Our sea or gulf coasts have their natu- Alabama, Florida, Georgia, the Caroral landings, all of which possess their linas, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, relative advantages on account of cli- New-York and Massachusetts, also havmate, position, accessibility from the ing natural limits to the amount of trade land side by navigable rivers or lakes, that for the interest of general populaand the cheapness and low grade with tion would naturally flow to them. At which rail-roads or canals may be con- this time the most important are Boston, structed, leading from them into the in- New-York, and Philadelphia, in the terior, and the capacity of the popula- commercial and manufacturing states; tion for production. These landings Baltimore, Charleston, Mobile, New-Oralso have their relative advantages in leans, and Galveston, are the most prombays, harbors, ocean currents and winds, inent in the agricultural states. În the leading off in the most convenient di- two sections there are Boston and New rection for commercial purposes. They York as the principal outlets for the are the great landings of foreign and Northern and Eastern States, New-Orcoastwise commerce-the landings for leans and Mobile as the most prominent our exports and imports, with the same natural outlets in the agricultural states. convenience and pecuniary advantage The omitted table A, shows the cir to the whole community, in having all culation of bank paper in each state, the their foreign supplies directly landed at specie to redeem it, the exports and imthem, for all those whose convenience ports of each, their population, square or interest requires their exports to be miles, and public debt, an examination landed there, as the small landings on of which will readily show the most unthe rivers or lakes. A system of com- natural and injurious system of trade merce, to be most convenient and least that could well exist amongst intelligent expensive to the whole community, citizens living in a government of equalmust necessarily have all its import ity and justice. This table at once shows agents or merchants at their export land- that in the agricultural states all great ings or cities. Any other system is un- interests are withering under the unnanatural, inexpedient and ruinous to tural and extremely unhealthy system every interest in the whole community, of our foreign trade. The cities in the and a continual drawback on the aggre- Northern and Eastern States, during the gate prosperity and wealth of the coun- year ending June 30th, 1850, exported try at large. The first inquiry for every $70,249,809, and imported $155,291,737, class of every section in every state is, showing that by our present system of what seaport landing or city on the gulf trade they received over eighty-five or coast can be reached at the least ex- millions imports more than a natural pense on products-first, by natural high- system of trade would entitle them to. ways, as navigable rivers, lakes, &c.; The Southern and grain-growing secondly, by canals or rail-roads, at the Western States exported through their least expense of labor and capital. That own ports $81,115,702, and imported city, then, that can be approached with $21,395,805, showing that they imported exportable products with the least ex- near sixty millions less than a proper pense, will be the one naturally through trade would justify. On this large which all the imports should come. To amount the consumers of foreign goods determine, then, the best system of trade for the whole population of every section, we must divide the country into its natural divisions, and assign to each its natural amount of business. If we establish our entire foreign and domestic trade on this natural basis, it will advance most rapidly the aggregate wealth and prosperity of the Union at large, and enable us in the shortest time to excel all other countries. The present population of the United States, on the Atlantic and Gulf slope of the Rocky Mountains, have for their natural outlets cities or sites in Texas, Louisiana, pay, to a great extent, importers' profits, jobbers' profits, double shipping, storage, drayage, and wharfage. The retail merchants spend double the time and money in going to make their purchases as would be necessary under a well regulated system of Direct Trade. Under this doubly expensive system, the retail merchants cannot sell foreign goods to consumers on an average at less than double the original foreign cost abroad. The consumers of foreign goods in the southern and western states pay not less than twenty millions of dollars annually more for their goods than would New-England States-Foreign and Domestic Trade. 441 be necessary under a properly regulated system of Direct Trade. This twenty millions, however, is but a portion of the loss to the South and West. The Southern and Western States, as classed off in table A, make annually for export one hundred and fifty millions worth of produce, which, by the completion of a few of the rail-roads now in progress, would naturally find its way out at southern ports, and by such a system as can and should be adopted by every southern seaport would, as soon as in full operation, put their import trade up to one hundred and fifty millions of dollars, with all the advantageous consequences, to all classes of our Exports. Of citizens, following such a change. what use are rail-roads without freights and passengers? Where the necessity for banks, without a use for their circulation or accommodation? How can agriculture and manufactures prosper, without commercial facilities? On reference to the table, it will be seen that New-Orleans, which exports nearly as great an amount as New-York, and should export double, only imports ten millions to New-York's one hundred and ten millions. As New-Orleans and Mobile, and New-York and Boston, are the greatest ports naturally for the two sections, we will present a view of their trade and banking : Imports. Bank Circulation. Specie. New-Orleans and Mobile...... .$48,650,208... $11,625,861... $7,386,000... $8,503,000 New-York and Boston.... 63,394,563... 141,498,208... 40,306,000... 14,370,000 ... It appears from this statement, that while New-Orleans and Mobile bank capital is making about five per cent. on its specie, New-York and Boston capital is making over twenty. For the ten years passed, New-Orleans has not been able to keep out as great a paper circulation as she had specie. New-York and Boston, by their monopolizing, to a great extent, the import trade, and, consequently, domestic trade, from artificial consequences, are also monopolizing the profits on banking. As the heavy payments are due to New-York and Boston, as fast as they make collections, should they be in Louisiana or Alabama bank paper, specie, or exchange on London, Liverpool, Boston, or New-York is required, and their paper returned on them. As their paper is not, therefore, ultimately received in payment for debts due to New-York and Boston, there is not the same demand for it as a circulating medium in the interior. But the amount of indebtedness being greatly beyond the natural limits of New-York and Boston trade, and their bank paper being received in payment, gives them more than their natural field of circulation. This applies to all the states of the Union that import less than their natural limits, as well as to Louisiana and Alabama. As the proper adjustment of our foreign and domestic trade, on the principles of economy laid down, involves the value of city, town, and country property, agricultural and manufacturing prosperity, the profits on bank, rail-road and canal stocks, as well as population and political power, it becomes one of the highest consideration to all classes. To make the regulation properly and understandingly, it requires a very close scrutiny into every state and section of our widely extended country now settled. The New-England States are five in number. They contain 63,326 square miles, or a fraction over the size of Virginia. They are naturally by far the poorest five states in the Union as to soil, climate, mineral and vegetable productions. They contain a population of 2,727,397, engaged mostly in manufactures, commerce and the fisheries. A large majority of their citizens have, for many years, been the advocates of high taxes, extravagant expenditures of the public funds, and government protection to favored classes. The government allows them fishing bounties, tonnage duties on their shipping, and protection to their domestic manufactures. These advantages, with their large import trade, which naturally belongs to southern cities, with their industry and ingenuity and economy, have made them increase very rapidly in wealth and population. They have a constitutional chronic infection of the isms, which are as dangerous to good government and morality as Asiatic cholera to individuals; and more contagious. Their leading statesmen opposed the acquisition of Louisiana, Texas annexation, and the Mexican war; have been in favor of confining our population to narrow limits, the consequence of which would be a reduction in wages of labor. Their the abolition of African slavery. In 1789, fanatical opinions, with their desire of Hayti exported 73,573,300 lbs. Muscopolitical power for sectional aggrandize- vado sugar. The French, during their ment, induce them to invite the foreign revolutionary days, abolished slavery. pauper population of Europe by millions In 1840, under African free labor, Hayti to our shores, by proffering to give them exported 741 lbs. sugar. the public lands that they deny the right of their southern brethren to purchase from the government and settle, only on degrading conditions of being ruled in their property by Mexican laws. The other commercial and manufacturing states are, New-Jersey, Pennsylvania, New-York, Ohio and Michigan, They contain 197,027 square miles, and a population of 8,265,711. These states are much richer, naturally, than the New-England States, in vegetable and mineral productions. Iron ore, coal and copper are abundant; a large portion of them are productive in grain and vegetable productions common to cold climates. Agriculture, manufactures and commerce, all have a share of capital and labor devoted to their success. Commerce is the ruling interest, and in consequence of southern inattention, and the vigorous prosecution of that branch of industry and enterprise by New-York, she has, to a great extent, monopolized the foreign and domestic trade of the Union. She spent forty millions on her canals, which are frequently closed with ice, and sixty millions on the New York and Erie, and other rail-roads, to connect her with the Lake and Mississippi trade. These improvements, with her extensive foreign trade, have turned freights and passengers up stream in the Mississippi valley. Although her works of internal improvement cost a large amount, the advance on real estate in New-York alone will doubly pay the whole amount; besides rents, rail-road and canal stocks, bank stocks, and all interests are made to prosper in proportion to the extent of trade. In The great change brought about in the trade of the northern and southern states, has been caused by an almost exclusive application of capital and labor in the South to agricultural pursuits; and the greater amount of capital and labor in the northern states being employed in commerce, internal improvements and manufactures, has given the northern people many millions annually of southern and western capital, that could have been profitably employed in the South and West, which has enabled them to receive all the protection from the Federal Government, for the encouragement of domestic manufactures, and tonage duties to build up commerce. this manner the northern and New England sections have been receiving for many years a constant flow of capital from the South and West, which, according to the best calculation that can be made, since 1808, has amounted in government protection to nine hundred millions of dollars, and about a similar amount has been lost to the South and West in consequence of their indirect and expensive system of trade. Under this state of things, the present prosperity of the commercial and manufacturing states is of very uncertain duration, as all unnatural systems of prosperity must be. Should the South and West, in the next five or ten years, embark extensively in commerce, internal improvements and manufactures, as it is clearly their interest to do, and the seat of commerce and manufactures be established in the most congenial parts of these sections, the present appearance of things will undergo a wonderful revolution. At this time the rapid progress of the various Before the Revolutionary war, Virginia isms in the commercial and manufacturexported and imported three times more ing states, must make the lovers of justhan New-York, and had a greater po- tice, order and good government, begin pulation. New-York has now thirty- to feel the unhappy European uncertainthree members in Congress and Virginia ty in the future. To accomplish the abothirteen. In 1769, Virginia imported lition of slavery is only one of the vision$4,085,472. The same year New-York ary dogmas of the day; the same prínciimported $907,200; for the year ending ple will abolish rights to all property and 30th June, 1850, Virginia imported all opinions not in accordance with its $426,399, New-York imported $111,123- own. Unless this spirit is soon checked, 524, this is a change in trade as re- the standing armies common in Europe markable as that in Hayti produced by will soon be absolutely necessary in a Commercial and Manufacturing States-Southern Seaports. 443 number of the northern states. Mob they will, therefore, be able to convey law is already stronger than civil law. In a very considerable portion of NewYork, land-rents cannot be regularly collected short of force of arms. The commercial and manufacturing states owe a debt of $92,154,118, which, if a healthy system of trade were established, would be at least four times, according to means, as great as that due by the agricultural states. A proper adjustment of the export and import trade would not give these states more than one-fourth of the Union. The agricultural states are, Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Texas, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Tennessee, Kentucky, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa and Wisconsin. passengers and freights lower. The Mobile and Ohio, and Ålabama and Tennessee river rail-roads, commencing at Lake Michigan and Lake Erie, and terminating at the Bay of Mobile on the gulf, will be to other roads what the Mississippi river is to other rivers. Mobile will, therefore, become the great outlet, by railway, that New-Orleans is by water. The natural shape of the country points out the states of Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri and Tennessee, the upper parts of Arkansas, Mississippi, and Alabama, as the heart of the rail-road system for this great slope of basin. This region will become the empire of manufactures. On the gulf, where all the productions of this inexhaustible country has a tendency to get an outlet, will beThey contain an area of 1,043,686 come the empire of commerce. Here, at square miles, which is four times as large all seasons of the year, vessels can go as the commercial and manufacturing and come by the assistance of the gulfstates, and nine times the size of Great stream and trade-winds. From the naBritain, and would, at her density of po- ture of things, these will be the great pulation to the square mile, support two highways of general commerce for cenhundred millions of human beings. They turies. One of the results of the war contain now a population of twelve mil- with Mexico, will be to turn the trade of lions; lie in a compact body on the At- the Pacific, to a great extent, across by lantic and gulf slope of the Rocky Moun- the land route. Mobile and New-Orleans tains, with the great Mississippi River, will then be in a central position for exmaking its way from the Lakes, through tensive trade with surrounding countheir centre, to the Gulf of Mexico, tries. London and Liverpool, New-York which is the great ocean river, sufficient- and Boston, will be far out on the outly large to contain all the shipping of the skirts. world. Within their lims are soils, cli- Southern seaports not only have admates, and seasons, capable of produ- vantages of a back country containing cing all the elements of fond rai- all the natural elements in the highest ment necessary for civilized! n the degree of agricultural, commercial and greatest profusion, with tim a afficient manufacturing prosperity, but they have to build all the boats, ships, steam-ves- a population that renders more safety and sels and houses that may be required for the next thousand years; water-power more than sufficient to drive all the machinery of Europe and America; vast coal-fields, inexhaustible for ages; iron ore, of the best quality, in the midst of the coal-fields, to an extent that knows no limit, with thirty thousand miles steamboat navigation emptying into the gulf and Atlantic at sufficient points for all useful purposes; with more than two thousand miles of sea and gulf coast, never closed by ice, or even obstructed. This country is now the empire of agri culture. In consequence of low grading and cheap right of way, rail-roads can be built at one-third less cost than in the commercial and manufacturing states; stability to investments in any pursuit of life than any of the surrounding nations. None of the dangerous dogmas of the day can flourish in any of the slave or free states belonging to this division. Rights of property, according to our constitution, are strictly regarded and complied with without difficulty. They contain the best material for a defensive war of the age-a slave population, the most effective laborers for a warm climate, under the best discipline and most skilful direction of any other people, in numbers sufficient to raise the means of army subsistence for any probable war, too well fed, clothed and taken care of, to be restless or unruly, and the least dangerous from insurrection. If the three millions of the African race now in these states were suddenly destroyed, millions by land and sea, guarantied to every citi of the white race in Europe and America would suffer for food and raiment. These states have a citizen army of over one million of freemen, ready, without distinction of party, to defend their rights nd liberties at the first call; with soils, climates and productions within their own limits, rendering them entirely independent of the rest of mankind. They owe a public debt of $94,346,558, which, for their vast resources, is very small, their yearly surplus of exportable produce being one hundred and fifty millions dollars worth. zen of every state and section defeated, the fundamental principles of our political compact annulled, and the harmony, tranquillity, and stability of the whole Union endangered. It is, therefore, the highest duty of every lover of our present form of government and stability of the Union to make an exertion to create a natural and healthy system of agricultural, commercial, and manufacturing pursuits throughout our extensive country. How can this be done in the shortest time is the great question. If we were to receive news that Within the last fifty years they have Great Britain was making every preparareclaimed a vast wilderness from sa- tion within her power to prosecute a war vage worthlessness, and converted it upon us, to overthrow our present form of into cultivated fields of great useful- government and establish her system, ness to themselves and surrounding na- we would all enter the great contest for tions. Without government aid, they the preservation of our rights, political have excelled all other people in agri- and personal liberty. Troops would be culture, now making an annual sur- called out from every state and territory. plus to supply the wants of other na- Our ablest officers would be placed in tions, greater than any other country, command. A force, according to the regardless of extent of territory or num- importance of the post, would be marbers of laborers. At the same time ched to every seaport. All our citizens, they have paid a sum to build up com- by every means in their power, would merce and manufactures in an uncon- give aid and assistance to the armies. genial clime, which, spent economi- If an Arnold were found amongst us, uncally within their own limits, would have made them first in commerce and manufactures as well as agriculture. They have enlightened, civilized, christianized and made useful to themselves and surrounding nations, a greater number of the African race than misguided philanthropy has or ever can do. Their vast agricultural productions, if properly used, will enable them, without civil commotion or bloodshed, to preserve our peace and tranquillity, our Union and liberty. Every patriotic citizen, then, within our country, should rally under our colors to battle in a common country's cause and the cause of mankind. From a review of the whole subject, it is evident that the present unnatural concentration of commerce and manufactures in the northern and New-England States, is a very great annual drawback on the aggregate wealth, prosperity, and progress of the Union. In consequence of its increasing their political power and thereby placing in their possession the direction of the federal government-under its influences at war with justice the political equality of the citizens of the different states is destroyed, and the protection of person and property, be rs. less he succeeded in making his escape, It is true there is now no direct, open war of arms against us, yet it requires no prophet to see, in the present natural course of events, gradually and rapidly growing, one amongst the most bloody wars recorded on the pages of history. Individuals and nations at times are placed in circumstances that one false step decides their future existence. We now have it in our power, if we will at once seize the favorable opportunity, of gaining a great political victory-not by the shedding of brother's blood by brother, as Washington, Adams, Hancock, Jef |