For nearly thirty years, the farmers and planters of this country enjoyed a high degree of prosperity. They had almost universally excellent foreign markets for all their productions—and, from the commencement of the government, have had a monopoly of the domestic market, having had the exclusive supply of the manufacturers, who have not consumed of foreign vegetables, bread-stuffs, butcher's meat, fowls, fuel or any other of the productions of agriculture, to the amount of one per cent. per annum. It is, nevertheless, a fact, however incredible, that those citizens, enjoying this important domestic monopoly, and having laid very high duties on all the articles that interfere with their interests, as snuff, tobacco, cotton, hemp, cheese, coals, &c.; accuse their manufacturing fellow citizens as monopolists; who are not only shut out of nearly all the foreign markets in the world by prohibitions and prohibitory duties; but, even in their own markets are exposed to, and supplanted by, foreign adventurers of all countries!!! It is difficult to conceive of a more unjust charge, or one that comes with a worse grace from the accusers.

During this long period, the farmers sold in all cases at high, and in many at most exorbitant prices.