Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1830-11-04
POLITICS FOR
Frem .NiIcs' Repislcr

O general essay, IN when CERTAIN OF the lead
ing principles and practical operations oil
what is denominated the American System,
might be rendered mofe familiar to the Far
mer aud othss working classes, who have not
time to read, nor leisure T. investigate the
important subject-;hough more deeply in
teres.ins to themselves than any other per-
sons ~ the United States. 1t has been de-
layed however from various causes; and the
facts collected are mere examples of the ma
NY that might be obtained, were time and
opportunity allowed for the gathering Of
them. We now proceed u the task-so Car
DESTROYS of brevity, as 10 appretscnd that we
may not be fully understood, unless by them,
who while they read, VIII also th;ak upon
what shall be presented to them.
The primary interest in the United States
Is certainly that sf the Farmers; the ncxtthat
of the manufacturer; The third that of naui-
,galioa and commerce; the fourth that of the
planters, proper. The last furnishes the lar
gest amount in value of articles for export;
but IFS general sum reproduction, is at a vast
distance behind the first or second, and much
IN the rear Of the third. 1t may be well to
say Il few words in regard to each.
DR.. Cooper calculated the subsis!encs, on
ly. of the people of the United States, at $50
millions of dollars, in 1Sl3,-and exclaimed,
"Hote do the boosted pansguicks of roaEreN
trade, d,sindtc into insignIfcance 1hea set IN
competition toith this =" lie rated the support
OF each individual. for food, drink and fuel,
at $50 year. We have materially differed
from the Doctor-thinkins then as new that
ne was extravagant in his "calculations'-but
have supposed that the average cost might
be S25 per annum, for the whole United
States, considering the cheapness of food in
many parts of the interior, and that we have
two million OF slaves. This moderate sum
wili give US 50 900 900 as the cost of subsis-
tence, the product of our furraers-but when
10 this Us added the value Of fuel used, the
food OF horses and other working animals, the
value 81 the timber and its TRANSFORMATIONS.
&c. OF the wool, fax and hemp, &c. sc. we
think that the whole OF the commodities pro
duced or supplied by the farmers OF the u.
States, may be reasonably put down at GOO
millions of dollars a year.
We place the entire clothing of the people
oil the United States, including all the clothes
required Tor household or other purposes, at
$40 per head This embraces ali mannfac.
lures of cotton, wool, flax leather, fur and
SILK, &c. and is surely below The real val
ue. The aggregate is s240, 900, 00o-of
which many thousands consume more than
their proportion in boots and shoes only, for
II includes shoemakers' bills as well as tai
Tors and hatters, 81. And if 10 this ye add
the manufacture OF iron and other metals,
OF wood IN houses and ships, and furni.
ture, OF minerals and carths, such az
ofick, glass and wares, the aggregate cannot
be put down at less than $50 millions.
The amount earned in freights, coasting in
land, hshing and foreign, including passen-
gers and goods transported in steam boats
and canal boats, with the profits on exchang-
ing commodities, cannot be less than 100
mlIInna "a ua1n all xnI;.l = - -. Il
domestic circulation, and invigorates every
branch of business, especially the agricultu.
raj, for subsistence, fuel, SC. consumed.
In addition TO these, we verify believe that
the disbursement Of the people of the United
States for travelling on land, with stage hire,
horse feed, turnpike rates, &c. is of a larger
amount than what I'VE have regarded as the
4th great branch of the business of our PEG
pie.
II the whole cottoa crop be a million of
bales, or 800 millions Of pounds, or $50 ,O00,-
Ooo, the tobacco, sugar and rice may be es-
timated at l9 millions more; but say As mil
lions as the whole product ofthe planting in.
terest, at fair and average prices, including
costs or transportations, a large amount to
De deducted frsm the general sum Forty
i've millions Of dollars are more than the
worth ofall the cotton, tobacco, sugar aud
49,, ANNUALLY suFpheu III the United States.
Well may we exclaim in the words Of DIR.
Cooper, ''how do The boasted panegyrieks,"
on the planting interest, .'dwindle into in
significance, when compared with" the farm
,nG or manufacturing! And though as before
observed, the planters supply a large pro-
portion of our articles for export, the whole
proceeds would go but a short way towards
feeding the people Of the planting states. if
the landhoiders were not also farmers. Their
crops OF grain, grass. Sc. arc worth a much
mi5htIer sum than those OF cotton, sugar, to-
bacco, and ri.e.'
We invite a careful consideration of these
Things. Mathematical accuracy is not aim
ed at for them, and cannot be attained. II
is sufhcient that our calculations are reason
aoie; The aggregate for subsistence and
clothing OF all sorts, all kinds of farming or
family utensils, the building and repairing Of
houses and ships, in the rents of houses. &c.
are put Town at a less sam than 900 Der
mead, per annum; or for a man, his wife and
tnree children, $3.50 a y~ear-about the a.
mount OF the wages of a respectable journey
man mechanic, which is below the average
value consumed. What is the sum OF the
rents of all the houses in our cities and towns?
And the product of these, it must be obsery-
ed, are as well added to a general amount of
subsistence, as bread and clothing.
-
This view OF the planting ~interest will strike
many OF our readers with force IL seems 10