Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1832-01-19

equality. As then we export about $4,000. 600 TO foreign
countries, we ought 10 inPortto about the same value as
a balance; but l have already shewn that a great deal OF
our produce goes coastwise before il is shipped abroad-A
foreign importation is due TO us on this account likewise.
Richmond, to Gov. Floyd, TO whom | am indebted for il.
and whose Kindness l shall ever recollect with the most
grateful emotions, from which | extract the following:
Amount OF goods supposed 10 be sent TO
Lynchburg in one year SI 200 900
Do. between this place and Lynchburg u POO, 900
Do. beyond Lynchburg 1000 900
Supposed amount sent up the Canal 81 GOO 600
should not suppose that this amount could possibly be
one hall oil the goods imported into the State: we will.
however, assume it. Then, from 81 100, O00-deduct saw,
5OO,Ooo-our average importaiions, and we have SO, 6OO,-
ooo worth OF goods alone imported into our State from the
eastern cities, md which consequently gives employment
TO The capital of other States. Look to the several States,
and you will find the imports generally correspondent TO
the size and capital Of the towns.
Thus, Maryland, not half as large MS Virginia. imporis
$500, 69i; more than III times the importation of Virpi-
ma. Pennsy wanna, with a nearly equal population, i'm
ports SlZ,SSl,lOS; more than 25 times as much as Va. New
York 81, OO0, 900; more than 80 times as much; and Mas
sachusc,ts with half the population, SIS, 900, 0Oo; 30 times,
The only two States South of the Potomac which import
an amount worth mentioning, are South Carolina and Lou
isiana, and in these two States we find the two largcs, CT
ties of the South.
i will conclude my remarks on these most formidable
statistics, by the following quotation from the very into
resting Address TO the people of the Commonwealth bv
the Lewisburg Convention:-'If northern importoions
Tor southern consumption, y say the committee, chad no
othcr effect than TO give employment TO their shipping and
a reasonable mercantile profit TO the goods imported, the
Wv JUN ccl DWt S1DnuN ID pern1clOuS tendencies of
the monopoly which has been created, in comparison with
the influence which it exercises. But an examination of
ourrevenue system, and of the practices under it, will
shcw, that these are the least OF the advantages gained
over us, and the smallest of the streams of contribution.
which the south is daily making TO northern aggrandize-
ment.
"tIt will be borne in mind. that a general credit is civcn
by law, for the duties on imported goods, averaging from
io to IL months; and that by the regular course of the
northern packets, goods may be received from England
within Two months or at most, 10 days from the time at
which they are ordered. The duty bonds are then exc
cuted, and with the aid OF the auctoneers and job. houses,
the importer, in a few days, ifnot in a few hours, converts
ms lmportahons with cost, charges, duties and profits, into
ue notes. oil purchasers, payable at the banks at short Pc
RODS. This operation enables him TO hold the amount of
duties as capital in trade, free of interest, from the recent
oil the amount OF sales, until his own bonds become due,
and by a repetition OF the process of importation and sale,
TO provide Tor his liabilities TO the Government, as they ar
rive at maturity, and thus accommodate his business funds
TO any amount which he may deem desirable, simply by
converting the Government credits into ready money.
ms course OF business, long and VIGOROUSLY pursued, en-
ables the northern merchants TO 20 into foreign markets,
with the advantage OF a standing amount of public money
IN tlielrhands, without interest, which has been estimated
at 81 10000 900, near SIS, 900, 600 of which is derived from
the legitimate commerce of the south, which passes
through their hands, and in their home operations places
IL IN their power to command the commerce of the
Union.
Now, what's the situation of the Virginia Farmer when
the business OF importation and expectation is thus perform.
ca by the capital OF distant States, with regard to the sale
oil his produce! There is almost always q slack demand
Tor IL. There is no large exporting town in the State. The
trade oil The merchant exporter is not a distinct, separate
trade. The farmer is always on the look-out for a p,ircLa-
ser. The country retail merchant becomes ex-oGicio ex-
porter-not TO the European market. for thai is beyond his
capacity, but TO the Eastern markets of our own country.
This is a trade for which, generally, he has no capacity;
1t is not his main business; his chief business entirely dis
quahhes him Tor acting in this sphere; il prevents him
from paying that attention 10 the political world, which the
dealeri in raw produce must always pay: hence, when hc
engages in this business, he must buy as CHEAP as possible.
for his average profits must be so high as to indemnity
mn ma aSa ans t t9ssdssr, great @h FiSk ny 9ai6sahs he 3 inGGH RdsJigs eeRRggaging il
upon the most advantageous terms, he with great rcluc-
tahce emborks his capital in a trade for which he is not
qualified. And thus the farmer is always grumbing at his
merchant, because he is not ready and willing to take his
produce. This often drives the farmer to the export trade
Tor himself, and perhaps a few others: he is still worse
qualified than the country retailer for this business. Thus
moves on, most clumsily, the whole machine. The far
mer frequently rolling his tobacco into his sheds, and suf-
fenng his corn and wheat to lie in his barns until eaten
and injured by the vermin, because he thinks a sufficient
price has not been offered. These articles, then, become
so much dead capital entirely unemployed.
Raise up by a proper system Of improvements a great
town, draw TO 1t large capital, and Immediately all these
evils will be obviated. While upon this subject, / car
readily answer an objection which i sometimes urged
against these improvements by the Underwater districts
that they hare a tendency TO encourage emigration to
The Western parts Of oar State, and eren to the 1chOlo
western country, and thus IRE lose our population ana
capital tcithOut receiping an egHraient in return. Di.
rccty the reverse of the above statement is the fact. Lee
our State remain supinc and indolent; let the great West.
ern trade pass through some other region than our tide.
water country, and then we shall be declining, or at mos
remaining stationary, while the West will be rapidly ad
vancing, and consequently holding out TO our thin and dis
cohtehted population every temptation TO emigratc from
region where Hstlessness and general inacion prevail.
Nothlng, III my opinion, would mere certainly arrest the
tide oil emigration from our State, than a proper system o.
improvements throughout our Commonwealth, but espe.
cially through the centre, which would awaken the now
dormant energies of our population, and develope the re-
sources OF the State.
But, perhaps, it may be supposed, that the people of tic
Underwater country may be disposed TO emigrate to The
upper part of the State, and thus we shall lose. | have
however, j hope, already pointed out the advantages TO the
Lower Country; and II they ensue, as think they Ger
tainly Will, we may calculate. on an immigration as great az
the emigration, especially in regard 10 capital. 1t is wei
known, that dealers in a large town are contented will
smaller profits than those in the village or country; for, il
the former, in consequence of the market afforded by tho
town, the trader can add his annual profits 10 his capital
and augment his business always in proportion 10 this en-
largemcnt of capital: in the country, he cannot Away.
do this, because the neighbourIdod will not consume be.
You'd a certain limited amount, and continual augmenta-
ton OF his business might soon ovcrstock the neighbour.
hood. Hence, in the large town, the trader accumulate
by his trade in Il compound ratio, while in the small tow
or county, accumulation can only be in a simple RATIO
Thus, the town merchant, with a capital in trade o
$4,000, makes, we will suppose, 10 per cent. profits, the
next year, by adding profits TO capital, his stock in trade i
$4,000; the third year, it will be $4,000; the fourth
$26,42O, &c. II this capital were employed in the coun
try, perhaps $4,000 might be as much as could be en-
pioyed in this business; consequently, the profits could no
be added to the capital and the business enlarged the on
~ alternative will be TO set up an establishment in some
other place, and then the risk and trouble increase so as Il
render IT necessary for the country merchant to get mucl
higher relative profits than the town merchant.