Mr. ECKLEY asked and obtained leave to have a speech printed as part of the debates. [published in the AppendiX.] SPEECH OF HON.E. ECKLEY, June 9, 1866. The House, as in ComWhole on the state of the Union. Resumed the consideration of the President‘s annual message. Mr. ECKLEY.Mr. Speaker, no interest has been so long and so much neglected as the roduetion of wool, an article so essential to the wants of the people that it is an absolute necessity. It is 2nd only to bread, its use confined to no class or condition, and is a necessity in every latitude of the country. It is not only necessary now, but must continue to be so long as seasons and climates last. Still the encouragement of its growth has been shamefully neglected in the legislation of the country. The manufactured article has been protected, but the raw material has been left to struggle with the freebooters of trade, and compete in market with the inferior article from every country of the lobe, from the plains of ancient Asia to the is ands of the western seas, and north and south, from the region of the icebergs to the scorching deserts of Africa. I propose to state a few facts in connection with the production of wool, its consumption, and the encouragement it has received by and through legislation, and the effect that legislation has had upon its price and production, leaving the logical conclusion to the House, believing that it must result only in the conviction to which I desire to bring the members of this branch of Congress. In the early history of the country woolen fabrics Were brought from foreign countries; but little wool was produced here, and the means of manufacturing was almost unknown. The necessity caused by the want of this article induced the introduction of sheep. The early tariff on wool and woolens, the trade regulations, and finally the embargo act, gave a stim ulus to this branch of husbandry. Large importations of fine sheepwere made from Europe, the business prospered, and the production was largely increased; so that at the close of the year 1812 both the production of wool at home and its manufacture were in a flourishing condition. Fine wool was worth 75 cents perpound, and woolen fabrics bore a price in proportion. rlhe treaty of Ghent, while it protected almost every other American interest, almost entirely ignored that of wool and woolens. The result was, factories languished, and the production of wool ran down, until it '.was almost aban doned. Prices were merely nominal. The condition of this important business forced itself upon the attention of Congress, and in 1824 a duty of 20%. adva lorem was levied upon wool and thirt%. on woolens. uner this salutary legislation the business again became prosperous, and prices ran up; no wools brought from 50 to 60 cents perpound, and the production largely increased. This prosperity continued until 1833, when the gradual reduction of the tariff commenced and prices in proportion sunk and continued low until 1846, when the horizontal free trade tariff was passed, almost entirely abolishing protection to wool and wool ens; prices again sunk, and the manufacture of woolens, particularly broadcloths, was almost abandoned. The taritfof 1861made no decided improvement; the rates varied, and wool costing less than 18 cents perpound was admit ted free. No country on the lobe relies so much on importing wool as the U.S. The best data obtainable show the consumption of wool and woolens equal to 200 million pounds peryear for the last 20 years, while our production does not exceed, if it has reached, 50 millions. In 1840 we produced 46 million pounds; in 1850, 52,516,959 ounds; in 1860 60,511,343 pounds. The prices in 1862, 1863, and 1864, increased incident to the war, and the production increased also, nearly doubling in 1863 what it was in 1861. No country is better adapted to the growth of wool than the U.S., and if proper protection was extended to it there exrsts no good reason why we might not produce suflicient for our wants; and instead of aying.to foreign countries for 3/4ths of what we consume, might save our money and grow rich upon the wisdom of the policy. If we continue in this fluctuatin policy and deny to this particular interest the protection we extend to almost every other, and compel our people to enter the market in competition with the wool from every country in the world, we cannot expect it to prosper, but must incur a heavy indebtedness to foreign markets, a constant drain upon our pockets, as the only re ward for our neglect and stupidity. The importation of woolens for the past ten years amounts to $282, 682, 830, all of which might have been saved to the country had a just an wise policy been adopted or there is scarcely anything into which wool is worked but what can be manufactured here. America has the skill, the capital, and the materials, and can make as fine and more durable fabrics than we buy from Europe. Our folly did not ate with the importations {of woolen cloths and abrics, but we have imgorted largely of the raw material, to be manu ctured here. During the year ending June 80, 1865, we imported nearly 50 million ppunds; nearly equal to our entire production. ith these facts who can be surprised at the depressed condition of our home market for wool? Adopt a wise system and stand by it, give it so port, and prevent it from fluctuating. Bot the manufacturing and wool growing interests require stability and protection. Secure that and both will flourish. New machinery will be put in operation, an increased demand for labor will be made, property will increase in value, the production of wool will double, and the vast millions now paid for foreign cloths will be kept among our own people. The 2 interests, that of manufacturing and that of growing wool, are so connected that they areliard to separate. But if no protection is to be secured to the wool grower, then we need no more 5 indles or looms, for what we have have abundant capacity to work all of our own production and as much more. The importance of this interestis well shown liiyd the statistics of the State of Ohio, which a inSheep 1840 ’2 1850. 3“2336.84,0117 I a (L133; I. 5, 560, 318 The wool clip in Ohio in 1863 amounted to about 18 million dollars, and in 1804 to near 25 million dollars, and the statistics for 1865 and 1866 shows. great increase, estimating nearly 1/2 the wool grown in the U.S. to belong to Ohio. I have the honor to represent one of the largest, if not the 1st wool growing district in the U.S., having in 1865 more than 600,000 sheep. The investment of so large an amount of capital and the existence of so great an interest creates a nervous anxiety for to this great branch of husbandry protection y all the wool growers of the country, and particularly by those in the State of Ohio. NOcountry in the world produces a higher average of wool than does the U.S. Still the wool grower must enter the market in competition With the low grades from every country and every done. He must be badgered by shoddy traders and be cheated by the dealers in the inferior stuffs from every quarter of the world. Still our own rades of fine wool, of course, are preferred int c market, but at prices below its value. I append the price current of wools in NewYork on the 15th day of May, 1866, clipped from the NewYork Mercantile Journal, as follows: Centa. Choice select Saxony, perpound. 75 Saxon fleece. Full b good Merine . Half blood Merine . California. eEuu3BsgttOralia.00{151%. India. Africans Mexican Texas Smyrna. Syrian. Peruvian CVhaillpilanraiso. South Americ Mestizo Entre Rios. Cordova. This shows the necessity of imposing aduty, such as will baflle frauds and secure protection to one of the growing interests, already great, that has struggled into importance under the neglect of the Government, at which is no longer to be postponed. Protection must be secured by the present Congress, and I think I hazard nothing in assuring the wool growers that their voice has not only beenheard in these Halls, but it is potent to produce relief.