5047. MANUFACTURES, Virginia.—
In Virginia we do little in the fine way, but
in coarse and middling goods a great deal.
Every family in the country is a manufactory
within itself, and is very generally able
to make within itself all the stouter and middling
stuffs for its own clothing and household
use. We consider a sheep for every
person in the family as sufficient to clothe it,
in addition to the cotton, hemp and flax which
we raise ourselves. For fine stuff we shall
depend on your northern manufactories. Of
these, that is to say, of company establishments
we have none. We use little machinery.
The spinning jenny, and loom with the
flying shuttle, can be managed in a family;
but nothing more complicated.—
To John Adams. Washington ed. vi, 36.
Ford ed., ix, 332.
(M.
Jan. 1812)
