Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-04-23
For Tie Enquirer
For The EIu}Wrer.
LETTERS,
ON THE RESOURCES, IMPROVEMENTS, IND COM.
MERGE OF PTRGTNLd.
NO. XIV.

0N TIE REsOU URGES IMPROVEMENTS, IND CO..
MERGE OF pIRGTNLd.
NO. Xy.
Adrantages of a Direct Trade.
We cannot, in this letter, be expected to treat
great subject thoroughly. The advantages to
derived from direct trade are numerous, and ha,
often been expstiated on; some of them, the mo
Important We will try to enumerate.
In new country like ours, 30 productive and e,
tensive where the earth yields largely to the hu
bandman End the miner, and where there ia so muc
room for Improvement, for growth and increase. W
have super.abundance of the products of The cart
of Soils OF animals, of the forests and the Mines
which we are able to sell at profit to the older an
less productive countries, or We exchange for commt
dtes which we cannot produce cheap as others, @
which We cannot produce at all.
The profit or benefit to ourselves, however. depend
on our industry and knowledge, our wants, our ecor
omy and our policy. II We import more than we e1
port, excepting the precious metals, of course we ar
doing losing busness or, if we export merely IN
raw material, and import the manufactured article
we are both exhausng the strength of our productiv
agents and in the same measure reducing our sbt
to produce and to progress in all the arts and science
Of civilization.
England for example, does not export her cereals
her ores or her coal; but by economzing her ma
terias and applying them in turn producing agents
she multiplies her resources-buying cotton ant
hemp, our wool and our -four, and returning them L
u.s. at her prices. in the shape OF iron and cloth
and manufactured articles generally-shs profits anc
prospers, beyond example.
But il is not our ofiice az present 10 diats en- the
economy or laws of exchanges we only wish to poin
out the tendencies Of rads-sncs an enterprising am
perience, their beat interests-and show the value
trade to urtrRders, our factors our carriers, and
merchants; there be doubt about their profits
whether the "balsncs of trade is for against us
They are laborers and business msn and must havs
their hire or their per centage; therefore, neet
neither metaphysics nor tones on the "wealth o
nstons'' to prove the value Of direct trade-suct
as the Chesapeake is capable Of gnthering-to Nor
iolk or Virginia.
The lmportations of 1856 amounted to 1914 100000
which divided amongst population of twenty -four
millions, would give Sl3 to zach person. This would
require for the region whose centres of trade are
naturally at Norfolk and New Oreans-or within
Southern limits- containing over fourteen million
Of people, All importation Of one hundred and egh.
ty.two millions; but from this deduct the twenty
two millions which are now imported Direct and We
have one hundred and sixty millions which are i'm
ported Indirectly through Northern houses, costing
them for freight, daties, transbipmsns, insurance
&C.. not leas than two hundred and ten millions Of
L:
not less than fifteen per cent, in the sbape Of profits
o. interest capital storage, expenses, ranshpments
to the South, &C., &C.. over thirty.one millions
making two hundred and forty millions of dollars Of
Southern means. which pass through and into the
lands of Northern merchants, traders and forevard.
rs. think these facts quite evident and 1t must
sppesr from them that the clsar yearly loss to the
South by this mode of doing business, is enough to
build marine equal to that of the Western rivers
including the Lakes!
But il we adopt the maxim OF some of our arnno
uists, that 50 penny saved is penny earned which
i; a correc. one we must ba astOnished at the re-
ats; and yet we can point ont another of pro
fit in addition to the above to make the case in point
sronger for the importing States. namely, the pei
cenisge on the total amount which is now paid BY
the fifteen millions Of people Of the West and South
tothe Northern ports importing States, would &C
crue to the Southern Atlantic States and that too
without considering the additional benefits to be de
rived from the export trade in consequence of di
rect business.
We should not suppose that greater peeunisry in
ducements could be offered to induce emulation and
competition in the South. But if we review the d.
rect tendency OF these facts on the interests and pros
perty of the South the results indeed fearful t
oontemplate-they point to speedy decay and ulti
mate ruin, il not arrested.
In addition to the 100000 600 paid to the Nortl
Tor foreign goods how much ought we to estimat
| for the domestic products, raw and manufactured
that are annually sent down to u.s. in the shape o
machinery iron, hay. "nick knacks, notions" ant
merchandise generaly2 We have not the mesns o
.scertaining correctly, but should suppose judging
from various sources, that the amount cannot be les
than 26 UOO 600; making grand total Of 500 OOOO Ooo
if our figures are correct annually drained from the
South.
This is truly enormous, but when we consde
the manner in which wa make this annual exchange
the question assumes q stil more important ant
threatening attitude. We send them the fat OF to
,and" it's very strength and lfe in the shape of col
ton, tobacco, sugar, wheat, ores, &C., &c., whicl
come directly from the earth, and, consequently it II
an annual drain on onr resources OF nearly the whole
of the 100000 ono, since are not able, under tn
circumstance, to rsplensh s tthe earth's) continually
dininahng properties. Ia it possible for the Sout
TO thrive under such deplorable state of afsirs7
With the North the case ia different. We obtai
and want very little Of its producfs we, however
get its manufactured articles-many of which ar
made from Southern staples and, therefore, the avail
able resources of the North increased, sustained
and made more productive at the expense of tn
South and that, too, from its great capital stock
Every planter is aware of the exhausting propenai
ties of cotton tobacco and sugar, and their delete
rious effect on the strength Of the soil. Therefore
wa maintain that direct export and import trad
would not only save the 81 paid to the North
our AGENT but it would also enable us to balance ou
exchange with the North il not completely "turn tb
tables" on our New England friends by compelling
them to buy "resdy made" cotton, sc.
Such. we should consider, general Southern viey
of commercial economy. II we apply it in the presen
case, directly to the Chesapeake and Virginia
We find the direct gain would be comparativel,
greater since we might fairly estimate that onethirt
of the entire imports Of the South and West, woulc
pass through the Capes of Virginia. and consequent
IL Issve their per centage with the merchants of th
Chssapsake and its tributaries. But the profits OF
the imports would not compare with the profits OF
the exports, since 81 great An area Of productive
country could be drained by its various avenues pre-
cent and prospective.
We have said in former letters that nearly 100
soua re- miles of territory, whose trade is various
" estimated from 6OOOOOOO0, to nearly double tba
amount-the lake trade alone j. said to be equal +
that eum-and that one half of this trade cou
he controlled by the lines which terminate ON tn
Chesapeake. But if We only estimate the amoun
that could be obtained by the South through tn
Cspes of Virginia, at two hundred millions Of dol
lars for both the domestic and foreign traffic, o.
which the commissions, reights profits &C., would b