A 
 
 LETTER 
 
 TO THE 
 
 CITIZENS 
 
 OF 
 
 PENNSYLVANIA, 
 
 O N THE 
 
 NECESSITY OF PROMOTING 
 
 Agriculture } Manufactures and the 
 
 ufejul Arts. 
 
 B Y 
 
 GEORGE LOGAN, M. D. 
 
 SECOND EDITION. 
 
 PHILADELPHIA: 
 PRINTED BY PATTERSON CoCHRAN, 
 
 No. 108, Race-street, 
 hay I, l 800 c 
 
 / 
 
Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 
 » 
 
 in 2018 with funding from 
 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 
 
 
 
 4 
 
 
 https://archive.org/details/lettertocitizensOOIoga 
 
 
A L E T T E R, &c. 
 
 TO THE CITIZENS OF PENNSYLVANIA. 
 
 Fellow-citizens, 
 
 r | 1 H E following Plan of an Affociation, in- 
 JL tended to promote Agriculture, Manufac¬ 
 tures, and the ufeful Arts, has been adopted by 
 a large number of refpedtable Citizens at the 
 feat of government. Should it meet with 
 your approbation ; your countenance and fup- 
 port to eftablifh fimilar Societies, within the 
 feveral counties of this Commonwealth, will un¬ 
 doubtedly contribute to the happinefs and prof- 
 perity of our common Country. 
 
 cc The local and phyfical advantages enjoy¬ 
 ed by the United States, afford to her Citizens 
 the means of being fupplied within themfelves 
 with mod articles neceffary or ufeful in life. 
 This beins[ an undeniable fa61, it becomes cri- 
 minal in her Citizens not to derive ail the ad¬ 
 vantages in their power from circumflances 
 thus placed within their reach. Civil fociety is 
 fo conflituted, that its date of profperity and 
 power arifes from the independence and prod 
 
( 4 ) 
 
 perky of its members, and as every Citizen af¬ 
 fords his aid to fupport its municipal regula¬ 
 tions, by which the property of all is protected, 
 it becomes not only the duty, but the intereft, 
 of every individual to promote the profperity 
 and independence of his Fellow-citizens. It is 
 computed, that the Mechanics, and ManufaCtu- 
 rers within the United States comprehend one 
 twentieth part of our Citizens; that the Mer¬ 
 chants, Agents, &c. compofe one twentieth, 
 and that eighteen twentieths are engaged in 
 Agriculture. Thofe men whofe inclinations 
 lead them to Mechanic or Manufacturing oc¬ 
 cupations for a fupport, and who have no de¬ 
 fire to engage in the cares and fatigues of a 
 Country life, will confider it for their advan¬ 
 tage, that their Fellow-citizens fhould give a 
 preference to the produce of their induftry, 
 over Foreign Manufactures. The Merchants, 
 merely as Agents, no doubt confider, that eve¬ 
 ry kind of Mechanic and Manufacturing em¬ 
 ploy, fhould be difcouraged within the United 
 States, as agents equally interefted in fupport- 
 ing the profperity of the Foreign Manufactu¬ 
 rer, as the American Farmer; they fhould ra¬ 
 ther be confidered as Citizens of the World, 
 than Citizens of any particular Common- 
 y/ealth. To fend clay to England to be return- 
 
( 5 ) 
 
 ed made into Bricks, Limeftone into Lime* 
 and Wheat into Flour, would not be more ab- 
 
 * 
 
 furd than the praCtice we have been in, for ma¬ 
 ny years, of exporting our Flax-Seed, Iron 
 and Furs to Europe, to be returned in a varie¬ 
 ty of Manufactured Articles, equally capable 
 of being fabricated amongft ourfelves. Export¬ 
 ing all your Raw Materials to Europe, to be 
 manufactured, would create a great degree of 
 buttle at our fea-ports; would create a great 
 quantity of (hipping and would increafe the 
 buiinefs and wealth of the Merchants, but it 
 would certainly add nothing to the aCtual 
 wealth or independence of our Country. 
 
 The Fanners comprehending eighteen-twen¬ 
 tieths of the people of the United States, are fo 
 advantageoufly fituated, that theycan manufac¬ 
 ture, immediately from their own Far ms,all the 
 Woollen and Linen Cloth neceffary in their fa¬ 
 milies,and at a cheaper rate than any imported ; 
 taking into confederation the fuperior quality 
 of the Domeflic Manufacture, for real use, and 
 the time and labour beffowed and Lived by the 
 family. Independent of this important faCt, 
 it is the peculiar interefi of the Farmers, that 
 they fhould give every encouragement to toe 
 Mechanics, and Manufacturers of the United 
 
( 6 ) 
 
 States; by which they may procure a certain 
 and fteady market at their own doors, for the 
 furplus produce of their induftry ; which could 
 not be interrupted by foreign competition, 
 or deftroyed by the impolitic meafures of our 
 own Executive Government, or by the arbitra¬ 
 ry laws of foreign Countries. The labour of 
 the Citizens o. the United States, actually en¬ 
 gaged in Manufactures, cannot be procured 
 at the low rate of that of the Subjects of En¬ 
 gland, either in Europe, or in India; nor 
 fliould it be looked for by ary man who values 
 the real independence or his country. An ex¬ 
 change, for the mutual advan.age of the par¬ 
 ties, ought to be fupported by juftice. Every 
 manufacturer fhould have fuch an equivalent 
 for his labour as to enable him to live with 
 comfort; to educate his children and to pre- 
 ferve fomething for the fupport of his family 
 in cafe of unavoidable accident. r i his is fo far 
 from being the cafe in the Britifh domin¬ 
 ions, from whence we derive moil of our manu¬ 
 factures, that but a fmall number of the work¬ 
 men receive an adequate compenfation for 
 their labour. 
 
 In rewarding their exertion or ingenuity no 
 rule of equity is attended to ; on the contrary, 
 
( 7 ) 
 
 a combination takes place to reduce the wages 
 of the manufacturer to a fcanty fubfiftence. 
 From the tendered infancy they are doomed 
 to perpetual labour, and have no time, even in 
 childhood, for the neceffary exercife of the bo¬ 
 dy, or the cultivation of the mind. Thus the 
 poor man, upon whofe induftry depends the 
 fo much boafted extent of Rritifh manufactures 
 is, by the force of arbitrary regulations, obli¬ 
 ged to fuch exceffive toil, that he is reduced to 
 a mere animal exigence, having no intereft in 
 the profperity of his country, or as little capa¬ 
 ble of ferving it in time of danger. 55 # 
 
 It is more than twenty years fince Pennfyl- 
 vania has taken her ftation among the Nations 
 of the Earth, as a free, fovereign, and inde¬ 
 pendent Republic. Our political exiftence 
 commenced in a manner that reflcCfed on us 
 the greateft glory ; and the fir ft dawnings of 
 the American Empire feemed to prefage its fu¬ 
 ture greatnef . t ur Country poifelled every 
 thing neceffary to conflitute a truly independ¬ 
 ent and happy People. No Country ever en¬ 
 joyed thefe requifites in a higher degree. Such 
 were our profpe&s; but we have tarnifhed the 
 
 ^ See an Addrefs, delivered before the Tam¬ 
 many Society, at their Auniverfary, on the 12th of 
 May, .{798* 
 
( 8 ) 
 
 rifing glory of our Country, and involved it in 
 difficulties and diftrefs. We have wantonly 
 fported with the fair portion allotted to us by 
 Heaven. We have departed from thofe plain 
 and fimple manners, and that frugal mode of 
 living, which are abfolutely neceffary in the 
 infant ft ate of our Country, and beft fuited to 
 our Republican form of Government. 
 
 A vaft work remains to be done, that re¬ 
 quires all the Virtues and Abilities of every 
 individual citizen to accomplifh. The world 
 expects meafures to evince, that our conteft 
 with Great Britain was for a noble oppor¬ 
 tunity of promoting the general good of our 
 Country ; and not for the poor purpofe of 
 gratifying inferior defigns. Guided by thefe 
 laudable views, you will generoufly difdain any 
 other conduct, than that of diffufmg benefits 
 to your Fellow-citizens. Your enlightened 
 minds will readily determine, that he is an Ene¬ 
 my to the State, who treats his Fellow-citizens 
 with neglect. 
 
 In a ftate of civil Society, man inuft be 
 confidered as a Member of a great political 
 Family. He is connected with his Fellow-citi¬ 
 zens, by ties of interejl and benevolent attach¬ 
 ment ; and his focial affections muft extend to 
 
( 9 ) 
 
 the whole Community of which he is a Mem¬ 
 ber. He fhould feel the Safety, and the com¬ 
 mon Welfare, intimately connected with his 
 own; and he fhould think nothing unimport¬ 
 ant to himfelf, which concerns the welfare of 
 his Country. This it is that conftitutes what 
 is called Patriotifm, a principle that excites and 
 cherifhes every generous fentiment we poffefs., 
 Since then, it is equally our intereft as duty to 
 promote the Welfare and Honor of our Coun¬ 
 try, we fhould make every poffible exertion to 
 eftablifh and maintain both. The public Good 
 and our own, are, with refpedt to their ulti¬ 
 mate effects, clofely united ; for which reafon 
 it is incumbent on us to do every thing in our 
 power to enrich our Country, and to prevent 
 its difgrace. 
 
 Upon the Citizens of Pennfylvania is turned 
 the attention of Europe, obferving, whether we 
 know how to ufe, as well as how to acquire. 
 Empire; whether we are to be admired, or 
 defpifed; in fine, whether, left as we are to 
 ourfelves, upon this fair and folemn trial, be¬ 
 fore the Nations of the Earth, the caufe of 
 Republican Liberty fhall be juflified by its ef¬ 
 fects, or {hall be condemned as the introducer 
 
 B 
 
( 10 ) 
 
 of more Calamities than it removes. With 
 you is the facred Truft of realizing the Bleff- 
 ing of Freedom, and of improving, to the 
 beft advantage, the fignal favors which our 
 Country now enjoys. But, folid advantages can 
 never be attained in a Commonwealth, unlefs 
 the Members of the Community are imprefied 
 with an afFedionate regard for each other* 
 Every individual fhould conlfantly remember 
 that he is a Citizen ; that Heaven itfelf has 
 formed the Relationfhip, with all its obliga¬ 
 tions, by endowing man with Reafon, and 
 framing his nature for civil Society : That, of 
 eourfe, he ought to love his Companions, and 
 be as anxious and active for their combined 
 Happinefs and Honor, as for his own Welfare 5 
 and he fhould firmly believe that this is his 
 true filtered, as well as his inviolable Duty. 
 
 It was by thinking and aiding in this manner., 
 that the Citizens of Greece and Rome, in their 
 better days, elevated thofe Republics to the 
 eminent rank in Fame, which, even at this dis¬ 
 tant period of time, engages the univerfal ap- 
 plaufe of Mankind. Nor fhould it be forgot, 
 that it was ceafmg thus to think and ad, that 
 their degenerate Poderity refigned themfelves 
 to feuds and difcords; and, with mutual ma- 
 
lice, undermined that ftrength, which all their 
 foreign Foes could not conquer. At length 
 they funk together into irrecoverable confufion 
 and utter dedruction. More recent, and equal¬ 
 ly mournful, examples of this political Truth, 
 might be adduced* 
 
 The fame vices produce, in different regions 
 and ages, the fame confequences; and the Fac¬ 
 tions and Divifions among Citizens, are ftill 
 found to change the enraged Adverfaries,blind¬ 
 ly intent only on the fuccefs of their own igno¬ 
 ble quarrels, into the humble Slaves of a Ty¬ 
 rant, 
 
 Let us not, with preemptive rafhnefs, fup- 
 pofe that we can imitate their Faults, without 
 experiencing their Fate. Their Misfortunes, 
 and the caufes of them, have been providen¬ 
 tially tranfmitted to us, as faithful Warnings, 
 All the fucceeding improvements of the human, 
 mind, are presented to us for our ufe, inviting 
 to an obfervance of them by the mod; fubiime 
 eonfiderations. To offend againd fuch know** 
 ledge, thus munificently offered to our ufe, is 
 defpitefully to reprobate the bed Gifts of the 
 bountiful Creator, and impiouily to renounce 
 that kind and focial temper, which his immu? 
 
( 12 ) 
 
 tabic Law makes the foundation of all private 
 Happinefs. May the People of Pennfylvania 
 be governed by better principles, fo that, 
 whilft every Citizen is dedfadly feeking to pro¬ 
 mote the bed intereds of his Country, the col¬ 
 lected force of the whole may be uniformly ex¬ 
 erted to fupply that common fund of Prolperi- 
 ty, from which every individual mud draw 
 his fhare. May no contention remain among 
 us, but who fliall bed ferve his Country. 
 
 Let Pennfylvania not only exhibit flouridling 
 Inclofures and Idarvefts, but the comfortable 
 Houfes of indudrious Artids and Manufactur¬ 
 ers. It is impoffible to contemplate the pro- 
 grefs which we have already made, without 
 infpiring a defire to progrels in every ufeful 
 Occupation. The certainty of its being podi- 
 ble, affords fufficient encouragement to perie- 
 vere with Ardor and Enthufiafm. 
 
 In an age, alfo, when Philofophical Inqui¬ 
 ries have univerfally pervaded the civilized 
 World, and when human relearches have been 
 directed to the attainment of ufelul knowledge; 
 the Arts and Sciences have arrived to a degree 
 of improvement, that juftly didinguifhes the 
 prefent Century, as the sera of refined Genius 
 and Learning ; ObjeCts of Science are however, 
 
 
( J 3 ) 
 
 Continually acquiring new Lights, and the Arts 
 are (till advancing towards the higheft perfec¬ 
 tion, of which they are fufceptible. Ferfeve- 
 rance in theinveftigation of the nature, proper¬ 
 ties, and the ufes of things, mult necelfarily lead 
 to further attainments in ufeful knowledge. 
 
 For your encouragement in this patriotic urt- 
 dertaking, it may be obferved, that the great- 
 eft part of the eftablifhinents which have taken 
 place in the World, calculated to promote the 
 ufeful Arts, have been brought about by the 
 exertions of private Citizens : Yet, notwith- 
 ftanding a degree of prefumptuous confidence, 
 which always accompanies grand and ufeful 
 undertakings; we muft not difguife the Oppo¬ 
 sition and Difficulties you will meet with, from 
 interefted Foreigners, who have been too long 
 in the habit of furniffiing our Country with 
 thofe articles, which we now defire to have 
 fupplied by the Ingenuity and Induftry of our 
 own Citizens. It is high time, that the influx 
 of foreign Manufactures and the adoption of 
 foreign Fafhions, fhould not deftroy our Na¬ 
 tional Character, or impede our progrefs to si 
 fituation truly independent. 
 
 Proud of the advantages which our own 
 
( ‘4 ) 
 
 Country will afford, and which our own La* • 
 hour will procure 9 let us diidain to be the fer- 
 vile Imitators ot other Nations, or to adopt 
 foreign manners inconfiftent with our Republi¬ 
 can form of Government. The fmallnefs of 
 your numbers, in any particular DiArict, fhould 
 not dncourage you irom eltablifhing patriotic 
 Societies: In i'mall Societies,men are encouraged 
 to communicate their fentiments freely ; and 
 there is lcarcely any man whole Communica- 
 tions will not,on tome occafions,beo!ufe. Nor 
 Ihould flight difficulties in the undertaking, 
 be any obflacle to your perfeverance. Make 
 but a fxncere beginning, and the immediate 
 Advantages, that will refult from your Affocia- 
 tions, will Aimuiate to a laudable perfeverance 6 
 
 The bread of every Republican Citizen will 
 glow with the importance of the caule in which 
 he is engaged. No man deferves Confidence, 
 who is lhaken by every wind, or who can en¬ 
 dure no Adverfxties in the caufe in which he 
 may be engaged. 
 
THE 
 
 CONSTITUTION 
 
 O F 
 
 The Lancafler County Society 
 
 For promoting of Agriculture, Manufactures, 
 and the ufeful Arts. 
 
 
 PREA M B L E. 
 
 I NDEPENDENT Communities do not owe 
 their Characters to the Soil which they 
 occupy ; but to their Progrefs in the uteful 
 Arts. To thofe Caufes are to be attributed, 
 not only the difference in the Characters and 
 the Manners of Nations, but their Profperity, 
 Strength, and Happinefs, On this account, 
 Political Juftice requires, that every Individual, 
 in becoming a Member of a particular Society, 
 fnould adopt a mode of conduCt confident with 
 his relative fituation to fuch Society. M en 
 would never have affociated together, it they 
 had not expeCted, that, in confequence of fuch 
 Aflociation, they would mutually conduce to 
 
( ) 
 
 the Advantage and Happinefs of each other. 
 This is the real Purpofe the genuine Foundation 
 of civil Society ; and, as far as this Purpofe is 
 anfwered, fo far does civil Society anfwer the 
 
 end of its inftitution. 
 
 ✓ 
 
 Upon the Emancipation of our Country 
 from the Political Yoke of Great Britain, we 
 deemed and called ourfelves a free and indepen¬ 
 dent Commonwealth: But there are means of 
 inferior and indirect Subjugation, from which 
 our Country is not yet emancipated. 
 
 The Citizens of Pennfylvania are yet behold¬ 
 en to the Britilh, for the determinations of her 
 Courts, for her Maxims of Commercial Policy, 
 and for many Political Prejudices* 
 
 We are dependent on Great Britain for al- 
 moft every Article of Clothing we wear, for a 
 great part of the Furniture of our Houfes, for 
 the Inftruments of our amufements, and for 
 the means of our Defence. 
 
 Nor is it only for Articles of immediate im¬ 
 port from that Country, that we are dependent 
 on Great Britain. The dangerous pre-eminence 
 of her Navy : A Navy that Domineers, with 
 
( *7 ) 
 
 impunity, on the Ocean; that incefTantly threat- 
 ens the Peace of the Earth ; that carries the 
 devaftations of War, upon every pietended in- 
 fult, from the Shores of that liland, to the re- 
 moteff parts of the Globe; that irnper oufiy 
 forces every Maritime Country to take part 
 in, or fuffer by her quarrels; and prohibits, at 
 pleafufe, the Commercial Intercourse of the 
 World. From the dangerous pre-eminence of 
 this Navy we, alfo, are perpetually liable to be 
 Interdicted from thofeArticles of Consumption., 
 which Expedience or Neceffitv have indu¬ 
 ced us to Seek for from other Countries: And 
 yet our Clothing, imported from Great Bri¬ 
 tain, is made tributary to fupport this very 
 Navy ; which is daily committing the molt 
 wanton Depredations on our Commerce. Nor 
 is it an Evil of trifling magnitude, that the Cre¬ 
 dit, a!mod forced upon our Merchants by the 
 Cupidity of the Britifh Traders, has overwhelm¬ 
 ed our Country, with Britifh Merchandize, far 
 beyond the real Wants of the Confumer. It 
 has excited our Farmers to needlefs Expenfe, 
 and involved them in Difficulties, for Articles 
 of mere Luxury ; It has rendered the plain^ 
 but comfortable, Manufactures, which employ - 
 eA the leifure hours of their Wives and Baugh* 
 
 C 
 
( ) 
 
 ters, difreputable, becaufe unfafhionable. It 
 has made the Farmer tributary to the Store¬ 
 keeper ; the Storekeeper, to the Merchant, of 
 Philadelphia ; the Merchant of Philadelphia, to 
 the Merchant of Great Britain. i he Credit 
 thus given, can, at any time, be withdrawn ; 
 the Debts thus contracted, can, at any time, 
 be demanded ; and the Peace and Comfort of 
 a numerous Body of American Citizens are 
 now, and have long been, at the Mercy of 
 Britifh Merchants, and of the Britifh Court* 
 Hence are our Commercial Towns filled with 
 Britifh Subjects, who conduct our Trade ; with 
 Britifh Agents, who drain our Wealth; with 
 Britifh Politics, Britifh Interefts, and Britifh 
 Influence. To leffen, in part, thefe enormous 
 Evils ; to render our Citizens, in their private 
 as well as in their public Capacities, really as 
 they ougf t to be, independent of Foreign Coun - 
 triesi for Articles which the Neceflities, or the 
 Comforts, of Life require; and to fupprefs 
 the Temptations to improvident Expenfe; We 
 propofe a general encouragement to Agriculture, 
 Manufactures, and the ufeful Arts* An en¬ 
 couragement that fhall make the ufe of our own 
 Productions and Manufactures the fafhionable 
 Articles of Confumption; at leaft in every 
 Circle of American Republicans . 
 
C l 9 ) 
 
 Not that it is our Defire to make this, in 
 the commom acceptation of the Word, a Ma¬ 
 nufacturing Country: Nor do we contemplate 
 any Manufactured Article for an export Trade, 
 nor any Manufacture among ourfelves, which 
 the natural Refources of our Country may not 
 ma^e profitable. 
 
 Still lefs are we defirous of introducing is. 
 this happy Country, that baneful fyftem of Eu¬ 
 ropean Management which dooms the human 
 Faculties to be fmothered, and Man to be con¬ 
 verted into a Machine. We want not that un¬ 
 feeling plan of Manufacturing Policy, which 
 lias debilitated the Bodies, and debafed the 
 Minds, of fo large a Clafs of People as the 
 Manufacturers of Europe. 
 
 Nor are we ambitious to fee a Manufacturing 
 Capitalift, as in the great Manufacturing Towns 
 of Europe, enjoy his Luxuries, or fill his Cof¬ 
 fers, by paring down the hard-earned W ages 
 of the laborious Artifls he employs. 
 
 But the ObjeCt of our Affociation is, to pro¬ 
 cure, from the fertile Soil of Pennfylvania, eve¬ 
 ry Production it is capable of affording ; and, 
 from the Labour and ingenuity of independent 
 
( 20 ) 
 
 Citizens, every Article of Manufacture and of 
 the ufeful Arts, neceffary to render our Coun¬ 
 try happy, profperous, and truly independent. 
 
 article i. 
 
 The Society (hall be called The Lancafter 
 
 ' ' <" r \ 
 
 County Society, for promoting Agricultures 
 Manufactures, and the ufeful Arts, 
 
 ART. II. 
 
 The Society (hall hold monthly Meetings on 
 the firil Wednefday of every Month. 
 
 ART, III. 
 
 The firft Wednefday in September, in every 
 Year,, ihall be the Annual Meeting of the Soci¬ 
 ety ; at which Meeting a Prefident, a Vice-pre- 
 fident, Secretary, Treafurer, and a Committee 
 ot Correfpondence Ihall be ele&ed, by Ballot. 
 
 ART. IV. 
 
 The Prefident {hall prefide at all the Meet¬ 
 ings of the Society, regulate the Debates, de¬ 
 termine Queftions of Order ; and, in cafe of an 
 equality of Voices in any Rufmefs, he fhall have 
 a cafting Vote. He ihall fubfcribe all Acts of 
 the Society j and may call Special Meetings. 
 
 *. j t ■ . 
 
( *1 ) 
 
 ART. Vo 
 
 The Vice-Prefident, in abfence of the Prefi- 
 dent, fha 1 have ail the Powers and Authorities 
 of the Prefident. If the Prefident and Vice- 
 Prefident be abfent at any Meeting of the So¬ 
 ciety, a Chairman may be elected, pro tern* by 
 a majority of the Members prefent. 
 
 ART. VI. 
 
 The Secretary ihall keep fair and regular 
 Entries of the proceedings of the Society at 
 their feveral Meetings, regiiler the names of 
 Members, and give Public Notice of the Time 
 
 t 
 
 and Place of the Meetings of the Society. 
 
 ART. VII. 
 
 The Committee ofCorrefpondence Ihall con- 
 fift of twelve Members, who fnali be Agents 
 of Information ; four for Agriculture, four for 
 Manufacture, and four for the ufeful Arts; 
 and whofe Duty it fhall be, jointly or feveraliy, 
 to correfpond with fimilar Inflitutions, or with 
 Individuals on the feveral Objects of the Soci¬ 
 ety : And they fhall, at every monthly Meet¬ 
 ing of the Society, communicate fuch Informal 
 
 i 
 
( 22 ) 
 
 I 
 
 lion as they may have received or acquired, 
 tending to improve Agriculture, Manufac- 
 tures, and ufeful Arts. 
 
 ART. VIII. 
 
 As the moft unequivocal manner of giving 
 Encouragement to American Manufactures, 
 coil flits in making ufe of them, and by that 
 mean creating a demand for them ; it is ex¬ 
 pected, that every Member of the Society fhall 
 be clothed, at their Annual Meeting, in the 
 Manufactures of his Country. 
 
 ART. IX. 
 
 Every Member of fimilar Societies fhall be 
 regarded as an honorary Member of this So¬ 
 ciety* 
 
 ART. X. 
 
 The Society fhall engage a Storekeeper to 
 receive and fell, on Commiffion, any Thread, 
 Woollen, Linen, or any other domedic Manu¬ 
 facture brought to him ; by which means eve¬ 
 ry Member of this Society may have a fafe e- 
 pofit for the Produce of his Induftry and In¬ 
 genuity ; and perfons, wilhing to be fupplied 
 with American Manufactures,may know where 
 to apply. 
 
C 3 3 ) 
 
 ART. XI. 
 
 Every Member of the Society fliall fubfcribe 
 this Conftitution ; at which time he fliall pay 
 to the 1 reafurer, not lefs than one Dollar * 
 and he fliall alfo pay a monthly contribution 
 of one-eighth of a Dollar, towards iupporting 
 the Funds of the Society. 
 
 ART. XII. 
 
 The Funds of the Society fliall be diftributed 
 to the Citizens of Lancafter County, in Pre* 
 miums,infuch Manner, and on fuch Occafions 
 as a Majority of the Society may dire£l« 
 
 ART. XIIIc 
 
 The Treafurer fhall be refponfible for all 
 Monies he may receive on account of the So¬ 
 ciety : And he fliall pay no money, belonging 
 to the Society, except by an Order of the 
 Freftdent, figned by the Secretary, 
 
( 24 ) 
 
 The following Bill was read in the Honfe of 
 Reprefentatives of this State, a few days 
 Previous to their adjournment ; and is now 
 
 < r 
 
 fubmitted to the Confideration of the Public* 
 
 An Ad for the Promotion of Agriculture , Ma~ 
 nufadures , and the ufefid Arts . 
 
 Se£b i. Be it enaded by the Senate and Houfe 
 
 cf Reprefentatives of the Commonwealth of Penn - 
 
 fylvania in General AJfembly met , and it is hereby 
 
 enaded by the authority of the fame , That fo 
 foon as fifty Freeholders, or more, in the city 
 
 of Philadelphia, or any county of this State 9 
 (hall affociate themfelves together, under the 
 name of the Society for promoting Agriculture, ] 
 Manufactures, and the ufeful Arts, in and for 
 the city or fuch county ; and final 1 fign a pa¬ 
 per, promifmg to pay to the Treafurer of the 
 faid Society, the fum of one dollar, each, or 
 more, annually, for the purpofes herein after 
 mentioned ; and fhall caufe fuch paper to be 
 filed in the Office of the Prothonotary ; every 
 fuch Society fhall be, and by force of this Adb 
 become, one body politic and corporate, in 
 
( 2 5 ) 
 
 deed and in law, with perpetual fucceffion 
 and all the rights, liberties privileges, and fran- 
 ehifes incident to a Corporation, for all and 
 every the purpofes of this a & ; and to admit 
 new Members, upon the terms aforefaid, as of¬ 
 ten as they pleafe : £nd thereupon the faid 
 Society fhall or may meet at the county Town 
 on the Wednefday of the next Court of Com¬ 
 mon Pleas after the faid fubfcription-paper 
 fhall be filed, and chooie by a majority of votes 5 
 out of their number, one Prefident, one Vice- 
 prefident, one Secretary, one Treafurer, and 
 a Committee of Correfpondence,and Informa¬ 
 tion ; who fhall be willing to contribute their 
 fervices, and attend to the duties of their Of¬ 
 fices, without fee or reward, and who fhall be 
 fuch Officers of the faid Society for the year 
 thence next follo wing : And other fuch Offi¬ 
 cers fhall be chofen at a ftated meeting, to be 
 held on the Wednefday of the fame term an¬ 
 nually, for ever thereafter. And the faid So¬ 
 ciety fhall meet on the Wednefday of every 
 term of the County Courts, and at other 
 times when the Prefident and a majority of 
 the Members prefent fhall think proper to fum« 
 mon them, in fuch manner as fhall be by them 
 prefcribedj for the purpofe of making Bye« 
 
 D 
 
( 26 > 
 
 laws, and tranfaCting the bufmefs to them 
 committed : And they may adjourn from time 
 to time, as they fhall fee caufe- 
 
 SeCt. 2. And be it further enabled by the au+ 
 thority aforefaid , 1 hat, at the next afleffment 
 of the city and county Rates, after any fuch 
 Society (hall be eftablifhed or organized, in 
 the city or any county within this State, the 
 county Commiflioners fhall, and they are here¬ 
 by enjoined and required to lay and affefs, and 
 caufe to be levied aud collected, in the fame 
 manner and by the fame perfons, as the city 
 and county taxes are laid, affeffed, levied, and 
 collected, an additional fum of fifty dollars 
 for every Member which the city or fuch coun¬ 
 ty is entitled to eleCt and fend to the Houfe of 
 Reprefentatives, in and for this Common¬ 
 wealth, and to caufe the fame to be paid to the 
 Treafurer of the faid Society ; to be expend¬ 
 ed, together with their annual fubfcriptions, 
 for the ufes herein after mentioned. 
 
 SeCt. 3. And be it further enabled by the au~ 
 thority aforefaid , That, every fuch Society, at 
 feme general meeting thereof, fhall fix and de¬ 
 termine upon fuch articles of Agricultural Pro¬ 
 duction, or improvement in Manufactures or 
 
C 27 ) 
 
 die ufeful Arts, as, in their judgment, sue en¬ 
 titled to encouragement by Rewards ; and fhall 
 fix, afcertain, and publifh, in fuch manner as 
 fhall be dire&ed by their Bye-laws, fuch Re¬ 
 wards, and the conditions whereupon the lame 
 fhall become due and payable to the perfon or 
 perfons who fhall, by his, her, or their {kill 
 or indullry, according to fuch Conditions, be¬ 
 come entitled to the fame, as they {hall think 
 will be beneficial to the county : And the faid 
 Society fhall, at their dated meetings, or at 
 fuch times and places as fhall be prefcribed by 
 the Bye-laws of inch Society, meet at the 
 County Town, for the purpofe of hearing the 
 Parties applying for fuch Rewards, and of ex¬ 
 amining their proofs or fp. cimens *, and fhall 
 have full power and author ty to determine, 
 whether any or either of the Applicants is en¬ 
 titled to the Rewards fo advertifed, according 
 to the terms and conditions thereto annexed ; 
 and to draw Orders, to be figned by the Pre- 
 fident, on the Treafurer, for the amount of 
 fuch Rewards, in favor of the perfon fo whom 
 the fame fhall be adjudged ; which Orders the 
 Treafurer fhall pay out of the monies in^his 
 hands, arifing from the laid taxes and iul> 
 fcriptions. 
 
( 28 ) 
 
 Sed. 4. And be it further enabled by the au¬ 
 thority ajorejaid , That every Society eftablifhed 
 , by virtue ot this Ad fhali, once in every Y ear, 
 exhibit to the City and County Courts, an 
 account of the fums by them received from the 
 produce of the faid faxes and fubfcriptions 5 
 and how and in what manner, to what perfon, 
 and for what Rewards, the fame hath been 
 paid and expended : And the City and County 
 Courts fhali give the faid Accounts in charge 
 to the Grand Jury of the City and County, 
 who (hall examine the fame, and report to the 
 Court their approbation or disapprobation there¬ 
 of, or of any part thereof} and no Premium 
 or Reward diia r proved or reported by the 
 Grand jury at one exhibition of the faid Ac¬ 
 counts, to be improper, or not allowable, fhali 
 be allowed by the faid Society, in the following 
 year, for fimilar Productions, Manufactures, 
 
 1 
 
 or Improvements. 
 
 Se£t. 5. And be it further enabled by the au¬ 
 thority aforefaid , That each and every Treafu- 
 rer of any fuch Society fhali give Bond with 
 one or more Surety or Sureties, and in fuch 
 penalty as fhali be required by the Society, con¬ 
 ditioned for the faithful performance of the 
 
 4 
 
( 29 ) 
 
 truft In him repofed, and for the payment of 
 all Monies which fhall come into his hands be« 
 longing to fuch Society, from the taxes or fub- 
 fcriptions aforefaid, to fuch perfon or perfon$~ 
 as the Society fhall order. 
 
 SeCt. 6. And be it further e?ia£led by the au~ 
 thority aforefaid , That Rewards for promoting 
 or increafmg the Culture of the White or 
 Italian Mulberry-tree ; the raifing of Silk; 
 th£ making of Sugar from the Maple-tree ; 
 the extraction of Salt from the Afhes of vege¬ 
 tables ; the introduction of any new Grafs, 
 Grain, or Root into Cultivation; the Inven¬ 
 tion of any new and ufeful inftrument in Huf- 
 bandry ; the raifing and Manufacturing of 
 Wool, Hemp, or Flax in greater quantities, or 
 improving the value thereof 5 the making of 
 Butter and Cheefe in any given quantities, 
 and of the befl qualities; or any improvement 
 in all and every the articles aforeiaid, or any 
 other improvement in Manufactures or the 
 ufeful Arts; fhall always be confidered by 
 the faid Society, and by the Grand Jury of 
 the City and of every County as objeCts of the 
 Rewards contemplated by this ACt: And Re¬ 
 wards allowed in confequence thereof fhall be 
 
always allowed by Grand furies, in the Ae« 
 counts of fuch Society; and fhall not* be cei- 
 fured, it they ufe moderation in granting the 
 fame*