The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-09-06

of reflection which Is surprising in man OF his
intelligence, as the exponent of the-commercial
prosperity of the South in colonial times The
truth is, she had at that time almost no com
merce at all. She possessed no shipping, no
sailors, no merchants, no cities-if otherwise,
where were they, what became of them, where
are the ruins, even?
New England, New York, and Pennsylvania,
prior TO the Revolution, were poor colonies.
They produced no tropical plants or products
of any sort, such as enriched the Southern
planters. The early settlers were for the most
part poor men, who came to America to enjoy
the freedom of conscience in matters of religion;
they lived chiefly by the cultivation of the
necessaries of life, such as are grown in Eng
land, and of course they had little to export.
The absence of articles of export forced them
to live within themselves. They found it ne
| cessary to cultivate the ruder mechanic arts,
| often in contravention of English prohibitory
laws, and thus commenced that multiplicity of
| pursuits which is so essential to the growth of
towns and cities, and which is no less necessary
to the development of the various faculties of
the mind. They resorted to the sea, and be-
came distinguished as mariners all over the
world, by their enterprise in fishing on the
coasts of Nova Scotia and Newfoundland, or
in catching whales in the South Seas. The
product of these fisheries was the. principal ele-
ment of Northern commerceswith Europe, to
which they added so much of the trade of
their Southern neighbors as was allowed them
by the selishness of the English merchants.
Still, their imports were less than those made
into the South by England, while their COM
merce was at least twenty times as great
The Revolution stripped England of her mo-
nopoly in Southern trade, and, as matter of
course, it fell into the hands of the Yankees,
under system of fair competition with South
ern merchants.
Mr.. Benton will not pretend that the obiec-
tionable policy of the Federal Government,
which he alleges has Frustrated Southern COM
merce, makes, or has ever made, any discrim-
nation between Northern and Southern mer-
chants. No bounties are given to the North
no exclusive privileges. How, then, has the
policy of the Federal Government been ruin.
Ou5 w tuc CouiLleTCe OF the OOuCn
For the first quarter of century after the
Constitution was adopted, the duties ON imports
were so light that no free trader, who is not
ready to abolish the custom-houses, and resort
to direct taxes, would now think of approx.
mating the same rates. The year 1916 was
the beginning of the protective policy. We
say nothing of the fact that it was inaugurated
by the South for the purpose of building up
Southern manufactures, perhaps as rival in
terest to Northern commerce-but certain it is
that ppe ection met with stern opposition from
New england, from Boston, and from Mr..
Webster.s But let that pass. Allow it to be
the policy of the North, and we will show that
prior to its commencement-prior to lSl6-the
commerce of the North was as much superior
to that of the South as it is at this day.
The population of the towns is an unerring
criterion of their commercial Importance; and
the last Censt8 Report furnishes us with a
table of the population of cities in the Union
at different periods, which enables us to make
the comparison. From it we gather the fol-
lowing facts:
Boston in the year 1922 contained 1857 in
habitants; in 1890, 1908; in 1900, 1887
in 1910, 33,25O. Salem contained 4,427 in.
habitants in 17G5; in 1890, 1921; in 1910,
1858. New York in 1871 had population
of s,62s; in 1873, 2l,s76; in 1890, 33, l3l ;
in 1910, 96,373. Philadelphia contained, in
1871, 1900 inhabitants in 1890, 42,52O in
1910, 9l,874.
We find no returns of population of South
ern cities prior to 1890, except Mobile, which
in 1888 had Lass inhabitants including the
settlement" in 1920, the town contained
1900. New Orleans and st. Louis were not
parts of the Union until 1903. The former
contained 5,33l inhabitants in 1888, and in
1910, 1922. The latter in 1888 contained
1897 inhabitants; and in 1910, 1000. Sa-
vannah, in Georgia, contained population of
5,l66 in 1900, and 5,2l5 in 1910. Charleston,
S. c., contained in 1890, 1889 inhabitants ;
in 1900, 20,473 and in 1910, PAIL Rich
mond, Virginia, in 1890, contained 3,76l; in
$780, 9,735. Norfolk in 1900 contained G, 1926 /;
in 1910, 9,193.
These facts are sufficient to show that the
commercial superiority of the South never ex-
listed, until it was Matched in the brain of Eli
wood Fisher; and the endorsement of the
myth by Mr.. Benton cannot give it reality.
But another test of the commercial character Of
city is the amount of tonnage owned by its
citizens. The following statistics of the ton.
mage of the States are compiled from Nc Grey
or's Progress Of america. They show the
relative commercial condition of the North
and South during the Administrations of Wash
ington, John Adams, Jefferson, and Madison
MIR. Benton will not complain of the operation
of the Federal Government while it was in the
control of the Father of his Country, or in that
of the fathers of Democracy, Jefferson and
Madison. If it was detrimental to the South
in their hands, it should never have been form.
ed, and should cease to exist:
REGISTERED OR FOREIGN TONNAGE.
North 237,574 4sl,45O 1892
South 1851 l97,967 23O,243
1t will be seen that during the period of
greatest commercial prosperity which the coun-
try has known-that is to say, when the United
States had the carrying trade of all Europe
the tonnage of the North increased more than
threefod in nineteen years, while that of the
South was not quite doubled. This was the
period of low duties. From the commence.
ment of the Government to the year 1916, the
imposts never exceeded an average of from
five up to ten or twelve per cent. At that pc.
Rod, the necessity of paying the public debt,
and the gradual habituation of the people to
the payment of indirect taxes. enabled the Re.