The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1850-02-12


exports, yet that which they do afford is scarce.
ly So much as the portion Of our own products
which goes to them for consumption. If, there.
fore, We were separated, our whole exports 10
the North and foreign countries generally would
be equal to the sum. OF course we shoud i'm
port us much, and in fact do al this time con.
sumo as much. A duty Of thirty per cent. on
these imports (and most Of the rates of the pres.
cnt tariff law are h'gher) would yield revenue
oInearly forty millions ofdollars. AS the price
of almost all the manufactured articles are
regulated by the production Of the grca, work.
shops OF Europe, where the accumulation OF
capital and laipr keeps down production to the
lowest possible rates, have no doubt but that
sum would be raised without any material in
crease ofthe prices which our citizens now pay.
We might, therefore, expend as much as the
Government of the United States ever did in
time OF peace up to the beginning Of General
Jackson's Administration, and still have ON
hand twenty five millions of dollars TO devote
to the making ofrailroads, opening our harbors
and rivers, and for other domestic purposes
Or, by levying only twenty per cent. duty
which the Northern manufacturers found ruin
Gus to them, as they said, under Mr.. Clay's com.
s,rolnlse bill, we should be able 10 raise some
tweniy.uve millions of dollars. Half Of this
SUN would be sufficient for the support of our
army, navy, and civil government. The resi-.
due might be devoted to the making Of all such
improvements as we are now in want ol, and
especially checkering our country over with
railroads. Sublectlng the goods of the North
10 duty, with those from other foreign coun-
rries would at once give a powerful stimulus TO
our own manufactures. We have already suffi.
cient capital for the purpose. But, ifnecdcd. il
would come in from abroad. English capital.
lists have filled Belgium with factories. Why
did this occur! Simply because provisions were
cheaper there and taxes lower than in Eng.
land The same motives would bring them
into the Southern country, since both the rea.
sons assigned are much stronger than in our
case. 1t has already been proved that we can
manufacture some kinds Of goods more cheaply
than the North. In New Englond, too, owing
10 her deficient agriculture, everything is di'
reced TO manufacturing, and the SYSTEM is
strained up to point which is attended with
great soc al disadvantages, SO as to relard poPu.
lalion. In the South it need not be so. The
climate and soil are very favorable to agricul.
tural pursuits. Our slaves might be chiefly occu
pied on the farms, while the poorer class Of our
white population, and portion OF our females.
could be aivanlageously employed in manuIac.
turing. We should thus have that diversity IN
our pursuits which is most conducive to tho
prosperity and happiness ol people.
Our carrying trade would for a time he in
the hands OF the English and other foreigners.
This. however, would not he 10 our disadvan.
,aGe, siace Northern. .shipowners now charge as
much for freight between New York aud New
Orleans as they do for carrying ii TO Canon,
on the opposite side Of the globe. Tho whole
a aoun, ot the freight on Southern productions,
received by the Northern ship.owners, has, on
a minute calculation, been set down at forty
millions one hundred and eighty six thousand
seven hundred and twen,y.eisht dollars tS40,.
1856, 1881. The whole value which the North
derives from its Southern conneXlon has been
estimated, by some persons most familiar WIN
these statistics, al more than cighty.eisht mil
lions of dollars. Whoever looks into the con-
di,ion of the different States prior 10 the forma
ton of the Union, and compare il with their
situation al first, under low duties. up 10 tho war
and tariff of 1885, and its successors, highly pro-
,ractive as they have been, will find the facts
fully sustaining the opinions have expressed.
Northern writers Of elementary books, made
for school children, of course represent things
differently, and deceive the careless aud ignor-
ant. My opinions on these points have been
settled for a long while past, though have not
heretofore been in position where thought
| could c1er, any controlling influence, or effect
any desirable object, by giving u'.erance7o
them.
la throwing out these views. Mr.. Chairman,
| have not sought the utmos, degree of precis.
ion but have no doubt but that all the facts
will be found on examination not less favorable
10 my conclusion than have stated them. MY
purpose now is simply to present 10 Northern
gentlemen such general views as are l'kel y 10
be adopted by the South. Your course OF ag-
gression is already arraying against you all the
highest minds of the Soulh-men of high intel.
lect, and higher patriotism, whose utter lnditfer'
ence to all personal considerations will make
them. in the language of my eloquent friend
from Georgia, (Mr Toombs,) "devo.c all they
have and all they are 10 this cause"
But gentlemen speak Of The difficulty Of max.
ing the boundary; and the condition ot the bor.
der States of Maryland and Kentucky is parli.
cuarly referred to. Undoubtedly each State
would have the ishl to determine tor itself to
which section of the ConIederacy it would be-