Southern standard. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1851-1856, 1851-02-15

that it may be well worth while 10 look MO
So far as a comparison between the Northern
and Southern States may be relied upon to estao-
fish the inherent strength and resources of the one
over the other, the superiority is unquestionably
on the side of tie South The agricultural re-
sources of the slave States are richer and more
varied and afford the necessary elements for con-
shutting great, prosperous and independent ma
ton These resources ere III fact so great as to
furnish the basis upon which the lucrative COM
mercc of the North is carried on, and the means
by which the principal amount of the revenue OF
government is raised, to say nothing of It's contrl
buttons to the commerce and prosperity of other
nations But for the single item of Cotton, which
is produced within the slave States, how different
would be the condition of the Northern States and
the people of the North Deprived of the cot
ton and commerce of the South, what would be
seen? Ships rotting at their wharves; factories
tumbling into ruins and their Merchant Princes,
like those of Venice living meagerly on contribu-
tons levied on the curiosity of travellers The
cotton of the South gives play to the shuttle of the
North it is the pulse of its life Let it stop
and it beats no more. Nor is this confined to the
North The same cause operates on every power
full nation of Western Europe.
The following facts will go to show some of the
elements of wealth and power possessed by the
Southern States, establishing, beyond question,
the superiority of their those of the
Northern States
"The crop of the United States, in 1928, was
only 500, 158, and yet the crop of 1840-9 had
reached 2728, 500, more than FIVE times as great
in 1348 as it in 823, twenty six years before
This was worth, lat 10 cents) S81, 871 ,0o0 De-
Quoting 81 g. 039 as the quantity consumed IN the
United States, have for expectation, 9, 227, 844
bales, which at 10 cents, Ga mean estimate) is
worth 500, 825, 329. If to this be added the 9th
er domestic productions of the South, s32, GA,
176 the whole value of Southern exports for 1849
is S99. SOC, OOO-more than two-thrds of the
whole domestic. exports from the United States
for that year, which S131, no, 081, and more
than thr9e times much as the whole domestic
export from the North for the same year, which
was S32, 21O,O81. The remarkable fact is also
shown that the domestic exports of the South
erclusire OF cotton her great staple is $50, 674 49,
while the exports from the North are s32, 210 081
leaving the value of her cotton over and above
The fact that the North consumes less than one
fifth of our cotton while four-ffths find SO ready d
market wharves, is significant of the indie
pendence of the South, and the North might well
be reminded by her receiving all her supply Of raw
material from as, and sending it again to us in her
manufactured goods, (even if less keen-sighted
than our Northern brethren reputed to be how
dangerous is the policy of converting an ally into
enemy, and a customer into riydt.
''Thus is shown, by the operation of one agri-
cultural product, the vast power the South already
has and controls unconSciousy. What she might
attain, if her attention were turned to manufactur
ing her productions, would be interesting in
quiry. 1t would illustrate condition scarcely to
be seen elsewhere, of people possessing the
means of producing and manufacturing, within
the same limits, the material for wealth and eX-
panded commerce. -
To demonstrate the capacity of the South to en-
gage extensively and successfully in manutactur-
ing, would be to present picture upon which mol
truly Southern eve can look without feelings of
pride and pleasure. But this view of the sub ectI
is omitted for want of space, its discussion would
carry this essay beyond the limits contemplated
The power of the South in another, and not less
imposing view, will be presented
The South now, alone, has militia of 700,
900 men doing duty, and in emergency, the
number could be increased to one million. With
her territory extending from the Chesapeake toi
the Rio Grande, from the twenty-ninth to the fort
teth parallel of latitude; with Gulf and Allan
tic coast of g. 100 miles, the former acquired since
the war of the Revolution with her territory
mapped over by long lines of Rail Roads with
the control of the Largest river in the T. States
that inland sea, bearing on its broad bosom the
wealth of the South and West, and the North
West with climate and soil so diversified that
all the breadstutfs necessary for man may be
grown IN section of each State. But above
and beyond all these, there is tie which dement's
together these Southern States beyond any union
now existing between the opposite sections of the
country. 1t is the identity of the interests and
pursuits of its population. The existence of slave
ry links them together, as perhaps no separate
people have ever yet been. In the North, as So
ciety now exist, the interests of the sections are
DIVERSE and SO must necessarily be their feelings.
From these considerations may we not be en-
courged with the hope that, in case our Northern
brethren do drive from them, we have the abili-
ty to g set our house in ORDER and live indepen-
IDENTIFY by virtue of own strength and resources
But eve have wish to see the Confederacv
dissolved Bring it back to justice-renew and
respect the guarantees of the Constitution
us peace-restore our securites-cease to trespass
upon our nghts-yield us an equal share of the
results of the Union, its triumphs and acquisitions
and there will be no longer voice of complaint, or
censure, or dscord among us
A disruption of the Union, carrying with it no
little acerbity of feeling, would result in breaking
up In great measure the present system of inter-
nal trade-a trade which has made the North |
what is and which is the foundation of its wealth
and prosperity. The following statistical facts
Will illustrate the immense loss to the North bv
the abandonment by the South of its connection
with that section. They are worthy of the consid
Grafton of those who seek our overthrow and bx,
consequence their own ruin
DIRECT TRADE.-The New York Courier. in an
article on the consequences of disunion eondenses
some important commercial figures and facts. The
product of the slave states it puts down as follows
Cotton, G95. 250OOO 600
Tobacco 6,6l6,74I S756 800 IT OO9 900
Rice 1884, 964 35758e5 3O91 '2I5 |
Naval Stores, Il ,624, 100 l,S64,3l9 1898 6I2