Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1860-03-11
SouIhcrp Manufacturer.


Heretofore the atteuuol Of the people of the
Southern States has been given mainly TO agricul
ture which they have found more profitable than
manufactures, Hence they buy shoes and hats, and
agricultural implements, and clothing and other
npceSsaries of q similar character from the North
cr States and pay for them i'm corn, and wheat and
cotton aud sugar, and other products of the soil.
Under ordinary circumstance this reciprocal in
tpyrhauCe of commodities Is mutually advantageous
While the Southern capitalist can buy a greater
amount of manufactured goods with the product of
his farm and the labor OF ms slaves. than the same
investment would produce II applied directly 10
manutactutures it is TO be expected he viii devote
his attention 20 agriculture. Nmc the Northern
capitalist can b9y more corn and wheat and cotton
with the product of ms mills and ms shops than
with the same means and the character of labor at
his command he could grow, 1t Is natural he should
prefer manufactures. Owing 10 the difference IN
the character of labor IN the two sections, tins has
been found 10 be the case IN actual practice hereto
fore. And being so. with each year the North has
become more exclusively manufacturing anu me
south more exclusively agricultural Inc North
has been content 20 manufacture the SOUTH TO pro
ducC.
But circumstances now make II the uuly OF SCUM
crn people TO examine this question with Wow 10
ascertaiuing whether home manufactures would
not he found profitable And, indeed, II is serious
question whether they should not be sustained ana
made profitable by the Southern producing interest
In view Of the continual war are being Waseu up
on the labor and capital Of the slavchOldlhs Hlaes
by those i'm the free States who have grown tat ana
sleek on the fruits of slavery, this becomes an mn
portant consideration
But we believe many descriptions of goods may
be manufactured IN the southern States not OILY as
cheap, but for less price than in the Northern
States Many points in the South present great IA
cilities for manufacturing. Among them are Louis
vile Memphis Nashville, and other cities in Ken
+uckv and her sister States We rejoice that atten-
fion is being turned TO this question. We furnish
the raw material Tor Northern manufacture, and
food for the operatives and buy their goods in re-
turn having transportation. commissions &c while
NE nossess unlimited motive power at a much
cbs,1er rate at home for all manufacturing pur-
poses.
Norfbe7,n mills and OF the wheat. the beef &C. to
Cod t,a laboiers while they convert the cotton into
cloth and the profits and charges on the manutac-
tred goods back TO us again, would afford the South
.,.n 7,9nufaeftlrer a handsome profit TO say nothing
mi rho difference between the cost of the motive
mower where coal may be had fol a little more
iban the cost Of digging. The true policy OF the
south and West il 20 manufacture their own cotton
and wool and to consume their own corn and beet
at home
With the completion of the railroads now contom-
Mated coal viii be delivered in most Of our towns
and cities 20 a low rate. Indeed, az the present
time its cost at our principal western cities Is hardly
hall that which is paid by the eastern nlanuthctu
rer Besides the great facilities afforded as for th'
employment of steam. we have on our western rlv
ers available water power sufficient TO run an th'
spindles and looms IN Great Britain.