The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-03-08


thirds of the population of the Northern con-
federacy of nineteen States. The population
of the seven States now united under one gov
eminent Is distributed as follows
South Carolina. OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. 7l5,37l
Georgia. ...................." 10y, 736
FLORIDA. <Is0 600
Alabama ...................... 1o0,Vlt
LOulsianH. ......... .............ss Ooo,fol
husSlSslppl. neutrality-suspicious. oo0,Uoo
IeXas. .........s.... ..'..........'.... oW,Soo
Total 5,O53, l54
The Southern government, 1t will be seen, is
making active preparations to strengthen itself
in case difficulty should arise with the North
ern administration. An army is now being
rapidly organized and equipped. By the adop
ton of the old and somewhat equitable tariff of
the United States, the South has gained an i'm
mense advantage over the North, as many arti
cles of foreign merchandise will be excluded
from our ports by the exorbitant and in some
cases prohibitory duties imposed by the Morrill,
tariff and thus, while importations will fall
away in the Northern cities, they will increase
and are even now increasing in the ports of
Savannah, Mobile, New Orleans and Charles
seeking more friendly ports with their goods,
the products and manufactures of the Northern
States will be subjected to an equal duty with
foreign manufactures on the Southern border
measure which will prove protective of
Southern industry and enterprise, as well as
productive of considerable revenue to the
South.
Again, in the matter Of expansion the South
ern confederacy has much the advantage over
the Northern. There are the cotton lands of
Mexico, which, in the ordinary course of things,
may probably be absorbed by the Southern
section, and ultimately, no doubt, Cuba also
may be annexed to the adjoining free States on
this continent, and thus enjoy that indepen-
dence, as member of self-governed empire,
for which her people have been so long pining;
in which event the Gulf of Mexico will be
transformed, as it were, into an inland lake,
and the commerce Of the tropical States of both
North and South America will find q ready and
profitable mart for their products in the
various ports on the Gulf The rich re-
sources Of Mexico and the South Anne
rican States can thus be developed for
the benefit of the Southern c0nfederacy
instead of being converted, as they are now,
TO the profit of England and France by means
of the regular steam communication kept up
between them and these latter countries. The
statesmen of the South are not blind to the i'm
portance of o closer intimacy with Mexico and
the republics of Central and South America,
which has been restricted heretofore by the
selfish policy Of Northern politicians; and now
that they are at liberty to act for themselves
they will No doubt endeavor to divert the trade
of those countries from European channels into
their own ports, even If their policy should not
involve immediate measures Of annexation. :
And to counterbalance this adhesion of COM
mercial or territorial strength to the Southern
confederacy, what has the Northern confede-
racy to fall back upon2 Nothing but the an
nexation Of the British provinces And what
reason is there to expect that anything
short Of annexation will increase the advan-
tages which our contiguity to British America
now insures us, We cannot hope for any inor-
dinate growth of inter-trade with the British
possessions Unlike the Southern government,
we at the North can open up no new fields Of
enterprise such as the unfallowed fields of
Mexico, Central America and the South Ameri-
can republics afford to the sagacity of the
southern States. Wanting convenient mar
ket for their products, much of the most valu-
able resources of these tropical countries, both
in mineral and agricultural wealth, have been
neglected; but with the adoption of q liberal
policy and the establishment of regular cQr-
munication on the part of the southern con.
federacy, there may be no D-it to the riches
they are capable Of developing, most of which
will certainly, inure to the benefit of that go.
yernment which encourages Its development.
Apart, then, from the mere question Of terrific
rial acquisiton-which would seem almost In
evitable-the South has splendid opportunity
Of building herself up by awaiting itself
of the commercial resources Of adjacent
countries.
Thus, by the calm and dignihed action Of the
new government, by the enrolment of nu
merous and patriotic army, by the adoption Of
favorable tariff, by all the advantages which
surround it, the Southern oonfederacy to-day
gives promise Of permanency and prosperity
which those who rely upon the success Of coer-
Give measures to bring the seeding States
back into the Union cannot well despise. Aud
vet we can sud nothing foreshsdowed in the
dim and half define policy Of Mr. Lincoln but
coercion, so far as the amp,r uous language OF
bis inaugural stands the test OF ''"ys'S-co'
ercion IL be can, federation u be must