Daily national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1854, 1854-04-15

The vessels Of all kinds built in the United
Statcs in 1852 we're as follows:
Numby. Tonnage.
Free States 1882 309, 84S
Slaves States 3I2 Al ,644
I,444 35I ,4s2
Ia the latter, little moro than one-tifth Of the
whole number Of vessels, and lees than one
eighth Of the total tonnage
Nearly all f our American shipping is
owned in the North; the great majority Of
American sailors and shipmasters are North
@n men the carrying trade Of the South is
done chiefly upon Northern capital; the ex-
changes for her exports find their way gene
rally to NJ rhern ports; the profits Of the tradc
Of oourse inure to Northern shpmasters, i'm
porterp, aud merchants; and Northern enter
wise reaps The benefit Of the coasting trade
and internal transportation, by which the for
6gn imports reach thu slave States.
MIR. Brooks Of South Carolina, 10 speech
delivered a few weeks since in the House of
Representatives, referring to these facts argued
that as two-thirds Of the entire exports of the
thirds Of the entire revenue from imports are
paid by slave labor. We were under the i'm
preston that according to the political econo-
my Of the South, duties upon imposts are fret
paid by the importers, and ultimately by the
consumers. The consumption Of the country
bears the burden nfimnnrla; ndsl-IP~P--i.svn
which consumes the largest amount Of dutiable
goods, contributes the largest proportion to the
revenues derived fom the duties. As it is
consumption, not expectation, that pays the
imposts, the free States contribute as much
more to the support Of the Federal Govern.
msnt, rs the amount Of foreign goods consumed
by their sixteen millions cf free People, is
larger than the amount consumed by the six
millions Of free and three millions of slave
People Of the South.
But Mr. Brooks extended his speculations.
In view Of such considerations as we have pre-.
anted concerning the trade Of the two sec
tons he urged that the Uaion is necessity to
the free Ststes--that if il were dissolved, every
great interest in them would BE- Frustrated
Labor would be turned out to starve; wages
wonld fail; the busy wheel Of Industry would
aop; Northern Merchants would become
bankrupt; Northern Shipping rot; Northern
Cities dwindIe On the other hand, were the
ffee Stskss blJltel from existence, the South
would mot mind II at all
2Why, sir, tl.s fact would b. fen only by our
raiIroad conductors, captains Of steamboats,
and fex politicians with nat4onsl aspirations.
Orr harbors vonld be filed with foreign ship
ping; our marine towns grow into cities rival
ling in their agn.fccnce and prosperity the
present couditiun Of those Of the North; every
kind OF msnufaotory would spring up over our
Streams; our revenue would ,be collected and
expended among the people, who now bear an
unequal burden Ia supporting this Govern
msnts and Who arc uneqnally protected by il"
Mr.. Brooks is n young man, but be has been
indoctriosted into these ideas by older head,
An exaggerated notion Of their own import
snce Is characteristics OF Southern politicians,
end with il is associated profound contempt
for tie free States, which they consider as
nsrs dependents of the South.
Nov, We shall not 20 into complete calcu-
lation Of the relative value Of the Union to the
NO ela~es of States; that task would require
. IitAIs moro labor and time than an editor
en- bestow upon his Daily leaders but we
iavits the attention Of our Southern friends to
: fsw oonsiderations they have overlooked.
Are they aware that the commerce Of the
Lek9 smounts. annually, 10 about two hun
I'D millions Of dollars; that nearly tho whole
natsrial Of i consists in the products Of free
hbor; and that the South might cesse to exist
vishout seriously Disturbing I'll Ohio is an
iotsrior State The dutier Of which Southern
politiciAns mako - much complaint, are not
collected Or distributed 70 any noticeable ex
80 IL its ports but do they know that, in
1851, the agricultural and manufactured arti.
- peoduosd wholly in that State, exported
"a soId abroad, amountsd IN value 10 not less
- fsty millions Of dollarr, nearly cqnsl to
~ Vhols Of the exports from all the Slave
f1n(oH szoop> Louisiana
CIos'nna1i i sosroely more than half . cen-
~ ~ Undr 10 system Of free trade
1,1,e ~ SlAbss sssassd By the Constitusion