The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1849-12-25


the remainder to be large profit TO the farmer.
The manufacture of cotton cloth Is begun with
the planting of the coton-it ID carried to certain
point by the planter, and then taken up and per
fected by the spinner and weaver. The planter
and manufacturer not engaged in different
branches of industry, but in the same-the one
| commences the process which the other completes
Cotton seed OF Insignificant value being by regular
stages Of labor developed and brought to the form
| of cotton cloth, has acquired value of about two
| hundred and sixty four millions.
The planting States have added many millions to
the annual production of the country by the culture
| of cotton. By continuing the process they could
| quadruplc that addition.
| The planter would then have market at his
door for all his produce and the farmer would in like
| manner have home market for his The power
of consumption of not only breadstutis but OF every
article useful necessary in the feeding, clothing,
and housing of man, would be vastly increased-the
| consumer and producer would be brought
| to each other-and in fact stimulus would be APP
I piled to every branch of productive industry.
1t is gratifying to know that the manufacture of
cotton has already been introduced into several of
| the planting States, (sce document marked
| hereto annexed,) and it ought not to be doubted
will rapidly be extended.
The manufacture of iron, wool, and our other sta
| pies would lead to similar results. The effect would
| be vast augmentation OF our wealth and power.
Upon commerce the effects might be expected TO
be, if possible, still more marked. Ii is not enough
| to say that no country ever diminished its conf
| merce by increasing its productions-and that no
injury would therefore result to that interest There
would probably be- not only great Increase in the
amount, but an improvement not less important IN
| the nature OF our commerce.
OF the immense addition that would accrue to
internal and coasting trade, (Which in every coun
try form the great and most valuable body of COM
merce, \ it is unnecessary to do more than merely
| speak in passing-but 1t may be well to offer a few
| remarks on foreign commerce.
| Commerce is the machinery of exchange 1t is
the handmade of agriculture and manufactures 1t
will not be affirmed that it is positively inju-
rious-but it will be more less useful as it coop
crates more less with the productive industry of
| the country. The mere carriage OF commodities
by sea or land is necessarily profitable only the
carrier, who is paid for It, 1t may be useful not
| to others according to circumstances. The farmer
| finds railroad great convenience, but he under
stands that it is better employed in carrying his
crop, than in carrying away his seed wheat and
! manure.
! The commerce which should consist in carrying
/ cotton seed abroad, to be there grown, would not
be useful as that which is now occupied in
porting the cotton grown at home, We should
| easily understand also, that the commerce thus
| employed would be much more limited in amount
and much less profitable to the carriers than what
we have. Yet our present commerce Isl In
| fact of the nature with that above described
The seed bears to the cotton the relation which
the cotton bears to the cloth. If we export cot
| ton of the value of about sixty six Millions the
same cotton, when converted into CLOTH would
make export of some two hundred and sixty
| four millions, some two hundred and forty
| five millions after deductng the fifteen twenty
| millions which would be required for Dur own
sumption, lin addition to the portion Of present
manufactures consumed at home, } and our imports
would be thereby in like manner increased. Eng
land at this moment, derives large portion of her
power from spinning and weaving our cotton.
| When shall spin and weave 1t ourselves make
| our iron, and manufacture other staples,
we shall have transferred to this country the great
centres of wealth, commerce, civilization, and po-
| litica, well as moral and intellectual power.
| 4 we far frOu hay he a
| foreign commerce which is due to our position,
| vastly productive country, with am extensive
coast good harbors great internal water-courses,
and people unsurpassed IN maritime skill and
| enterprise.
Our annual products we're estimated by my pre-
decessor in this Department. at three thousand mil
| lion dollars, while our average exports about
one hundred and thirteen millions and our imports
about one hundred and six millions making to-
gether two hundred and nineteen millions, exclu-
sivc of gold and silver and of foreign commodities
| imported and exported An eminent British au-
thority estimates the annual creation Of wealth in
! Great Britain and Ireland, at between two thou
sand one hundred, and two thousand two hundred
millions. If we add, for articles omitted by him,
| between three and four hundred millions, shall
have total of two thousand five hundred millions.
l The British exports and imports amount annually
| 10 about five hundred and twenty millions exclu-
sye of gold and silver and of foreign commodities
| imported and re-exported. If their foreign trade
were brought down to scale upon this esti-
| mate il would be reduced 10 about one hundred
and eighty three millions. If ours were raised
their scale it would reach about six hundred and
| twenty four millions.
Estimating the population of Great Britain and
ireland at thirty millions, and our population at
twenty -one millions, their foreign trade averages
ST. SO for each individual; ours $40 ~. If their
foreign trade greater than ours in proper
| ton 10 population, il would be reduced from five
| hundred and twenty 10 three hundred and twelve
millions. II our foreign trade were great in pro
portion population theirs, il would be swelled
hundred and sixty four millions
leading cause of the existing difference IL 10 be
found in the fact, that Great Britain exports chiefly
what she has first brought to the form IN which il is
ready for ultimate consumption; IL is at the stage of
its highest value, and her market is almost co-cx-
tensive with the civilized world
| All history shows that where are the workshops
of the world, there must be the marts of the world
and the heart Of wealth, commerce, and power. 1t
is vain to hope to make these marts by providing
warehouses, ms II would be to make crop by build
ing barn.
". Whether we can have workshops TO work up
at least, materials, must depend upon the
question: whether we have obtain sufficient
advantages to Justify the pursuit of this king of in
dustry.
The circumstances favorable TO production in this
country may be stated TO be; let. Facility in pro-
curing raw materials. ID Abundance Of fuel
3D.. Abundance Of food and other articles necessary
for the sustcnancc and housing Of the laborer
9TH The superior efficiency Of the laborcrs i'm com
parison with those Of other countries.
The circumstances supposed 10 be unfavorable TO
our production may be thus classed
LIST. Want of capital.
I'd. Dearness of our labor compared with that
| of other countries
Sd. Insecurity by exposure TO the influence of
violent and excessive fluctuations of price in foreign
markets, and TO undue foreign competition
| LIST Capital which is but the accumulated savings
of labor, is believed 10 be abundant among our
selves for any purpose to which it be prohtably
applied. 1t is more divided than in some other
countries and associations of capital therefore
more common among than elsewhere. II will
be increased by the labor of every successive year
and for investments reasonably secure, il will flow
in whenever required las il has always heretofore
done) from other countries, where il may exist in
greater abundance. The amount of capital required
for large production is not enormous. The whole
capital for instance, employed in the establishment
and support of iron works in England and Wales
in 1s41 has been estimated at less than one hun
bred millions of dollars the annual production then
being about sone million two hundred thousand
tons
I'd. The difference between the price of labor here
and in Great Britain ia certainly great, and, IL is
A.. ~ A II