The Virginia Gazette

Mr. PURDIE,

Sir, you must probably consider this in the nature of an advertisement, I have directed you shall be paid for inserting it in your Gazette, but at the same time, as a gentleman declaring himself always for the public good, unless you are too absolute in the meantime judge what shall be so deemed, you will give me leave to hope that your demand for so doing, from the very tenor of the paper, can be but moderate.

Every body almost, I am persuaded, has been convinced that in this our sensible struggle for freedom we should be reduced to the want of real necessaries for clothing ourselves and people. Therefore, I must say that I have for some time wished to see a public spirit exerting itself in every county within this state to erect such manufactories, that might so encourage the poor among us to an active diligence in raising those materials for clothing, which are certainly in every man's power to do, that they may be profitably enough to them returned in what every body should think both decent and warm to wear; for without such an actuating tendency, the making things for our own use only will carry but little temptation with it for others to imitate, where they do not see an opportunity of contributing with a benefit to themselves, by even the feeble assistance of their own industry.

And the making purely to sell to others is generally too much tinctured with the sordidness of gain, and will suggest the reflection of endeavouring to raise an estate (as it were) out of the necessities of others. And as to all kinds of importations of goods for that purpose, it seems hardly possible for any pocket in the country long to purchase them, monopolising having in so short a time arisen to such a prodigious enormity; but here I do suppose I must be silent, lest I offend against some examples, that have really screened themselves under the pretext of encouraging trade forsooth among us, but which, however speciously it may have passed, will discover itself to be but one of the flagrant artifices of a most destructive and filthy lucre.

For these reasons, my conversations have frequently turned on some scheme similar to the foregoing hint, as the most feasible to its good end, that of encouraging every inhabitant, let him be ever so poor, to assist in providing his own raiment, especially those families whose hardy sons are engaging in the defence of our liberties. But as conversation alone, I saw, would not do. I should ere this have troubled the public with my thoughts on such a subject, had it not been my lot (some how! know not) to have so disobliged the press, as always to have found them too much devoted to other matters, to favour my entrance with any thing but the minutiae of advertisement, and that with my son in law's ready hand, although A BOOK ACCOUNT WAS STARING FULL IN HIS FACE; but possibly, in
the present Systematical conduct, where the not being a delegate reduces the value of past services to a mere cipher, it is not much to be wondered at. However, although divinity itself has most pathetically informed us all, that one's own country is really but an infertile soil for a man to cultivate a patriotick honour in, a good citizen can never be so unmindful as not to consider that it is his country; and let the example of ingratitude be ever so catching among trifling individuals, he cannot avoid being importunate in his endeavours to serve her, for which reason I have directed my purse to make a tender of this in moderation. Therefore, as an old man, and of course one who can only depend on the honest care of others, I hereby do give notice, that I would gladly employ any skilful person to undertake the instruction of those who shall be put under him in the preparing of hemp, flax, cotton, and wool, in such a manner as to fit them for manufacturing; and to manufacture the same into a tolerable good wearing apparel, such as is generally produced from such materials. Hackles, wheels, looms, gins, &c. I am led to hope may be easily obtained; at least invention may be active enough in some proper succedaneum (if pharmacy will allow the freedom taken with one of its own terms) when its parent necessity shall so loudly call for assistance, on so pressing an occasion as nakedness.

Now though I am determining (with God's permission) on such an attempt myself, from a compassionate tenderness ever entertained for the poor, not through a desire of tickling in their modes of a popular esteem, but because I love my country and fellow species; and in that line I am greatly mistaken if I do not clearly see that if the poor do not soon meet with some such respect, too many of them will be under the necessity of growing out of conceit either with themselves or country, from their not having experienced among the pretty things that have been lately made to glisten before their eyes any of that golden humanity which from their very circumstances they must for ever stand in need of. But here also my pen must be still, lest, as the poet has it, acherontem moveam; yet I say, if such a scheme shall be agreeable to any body in this county of Richmond, to join with me in it, there can be no difficulty in drawing up proper terms for such an association. I am not fishing or carving for a concealed mode of gain. No! the virtue of endeavouring at a beneficial service to the poor (however ungrateful I care not) shall, as it ever has done, balance the scale of my profit.

Some careful experiments may, I should think, demonstrate the practicability or not, according to its intention; and it cannot be any very great expense, if it should turn out fruitless. As to those parts of such a work that may require the assistance of water to facilitate them, I believe no one can be more conveniently
situated than I am — Note, a certain Mr. James Crow from Augusta, hearing of this my intention, came to me in November last, and offered himself as a person fit for the purpose, and really made his demand for carrying it on by the year, which, though dear, I willingly agreed to, and had his promise punctually (though only verbally) to come to me within six weeks, or that I should certainly hear from him by that time; yet, from the 10th of that month to this hour, no one can say that I have been favoured with the least hint whither he intended or not to comply with his promise. Now though I have really suffered much from the disappointment, particularly as it prevented my embracing Col. Cary's kind offer to provide me such a manager, I only hope Mr. Crow has some very good reasons for such a treatment, but should be sorry to hear of one dated from any of the purlieus of malice, as it must argue a weakness not to consider that the perpetual dictatrix in all such places, Envy, is a monster so double-headed as to wound as much in the advice she gives as she does in the detraction she uses to enforce her advice. I only give him this small hint out of compassion. Perhaps a successor may make him sensible of the advantages he has missed in declining on any account such a business, excepting on that of his health, which I am informed he cannot plead; for such a man by name, and such an artist, has been in Richmond county not very long ago, as I am told, without either a line or a message to Sabine Hall.

A steady friend to society in every instance of justice, good order, and humanity.

LANDON CARTER.

Sabine Hall, March 7, 1777.