Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1824-04-23
d, VIRGINIA., FRIDAY, APRIL %, 1874

nauons cannot, II they would, take our surplus
proaucc. III the course of supply, no matter Of
What, increases IN greater ratio than the de-
mand for that supply. glut of the market is in
evitable, even five suppose both to remain per-
fectly unohstructcd. The duplication OF our
population takes place in terms of about TWENTY
tVe years. The term will be more and more
extended as our numbers multiply. But it will
he suihclent approximation to assume this RI
Tor the present. We increase, therefore. in
population, ut the rate of about four per cent.
per annum. Surprising the increase ofour pro-
oucuon TO be IN the same ratio we should. every
succeeding year, have, Il surplus produce, four
per cent. more than that of the preceding wear.
without taking Into the account the difference.
OF seasons which neutraliZe each other. IT.
therefore, we are to rely upon the foreign mar
ket exclusively, foreign consumption ought TO
be shown to be increasing in the same ratio of
tour per cent. per annum, if it be an adequate
vent Ior our surplus produce. But, as have
supposed tue measure OF our increasing popula-
ton: so the measure ofthcir power of consi,mp-
ton must be determined by that of the increase
other population. Now, thetotal foreign poD-,
uiation, who consume our surplus produce, up-
| On an average, DO not double their arprerate
number IN shorter term than that of about 100
years Our powers of production increase then
IN ratio four times greater than their peryers
ofconsumption. Aud hence their utter irab;l-
4ty to receive from us our surplus produce.
But 2dly, If they could, they will not. The
policy OF all Europe is adverse TO the reception
OF our agricultural produce, so far as il comes
into collision with its own; and, und that limi
tatlon, we are absolutely forbid to enter their
ports, except under circumstances which de-
prive them of all value as a steady market.
The policy of all Europe rejects those great
staples OF our country, which consist of objects
OF human subsistence. The policy of all Eu-
| rope refuses TO receive from us any thing buf
those raw materials of smaller value, essential
TO their manufactures, to which thcv can give
a higher value, with the exception of tobacco
and rice. which they cannot pro uce. Even
Great Britain, to which we are its best CUSTOM
er, and from which we receive nearly one half
IN value OF our whole imports will not take from
, us articles OF subsistence produced in our coun-
| try cheaper than can be producedi. G. Britain
In adopting this exclusive policy, the states of
Europe do not inquire what is best fox us, but
what suits themselves, respectively they do not
take jurisdiction of the question of ur Interests
but limit the object of their lcgisl ton to that
| OF the conservation of their own p culiar inter
ests, leaving us free TO prosecute ours as we
please. They do not guide themselves by that
romantic philanthropy, which we see DISPLAYED
here, and which invokes us 10 continue to pur-
chase the produce of foreign industry, without
regard to the state or prosperity of our own, that
foreigners may be pleased to purchase the few
remaining articles Of ours which their restric-
tive policy has not yet absolutely excluded from
their consumption. What sort of a firure
would a member of the British Parliament have
made; what sort of a reception would his oppo
sltion have obtained, if he had demonstrated n
gainst the passage Of the Corn Law, by which
British consumption is limited to the bread
SUITS of British production, to the entire excIu-
sion OF American, and stated that America
could not, and would not buy British manufac-
| lures, if Britain did not buy American foure
Both the inability and the policy of frcign
powers, then, forbid us to rely upon the foreign
market as being an adequate vent for the SUR
plus produce OF American labor. Now, let us
see If this general reasoning is not FORTH d and
confirmed by the actual experience of this coun-
try. If the foreign market NAV be safely re-
lied upon, as furnishing an adequate demand
for our surplus produce, then the official docu-
| ments Will show progressive increase, from
year to year, In the exports of our native pro-
duce, in proportion equal to that which have
suggested. If, on the contrary, we shall find
from them, that, for long term of past years,
some OF our most valuable staples have retro
graded, some remained stationary, and others
advanced but little, if any, In amount, with the
| exception of cotton, the deductions Of reason
and the lessons of experience will alike com
mand US to Withdraw our confidence in the com
potency of the foreign market. The total a.
mount of all our exports of domestic produce
for the year, beginning in 1895, and ending on
the 30th September, 1906, was $40, 764, O97
Estimating tire increase according to the ratio
OF the increase of our population, that is, at four
per cent. per annum, the amount of the ex-
ports the same produce in the year ending on
the goth September last ougt to have been
S85,42O,8S1. 1T was i'll fact only S47,1 5,l8O.
| Taking the average of FIVE years, from 3O3 to
! 1907, inclusive, the amount Of native produce
exported was $4,000, ISL for each of those
years. Estimating what il ought to have been,
during the last year, applying the principle sng-
| gestcdt to that amount, there should haze been
exported 81, 766.751 instead of S47, 155, 4Oa.
If these comparative amounts of tie aggregate
actual exports, and what they ought to have
| been, be disCouraging, we shall find, on dcs-
cending INTO particulars, still less cause of sat-
| isfaCtiou. The export of tobacco in 1891 was
| 112, 428 bogsheads. That YVES the wear Of the
| largest expectation of that article but it is the
only instance of which i have selected the max
| imum of expectation. The amount of what we
ought to have exported last year, estimated ac-
| cording to the scale of increase which l have
used, IS 256, 1882 hogsheads. The actual export
was $4,000 hogsheads. We exported in 1908
the quantity of 1.3l1 ,853 barrels of -four; and
ought to have exported last year 1861 ,333 bbls
We, in fact, exported only 755,702 barrels.
Ofthat quantity we sent to South America
$4,000 barrels, according to statement fur.
| nIshed me by the diligence of friend near me
(.Hr. Poinsett) to whose valuable mass of accu-
rate information, in regard 10 that interesting
| quarter of the work, | have bad occasion fire.
quently to apply. But that demand is tempo