it
I
At.
v
an
TO
THE
SENATE
AND
HOUSE
OF
REPRESENTATIVES
OF
THE
UNITED
STATES,
IN
CONGRESS
ASSEMBLED,
I
I
THE
MEMORIAL
OF
JACOB
B.
CLARKE
RESPECTFULLY
smzwnrn
:_
9
,
THAT
your
memorialist
being
impressed
with
the
belief,
that
great
benefit
would
result
to
the
Government
and
to
the
community
from
the
culture
of
the
Mulberry
Tree
in
the
United
States,
as
food
for
the
Silk
Worm,
submits
a
scheme
to
the
consideration
of
the
House,
which
would,
if
carried
into
operation,
soon
elevate
the
manufacture
of
Silk
to
a
main
article
of
com-
merce
in
this
country:
the
climate,
and
the
enterprising
spirit
of
our
countrymen
present,in
this
instance,
all
the
facilities
and
inducements
of
internal
resources
in
promoting
one
of
the
greatest
objects
of
National
Industry.
Already
this
interesting
subject
has
been
sufliciently
important
to
gain
the
attention
of
the
most
active
spirits
of
the
time;
and
though
many
hints
have
been
thrown
out
on
the
great
advantages
arising
from
such
a
source
of
commerce,
by
men
of
acknowledged
authority
in
public
estimation,
it
has
been
confounded
with
subjects
merely
theoretic,
without
attending
to
the
numerous
proofs
of
the
practically
beneficial
effects
arising
to
a
national
community,
from
its
obtaining
a
proportionate
share
of
the
attention
of
Government.
When
the
question
of
cultivating
the
Mulberry
Tree
was
brought
before
a
European
Government,
it
enlisted
the
feelings
of
the
wisest
in
its
favour,
and
won
the
patronage
of
the
most
distinguished
statesmen;
in
almost
every
European
State
much
speculative
doctrine
was
taught
before
the
culture
ofthis
tree
was
brought
to
perfection.
In
Bohemia,
very
large
sums
were
expended
in
cultivating
it;
in
England,
the
most
weighty
expenses
were
incurred
in
for-
warding
the
same
object;
and
in
France,
since
the
administration
of
the
illustrious
Sully,
mil-
lions
have
been
devoted
to
similar
purposes:-t-about
eighteen
months
since,thatGovernment
pur-
chased
a
farm
near
Corbeil,
for
the
further
improvement
of
the
system
of
rearing
and
bringing
to
perfection
the
Mulberry;
and
the
Prefect
ofthe
Department
of
the
Rhone
offers
3000
francs
to
the
individual
who
should
raise
the
greatest
number
of
trees
in
his
Department;
holding
forth
to
the
peasantry
the
rich
reward
of
generous
protection,
and
a
liberal
prize
for
industry,
Which,
from
its
comprehensive
action,
universally
dispenses
its
blessings:
yet,
after
these
exer-
tions,
France
imports
one-third
of
the
raw
silk
she
manufactures,
the
capital
engaged
in
which
amounts
to
$27,000,000.
-
_
_
<.
In
Italy
and
France
the
Mulberry
Tree
forms
an
important
branch
of
culture
and
in-
dustry;
the
price
is
very
high;
great
pecuniary
funds
are
obtained
from
the
ample
revenue
arising
from
the
manufacture
of
silk
to
the
Governments
of
these
countries,
and
it
is
believed
the
article
is
not
imported
by
any
of
them
in
a
manufactured
state,
since
the
period
of
their
success
in
preparing
the
raw
material.
The
United
States
presents
a
strange
contrast
in
this
single
article
of
trade,
to
the
comparatively
indolent
habits
of
some
of
these
Europeans,
whose
success
has
been
so
remarkable
in
this
particular
line
of
eommerce—the
importation
of
Silk
Goods
into
the
States,
in
I825,
being
valued
at
more
than
ten
millions
of
dollars.
If
the
Italians,
who
procured
by
two
monks,
with
great
trouble,
Silk
\Vorms
from
India
in
1455,
had
not
used
industrious
zeal
in
promoting
the
domestic
growth
of
Silk;
had
the
French
and
English
nations,
(Who
have
acquired
such
Wealth
by
the
cultivation
and
manufac-
ture
of
that
article,)
not
encouraged
its
introduction
at
first
by
premiums,
and
afterwards
urged
its
extension
by
various
laws,
perhaps
no
other
Silks
would
have
been
worn
to
this
day,
except
those
imported
from
China
and
the
East
Indies.
It
is
a
fact
well
understood,
that
the
most
assiduous
attention
in
planting
and
raising
the
Mulberry
Tree,
is
essential
to
the
establishing
of
the
culture
of
Silk,
and
that
it
forms
the
most
tedious,
ditficult,
and
by
far
the
most
expensive
part
of
the
process,
and
that
improvements
in
this
object
must
precede
those
of
every
other
preparation,
in
carrying
into
efiect
this
profitable
scheme
of
industry;
and
as
this
is
the
particular
branch
on
which
your
memorialist
Wishes
to
bestow
his
care,
he
respectfully
invites
the
attention
of
your
Honourable
Body
to
this
portion
of
what
may
justly
be
considered
an
interesting
plan
of
commercial
enterprise.