The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1860-01-20
The Power and Wealth of the South.

We do not imagine that any exhibition
of facts and figures will produce the
slightest effect in averting the tendency
ofthat audacious spirit of aggression which
has eliminated to the point of open
warfare against the South, among the Alb
olition classes Of the people of the North
ern States. But for the just perception
and full estimation of the great wealth
and power of the Southern section of this
Union--to convince them Of their COM
mercial self-depenence and resources.
we desire to refer to certain statistics re-
Gently published by the Treasury Depart
ment at Washington. These constitutes
the statement of our exports for the last
fiscal year. According to these tables,
the amount of produce exported from
the United States for the last fiscal year
amounted to S278, ,392 ,080, not including
specie, which amounted to S57 ,502,30
making total of 1885, ,894,3 The free
States furnished of these exports, of their
own products exclusively. S5.2Sl,09l, as
follows: fisheries and oils, S4,462 973;
coal, 1868, ,536; ice, Sl645SlS Free and
slave States, of productions common to
both, SS4,4l7 .493 as follows: products
of the forest, Si2099, ,3G7 products of ag-
riculture-animal food S13,549, ,Sl7; veg
etable food, s., %, 49, ,5S7; miscellaneous
and manufactured, $50, l97, ,274, manulac-
tured, not enumerated. S2,274,652; raw
produce, 81 ,S5S, ,2O5. The slave States ex-
ported, exclusively Of their own produc-
tions, SlSS, ,693, ,496, as follows: cotton,
Sl6l. .434,9 tobacco. S2l, ,973,074 /; rosin
and turpentine, S3,5j4, ,4l6 rice, 2,207.-
14S; tar and pitch, S14l,0 ,04S; brown su-
gar. Sl96935; molasses, S75,699; hemp,
S9,279. These figures, which are just fur
nished from official sources and published
in the Washington Constitution, show
that of the entire expectation of the coun-
try, the free States furnish exclusively,
S5,2Sl .09l free and slave States, SSH
Az .393; and slave States exclusively,
SlSS,693, ,496. Out of those furnished by
slave and free States in common, one
third is estimated as belonging to the
products OF slave labor, making the en-
tire amount of $500, ,0000 900 out of $685.
$50, ,0S4, as the products of slave labor.
1t is with these products Of the South
that we shall be able to pay for the en-
ormous imports which are filling the
stores and warehouses of the North
Cut off this resource, or transfer it to any
other nation or people, and history has
no record of so total and disastrous
bankruptcy, such widespread ruin and
desolation as will be spread throughout
the whole extent of the Northern and
Western States. 1t would produce sud-
den paralysis, a collapse such as the world
never before witnessed. There was new
er so dependent u people as those of New
England, nor so Independent commu-
nifty as that of the South. II blockaded,
cut Off from all intercourse with the en-
ternal world there is nothing essential to
the comfort, happiness and growth of
people, which the South could not pro-
duce. The very existence of New York
depends upon her commerce. her inter
course with the world. Hemmed. and
she would shrink and wither in
few years; her nopulation would aban-