. Will gentlemen withhold the just claims of New York, and thereby injure the pubhc service, because they cannot get Dry Docks established in every section of the country, wherever their imaginations may lead them to believe they are needed ? This would be not only unjust, but highly censurable. Upon what grounds are the friends of Philadelphia disposed now to place her claims ? Upon superiority of harbor ? I should sup pose not ; for the harbor of New York is one of the best in the world, perfectly secure, affording good anchorage to any number of vessels. It can float the largest vessel in our navy. It is only two hours' sail from the ocean ; whilst that of Philadelphia is insecure and contracted, and at least one hundred and fifty miles from the ocean. New York can be approached at all seasons of the year, and ves sels repaired at any time ; but ice in the Delaware renders it im practicable to get to Philadelphia. But the greatest obstacle which presents itself is that the depth of water is not sufficient to float our largest vessels. The great object of a dock of this kind is to receive vessels, without reference to size, with crew, armament and munitions on board, and thus repair them, and save the trouble of removals of the same, as has to be done in the ordinary way. And if there be not sufficient depth of water at Philadelphia for this purpose, the dock would be totally useless. No information 468 DRY DOCK AT BROOKLYN. has been furnished this house by actual survey, &c, that will disabuse our minds of this opinion. New York is entitled to this Dry Dock, whether we consider the security and capacity of harbor, the depth of water, its proximity to the ocean, tonnage, imports and exports, revenues, taxes ; in fine, her general, commercial, agricultural or mechanical interests. And whilst I am speaking of her commerce, I wiU present one fact in relation to that of Philadelphia. The arrivals of foreign vessels into the port of New York have progressively increased for the last fifty years ; whilst it appears from statistics upon this subject, lately pubhshed, that the foreign arrivals into Philadel phia, at the present time, are not more than they were in 1788. Its coasting trade has considerably increased, but I think not in the same proportion as that of New York. The mechanics of New York are as skilful, and labor, if not cheaper, is as cheap, as at Philadelphia, and the facility of procur ing building materials for vessels is as great. But, above all, the pubhc interest demands that New York should have it. Why, then, withhold it ? I have also prepared a statement of the operations of the two cities in gold and silver, for a period embracing eight years, from 1831 to 1838, both inclusive : New Yobk City. Imported in eight years. Exported in eight years. $3,595,310 1,963,547 21,874,59018,660,441 $171,827 246,420 2,914,908 14,958,329 $46,093,888 $18,291,484 DRY DOCK AT BROOKLYN. 469 Philadelphia City. Gold bullion, . Silver bullion, Gold specie, Silver speoie, $50,587 436,970 405,416 1,821,085 2,714,058 $33,514 325,565 3,383,634 $3,642,713 But, to return to the cry of some gentlemen as to the inequality of expenditures. I think New York pays as much, if not more, into the public treasury, in the way of taxes, — having reference to her population, — as any other state in the Union. Have the disbursements, upon the same principle, been greater in this state than in other sections of the Union, and particularly Pennsyl vania ? I think not. The building at New York — the custom house — which the government is erecting for its own accommo dation, has been referred to by gentlemen who are in favor of erecting this dock further south. They have, with great emphasis, denominated it a palace, a waste of money, &c. This was not erected solely, let me tell gentlemen, with a view of beautifying New York. It has been constructed of permanent materials, and of great capacity, such as the interests and wants of the govern ment demanded. I hope all objection will vanish when I tell gentlemen that the erection of the same has cost the government but one per cent, upon the revenue netted at that port for the last ten years ; and I very much question whether Philadelphia, with her splendid mint and navy-yard, or any other section of the coun try, can present the same picture as a justification for the amounts they have received of the bounties of the government. I think, all told, that New York can present a better claim for future dis bursements there than the places above cited. To conclude, sir, it is with pleasure that I recur to the state of prosperity which New York now presents. The representatives 40 470 DRY DOCK AT BROOKLYN. of this great state can with pride say, she has within her precincts the main artery of the Union ; that she diffuses the life-blood through the whole commercial system, as the foregoing statistics irrefutably demonstrate. We are proud that she is so ; not from local, narrow views, but because she tends so much to add to the honor and fame of the ichole United States. I go for my country, sir, and that which will best benefit it in the aggregate ; and whenever I am satisfied of the utility of an appropriation in a national point of view, I will ever be found ready to record my vote in its favor, let it be at the north or the south, the east or the west ; and all I ask is, that gentlemen would legislate on equally liberal principles, as I have no doubt that they will. SPEECH RESPECTING THE TREASURY BUILDING:.* I am altogether unused to pubhc speaking, but hope that I may be allowed to claim the attention of the committee while offering to them a few practical observations upon the subject under con sideration. I am glad that the discussion has, thus far, been mainly carried on in a business-like manner. This pleases me the more, because it strengthens me in the hope that my own una dorned and plain mode of expressing my views will meet the indulgence of the committee. Having been placed upon this Committee of Pubhc Buildings, and the subject of the fitness for its intended purposes of the new treasury building having been brought to my attention, I have looked at the matter in the same practical manner in which I usually go about my own affairs. Thus viewing the building, I was not long in coming to the opinion that it was all wrong, both in the matter of taste and in the matter of execution. It was at my request and suggestion that the committee had examined the building personally. I beheved it to be going wrong ; and the examination had tended to confirm, not to confute, that opinion. At first the proposition personally to inspect this building was not favored by the committee, although it had at last been acceded to. And here I will take the occasion of paying a merited tribute to the singleness of purpose and purity of motive which dictated the course of the members of the committee, of both political par ties, in reference to this subject, from first to last. I would partic- * Delivered in the House of Representatives, June 8, 1838. 472 SPEECH RESPECTING TREASURY BUILDING. ularly instance, in this connection, the course pursued by the honorable chairman of that committee [Mr. Lincoln], in regard to the furnishing and repairs of the executive mansion. He, as well as the honorable gentleman from Virginia [Mr. Mercer], though a pohtical opponent, was as liberal and fair as any friend of the administration could have desired. They had acted with the spirit of business men ; and could honestly answer to the coun try, with the rest of the committee, that they had discharged their duty faithfully and conscientiously. For myself, I have for years been practically engaged in build ing. I cannot avoid, therefore, looking at the work submitted to my examination in a practical point of view. I intend, in doing so, to do my duty, and to be useful, if possible, to the country, whose servant I am. I knew well the responsibility I assumed, and have not shrunk from it. The whole committee concurred with me in taking great pains to be enabled to lay before the house all the facts, upon which the report which accompanied the bill under con sideration had been founded. It is now the province of the house to judge for itself as to the vahdity of the committee's con clusions from those facts. The committee have counted the cost ; they have come to the dehberate conclusion that the public money is being wasted on this unlucky piece of work, and they have told the house that such is their opinion. The length of the treasury building, as it stands, is four hun dred and fifty-six feet, the lower hall is eight feet two and a half inches wide, and the upper hall nine feet. I assume, as a demon strable fact, that this is far too narrow. It may be compared to the hall of the new patent-office, now in process of erection, which is a httle over one hundred feet in length, and fifteen in width. Nearly half the treasury building is so constructed as to be under ground, which will have the inevitable effect of rendering thirty- SPEECH RESPECTING TREASURY BUILDING. 473 seven of the rooms, at least, proposed to be made upon that floor, too dark and too damp for use. This building, which Congress ordered to be built under the direction of the President of the United States has not been exe cuted according to the directions given by General Jackson, who expressly stipulated that the building should not interfere at all with the State Department, — a building nearly new, and which cost the country over one hundred thousand dollars. But, by the plan of the architect now engaged on this building, it seems that this department is to come down, at an admitted loss of some ninety thousand dollars. I look upon this as miserable economy, indeed. The new erection is now within three or four feet of the State Department ; and, owing to the different heights of the walls of the two buildings, it is quite obvious that they can never be made to match. White and black could not differ more widely than the two from each other ; and is this a specimen of work manship and of taste for an American citizen to point out to the stranger who may visit the capital of his country? I think not. Mr. P. then went into a series of statements, by way of exposing some of the prominent imperfections of the building, — its entire want of adaptation to its purposes, the unfitness of the architect who designed it, and the palpable necessity which existed for taking it down, as a matter of the best and most prudent economy. He took the statement of the architect himself, as contained in the National Intelligencer, in a communication signed M, and which was as follows : The architect's estimate for completing the present building, under the construction, is $500,000 Expense of simply grading the street, without includ ing the cost of culvert underneath, 2,500 Total cost, 502,500 40* 474 SPEECH RESPECTING TREASURY BUILDING. Estimate for carrying out the whole plan, as approved by the executive, including the renewal of the State Department building, and constructing a correspond ing building at the south end, $397,500 Whole cost, 900,000 And showed that, in 1837, this architect's own estimates were not much more than half that sum. In commenting on this discrep ancy, Mr. P. remarked that he was compelled to say that this architect's rule in building was Hke that adopted by a certain Irish journeyman he had heard of, who, as he could neither read nor write, dispensed with the draughts, and said he could work best by his eye! It seems to be the maxim of this architect to " cut and try." In reply to some remarks of the gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. Keim], who addressed the committee on this bill, and in behalf of the architect of the treasury building, Mr. P. observed, that that gentleman's estimate of the thickness of the walls, at three feet three inches, was entirely erroneous. I had been told so before, and had taken the trouble to measure them for myself with the rule. Their thickness was only eighteen inches stone, filled inside with brick nine inches, making only a thickness of two feet three inches in all ; and this for the walls of a building three stories or forty-eight feet high ! The gentleman from Penn sylvania, in his zeal to endorse the character, as an architect, of Mr. Mills, had stated, upon the authority of the latter, what I knew, from my own personal observation, to be inaccurate. I do not rest content with hearsay. My highest ambition, in making out a case, is to state facts. Mr. P. alluded to some remarks which had fallen from the mem ber from Arkansas [Mr. Yell], who had expressed the opinion that the present building was adequate to the purposes for which it was SPEECH RESPECTING TREASURY BUILDING. 475 designed. Mr. P. said, I will ask that learned judge a simple ques tion. How is light to be obtained in the lower story of the hall of that building, four hundred and fifty-six feet long, eight feet wide, with both ends closed, — one-half of the story being under ground, and a high wall in front of the building, and ascending to the next story, — how can he obtain sufficient light, in such a hall, for the most necessary purposes for which light is required ? These walls should have been at least three feet and six inches thick ; and the iron bands are now precisely in the position where they are least useful, namely, at the corners, and not at the antse, where, if at all, they should be. [Mr. P. entered into a particular statement of the number of rooms which it was a part of the plan to put into the building, many of which he demonstrated must be entirely unfit for use, by reason of the want of light and the dampness. He also showed great errors in the calculations of the cost of executing different parts of the work, and demonstrated the entire want of anything hke a fixed plan of proceeding, on the part of the architect, from first to last. He thought it the duty of the legislative branch of the government to take the execution of this and similar works into its own hands, believing, as he did, that the duties of the exec utive were already sufficiently onerous, without superadding those of master-builder of the public offices. The legislature, he con tended, should attend to these matters itself, and carry them on by appointments emanating from itself, of men in whom confidence could be placed, and who would be responsible to Congress for the manner in which they did their duty. This would be the course, he said, that each man would pursue in his own case, not only in architecture, but in law, in commerce, and in every other depart ment of Hfe.] This is the building of the nation, and not mine. I have here strung out facts which I have ascertained, by careful examination, 476 SPEECH RESPECTING TREASURY BUILDING. for the benefit of those concerned. It is proper to act as they see fit. On them rests the responsibUity. I have shown them that their money is being uselessly lavished, almost without any accountability on the part of those intrusted with its expenditure. And here I would remark upon the meagreness and unsatisfactory character of the accounts rendered by the Commissioner of Pubhc Buildings, who has put down a gross amount of estimates, with a long string of dittos, instead of giving particular statements of every item of expenditure. This is not the way I do my business, and I am not inclined to permit that of the country to be done in that loose and unsatisfactory manner. I certainly do not intend to impute anything hke default to that officer ; but what I want are the facts, that we may be able to act understandingly. In the inquiry ordered by the house, as a part of the duty of the Committee on Public Buildings, they had had the aid of experienced and disinterested architects from New York, Philadelphia, Boston, and Vermont, not one of whom sustained the views and statements of the architect of pubhc buildings ; and I have already said enough, in other portions of my remarks, to convince the house that the statements of that architect have not always been correct, or consist ent with themselves, in relation to this subject. He has deceived two presidents already, and is seemingly disposed to lead the country into an expense of some tliree millions of dollars to carry on this extravagant project of his, — and should this be allowed? What is the proposed alternative? To cause the walls of this building to be taken down, and its materials used for the erection of the post-office, and then to erect a substantial and economical treasury building, according to a feasible and reasonable plan, as proposed in the bill under consideration. And what will be the expense of taking down and removing these walls ? The foUowing estimate is made by Mr. Mills, which can probably be rehed on safely : SPEECH RESPECTING TREASURY BUILDING. 477 1st. The present expenditures on this building amount to $200,065.79 2d. The value of the materials and work, when taken out and removed to a place of safety, with those on the ground, is estimated at 97 800.00 3d. The site being changed would render it unneces sary to regrade and pave 15th-street, and construct a culvert under the same, estimated at (which deduct) 20,000.00 Making the total estimated loss $82 265.79 4th. In the event of removing the building, there will be no necessity to take down or alter the State Department buUding, which cost one hundred thou sand dollars ; and the saving here, which might properly be carried to the credit of the account, would be 80,000.00 Leaving an actual loss of only $2,265.79 But I fear I am troubling the committee beyond their patience. I will relieve them. I am no friend to long speeches ; and what I dislike in others I will not myself inflict on them. I went into this inquiry, and into this discussion of the subject, in a practical way, as a business man. The building which is the subject of present consideration is not mine, Mr. Chairman, but yours. It is for you to act as you please upon the advice which has now been given you. If you take it, well and good ; if not, do not complain, if you find, when too late, that it had been better to follow it. The passage of this biU wiU save the country at least half a milHon of dollars. The building now erecting, if permitted to go on, will cost more, ere it is completed, than its erection thus far has cost. With these plain facts, stated thus plainly, I leave the decision of the question to the house, where it properly belongs. SPEECH ON THE INCREASE OF THE SALA RIES OF CLERKS* I AM opposed to the motion of the gentleman from Virginia [Mr. Dromgoole]. By a prudent apphcation of the salaries they now receive, it is a competency to support them in genteel style. I infer, from the quarter in which the amendment originated, and the ready support which it received by the gentleman from Penn sylvania [Mr. Petriken], there should strong suspicions attach to it. I am not astonished that these gentlemen should step forward to take care of those who belong to their state by birth. They are governed by a kind of state pride, in the matter. I have examined into the condition of the departments of government in this respect, to ascertain whether the state I in part represent has her quota in the public service of the country ; and I am somewhat aston ished to find that the sons of Virginia receive from the government more than five hundred thousand dollars, and Pennsylvania two hundred thousand dollars, in the way of salaries, whilst the great State of New York receives not more than fifty thousand dollars ! I have prepared statements to show this result, but will not detain the house to read them. I am opposed to any increase ; and am astonished to find some gentlemen, who talk so much about extravagant expenditures, so ready to come forward to heap large salaries upon non-producing officials, — but when any proposition to do justice to the working-men in the employ of the government is before us, they spurn it from them. These are the men who * Delivered in the House of Representatives, Feb. 25, 1829. SALARIES OF CLERKS. 479 deserve and need the assistance and protection of Congress. Their faces are ground into the dust, whilst those less worthy are pampered in indolence. These perfumed whig office-holders, who push themselves for ward as the leaders of the ton, shall never receive my vote to increase the means to promote luxurious extravagance, and to increase their indolence. Gentlemen in the opposition need not apprehend that an increase of salary would be giving these officials the means to assist in perpetuating this administration. No ; there need be no fears upon that score. But, on the other hand, it would be voting means to overthrow the present administration ; for it can be proved, beyond controversy, that more than two-thirds of them are opposed to it. I do not wish to be understood as casting any imputation upon them ; but, on the other hand, I have an exalted opinion of many. I would ask gentlemen to look to the working-men in the employ ment of the government, who work from sun to sun, in this dis trict, and emphatically and in truth earn their bread by the sweat of their brow, and receive probably the pittance of one dollar and fifty cents per day. It is those who should receive an increase of their pay, — those who are contributing to build up your navy, and adding to the glory of the country. They are equally if not more meritorious, and their employment is equally intellectual, as those who are the mere scribes or examiners of other men's inventions. I sincerely wish that I could contribute to pay this class of men more in accordance with their merits, industry, and efficiency. I hope the amendment wiU be rejected; but, if there is to be an increase, let it be done in the proper manner, at the next session, including the working-men, as well as the clerks. LETTER RESPECTING WHITNEY'S RAIL ROAD PROJECT. TO THE PEOPLE OP THE UNITED STATES: The subject of a passage across our continent to the Pacific is exciting the attention of the public mind to such an extent as makes it necessary for every statesman and citizen, interested in the wel fare, prosperity and future greatness, of our country, to examine the subject, for his own satisfaction, at least. Two routes and modes are proposed to accomphsh this great object. One, by a canal or railroad somewhere from Panama to Tehuantepec, in Mexico, between latitude north seven and sixteen degrees ; and the other, a railroad from Lake Michigan through the Rocky Mountains to Oregon, on the parallel of about forty-two and a half degrees, — all in our own territory. I wish, first, to consider the canal, to see what it would and would not do, and how we can build it. The Hon. Mr. Wheaton (late minister at BerHn), in his very able letter to the Secretary of War, shows that he has studied the subject, and made himself acquainted with all the lights then before the world ; and even he leaves all in doubt and conjecture. If it can be done at all, it must be by the combined efforts and influence of all the different commercial nations interested. The English reviewers take the same view, giving to each nation its proportionate interest and influence, comparative with its amount of commerce with Asia, which, of course, would give the entire con trol to England. Would the people of the United States submit WHITNEY'S RAILROAD PROJECT. 48] to such control? And does the constitution provide for the form ing and carrying on such a copartnership? Clearly not. In Gen. Garella's very able, and the only scientific, report of a survey of Panama, in the years 1842 and 1843, with a corps of engineers, under the orders of the French government, he takes up and examines the routes of Nicaragua and Tehuantepec. His estimate for the former is about one hundred and forty-eight mil lion francs, for the latter one hundred and fifty-one million four hundred and fifty thousand francs, and for Panama one hundred and forty-nine million to one hundred and sixty-five million francs. These estimates may be considered conjectural, as he says he had no comparison as a basis. It would be subject to every possible embarrassment, — the sparse population of a lawless character, no security of person or property, and the Mexican gov ernment unable to enforce the laws, if she had them. A strong miUtary force would be absolutely necessary, from one end to the other, both to support and protect the works and the commerce. There is an entire absence of material ; laborers are to be taken from a northern clime and local position, — the latter so uncon genial as to render it almost, if not quite, impossible to sustain the former. Therefore the work could not be done, protected, or commerce carried on. It is fair to presume the results would far exceed Gen. Garella's estimates. In fact, another estimate made by him for Tehuantepec is as high as one hundred and eighty-one mUHon four hundred and fifty thousand francs ; and, from aU our experience in such estimates, and the fact that the people of the north cannot Hve in such a climate, — the winter months so rainy, and summer so hot, that no men could work or stand it,— we have good reason to believe that the actual cost would very far exceed any estimate made. Gen. Garella abandons all other plans as inferior, and devotes all his efforts to Panama. Now, the questions are, Can we do this work? — and how? — 41 482 Whitney's railroad project. and what would be the probable results ? It is, I think, perfectly clear that our government cannot furnish means, nor enter into such a copartnership. Then, if done, it must be done by individ uals. Would Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Rich mond. Charleston, and even New Orleans, furnish capital to build a thoroughfare, and population for a city, to carry on a commerce under another government, in the benefits of which they cannot participate, nor derive any income for their capital ? This is what no business man would do. And now let us see if this would be so. We will suppose the canal built, and all the commerce of Europe with Asia passing through it. Europe would furnish her own vessels for both sides. A ship canal, and no tranship ments required, — and, I ask, what benefit would any city on aU the Atlantic or gulf coast derive from it? Surely none. In a poUtical point of view, it would place all the marine, naval and commercial, of all Europe, permanently at our doors, in the most commanding position; and, as to our own commerce with Asia, would it be benefited at all by this change of route ? Our com merce with Asia is not large, owing to the fact that chmate, dis tance and expense, prevent an exchange of commodities, — which difficulties could not be removed by a canal. The chmate would forbid the passage of our produce through it. Nearly all our com merce with Asia is with China, consisting of teas, silks, etc., and being mostly consumed north of Charleston, would receive no benefit from this route ; but, on the contrary, would be subject to delays, losses, dangers, and damages from climate ; and any benefit to the small amount which might, perhaps, be taken directly up the Mis sissippi, as far as the mouth of Ohio, would be more than over balanced by the delays and damage of chmate, which none but those acquainted with the business can understand. And would the states and cities north of the gulf furnish means to the amount of from thirty to fifty milhons of dollars, and submit to such a tax, Whitney's railroad project. 483 barely to put out of their possession, and under another govern ment, the route for a commerce which they cannot participate in, or ever control ? Clearly not. Such, it appears to me, would be the result of the canal, even with all the success predicted. It would be productive to us of nothing but evil. We have declared to the world that we will not submit to any foreign intervention or control of the affairs of this continent ; and at the same time pro pose to enter into an alliance offensive and defensive, whereby we yield the control of the commerce of the world, check and retard our prosperity and destiny for half a century at least, and finally end in a desperate, bloody, and expensive war. The object of a canal, or railroad, is to shorten the route from Europe to Asia, and, if possible, bring that commerce, which has controlled the world from time immemorial, across this continent ; and, by lessening the expense, shortening the time and distance, and facilitating and increasing intercourse, to increase that com merce by a further and more diversified exchange of commodities. Barely substituting one route for another could not increase, be cause that alone could not create or produce any new means to sustain it. If a new route opens to production a wilderness, and thereby increases population with means to sustain it, and affords an exchange of commodities, it would, of course, increase com merce ; or, a new route which would greatly lessen expenses of transit, save much time, increase and facilitate intercourse, would naturally increase an exchange of commodities, and would also increase commerce. But neither of these desirable and all-import ant results can be gained by a canal, because a canal or railroad across any part of the isthmus could not open to settlement and production an extent of wilderness country, as it is not there, — nature here having fixed the bounds, over which the genius of man cannot dominate ; chmate, sterility and all, obstruct his course. And it could not shorten distance and time, lessen expense, or 484 whitney's railroad project. faciUtate and increase intercourse, as I will show by giving the exact distances to be performed, both around the cape and through a proposed canal, as given to the pubUc by Mr. Whitney, and from the authority of Professor Wittish, of the London University. To Valparaiso: Miles. From Plymouth to ReaUjo, via canal, 5,478 Thence to Valparaiso, 3,500 8,978 To Valparaiso, around Cape Horn, 9,400 Difference in favor of canal only 422 From Sidney to England, via proposed canal, 14,848 From Sidney to England, via Cape Horn, • 13,848 Against canal, 1,000 From Canton to England, via canal, S. W. Moons, 15,558 From Canton to England, via Cape G. H., do. 14,940 Against canal, 618 From Plymouth to Singapore, via canal, N. E. Moons, 16,578 From Plymouth to Singapore, via Cape G. H., do. 14,350 Against canal, 2,228 From this it appears that, if the means could be furnished, the canal completed, no difficulties in its operation and progress, the commerce of Europe with Asia could never be changed to this route. And there are further, and almost, if not quite, insur mountable chfliculties, yet to name. The climate would not only destroy commodities of commerce, but population. A hurricane, bars, navigation, shoals, rocks, and no harbors. The Commercial Review, of New Orleans, for July estimates the destruction of ves sels and property, for eighteen months' commerce of the gulf, at WHITNEY'S RAILROAD PROJECT. 485 one hundred and fifty vessels, — value, cargo and all, six miUions of dollars. And should we alone attempt to get a canal across the isthmus anywhere, it would force Europe to try and get a route across Suez, or through Russia. But, as we have the route within our own territory which would forever give us the entire control of the commerce and travel of all the world, and the means costing us nothing to accompUsh it, I think it decidedly and clearly our duty to commence it at once, and have it done, and not lose all by looking after that which can do us no good. Mr. Whitney's plan for a railroad from Lake Michigan, through the south pass of the Rocky Mountains, to Oregon, is so plain and simple that any common mind can understand it. He asks Congress to appropriate sixty miles wide of the public lands, from Lake Michigan to the Pacific, for this special purpose ; and, as he builds the road, he takes the land to reimburse himself. For eight hundred miles, the one-half, at the government price, it is estimated wiU build the road. The other half creates a fund for where the lands are poor. When completed, the road to be free to aU the world, except for repairs and operations, to be fixed by Congress. The distance from the lake to the ocean is two thousand four hundred miles ; the esti mated cost, when ready for use, seventy millions of dollars. The number of acres required is ninety-two million one hundred and sixty thousand waste land, one thousand two hundred miles with out timber or navigable streams, and of small value. And would it ever settle, or be of any value, without the road ? Clearly not. Then the question is, Shall Mr. Whitney take these lands, and, by sale and settlement thereof, build this road, or shall they be allowed to fritter away, without any perceptible good? This great high way of nations, — the greatest work ever done by men or nations, — a road which must forever be the thoroughfare between all Europe and Asia, — a work which will bring us together as one 41* 486 WHITNEY'S RAILROAD PROJECT. family, binding us with a band of iron, which cannot be sundered, both useful in war and peace,— a work which will give us the com mand of and make the commerce of all the world tributary to us, adding milhons of wealth to the nation, and ten-folding its popula tion, — a work which shall change the condition of all mankind, bringing all together as one nation in free intercourse and exchange of commodities, — a work which must be the means of civiUzing and Christianizing the heathen, the barbarian, and the savage, — shall these waste wilderness lands be applied to this noble, this more than glorious purpose ? I cannot doubt all will say, yes. When we look at the past, and see how civilization has travelled west, bringing commerce and the useful arts with it, — when we see that civil and religious liberty was driven to this continent, as its apparent last resting-place, — - when we see the progress and even strides of these United States in wealth and greatness, — when we see this vast, this rich continent, yet a wilderness before us, the best climate and country, and under the best government, the sun ever shone upon, more congenial to grow the whole man than any other part of the globe, placed directly in the centre of the earth, — Europe with more than two hundred and fifty milhons of souls on the one side, with the Atlantic three thousand miles wide between us, and on the other side all Asia with seven hundred millions of souls, and the Pacific a little more than five thousand miles between us, — when we reflect that the earth does not produce enough to sustain the vast multitudes on either side, and there is nowhere for them to go but to us,— and when we know that the building of this great road will open to settlement, production, and intercourse with all the parts of the globe, this vast wilderness of two thousand five hundred miles in extent, can we doubt that it is our destiny and paramount duty to go forward and accomplish it ? Clearly not ! Mr. Whitney proposes to start his road somewhere on Lake WHITNEY'S RAILROAD PROJECT. 487 Michigan, where he can find the lands unoecupied, and thence across the Mississippi, near Prairie du Chien, in the parallel of about forty-three degrees ; and thence over to the Missouri, between Council Bluffs and the Big Sioux ; thence to the Pass, on the parallel of about forty-two and a half degrees ; thence to the best point on the Pacific — San Francisco, or the Columbia river. This route or starting-point would seem absolutely necessary. First, the route must be where the rivers can be bridged ; the starting-point must be from where the lands can be made immedi ately available for means, and where the good lands can furnish means for the part where the land is poor, and to furnish timber for the road and for the buildings where there are none. The plan could not be carried out from a starting-point west of the lake, because there would not be a sufficient amount of lands on the route to insure success, and because the expense of transportation of material to any other point would cost so much as to forbid the work. And it is not material to the states, as all would join this at or near the Mississippi, — making this the most central for all the Atlantic cities and for New Orleans, and being about the centre of the continent. New England and New York would have their Buffalo and Erie roads, through Ohio; Pennsylvania, to Pitts burg, and through Ohio ; Baltimore, to Wheeling, and through Ohio, two hundred miles nearer than New York ; Richmond, her direct and best of all the routes to Cincinnati, and then onward ; Charleston, to Nashville and Louisville, or direct through the entire State of Illinois ; and New Orleans, with the Father of Rivers always navigable, to the Ohio ; while St. Louis would have the Mississippi and Missouri, and her railroad up the Missouri valley, the first to reach it,— all equally well located, and sharing in all its benefits. Thus uniting and bringing all together at one grand centre, distant from ocean to ocean, from either city, not over three thousand four hundred miles, — performed at a moderate speed in 488 WHITNEY'S RAILROAD PROJECT. eight days, and at thirty miles per hour in five and a half days ; and with the magnetic telegraph, outrunning the sun by twelve hours, — placing us on the Pacific directly opposite to all Asia, — distant from Japan but four thousand miles, from China but five thousand four hundred miles, from Australia but six thousand, from New Guinea five thousand three hundred and forty, and from Singapore seven thousand six hundred and sixty miles. From London or Liverpool, latitude about fifty degrees, to New York, is about three thousand miles, to be added to the above, when we have the direct route from Europe to all Asia, and much shorter than any other route possible to be accomphshed. These distances appear so much shorter than those for the route across the isthmus, that an explanation is required. First, we start from London, latitude fifty degrees, and cross the isthmus in from seven degrees to sixteen degrees north latitude, and about ninety degrees west longitude ; thence to Canton, latitude about twenty-three degrees and east longitude one hundred and thirteen and three- fourths degrees, or about one hundred and seventy degrees of longi tude, each degree of longitude full sixty miles, — making, from the terminus of the canal to Canton, over ten thousand two hundred miles. Whereas, from the Columbia river, latitude forty-six and one-half degrees, to Shanghai, latitude about thirty-two degrees and east longitude one hundred and twenty-two degrees, where all the commerce of China would centre, is one hundred and ten and one-half degrees of longitude, measuring on this paraUel about forty-seven miles each, — a distance of five thousand four hundred miles. Thus it wUl be seen that, for a vessel bound from the ter minus of a canal across the isthmus to China, the shortest and best route would be first to the Columbia river, and then to China. Thus we see that this would gain over that of the isthmus from London to China three thousand seven hundred and fifty-eight miles ; to Austraha, five thousand four hundred and forty miles ; WHITNEY'S RAILROAD PROJECT. 489 to Singapore, one thousand three hundred and ninety-eight miles ; and New York gains over Europe about three thousand miles to all these places. This seems to be nature's route. On this belt, this hne around the globe,— is almost all the population of the world. On this line is, and will be, the greatest production of breadstuffs and meat,— the sustenance of man and commerce, — adding wealth to the nation. The only route which can, of itself, furnish the means to build the road, or where the labor of man can make it available, nature has here smoothed the way, and opened the mountains to let us pass. Then look at our picture, our posi tion with this road completed. Behold, with one hand, we reach out over the Pacific to the millions of Japan, China, and all Asia, with our manufactures, our cotton, our tobacco, our hemp, our rice, our flour, our corn, beef, pork, leather, and all our many and various products, and receive back in exchange their teas, coffee, sugar, spices, indigo, drugs, silks, and various useful and curious fabrics, with gold, silver, and precious stones, — all, too, with our ships and our own men ; and with the other hand, over the broad Atlantic, we offer to all Europe our various products in exchange for hers, and receive her surplus population, to whom we give a home, a country, — while our body draws to it and controls the rich commerce and wealth of all the world, spreading and cir culating from ocean to ocean through every artery, through every city from Texas to Maine ; and from the heart, the great centre, would spring and flow forth throughout the whole frame, the whole system, the life, the products of man's labor from the earth, which would control and sustain all. The picture is grand, and might be considered a vision, had it any other foundation than the wilderness earth, which by the labor of man is to bring forth all we want, and at the same time richly reward that labor. It is a great plan, a great work ; but we are the people to do big things. This we have only to commence ; it 490 WHITNEY'S RAILROAD PROJECT. works itself. Build the first mile, and it prepares the way for another. The settler has the means of free transit to market, and his labor is wanted on the road ; he is at once made independent and happy. It is the poor man's road, his hope, and promise. It is the farmer and mechanic who wUl receive the greatest benefit ; their small means and their labor on the road could purchase the land for forty to sixty acres ; their labor and crops would be imme diately wanted on the road ; and if a surplus, find a free transit to market. ViUages and cities would spring up from one end to the other, all independent and happy ; because the free intercourse with all the world would afford a full reward for labor. Then, will you take your money, and send it out of our country, to be used against your interest, or will you have the Oregon road, which will cost you nothing but your votes ? Mr Whitney does not ask for one dollar in money, nor wiU he subject any man to one cent of taxation. He does not even ask a survey for his route ; all he desires is, that the waste wilderness land may be placed so that, by sale and settlement, the means in money and labor can be produced to build the road, and when the road is completed, to be under the control of Congress, — of the people, — and no dividends. All this he proposes at his own risk and hazard ; and if it fails, the people lose nothing, as no part of the lands would be granted to him faster than the road is built. It appears to me that this is no mysterious affair, — a plain, simple business plan, — grand and subUme, it is true, but as simple as grand. I examined this subject nearly three years ago. I then endorsed it, and presented Mr. Whitney's first memorial to the twenty-eighth Congress. Since that time it has grown upon the public mind ; and I beheve the people will have it, and the sooner the better. Z. Pratt. Prattsville {Greene Co., N. Y.), Aug. 28, 1847. CORRESPONDENCE RESPECTING FREE TRADE. House op Representatives, ; Washington, May 27, 1846. \ Hon. Zadock Pratt. Dear Sir : As the tariff bill will at an early day be called up for discussion in the House of Representatives, and we are desirous of obtaining the views of distinguished gentlemen who are them selves largely interested in American manufactures, and equally desirous to promote the welfare of their country, by placing at its disposal whatever information relative to any particular branch of domestic industry they may possess, we therefore most respectfully request you to communicate to us such facts and views in regard to the pohcy of continuing the present high duties upon leather, and all manufactures of leather, as your leisure will permit. This we are induced to believe you are eminently capable of doing, from your great experience, and the very great amount of capital and labor you have engaged in tanning. Having given so many evi dences of sound discrimination, as well as of public spirit, we hope, not only that you will oblige us by a full statement of your views as regards the effect and propriety of high and low duties upon the leather trade and tanning, but also any other facts and suggestions that may impart information. Very respectfully, your ob't serv'ts, E. W. Hubbard, D. S. Reid, J. J. McKay. 492 FREE TRADE. Washington, D. C, May 28, 1846. Gentlemen : I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note, dated the 27th, in which, after alluding to the business in which I have been extensively engaged for many years, you ask me to enumerate such facts and views in regard to the pohcy of continuing the present high duties upon leather as my experience may suggest. In answering briefly your note, I have to say that it is not my purpose to offer at this time any opinion upon the effects of high or low duties upon the revenue, or the best mode of raising money to defray the expenses of government. I have full confidence that the administration and Congress now in power will give to those subjects all the consideration which their importance demands, with a view to doing equal justice to all classes and interests in our country ; I can only give you a few practical observations bearing upon a single branch of business in which I have been for many years largely engaged, — that of manufacturing hemlock sole-leather, of which my product has averaged nearly one hundred thousand sides per year. A large portion of the raw hides man ufactured in this country are imported principally from South America ; the amount for the last year being three miUion eight hundred thousand dollars in value, while Httle, if any, sole-leather is imported. Formerly, these hides were mostly purchased with gold and silver, or bills on England ; but latterly, with flour, lum ber, and cotton goods, — in short, wholly with the produce and man ufactures of our own country. England admits raw hides, bark, and other articles used in tanning and finishing leather, duty free ; and, prior to 1842, raw hides were admitted into our country free of duty. The manufacture has steadily increased, until it has become a branch of useful industry ranking as the third or fourth in mag nitude in the country. We are beginning to find a market in England for our leather, while our forests of hemlock and oak, and FREE TRADE. 493 abundant water-power, — which must always be cheaper in a new country than in an old one, — and our superior facilities for trans portation, coupled with the fact that more labor is performed by the American mechanic, who can make a better article, and furnish it cheaper, than any other in the world, enable us to compete with other countries. I have no doubt that we can supply not only our own wants, but that we can ultimately furnish the English market, and perhaps the markets of the world, as plentifully and certainly as the Southern States now furnish them with the great staple of cot ton. A single fact may serve to illustrate the view I have here given. The bark used for tanning costs here, in the country, from two to three doUars the cord, and from six to eight dollars in the cities ; whilst in England the bark costs from sixteen to twenty dollars. The American improvements in the mode of extracting the tan and making leather are, in my judgment, destined to work as great a revolution as Whitney's cotton-gin did in the great staple of the south ; and the time is not far distant when we shall export mil lions of dollars' worth annually of our leather, and furnish the entire Enghsh market. We must look to South America princi pally for raw hides ; they cannot be furnished in sufficient quantity at home. It would be ruinous, therefore, to increase the duties upon hides, because a corresponding benefit cannot be derived from any duty which may be levied upon imported leather. I would rather see hides admitted free here, as they do in England ; indeed, I believe they ought to be free, as leather is an article indispensably neces sary for rich and poor ; and the consumption evidently greater with the poor than any other class, whilst tea and coffee can be dispensed with. As one of a class of citizens largely engaged in the manufacture of sole-leather, I have only to add that we ask nothing but equal rights and privileges, — a fair field and no favor. Give us this, and we ask no more at the hands of government ; we can safely compete with the manufacture of any other country on 42 494 FREE TRADE. the globe ; and if we do not, the fault is in ourselves, and does not deserve any sympathy at your hands. I am sorry to add that the leather trade at the present time is greatly depressed, and affords the least gain that I have ever known. I have the honor to be yours, truly, Z. Pratt. To Messrs. E. W. Hubbard, David ^ S. Reid, and J. J. McKay. . APPENDIX. THE TANNER.* A WORD of cheer to the hearty tanner And a blessing on his trade ! A hemlock bough shall be his banner, Over all the land displayed. Amid the forest giants winding, He marks the noblest for his spoil ; While, far away, the hunter's coil Round the wild bull's neck is binding. Work on, ye woodsmen all, And let the axe resound ! Work on ! joy to the land Where working-men abound ! His labor gives the world protection In an ever-changing form ; From the summer sun's reflection, — From the winter's raging storm. It guards the tread of the sturdy yeoman, And guides his plough-horse over the mead ; It reins the patriot's battle steed, And adorns the lovely foot of woman. Work on, ye pitmen all, And let the hide be sound ! Work on ! joy to the land Where working-men abound ! * Adapted to the tune of Marseilles Hymn. 42* 498 APPENDIX. The wit and lore of bygone ages His labor saves from swift decay ; It guards the Bible's holy pages, And grasps the follies of the day. It aids the loom's bright imitation, By turning every busy wheel ; It sheathes the warrior's flashing steel, And bears the stream to stay the conflagration. Work on, ye tanners all, And let the song go round ! Work on ! joy to the land Where working-men abound ! THE HEMLOCK TREE. The hemlock grows in the dark old wood, Where the moss is damp and green ; To a ripe old age it has bravely stood, And full many a storm has seen. Its shining spray all around extends, High towering to the sky, A pillar of beauty, that Nature sends To salute the Spirit on high. Thou noble type of the forest might, That strengthens and grows with time, In the summer day and the winter night Still green in every cUme ! Thy Hfe may well to my soul impart A lesson from Nature's page : As sound and as pure should be my heart, As stately my sinking age ! THE HEMLOCK TREE. 499 What tales could thy mossy branches tell Of the days that are no more ! Of the fate which that noble race befell Who roamed in these woods of yore ! What lovers have sighed in thy silent shade ! What captives were bound to thee ! What bones in the earth beneath thee laid, Where the Indian wandered free ! Thy lofty column, too, soon will fall, For the white man's axe is near ; Thy beauty and power will perish all, When man shall have stolen here. This silent wood shall a city be, Ere another age has come ; The sun that has warmed and nurtured thee Shall brighten a human home. But even in death shall thy virtue shine, For the tanner will seek the aid Of thy life-blood, richer than rosy wine From the purple berry made. The Pratts of the land — a noble race — Will come to this green old wood ; And the tanner's village shall mark the place Where the hemlock forest stood. 500 APPENDIX. THE TANNER OF PRATTSVILLE. The towers of Prattsville proudly rise Close by to the dark old wood. Her spires ascend to the azure skies, Where the hemlock tree once stood. The tanner who built this vast domain, In the home of the wild and free, Has raised a city upon the plain, By the aid of the hemlock tree. The church he erected where foxes prowled, By the river's verdant side ; The school-house he placed where the wild wolf howled, And the hunter's bullet defied. The children of science have hither come, The fruit of his toil to see ; He has given to learning and art a home, By the bark of the hemlock tree ! Ten thousand acres his toil has cleared ; And a million sides has tanned, While a worthy name he has nobly reared In the councils of the land. He has ever wrought for his country's good, Wherever that good might be ; And his only aid was the bark and the blood Of the mighty hemlock tree. THE TANNER OF PRATTSVILLE. 601 And he loves its lofty, towering form, And its ever glossy green ; Like him, it has stood through many a storm, And winter days has seen. In his Hfe he has built him a happy home In the hemlock's grateful shade ; And he hopes, when the day of death shall come, To be under its branches laid. INDEX. A. Paje Academy proposed 83 established -with liberal aid, . 88 "Act well your part," , 287 Adams, J. Q. , remark of, . . . .163 Address to the Catskill Mechanic Society, 241 dedication of Spencertown Academy, 2-18 to Franklin Lib. Ass., .... 258 to Mechanic's Inst., N. Y., . . 272 on temperance, 276 prepared for Mechanic's Inst., Baltimore, Md., 287 at Fair of Greene Co., . . . .294 Agriculture, attention to, .... 95 address on, 294 Anecdote of the landlord at Albany, 46 of the sheriff's bond, . . . .126 of the Virginia mechanics, . . 147 of the Postmaster-general, . . 165 in regard to furnishing the president's house, .... 193 in regard to the statue of Washington, 203 B. Bank of Prattsville established, . . 90 Banking anecdotes, 91 Bible, liberality in the distribu tion of, 104 Biography, motives for writing, Preface. Bureau of Statistics advocated, report, importance of, report, . Bibb's letter respecting, Business, minding our own, the true man of, ... 174 349 382386 258220 Cattle, letter respecting 327 Church, at Lexington, liberality towards, 48 Dutch Reformed, 68 Episcopalian, 104 Methodist 82 Citizen, a true one, 228 Clerks, salaries of, speech, .... 478 Commissary, anecdote respecting, . 31 Congressional documents, .... 343 Constituents, letters to, . . .441,444 County, new one proposed, .... 85 Credit system, the, remarks on, . 88 D. Democracy, 134 Domestic felicity, importance of to public men, 78 Dogs, "Rough" and "Tan ner," Preface. Dry Dock at Brooklyn advocated, . 156 speech respecting, 457 Dutch Reformed Church, the build ing of a house for, .... 68 E. Education, practical, 248 F. Franklin, the apprentice boy, . . 251 Free trade, letter respecting, . . 491 Fulton, 276 G. Gideon Lee & Co. , character of, . . 70 Grasshoppers, anecdote of catching, 60 Greene County Agricultural Fair, account of, 99 vote of thanks to their repre sentative, 199 Granite and marble for publio buildings, report 343 H. Hamilton, the leader of the party of the past, 132 Hemlock, description and uses of the, 55 Hemlock-tree, lines to, 498 Houses, one hundred in Prattsville built by Col. Pratt, .... 115 Horse, favorite gray, . . Preface. 504 INDEX. J- Page Jackson, General, the fine of re funded by Congress, . . . 171 Japan and Corea, proposed inter course with, 183 Jefferson, the leader of the party of the future, 132 K. Knowledge, value of, ... 303 L. Law-suits, success in avoiding them, 115,223 Laborers, intercourse with, how conducted, 59 Labor, dignity of, 272 Ladies, American, 304 Leather, uses of, and views in re gard to the demand for, . . 57 sent to World's Fair, descrip tion of, 325 Legare, of S. Carolina, sketch of, . 143 Legislator, the useful one, .... 231 Louisiana Agricultural Society, cor respondence 329 M. Manufacturing better carried on by individuals than by govern ment 153 Marble and granite for public buildings, report, 343 Medals, national, .proposal to dis tribute 188 Mechanics architects of their own fortunes, 241 dignity of, 261 Methodist Church, liberality to, . 82 Mint in N. Y. advocated 160 Model republic, 293 Mound, Indian, in Canada, ... 44 N. Naturalization laws, remarks on, . 173 New York Mechanic Inst., corre spondence, 339 Notices of Mr. P.'s labors by the public journals, 200 P. Page, Rev. Mr., anecdote of, . . . 68 Parties, political, history of, . . . 136 view of in 1840-41, 141 Patent oflice, proposed reform in, . 183 Post-office, building, General, at Washington, beauty of, . . 150 Pa»e Postage, early movement to reduce, 151 Pratt, origin of the family of, . . 13 Zadock, senior, notice of, . . 14 Zadock, junior, the mother of noticed, 16 birth and childhood of, ... 17 limited school advantages of, . 18 early habits of mind of, . . . 20 apprenticeship of to a saddler, 21 employment of as a journey man and a master, .... 22 early business habits of, . . . 23 success of previous to the war of 1812, 24 sells out in 1815, and enters the tanning business, ... 25 family arrangements of, . . . 27 appointment of as collector of the church, 27 volunteers in the war of 1812, adventure of with the com missary, 31 retires from the army, . ... 33 appointed captain of artillery in the militia, 33 liberality of to his company, . 33 resigns, and is appointed colo nel of infantry, 34 skill of as a marksman, ... 35 marriage and death of fhe wife of, 37 changes his business relations, 38 trading expedition of to Can ada, 38 describes his adventures, ... 40 visits an Indian beauty, ... 42 is slighted by a landlord at Albany, 46 appointed a magistrate, ... 49 marriage and death of the sec ond wife of, 50 dissolves his business relations, 50 explores the country for a per manent location, 52 forest adventures of, .... 53 selects Big Falls, and aban dons it, 54 fixes on Windham, 54 builds his tannery, 59 contributes one-third towards the building of a church, . 70 marries his third wife, .... 71 builds his mansion-house, . . 71 loses his third wife and a, daughter, 76 marries his fourth wife, ... 78 rebuilds the bridge, 80 obtains medals for the best leather, 83 INDEX. 505 Pratt, offers liberally to endow an academy 83 is elected a member of the American Institute and Me chanic's Society, 83 addresses the latter society, . 84 attempts to form a new county, 85 liberally aids the new press, . 86 pays half the expense of an academy building, .... 88 establishes a bank, 90 character of as a banker, . . 91 as a capitalist, 93 opinion of in regard to usu ry, 94 attention of to agriculture, . 95 is made president of Greene Co. Agricultural Society, . 98 address of at Greene Co. Fair, 100 at Windham, 101 elected honorary member ofthe Agricul. and Mechan. Asso ciation of Louisiana, . . . 103 liberality of to sufferers by fire, 104 sculptured bust of, 110 elected honorary member of Penn. Franklin Inst., and other institutions, .... 112 description by of his great tannery, 112 address of at the dedication of Spencertown Academy, . . 118 is elected honorary member of N. Y. Hist. Soc, and receives the degree of A. M., . . . . 123 contributes to the World's Fair, 126 addresses the Prattsville Tem perance Society, 126 liberality of in politics, . . . 127 compliment to from stone cutters, 127 politics of, 134,139,142 appointed elector of president, and elected member of Con gress, 135 is appointed on the committees of the militia and public buildings 142 interview of with a committee of mechanics, 147 proposes a reduction of postage in 1838 151 proposes the introduction of foreign seeds and plants, . 152 opposes the manufacture of arms by government, . . . 153 declines re-nomination, . . . 156 speech of on the Dry Dock, . .156 43 _^ Pago Pratt, proposes a Branch Mint in N. York 160, 170 objects to raising the pay of clerks, 160 advocates national defence, . 162 called the "working mem ber," and why, 162 acquaintance of with his dis trict 163 again enters Congress, . . . 166 offers a resolution for a regu lar return of banks, exports, imports, &c, 170 favors the relaxing of the nat uralization laws, 173 proposes a Bureau of Statistics and Commerce, 174 opinions of on extension of territory, 178 reports in favor of annexing Texas 179 advocates Whitney's plan of a railroad to the Pacific, . 181,207 reports in favor of commercial arrangements with Japan, . 183 proposes a reform in the patent office, 183 resolution of in regard to mil itary trophies, 184 report of on persons in the employ of government, . . 187 promotes the erection of a mon ument to Washington, . . . 187 moves for an inventory of pub lic property, and renewal of bonds, 187 moves for a distribution of na tional medals, 188 report of on public buildings, 189 proposes a banking system in the Dis. of Columbia, . . .192 speech of on furnishing the White House, 193 thanked by his district, . . .199 noticed by public journals, . . 200 retires from Congress 204 conduct of in regard to the tariff, .205 declines nomination aa candi date for governor, .... 208 address to young men, . . . 212 address to mechanics, .... 214 considered as a business man, 220 as a banker and as a man, . . 226 his personal appearance, . . 226 present health and power of endurance, . . . Preface. as a citizen, 228 as a statistician, 230 506 INDEX. Pagu Pratt, as a legislator, 231 lines to 500 Abigail P., death and charac ter of, 75 Geo. W., son of Col. P., . Ill, 120 Julia, daughter of Colonel Pratt 111,120 Mary E., wife of Col. Pratt, . 78 Prattsville, original purchase of tie site of, 56 plan and first buildings of, . . 65 incorporated as a town, ... 74 first press established in, . . . 86 bank of established, 90 description of, 107 notices of, 113 one hundred houses in built by Col. Pratt, 115 statistics of, 115 Presbyterian church, efficient ser vices of Mr. Pratt as col lector of the, 27 liberal repairs of, 48 Public buildings, report relating to, 144, 150 R. Rice Lake described, 44 Sabbath, respect for cultivated, . 67 Sandstone, as a building material, compared with granite or marble, 145 Sculptured rocks at Prattsville, description of, 110 Seed, choice of, 301 Sheepweed, anecdote respecting, . 61 Smithsonian fund, proposed appli cation of to agriculture, &c 188 Smithsonian Institute, bill, . . . 437 Stock, choice of, 295 Statistics in reference to a new county, 330 Stone-cutters of Washington, cor respondence 332 Statistics, importance of, report, . 392 Subscription for relief, how applied, 48 T. Tanner, lines to the 497 Tannery, the, burned 47 commenced at Prattsville, . . 58 obtains the medal of the N. Y. Institute, and of the N. Y. State Agricultural Society, . 83 representation of on the rocks, account of by Mr. Pratt, Tariff, opinions respecting, . Texas, admission of favored, resolves concerning, . . Thinking for ourselves, . . Trophies, national, report, . Treasury building, speech, . Ill 112,311205,491 179 180253 433 471 U. Usury laws, 94 W. Way to wealth, 256 Washington, 302 Washington Monument and the stone-cutters, 332 Watson, Abigail P., 71 MaryE., 78 Whig party the party of the past, . 136 Whitney's railroad to the Pacific favored, 181 letter, 480 Working man, 273 CHRONOLOGICAL SYNOPSIS OF THE LIFE OF ZADOK PRATT. 1790, Oct. 30. Born at Stephentown, Kensselaer county, New York, and in his early days worked with his father at tanning, at Middleburgh, Schoharie county, N. Y. 1802. Removed to Windham (now Lexington), Greene county, N. Y. 1810. Apprenticed to Luther Hays, a saddler, in Durham. 1811. Worked at his trade a year as a journeyman saddler, at ten dollars a month. 1812. Commenced business on his own account, in Lexington, as a saddler, working from fourteen to sixteen hours a day. He commenced keeping an inventory, which he ever practised after wards during life. 1814. Establishes a store, in addition to his saddlery. 1814. Went as a soldier for the defence of New York city, then menaced by the fleets of the enemy ; while there, he resists the corruption of the commissary, and forces him to do justice to the soldiers. 1815. Sells out his stock in trade, and is fortunate in escaping loss from the commercial revulsion which followed the peace ; forms a partnership with his two brothers in tanning. 1818, Oct. 18. Is married to Miss Beda Dickerman, of Hamp den, Conn., who died 19th April, 1819. 1818, December. Makes a voyage by sea to Charleston, S. C. ; sea-sick going, and sea- sick coming ; learned enough of sea-faring Hfe. 1821, April 21. Unanimously chosen captain in the fifth reg iment of New York State Artillery, and uniforms the company at his own expense. 1821. In the winter of this year makes an excursion to Canada, with leather, for the purchase of furs, during which he encamps in the woods upon the snow. XVI CHRONOLOGICAL SYNOPSIS. 1822, July 12. Is unanimously elected colonel of the 116th regiment of infantry of the State of New York. 1823. Is married to his second wife, Miss Esther Dickerman, sister to his first wife ; she died 22d April, 1826. 1824. Is appointed justice of the peace for the county of Greene. 1824, Oct. 6. Received a vote of thanks from the Presbytery at Lexington, for a donation of one hundred doUars in aid of the missionary cause. 1825. Built his great tannery in the woods of Windham, where has since grown up under his auspices the flourishing town of Prattsville. 1825. Commands the escort of Gen. Lafayette into CatskiU. 1826, Sept. 4. Resigns his commission as colonel of mUitia to the governor of the state. 1827, Oct. 12. Is married to his third wife, Miss Abigail P. Watson, daughter of Wheeler Watson, Esq., of Rensselaer ; she died Feb. 5, 1834. 1827. Is elected supervisor of the town of Windham. 1835, March 16. Married his fourth wife, Miss Mary E. Wat son, sister of his third consort. 1835. Receives the thanks of the Delaware Circuit for the donation of a lot of ground for the use of the elder of that Circuit. 1836, March. Builds a bridge over Schoharie-kill, one hundred and thirty feet long, the snow three feet deep in the woods, in eleven days, without the use of ardent spirits. 1836, November. Is elected a representative in Congress from the Eighth Congressional District of New York. At the same elec tion was chosen one of the electors of president and vice-president from New York. 1836, May 8. Vote of thanks from the board of stewards of the Methodist Church, for lot and house for their minister. 1837, Sept. 4. Takes his seat in Congress at the extra session, called by Mr. Van Buren. 1837, Sept. 4. Is appointed one of the standing committee on the militia. 1837, October. Receives the silver medal of the New York CHRONOLOGICAL SYNOPSIS. XVII Institute, being the first ever granted to a tanner for the best specimen of hemlock-tanned sole-leather. 1837, Dec. 11. Is appointed one of the standing committee on public buildings and grounds. 1838, March 11. Moved a resolution in favor of the reduction of postage, thus originating a great and favorite measure, which has proved of such vast benefit to the United States. 1838, Maroh 12. Presented the resolution of the State of New York, and submitted a resolution providing for procuring foreign seeds and plants, to be distributed gratuitously to the farm ers of the United States, through the medium of the Patent Office, to benefit the farming interests. 1838, April 4. Offered a resolution, in Congress, directing portraits of the five first presidents to be executed by American artists, and placed in the executive mansion. Not adopted. 1838, July 4. PubHshes an address to his constituents, par tially reviewing the proceedings in Congress, and declining a reelection. 1839, Jan. 14. Moved a resolution that the Committee of Ways and Means be instructed to report a bill directing the Secre tary of the Treasury to furnish blanks to enable all banks to make uniform returns, throughout the country. 1839, Jan. 28. Moved a resolution of inquiry respecting the material of which the public buildings at Washington are con structed. 1839, Feb. 25. Presented a report on the quality of the mate rials used in constructing the public buildings at Washington, con cluding with a resolution that the material hereafter used for that O purpose shall be of the most durable kind — either marble or gran ite. At the same time, he submitted a plan and estimates for the new General Post-office, — and that building, the finest in Wash ington, has since been erected of marble, according to his plan. 1839, March 1. Delivers a speech, in the House of Represent atives, on the subject of constructing a Dry Dock at Brooklyn ; embracing statistics on commerce, navigation, imports and exports of bullion for ten years. B* XVIII CHRONOLOGICAL SYNOPSIS. 1839. Moved the bUl for estabHshing a Branch Mint in the city of New York. 1839, July 4. Delivers an oration at PrattsviUe. 1839, September. Was elected a member of the American Institute. 1839, Oct. 25. Offers five thousand doUars to endow an acad emy in Prattsville, on condition that the Hke sum be raised by any Christian denomination. 1842, November. Is chosen a representative in Congress from the Eleventh Congressional District of New York. 1842, Dec. 29. Dehvers an address before the Mechanics' Society at Catskill, of which he was a member. 1843, Dec. 11. Appointed chairman of Committee on Pubhc Buildings. 1843. Establishes a bank at PrattsviUe, with one hundred thousand dollars capital, whoUy secured by six and seven per cent. stocks of the United States and State of New York ; its bills kept at par in the city of New York. 1844, Jan. 3. Offers a resolution providing for uniform annual returns of banks ; suitable forms to be furnished by the Secretary of the Treasury, in order that a more perfect system might be adopted for the benefit of the community. He offered a simUar resolution, 1839. 1844, Jan. 8. Moved an amendment to the resolution in favor of the remission of the fine upon Gen. Jackson, to place on record the fact that fifteen out of seventeen milhons of the inhabitants of the United States had so instructed their delegations in Congress. 1844, Jan. 12. Gives notice of offering a biU for establishing a Branch Mint at New York. Same day, gave notice for biU amending naturalization laws, — which were afterwards presented. 1844, Jan. 17. Presented the resolutions of the Legislature of the State of New York, to remit the fine of Gen Jackson. 1844, Jan. 29. Moved the appointment of a select committee to inquire into the expediency of establishing a Bureau of Statistics and Commerce, in connection with the Secretary of the Treasury. Is appointed chairman of said committee. CHRONOLOGICAL SYNOPSIS. XIX 1844, January. Elected president of the Greene County Agri cultural Society. 1844, February. Was on board the Princeton at the time of the explosion of its great gun, when Messrs. Upshur, Gilmer, and others, were killed. 1844, March 7. Makes a report on the application of the citi zens of Washington to have a clock furnished at the public expense. 1844, March 7. Makes a report on the situation, cost, &c, of the pubhc buUdings and grounds, and expenditures of the presiden tial mansion. 1844, March 8. Submits a report, as chairman of the select committee on the Bureau of Statistics and Commerce, with valuable tables, showing the loans and discounts of the banks; imports and exports, and balance of trade, for a series of years, of our govern ment with other nations ; illustrating the importance of the pro posed measure, and concluding with a bill to provide for the collec tion of national statistics. 1844, March 18. Moved resolution respecting care and man agement of the furnaces used to heat the halls and rooms of the capitol. 1844, April 12. Offers a joint resolution for the appropriation of the pubhc ground for a national monument. 1844, April 12. Reported bill for an addition of a wing to the Patent Office. 1844, April 12. Makes additional report on the plan submitted by him for fire-proof buildings for the War and Navy Departments. 1844, May 2. Mr. Pratt, from the Committee on the Pubhc Buildings, made an adverse report upon the resolution of the House of the 25th of March last, in relation to changing the Con gress Library Room into a Hall of Representatives. 1844, May 15. Moved joint resolution authorizing the transfer of certain clerks in the Treasury Department to perform the duties of the Bureau of Statistics, agreeably to the report of the select committee on that subject, — which resolution was adopted. 1844, May 24. Makes report, with plan and estimates, on the proposed change of the Hall and Library of the House of Rep resentatives. XX CHRONOLOGICAL SYNOPSIS. 1844, May 25. Makes report on the expenditures in the Dis trict of Columbia, from the foundation of the government, showing an expenditure exceeding ten millions of dollars. 1844, May 25. Makes report on the Monument Square, sub mitting a plan, diagram and drawing for a national monument to Washington. 1844, May 25. Moved joint resolution requiring an inventory, once in two years, of all public property to be returned from all persons having any in charge, in order that public officers and leg islators might have a more perfect knowledge of the property in charge of the government. 1844, May 25. Made report, accompanied with a joint resolu tion providing for the laying out and fencing the Monument Square. 1844, June 5. Offers joint resolution providing for the mode of making returns of public property in possession of officers of the government. 1844, June 7. Moved a joint resolution for the preparing and distribution of the national medals to the state Hbraries, colleges and academies. 1844, June 7. Moved resolution providing that monuments hereafter erected to deceased members of Congress should be con structed of marble, instead of sandstone, heretofore used. 1844, June 7. Moved a resolution directing the Topographical Bureau to cause a plan of the city of Washington, and views of the capitol and public buildings, to be engraved, and copies to be sent, as presents, by ministers and consuls, to foreign courts, translated into their languages. 1844, June 15. Resolution adopted, on his motion, providing for the collection of statistics on the plan of the bureau submitted in his report of the 8th of March. 1844, June 17. Makes report on the errors in the sixth census. 1844, Aug. 29. The Democratic Convention in Greene county passed " a vote of thanks to Col. Pratt for his public services, and untiring devotion to the business of the present session of Congress, — giving an account of his numerous public acts." 1844, Dec. 4. Moved a resolution authorizing the Secretary of CHRONOLOGICAL SYNOPSIS. XXI War to loan marquees and tents to state agricultural societies for their fairs. 1844, Dec. 26. Introduced joint resolution providing for peri odical renewals and greater security of bonds of public officers. 1844, Dec. 31. Moved joint resolution providing for the selec tion of a site for the National Washington Monument. 1844, Dec. 31. Makes report on the necessity of providing additional buildings for the accommodation of the War and Navy Departments. 1845, Jan. 10. Reports bill providing for the painting, repairing, &c, of the presidential mansion, and other public build ings. 1845, Jan. 11. Received vote of thanks from the Washington Monument Society, for his untiring exertions in their behalf, and for the plan and map by him submitted. 1845, Jan. 28. Offers joint resolution for the preservation of flags and other trophies taken in battle. 1845, Jan. 28. Makes report on national trophies, accompanied with the above resolution. 1845, Jan. 28. Makes report, with plans and drawings and estimates for the War and Navy Departments, accompanied with bill. 1845, Jan. 28. With introductory remarks, presents the memo rial of Asa Whitney, on the importance of a national railroad to the Pacific. 1845, Jan. 28. Submits reports on the ventilation of the Rep resentatives' Hall, and to prevent the echo so much complained of by speakers. 1845, Feb. 7. Submits additional report on the importance of a Statistical Bureau, accompanied with a joint resolution for the establishment of the same. 1845, Feb. 15. Submits proposition for the extension of Amer ican commerce, and proposing a mission to Corea and Japan, a people of over seventy millions, with whom we have no communi cation, and whose ports our ships are not allowed to enter. 1845, Feb. 19. Presents a memorial from forty-seven editors and authors, in favor of placing magazines and periodicals on the XXn CHRONOLOGICAL SYNOPSIS. same footing with newspapers, as respects mail privileges, in fur therance of his plan of providing for a cheap and uniform postage. 1845, Feb. 21. Moved resolution for the appointment of three commissioners to investigate the pubhc departments and bureaux at Washington, with a view to a better organization, and an equaliza- tion of duties and salaries of public officers. 1845. Moved estimates and plan for erecting dwelhngs for the five heads of departments, opposite the presidential mansion. 1845, Feb. 25. Makes report on the statistics of the United States ; the population, revenue, production ; and showing the rel ative condition of the Northern and Southern States. 1845, Feb. 25. Makes a report on the national edifices at Washington. 1845, February. Moved that three commissioners be appointed, whose duty it shall be, during the recess of Congress, to examine into all the departments in the various offices of government, with the view of remodelling said departments, for the purpose of equal izing salaries and duties. 1845, Feb. 26. Reports a bill for amendment of the natural ization laws. 1845, Feb. 27. Moved an amendment to the general appropri ation bill, providing for the survey, under direction of the Secre tary of War, of a railroad route from Lake Michigan to the south pass of the Rocky Mountains, to Oregon. 1845, Feb. 28. Moved a bill respecting the Smithsonian Insti tute, the substance of which has since become a law, providing that a portion of the income of the Smithsonian fund should be appro priated for the improvement of agriculture and the mechanic arts. 1845, March 3. Makes report on the salaries of all the officers employed at Washington, showing the amount received by each, and the states from which they were appointed. 1845, March 3. Makes report on the duties upon imports and tonnage and revenue, by states, showing the amount collected each year, from the foundation of the government. 1845, March 3. Makes report on a proposed new mode of tak ing the yeas and nays in the House, by machinery connected with the speaker's table. CHRONOLOGICAL SYNOPSIS. XXni 1845, March 5. In an address to his constituents, reviewing his acts while in Congress, and giving an account of his steward ship, he decHnes a reelection to Congress. 1845, June. Receives thanks of the Greene County Agricultu ral Society for a donation of two hundred and fifty dollars, for the promotion of agriculture and the mechanic arts. 1845, July 1. Is elected an honorary member of the Franklin Institute of the State of Pennsylvania (in the city of Philadelphia), for the promotion of the mechanic arts. 1845, Sept. 25. Dehvers an address before the Greene County Agricultural Society, of which he was president. 1845. Offers resolution providing for the engraving of patents, and their distribution to every town and county and public library in the United States, for the benefit of mechanics, to whom those inestimable plans are now Hke a sealed book. 1845. Offers a resolution providing for the execution of busts, by native artists, of all the presidents, to be placed in the capitol. 1845. Moves a bill providing for the establishment of the free banking system in the District of Columbia, similar to the free banking law of New York. 1845. Offers a resolution calling on the Secretary of State to furnish the statistics of Texas, pending her admission into the Union. 1845. Received of the N. Y. State Agricultural Society a diploma for the best specimen of hemlock-tanned sole-leather. 1846. Closed the concerns of his tannery at Prattsville. 1846. Is elected a corresponding member of the American Agricultural Association. 1847. Elected honorary member of the Louisiana State Agri cultural and Mechanics' Association. 1847, March. With a view of acquiring, from personal observ ation, a practical knowledge of the peculiar institutions of the south, as compared with those of the north, makes a tour with his son, then a lad of eighteen, through the whole of the southern and south-western states. ' 1847, Aug. 28. Addresses a letter to the people of the United XXIV CHRONOLOGICAL SYNOPSIS. States on the importance of a railroad across the continent to the Pacific Ocean. 1847, Sept. 23. Delivers an address at the dedication of the Spencertown Academy. 1847, Nov. 22. Receives thanks from Spencertown Academy, for a Hberal donation. 1847, Nov. 27. Writes a communication in answer to an inquiry of the American Institute, explaining the system of the Prattsville tannery, of its management, and the extent of its oper ations. 1848, Jan. 4. Delivers a lecture before the Mercantile Library Association of the city of Hudson. 1848, Jan. 4. At the annual meeting of the Greene County Agricultural Society, held at Cairo, it was Resolved, That the thanks of the Greene County Agricultural Society be tendered to the Hon. Zadok Pratt, late president, for his valuable services and able superintendence of the affairs of the said society ; and also Resolved, That the thanks of the said society be presented to Hon. Zadok Pratt for his liberal donations in sustaining and carrying out the measures and objects of said society. 1848, Jan. 14. Received the thanks of the Greene County Baptist Missionary Society, for donation. 1848. Makes the third annual report to the N. Y. State Agricultural Society, as president of the Greene County Agricul tural Society, giving the geological, agricultural and commercial statistics of the county of Greene. 1848, March 7. Is elected a corresponding member of the New York Historical Society. 1848, July 23. Received the honorary degree of Master of Arts from Union College ; the first instance in this state of a sim ilar honor conferred upon a self-taught mechanic. 1849, Jan. 2. Elected president of the Mechanics' Institute of the city of New York. 1849, Jan. 16. Delivers an address on his inauguration as president of the Mechanics' Institute, City Hall, New York. 1850, July. The stone-cutters of Washington voted a block of CHRONOLOGICAL SYNOPSIS. XXV marble to be made a part of the Washington Monument, in honor of him, as the working-man of Congress. 1850, Sept. 20. Appointed by the Governor of New York on the committee of arrangements in respect to the World's Fair, to take place in London, 1851. 1851, Feb. 25. Appointed a delegate to the World's Fair, by the Mechanics' Institute. New York. 1851, Sept. 23. Elected honorary member of the Mechanics' Association, Baltimore, Md. 1852. Elected delegate to the Democratic Convention to meet at Baltimore, in June, to nominate candidates for President and Vice-president of the United States. C