The  commissioners  to  render  to  the  Legislature  an  annual
account  of  their  transactions  and  disbursements ;  and  all  sudi
sums  as  shall  not  have  been  applied  to  the  piirposes  of  their
trust,  at  the  end  of  every  three  years,  to  revert  to  the  treasury.
It  may^  also,  be  enjoined  upon  them  not  to  draw  out  the  money,
but  for  the  purpose  of  some  specific  disbursement


^.34.]  MANUFACTURES.  283

It  may,  moreover,  be  of  use  to  authorize  them  to  receive  vol-
untary contributions,  making  it  their  duty  to  apply  them  to  the
particular  objects  for  which  they  may  have  been  made,  if  any
8hall  have  been  designated  by  the  donors.
There  is  reason  to  believe  that  the  progress  of  particular
manu&ctures  has  been  much  retarded  by  the  want  of  skilful
workmen.  And  it  often  happens,  that  the  capitals  employed  are
not  equal  to  the  purposes  of  bringing  from  abroad  workmen  of
a  superior  kind.  Here,  in  cases  worthy  of  it,  the  auxiliary
agency  of  Government  would,  in  all  probability,  be  useful.
There  are  also  valuable  workmen  in  every  branch,  who  are  pre-
vented from  emigrating,  solely,  by  the  want  of  meana.  Occa-
sional aids  to  such  persons,  properly  administered,  might  be  a
source  of  valuable  acquisitions  to  the  country.
The  propriety  of  stimulating  by  rewards  the  invention  and
introduction  of  useful  improvements,  is  admitted  without  diifi-
culty.  But  the  success  of  attempts  in  this  way,  must  evidently
depend  much  on  the  manner  of  conducting  them.  It  is  probable
that  the  placing  of  the  dispensation  of  those  rewards  under  some
proper  discretionary  direction,  where  they  may  be  accompanied
by  collateral  expedients,  will  serve  to  give  them  the  surest  effi-
cacy. It  seems  impracticable  to  apportion,  by  general  rules,
specific  compensations  for  discoveries  of  unknown  and  dispro-
portionate utility.
