Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1836-04-26

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d. whnjc South in reference to both OF these
nromuent and important principles But mr. van pu-
rem is from among The people; unaaeo anu d
risen from obscurity end by his talents ano Pate'ots'
has hewn for himself high destiny from ihe quar-
rv Of life which is an objectionable CRIME IN Inc 0plh
ions of his aris.ocratical oPponcnis WHO Chilli ~ haFe
"alI the sense, and oil the decency ,.
1ho tor If this will occasionally take up The scve.
raj charges 80 grutuilousy promulgated ana crculaea
b. so,nc Of the leading neibcrs oil Inc coai'o"
MIR Van Burcnant endeayor 10 re"e t'I y pam
statement oil iacts ~
THE SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY.
III hs Editors If the PfnnSy'rGnan
Gr:rLxMEH:-W hen the last Annual lscPort oi tic
ecrrI.rv Of the Treasury cul sent you few re-
marks Upon il; chiefly III reference to Its important items
u:, Cotton, since which document lar moro couple
kensr= in regard l." this staple, has eSle" iF Ills pe
,ut to his communication 10 the House OF ispresen
t,i;yrs Il. The 9Th February transmitting certain tables
swng the progress in the cultivation anu manufacture
OF ,,o and the comparative quantity anu value OF OK
uc1,s uii n,pors Of the article, raw ahd h'an'ac.ured
in The United States and other countries IL would not
he possible l., exhibit in moderate compass, Tile hume
ros and striking facts which This document ana The Ia
b,s annexed to it, and the rcmarksln explanation q" the
tables ruboty; but il may perhaps De Without da5c
affirmed; that nowhere else coE;d there nm" oc louio
50 much information on this great ana increasing
sourc. Of profitable industry and con'reTcc a;ong NO.
lions: as is here brought to point Although sent 10
the !aase in obedience to CALL lie wh"S Has tceh
Voluntarily collected b. the Secretary from nil quarters
and countries and authors at Intervals since ne mas oceh
IN hr depaTccn as the mere occupation o: his leisure:
and whoever knows any thing OF thai department must
be cnitc sure that leisure is only TO be rescued ny Srea
powers o industry and method, united to rr'npiuae
in executing lis complicated aad la5oriouS duties But
the spirit tina; will find leisure for voluntary work, where
so much that is indispensable presses with day sohc!.
,uc is the true spirit for h lunconary OF State; II
j., that which will best the State, anu earn an
honorable fame for its posscssnr.
Among the great variety OF facts WHICH inc 'aoes 20
question the remarks upon them present, am MUCH
struck with the following as lev:
l. That Of tho nine hundred millions o! pounas o;
raw cotton computed TO have been grown 10 the "o9u
in iS:A the United States furnished the enormous pro-
portion Of 40 millions, or than one half ci the
wlnis.
9 That in !9G1, when India produced ono hnnarSo
and sixty millions If pounds there were grown III lie y
sSta,es only iurty-rg git millions , ,.
would appear tina; Georgia and Mississippi are tie Two
most cotton growing States in tie Union, Alabama :a"
ing mkt aud South Carolina fourth; the quantity grown
i'll the first named of these States. during those !wu
Years va, l5 millions OF pounds IN the second va
millions: in the third 80 millions; in The fourth ijS mil!
lions. ..
j. Tha, in producing the whole coltcn crop of the L
Sia;es only about millions Of acres oi land are al
present employed thereby showing capacity i"r fur
iher production that may fairly be called bound!ess.
s. That the whole amount OF capital computed to De
embarked in the culture Of cotton in the unI!td States
is between seven and rg hundred millions oi Goi!ais
t. That as regards the manufacture OF ibis great and
prolific stable Of tie modern world not one III hundred
Of the factories in the United States is movcc BY steai
whilst in England The waller wheel is used Ill not more
than ore fourth CT all The cotton mills OF that country
Thcsr facts Of themselves urd abundant inatel IS
for gratifying commentary and reflection 10 every cut
zen Of The United States; but those who would know
multitude Of other things in relation 10 The growth
anufacture, exports and imports %! cotton all over thc
world must consult the document itself, so carefully
81 Ia
Fifteen thousand copies Of 1t have bcrn ordered by
Congress, and is just getting into chcuitlnn-
Rcsides the interest with which 1t Will tS reno W Il
grcat class in our own country, 1t VIII necessarily tH
cite attention among statesmen and others ahr"aG the
more as it cnrTrc,s in many Instances eIrca III ortEn
publications respecting this :ading branch oil general
trade and riches ccmtc!nE 10 an amount SO Piepod !Ht'"
in the United States. The fact Indicated under the So
cond Of my SCI. ct!nns is the mere remarkable when
given in cunne kim with another. which is, That MIR
Huskissor, whrn President Of the Board Of Trade and
meubrr Of t!:c British Cabinet in 1921 known ~ have
been drsirrus nf encouraging by all The mems IN h's
power the production of cotton in India, for iEpor
tatiun into England with the avowcd and very natural
object Of rendering her less exclusively dependent upon
the United States and 90 have entertained al that time
a sanguiuc !npe that that vast oriental possession OF
britain would become f:rmirabe rival Of the United
States IN its production, for keeping in full supply the
increasing demands CT he British lnNmi.
in looking over Of the late debate. from Wash
irrlcn observe that the senior Senator Of South Ca
ro!ina bears hard upon the Secretary of the r"asury
brcausc the fer the last quarter Of 1888 turned
out be higher by several millions of dollars than the
sn,n at which he had estimated it, Better. surely, an
under estimate than estimate at all times! TIA.
tons, like individuals, ought scarcely to be displcascd
at finding themselves full IN purse than their
friends had predicted though like that It should be
cnp,ier The heavy receipts from customs for the fourth
quarter grew out Of unusal!y large impnratous cSpc-
caliy from France, through the fear Of war; and ,l'o:c
from the sale Of public lands, also unusually heavy
we're caused Ey increased agr for speculation" (snmc
Ct the sl:ulans 10 which might q, least be guessed al
If j! within Er purpose nf this communication 10
d. So that ma ked the closing months cl he year
huwc rrr those end other schemes and expectations O
the day, likely 10 end in disappointment,
Upon neither OF the contingencies aGTcrtcd 10 would
i, have been wise seemingly in the Secretary 10 build
his estimates. The distinguished Senator ought hardly
~ condemn those who not exact prophets OF Their
counrys superahlnd3n, receipts, considering how much
widr Of the mark his predictions of her financial
ruin proved to he during the panic Some Of The conf
lnrr rublic lands who would nd!ct the Secretary
on the same charge, nil ht also perhaps take hint
of charity from tie same rrcollections. After ALL
what cstRtrs from The Treasury Department, but
conIeclurrs 10 the fture and when have they ever
been precisely accurate' Never since the govern
lncmt began and never will they BIZ. The present
Secretary stands high for general accuracy rs any OF
his predecessors; and it may he remarked that an aP-
prnymaon TO accuracy: the most to he hrp"d Tor by The
gifted tie most Fortunate incunIbrnts Of this
post, has become much more difficult since the introduce
ton Of CASH payments at the cusomhouscs. BY quot
ing every estimate Of nearly every annual report for
more than thirty years, the dcvlatons in them from
results wouId Immediately be seen; but ono or two
may be enough present. the established
ability and epulatlon of the existing incumbent need
ing no defence at my hands. In 1870, MIR. Craw-
ford then at the head Of the department., an officer
certainly not wanting in sagacy, estimated the receipts
from the customs at nineteen millions Of dollaTs.-
They proved 10 be only fifteen millions In 1871 he cs.
tima,cd them fourteen Millions it being necessary to
remember, that these always tor
year in advance Congress did not like this; they got
into bad humor with the "radca Secretary for put
ting his estimate too low and committee Of Of the
houses having laid their heads together in grave CONSUL
.aon soe.nny reported after working out every thing
in their figures, and their way: that it ought to
have been least fifteen millions But alas for the Wis
dom OF Congress the actual receipts from the GUS
for the year in dispute, in spite of this attempt 10