Newbern weekly progress., 1860-12-25
tFrom the n. Y. Day Book ]


FIGURES AGAIN.
PAYING THE PIPER-The four States of South
Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, and Florida propose
to raise at least 10000 troops to keep secession
working smoothly. Now, an army is not fancy
ball, but stern and hungry reality, whose dali y
bread is not got by praying for it. Every soldier
IN the United States service costs the Govern
ment $500 year. The chivalry will not volun-
teer for less pay and fewer rations For 10000
men the annual cost will thus be S6,OOO,0 ,000-
Then the States will probably need mails AS
the country they to traverse very extensive,
they cannot be carried for less than another 81,
100000, unless the general cessation of business
consequent on secession should result in empty
mail bags, and induce curtailment of the
service In addition to the army, there will be
crowds of patriots, emulous, and even rampant,
dents, Judges, Legislators, Foreign Ministers.
&c These, even without the stealings, would
quickly swallow up $1,000,000 more. With them,
conjecture is at fault, But the taxation in these
States already amounts to $2,O0OO00. making a
grand total of $l0000,0O0, annually. Now. let
US see who is TO pay this.-[N Y Tribune.
The Tribune goes on to state that the num-
Der of white males in these four States IS 400,-
600; that a tax of $4,000, 900 per annum
will prove greater than they can bear, ergo that
they will begin to move away or starve, and
that the negroes will rise in insurrection, ergo
that the people of Alabama, Florida, Georgia
and South Carolina mad, blinded by pas
SSA~AAANAi
sense, etc. etc, dd Ibiteme ct naatse0m.
1t is only fair that if we consider the extra
cost of maintaining the new government, we
should also allow what that community will gain
by the change. We might object to the basis of
the Trbune's calculations We might suggest
that the militia of the Southern States are sufff
cient to protect their iresides, that they can
afford, from motives of patriotism, to maintain
themselves or at the most live on pittance for
the government, that the public officials will
serve without pecuniary reward, if necessary,
and that, Greeley's Albany friends having no
control in the disposition of the finances they
will be administered, as they always have been
in the southern States, with the strict economy
and honesty. We might object to the estimated
$1O,O0O,0 900 with propriety, but no matter.
The four States Of South Carolina, Georgia,
Florida and Alabama raised the following crops
of cotton during the year ending August 31st,
1861
States. Bales.
South Carolina, 556,O91
Georgia 800
Florida, 1S5, 72O
Alabama S43,Ol2
Total bales. four States 2124 S66
This is nearly one-half of the entire cotton
crop of the South. The amount of cotton con-
su1ned in the United States for the year was
978, ,O43 bales If one-half of this or in round
numbers 45O, 900 bales came from the States OF
South Carolina, Georgia. Florida and Alabama,
it would leave their exports to foreign ports
1914 S66 bales. The value of these exports,
calculating 45O pounds to the bale, and the
cost II cents per pound, would be So, ,O9O,-
1926
The four States, therefore, send forth annu-
ally in round numbers, $50, 000,0 900 worth Of
products. This large amount must come back to
them in some shape. 1t does not come in gold
and silver, for, as is doubtless apparent to Gree
ley, the people cannot eat or wear gold and Sill
YER 1t does come back in silks, broadcloths,
wines and other products of foreign industry.
But before it reaches the South, it is stopped
by the general government, and its owners are
forced to pay duty of 20 per cent to Uncle
Sam before they get it. They therefore
part with one-ffth of the returned value oftheir
annual cotton crop On $50, 600, 900 the amount
they pay to the government is $4,000 per an
num- What becomes Of it, Greeley we'll knows.
He and his party get up all sorts of plundering
schemes to squander it away on the northern
people One thing is certain, not thirticth
part is spent upon the four States which con-
tribute it. It is evident, theI eforc that If those
States dissolve their alliance with the govern
mcnt open their ports to free trade, and re-
ceive back their SS3, 600 600 worth of valuabes,
free of the government taxation, they save the
SIG, 500, 900 as aforesaid.
But this is not all. As the course of trade
is now arranged, the Southern planter not on
" pays the general government twenty per
cent to get the value of his money back, bat
he pays the northern factor, shipper, importer
and merchant who do his business, at the low
est estimate thirty per cent mere. If tho four
States break off from the North, they will not
only have free trade but will do their business
hereafter in their own ports Here then is a
full saving in all, of fifty per cent or in round
numers $41 500, 900 per annum.
The philosophers and political economists of
the Republican party will be able to deduce
from these figures, that though the onerous
burden of sustaining government to the tune
of $40, 900, 900 per annum may devolve upon
the four States of South Carolina, Georgia,
Florida and Alabama, yet by the act which
creates this great expenditure, they save at
least $50, 600, 600 per annum.
The surplus would prove very welcome to
the people of those States. They would be
enabled to spend more in beautifying their
homes, more in improving their public build
ings more in stocking their cellars, more in
buying new supplies of ''niggers," and have
something left over to appropriate towards the
education of the anti slavery" politicians and
editors in the simple clements of political econ