The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1842-05-18
E,.o,u jlo Charleston C0urier.


of Charleston has not increased during liie iast
ten wears, ans, ior evidences OF the iact Inc VIII
fer refers 10 the late cenSHs. Inc .act is SOL
this there is no doubt. Charleston does moi lA-
crease in either wealth or pcp"iatioa--ahd the
writer attributes all this to the improper admins
tration OF the Banks-that is, TINT the banks DIS
count the paper Of the large capitalists and specu
lators, while they neglect the claims OF the small
traders, and less wealthy portion OF the com'nu-
nity. Now Mcssrs Editors, | do not Know
whether the conduct of the banks is or Is not
such as is charged against them, nor 30 | intend
to defend or censnre them; as believe that 'haI
circumstance has but little to do with the grown
or prosperity ofthc city OF Charleston. l tilAH
however that the inquiry which has been S'arlcu
is an important one, for 1t Is certainly ascourd-
Ginr that Charleston has not Increased her Popu-
lation in the last ten years: when VIC reflect that
during that time, the Charleston and hamburg
Rail Road (Which was expected to do so much
for the city, has been in full operation. The
Louisville, Cincinnati and Charleston Rail Road
has been in the course of construction, and also
that during this time We have had convention
after convention for the promotion of direct
southern trade-and while every thing that was
ever asked for, has been granted through an en-
lightened and liberal legislature. Can 1t be that
the Banks have thus disappointed our well iound-
ed expectations, and rewarded the growth o.
Cbarleston-Ithink not | believe the banks
in Charleston have been as we'll managed as IN
Baltimore, Philadelphia, Ncw-lork or Boston,
and the population OF those cities has been great
" increased in the last ten years. Then II the
Banks are not the cause of Chareston's having
declined in population, what is it! Why Messrs
Editors, believe that it is because we have not
fostered our own population and encouraged tne
mechanical arts. Mechanics constitute NIGH
ty proportion of the population OF every large
city in the world; it is the mechanics settled IN
cities, who by the results of their labor build up
and enrich the small tradcrS and through them
the capitalists We Of South Carolina appear
to expect to make city cut Of merchants, law
yers, doctors and clergymen, and few wealthy
or fashionable persons who may resort to our
city for the purpose Of pleasure or education.
This is not, nor ever can be more than the out
lines or skeleton of city-and We might as
we'll expect to make one out of moonshine, as OF
such materials alone. The mechanics and la
boring classes in city, constitute It's musciea ana
enlarges and sustains its proportions. Without
them, the small trader must want customers,
lawyers clients, doctors patients and clergymen
congregations. But with them and the results
of their labor, all the interests of the city would
increase and prosper. As matters now stand in
the city, such is the poverty of its business that
many small traders are not only part of the
skeletons of the city-but they are in danger OF
becoming skeletons of men.
Now Messrs. Editors, let US suppose this state
ofthings changed and the mechanical arts prop
erly encouraged and appreciated in the city
what would be the result-suppose that your
population was such as TO manufacture all Cor
evena large proportion) the articles of Amerl-
not,, ntt-hir
city, or sold there, to be consumed elsewhere,
very much question if it would not add in the
next ten years 5000 permanent Inhabitants to
the population of your city. 1t impossible to
say with certainty, but when we reflect how ma
nv carriages, Wagons, shoes, hats, saddles, bril-
dies, harness, clothes, cutlery, axes, hoes steam
engines, and other articles, almost innumcrabe,
that are brought to your city annually, 1t is I'M
possible to doubt that it would require many per-
sons to produce them and much doubt if 23,0OO
would be enough. 1t is unnecessary to say that
such state is greatly desirable, as such me-
chanical and laborng class would act on the
other classes in turn, and greatly increase the
number of large and small traders, and instead
Of. the present number of lawyers, doctors, &c,
being more than enough for your city they would
, not be half enough. As this matter now stands
the agricultural labor of the State is consumed
in purchasing, at the North, the articles which
ought be made in your city, and the money is
spent and remains there; but at present Charles
ton is mere agency for the sales OF Northern
manufactures, and in making the remittances to
the manufacturers to pay for them, the eXchan-
ges are turned against Charleston, and of ncces-
sity the Banks are unable 10 accommodate the
small trader, but must have their transactions
with the buyers and sellers Of produce, who fur
nish them with exchange Qhe equivalent OF spe-
cie). have said that exchange is generally
against US and in favor Of the North. This is
strange, as We produce the two best staples in
the world for export, Rice and Cotton, and do
export thenl-while the North has no staple for
export, and does not comparatively export any
thing-and still we are always indebted to the
North. The reason is to be found in the fact,
we rely too much on purchasing for consump-
tlon, instead tproducing for consumption-and
while we continue the present course the result
will be the same. Just as with the planter, who
goes altogether for making Cotton, and purcha-
sing out of its proceeds the supplies for his PLAN
tation, he will always be in debt (or have the en-
changes against him) and live in trouble and die
in poverty. While the planter who always pro-
duces for his own plantation, and something ad-
ditional to sell his neghbor who takes different
course, will seldom be in debt, will live in COM
fort and die in prosperity, leaving his family the
inheritance of his estate and good name-while
II ,otl loft oh