The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-08-30
THE VALUE OF THE UNION TO THE SOUTH

The above is the title of a pamphlet of thirty
nine pages, published at Charleston, South
Carolina. 1t has been sent to the Era, we
presume, by the author, L. w. Spratt, one of
the editors of the Charleston Standard, in
which journal the series of articles constituting
the pamphlet appeared as editorials. The ma
ture of the subject and the challenge of eriti-
cism implied in sending the pamphlet to this
office, brings the whole case, including Slavery,
legitimately before us for discussion, and we
cannot, in this case at least, be charged with
interference" in other peoples affairs. We
introduce our author by the following copious
extract, in which he sets forth what he regards
as the resources of the South for revenue:
"By reference to statistics to be seen at the
end of this article, it will appear that the
exports which are the exclusive products of
the Southern States amount to the sum of
Sill 100000. That of exclusive products of
the North, the exports amount to only about
S33,000,000. 1t will thus be seen that we con-
tribute to the foreign commerce of the country,
in proportion as Ill is to 33. Our receipts
from imports, therefore, will be in the same
proportion, and we will have it in our power to
realize more than three times as much, from
impost duties upon our foreign commerce, as
can possibly come to the exchequer of the
North
"Nor sthis ALL In addition to the Sll l ,O0O, 900
which the South exclusively contributes to the
foreign commerce of the country, there is also
vast amount which she sends in exchange for
products of the North. For shoes, hats, canes,
clothes, buttons, knives, and a thousand forms
of manufactured fabric, we send of cotton, rice,
tobacco, naval stores, &C., to the value of almost
as much as Sill 100000 more. In the condi-
ton of foreign State with respect to the
North, as well as with respect to Europe, the
returns for these commodities would also share
in the impost duty upon foreign fabrics, and
we would derive revenue, therefore, not
only from the imports in exchange for the
Sll1, 100000 already sent abroad, but upon
those in exchange for near about the same
amount sent to the North: We will suppose,
however, that, in addition to our present ex-
ports to foreign countries, we would send but
sixty millions to the North. Without account
ing for the increased value of imports over ex-
ports, the returns from every section would
amount to $l7l,O00,0O0. Upon this an impost
duty Of only ten per cent. would give US seven
teen million dollars per annum-a sum ex-
ceeding by $4,000,000 the whole expenditure
of the United States in 1880, and which must
therefore be amply sufficient for the require
ments of an economical Government. If not,
however, influenced by a disposition to make
political display in the eyes of the world, there
will be little difficulty in increasing it. This
sum of $l7. 000,0 900 results from an impost duty
of only ten per cent. Upon most articles con-
sumed at the South, the impost duty is now
thirty per cent, and it would be possible, there
Al
country in perfect consistence with an immense
reduction upon our present charge in support
of Government.
Considering it reasonably certain, there
fore, that there will be little difficulty in real
izing from duty upon imposts alone the sums
necessary to defray the expenses of our Govern
ment, there are other facts to be regarded"
The articles exported, which are exclusively
produced in the South, to the amount OF
$1ll,277,2 20, are cotton, tobacco, sugar, mo-
lasses and molasses spirits, tar, pitch, rosin,
turpentine, and rice. The exports, the exclu-
sive product of the North, to the value of
S33, 1888, are not enumerated in detail.
Those which are common to the North and
South, amounting to $l07,55l 1897, are prod
ucts of the forest skins, furs, beeftallow, hides,
&C., pork, bacon, lard, &C., wheat -four, Indian
corn and meal, potatoes, hemp, spirits from
grain, &C., salt, lead, manufactures of cotton,
gold and silver bullion, raw produce not manu-
featured &c.
Our author is disposed to lump this laxge
class of items and divide them half and half
between the North anu oOuTn. DuI Iet us ana
lyze them. The pork, bacon, and lard, ex-
ported, amount to above eleven millions, and
are known to be almost exclusively from the
| North in fact, the South is deficient in these
| articles, and imports extensively from the
North. The value of wheat and flour exported
is above forty millions and as the South pro
duced only trife over one-fourth of the wheat
crop of l849, as is shown by the census, tits
fair to set her down for the same proportion of
the exports. The gold and silver bullion T.
ported amounted to S38,OO2,OOO, of which IT
least $35,OOO,O00 were produced in the fire
State of California. OF the other articles d.
ported, too numerous to mention, the Nofb
produced at least half; and of the whoe
$lO7, ISL 1897, which are set down as comma
to the North and South, the former produc@
at least $50, 100000, which, added to u
S33, 100000 allowed to be exclusively Nortt
ern by the writer, will place the North alu,st
equal to the South in the production of arties
of expectation.
But if the South excels in the productioof
articles of expectation, the statistics of On
merce show that she does not export TIM.
By the Report of the Secretary of the Treas.y,
it appears that during the fiscal year endinpn
the LIST of July, 1854, the exports from NH
ern ports amounted to 1882, 73O, Vile
| from the Southern ports the exports amou,ed
5 to only $ll3,973,59O. 1t is to be remembed
). that the exports of heavy raw products, ch
8 as cotton, tobacco, and grain, are necessity
e made at the nearest seaport. Their valuin
! proportion to their bulk will not admiof
transportation overland, further than is so
e lutely necessary. But for this circumstae,
they would doubtless be sent out thrsh
It Northern ports. That the commerce in Use
= articles is not In the hands of Soutrn
4, shippers is evincad as well by the relve
d amounts of Northern and Southern tonne,
e as by the amounts of the imports OF thes&c-
Of tons. 4,sO2,9O2 tons of tonnage belong
,e to the United States, only about l0,O0Pr
n, one sixth, is the portion of the South. Aiof
of s3O4, 562, 1891 imports, only s25, 1887, dae
s. t,celfth, belong to the South.
~ 1t is hence clear that the commerce ohe
II South is almost exclusively in Northern his,
Notwithstanding the advantage which the IN
O. err enjoys over the latter in the productioof
a IL II ~,. Eo., -