The North-Carolina standard., 1850-02-06
NuMBER 796.

the cost Of most manufactured articles has been di-
minshing from time to time. This tafl of prices.
however, is partly attributable to the great discove.
rles made during our day in chemistry, mechanism,
and the arts generally. by which these articles arc
produced with much more facility. It is also attri
las directed capital and labor, formerly consumed in
wars, to industrial pursuits.
Hence, though there is gradual reduction Of psi-
ces in the United States, yet it is still more striking
on the other side OF the Atlantic In Great Britain
particularly, well in certain portions OF the Goa.
nent, such is the accumulation Of capital, and 90
great the number of laborers who are obre to work
for mere subsistence, that prices are at the lowest
possible rate. We have right to take advantage of
this state Of things just as the Europeans do Of our
cheap production of cotton: Instead Of giving us
half dollar pound, as they used to do, they, 40
well as the people of the northern States, seem clad
to get it for five cents pound, consequence of our
over production of the article We have, therefore,
natural right to purchase their productions at the
lowest rate at which obtain them to counter
balance the disadvantage suffer from the accumu-
lation of different kind of capital and labor, To
alleviate this burden of the South ret back very
little in the form Of protection. Why then have
Southern men been willing to submit to system
formerly had occasion to state, in the Convention
which made the Federal Constitution there was a
bargain made between the North and the South that
provided 'they would allow our slaves to be repre-
sented to permit importation for time, and to de-
liver up fgtives the South would, on it's Dart. agree
that a majority Of Congress might have power 10
pass navigation or tariff laws. AS the gift of the pow
er under the circumstances necessarily implied that
it was to be exercised, felt bound in honor to ac-
qniesce lin the action of the majority. Because in
the second place. protection to such extent as MIGHT
give our infant manufacturers fair start was caicu-
lated to advance the interest of the nation as whole
though for time it might bear hardly On US. And
because, thirdly. we hoped that the Southern States
would after time get to manufacturing themseves,
their interest required them to do and thus
the burden. 1t was thus that Southern gentlemen,
even after the North had partially failed to paw it's
share OF the consideration, with great maqnanimty
continued to sustain the system.
The manner of disbursement is also adverse to our
interests. VI the forty odd millions which the Gov
eminent proposes to disburse this year. do not be-
eve that FIVE millions will in any way be expended
In all the slaveholding States. North Carolina for
example, is burdened to the extent of not less Than
three millions: and yet does not get back one hua-
dreo tho%sand dollars In any way from the Govern
ment. The clear loss in pecuniary point of view.
on account of the action of the Government, NAV be
set down at three millions annually. The southern
States general ysare in the same situation
What would be our condition if separated from the
North! 1t Is difficult to determine the precise amount
OF the exports of the slavehoding States because il
is not practicable to arrive the exact value of that
portion which is sold 10 the free States, But the
amount OF our leading staples being pretty well
known mean cotton, rice, tobacco, sugar, &c.-we
can arrive at the whole value of our exports pretty
nearly. They cannot fall short of one hundred and
thirty millions of dollars; and this wear. perhans.
considerably exceed that sum. This ia nearly "a
much as the whole exports of the United States
to foreign countries. It must be remembered. how
ever, that though the free States furnish part of our
exports, yet that which they do afford ia scarceIv an
much as the portion of our own products which GOES
to them for consumption. If, therefore, we We're
separated, our whole exports to the North. and To
foreign countries generally, would be equal to that
sum. vi course we should import as much. and in
fact DO at this time consume as much. A duty of
thirty per cent on these imports (and most of tire
rates of the present tariff are higher) would Weld
revenue of nearly forty millions of dollars. = -
AS the prices of almost all manufactured articles
are regulated by tho production of the great work.
shoPs OF Europe, where the accumulation of capital
and labor keeps down production to the lowest DOS
slbIe rates, have no doubt but that sum would be
raised without any material increase of the prices
which our citizens now pay. We might therefore
expend as much as the Government of the United
ever did In time Of peace up to the beginning Of Gen.
Jackson's administration, and still have on hand
twenty-five millions of dollars to devote to the NAL
Ing OF railroads. opening harbo.s and rivers, and
tor other domestic purposes. Or, by levyinr only =
twenty per cent. duty, which the northern manuae-
urers found runous to them, they said under NJ.
some twenty-five millions of dollars. Half Of this
sum would be sufficient for the support Of our armv
navy, and civil government. The residue MIGHT Ia
devoted to the making of all such Improvement
as we are now in want of, and especially checkerine
our country over with railroads. Snbiectinr tbs
goods Of the North to duty, with those from other
foreign countries, would at once give powerful
Stimulus to our own manufactures. We have alreadt
sufficient capital for the purpose But needed, il will
come In from abroad. English capitalists have Iled
beglum win factories. Why did this occus3 Sim
ply because provisions were cheaper and ia xas low
er than in England. The same motives wouid bring
them n!o the southern country, since both the rea-
sons assigned are much stronger in our case It has
already been proved that We can manufacture some
kinds OF goods cheaper than the North In New Eng.
land, too, owing to her deficient agriculture, eyerv
thing is directed to manufacturing, and the system Is
strained up to point which is attended with great
social disadvantages SO to retard population In
the South it need not be so. The climate and soil
very favorable to agricultural pursuits Our slaves
might be chiefly occupied on the farms, while the
poorer class Of our white population. and portion
OF our females, could be advantageonsly EMPLOYED
in manufacturing. We should thus have that diver
slty IN our pursuits which is most conducive to the
prosperity and happiness Of people. .. e
Unr carrying trade would probably for time be
in the hands of the English and other foreigners.
This, however, would not be to our disadvantage,
since northern ship-owners charge as much for
freight between New York and New 0rleans AZ they
do for carrying it to Canton, on the opposite side Of
the globe. The whole amount of the freight on Sou
thern productions. received by the northern shin
owners, has, on minute calculation, been set down
at forty millions one hundred and eighty-six thou
sand @ 1 seven H. hundred and twenty dollars, Co.,
ls6,7S8) fhe whole value which the North de-
rives from its southern connection has been esiime-
by some persons most familiar with these ssatis-
tics, at more than eighty millions Of dollars Who
ever looks into the condition of the different States
prior to the formation Of the Union and compares it
with their situation at first under low Duties up TO
the war and tariff Of 1876. and lis successors, hghy
protective as they have been, will nd the facts uly