The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1861-02-16
EUROPE.
THE MAILS PER STEAMER NEW YORK

ing street.
ENGLISH OPINIONS ON THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION.
From the london Times, Jan, 2S.l
Ii the threatened dissolution of the United States
should be actually consummated, its citizens will
enjoy singular opportunity of contemplating, at
the very crisis of their destinies, the magnitude
and spendor of the political fabric which they have
destroyed. The year of the Secession was also
the year of the Census. At the moment that the
Federal Government was receiving the envOvs of
independent Carolina, it was receiving also the re-
turns of population and progress from the several
States of the Union. For the eighth time only
since the origin of the Confederacy, and vet for
the last time perhaps, in its history, the great Re-
public has taken stock Of its people. 1t has num-
bered and classified its citizens counted its gains
and put its growth upon record, and now it seems
as II 1t were resolved on terminating its existence
Ii 1t does it will die in blaze. Its progress has
0utstripped even the specuationS of its own rulers
Ten years ago, at the taking Of the seventh Cen
sus, some Americans safe down to calculate the
probable numbers of the population in 1860, just
as thrifty trader on balancing his accounts will
indulge himself in computing the prospective ac-
cumulation of such surplus he has just disco
vered. They made out that the United States
would contain at the period which has now arriv-
ed an aggregate population of 81 ,095 535. The
reckoning has actually been verified, and with a
little to spare. The numbers are 81, ,374 $50.
Nothing like such growth has ever been witness
ed in the old States of Europe. The increase dur
ing the decade has been upwards of 5000 900: the
percentage 35. Our own country has made great
strides, cons dering the numbers who emgrate,
but we can only show such per centage of increase
in very rare instances, upon insigniicant areas,
and under special conditions.
The statistics of the provincial returns are in
some cases perfectly astounding. Not only single
cities, but whole States, have actually doubled
their numbers, and Chicago has all but quadrupled
its population. In 1850 it contained less than
10000 inhabitants; it now contains nearly ll0, ,00O
The State of New York has increased by about
100000, pennsylvania by 100000, Massachusetts
hrrt ,,,., .N4
In the Northwest the progress has been extraordi-
nary. The three States of Michigan, Wisconsin
and Iowa hardly contained between than more
inhabitants in 1850 than Wisconsin alone contains
at the present time. Iowa, in particular, had a
population of 49,, PA in 1850, whereas it now num-
bers its 675, ,435 souls. The Americans carry into
these reckonings spirit of rivalry which is quite
amusing. They poll their populations as they do
their electors and look for the returns of the
merators as we do for the declaration of the Mayor
on the day after tremendous contest between
wing and Tory. The recent census happened to
place Cincinnati 2,ll9 below st. Louis on the
great national poll Its citizens protested against
the return, demanded scrutiny, and instituted
private census of their own to test the official
figures. Their proceedings resulted in a decisive
victory. They discovered that they had been un-
derrated by II ,233 inhabitants, and pulled down
accordingly the ma jority of St. Louis with good
5000 to spare
single entry of apparently slight Importance
IN the statistics before explains the whole of that
struggle between North and South which now
threatens such formidable consequences. The
population of the Territories" is set down alto
gether at 3S4, S56-not much above that of the sin
gle city of Brooklyn, and less than that of Phila-
celphia, but the area of the country thus thinly
occupied is ittle if at ALL less than the aggregate
area ofall the organized States of the Union. By
whom, then, are these magnificent opportunities
OF expansion to be enjoyed? What people are to
possess these boundless chances of growth? "We,"
say the citizens of the North-"we will not allow
that State of this clnrinus TTninn cbolI he
infected with the taint of slavery. New soil shall
be free SOIL We will not interfere with the insti-
tutions which time has sanctioned in the States
where they still exist, but we will never permit the
evil to spread.''
What, however, does such declaration mean?
1t is sincerely uttered, verify believe and Eng
lishmen will never gansay its justice propriety;
but IN its political import it cuts off the South
from all prospect, not only of popular growth, but
of political preponderance. 1t would isolate the
Southern States, and leave them, unless they chose
gradually to abolish slavery, to die out, as it were
in comparison with the expansive communities
around them. They could only avail themselves
of the new territories by foregoing their f'peculiar
institution" and discarding their property" To
tell them that they may share the common privi-
lege Of American citizens Of migrating to new
homes, but that they must leave their slaves be.
hind, is something like telling Western settler
that he may go into the backwoods, but that he
must not take his axe with him. They protest ac-
cordingly, and are ready to secede and even to
tight, not for their possessions, for those not
likely to be moested, but for the freedom of pro-
gress and colonization which their adversaries
would deny them.
From the Money Market Rspie,Ul
THE PROSPECTS OF AMERICAN TRADE.
With regard to secession it is scarcely necessary
to say that the probability is now largely on the
side of Southern Confederation being established.
At this season of the year we are almost a fort
night in receiving detailed American news; and if
we take that fortnight into account, the South has
70 ol-ar Jnp
union, and to present a front to Mr.. Lincoln which
even he will hesitate to attack. And when it is
considered that since the abrogaion of slavery
in the Northern States, the Southern States have
been accustomed to act together even very
trfng questions, it is far more likely that the con-
federation of the South will be complete before the
Inauguration of the new President than the con-
trary. This would almost lead inevitably to re-
cognition of the independent sovereignty of the
South by Mr.. Lincoln, as coercion would then be
really hopeless. The United State ships-of war
might devastate the seaport towns of the Southern
seaboard, but these not the vital parts of the
South; and on the American doctrine of free ships
making free goods, British vessels would be priv
ileged to carry uninterrupted traffic with the
South. The North, in fact, cannot reach the vital
part of the South at al-that is the cotton, rice,
and sugar growing dstricts-and the battle of Sc.
cession would be fought in Virginia or Maryland,
where harm could be done; or, perhaps, in Penn
syvania, into which the SOutherners might at
tempt to carry war.
A peaceful recognition of Southern sovereignty
would open up an entirely new field for enterprise,
prove in the end highly advantageous to the North
ern States, and afford the only hope of the uti-
mate extinction of Southern slavery. So long as
the present union is maintained the Southern
States must remain in dependence on the North,
producing nothing but what they produce at pre-
sent, and receiving from the North at secondhand
everything that they consume. This would be no
privation were the Southern States without the
resources for any higher industrial effort, and cut
|
they are in possession OF some OF the finest harbors
on the American continent; large, valuable and
extensive forests coal and other minerals in great
abundance, and traversed in all directions by
navigable rivers and by railways. Above all, the
agricultural capabilities of the Southern States
are of the highest order, the wheat and the -four o
these States being much superior to the wheat
| and -four of the Western States as our own wheat
and flour. Why, then, should the Southern States
continue doomed by the present union to ignore
these great resources, and to be contented with
the comparatively few productions of slave labor
This is the real grievance of the Southern States
and in the highest interest of humanity we may
wish the secession movement speedy and complete
| success.
Resistance to the claims of the Southern States
! particularly if these States cast in their lot to
gether can only be of short duration, and need not
| excite real alarm as to the supply of that great
| staple upon which much depends, until at leas
we have time to receive supplies from other parts.
! There seems no reason to apprehend an iusurrec
! ton among the negroes; and the field hands neeC
| not be withdrawn from their work. Upon tht
plantations it is doubtful if much will be known o
| the present movement until it has been settled.
is not to be forgotten that the poor slaves of thu
| Southern States are in the main removed by only
one degree from the savage state, and quite inca
pabe of any great concerted effort.
FRANCE.
The Patrie says: 1t is not true, some journals
| have stated, that the French Government has en-
couraged Denmark to resist the demands of Ger
many neither is it true that France is organizing
| a squadron to be sent to the Baltic.
The Army and Navy Gazette says: The Emperor
has resolved to construct with all despatch 10 iron
cased frigates of La Gloire class. This is more
| idle rumor, but stubborn fact.
| The Independence Beige says that verbal com
munication had been made by Prince Metternicl
| to N. Thouvenel, in which Austria declared tha
she should consider as a casus bellt with Piedmon
an attack by Garbaldi upon any point whatsoeve
of the Austrian Territory. 1t is added that Aus
| tria, in this communication expressed the wish t
respect Lombardy, and that NJ. Thouvenel, in ia
king note of this declaration, observed that il, il
| an eventuality such as that which Prince Meter
| mich had referred to, the Austrian Government
employed German federal contingents, Franc
would consider that fact violation of the prnci
| pie of non-intervention.
ITALY.
The dates from Gaeta are to Jan. 25. The BON
| bardment continue ed with frghtful effect from tn
Sardinia batteries. The fire of the town was feeble
Gen. Cialdini had lost very few men, but one gun
boat had been damaged.
1t is hopeful that success will attend the efforts G
the besiegers in few days. The feet withdrew O.
! the 23d in order to repair damages, after havin
silenced nearly ii the enemy's batteries 1t recon-
| menced the bombardment on the same evening
Gaeta has suffered much from the Sandman fire.
| Russian frigate has left Toulon, but has no
| proceeded to Gaeta. Her destination is Villafrancs
| NH fha ifc frac