Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1861-03-20
North and south - Their Commerce
and Population.

Some Of the anti-slaverv journals Of the North
have been recently making comparisons between
the growth Of commerce and population at the
South and the North and, taking their cue from
Helpers book, they are indulging in considerable
sophistry and misrepresentation Of course to the
advantage of the North and the desriment of the
South. For instance, they assume that because
the population Of the fifteen Southern States Is
only twelve and a half millions, and that of the
nineteen Northern States is nearly nineteen mil
lions. or one-third more, that the North is i'm
mensely prosperous and the South miserably
slow. But while they quote the figures from the
census tables, they carefully keep out Of view
the fact of the artificial increase which the North
has received by emigration from Europe-the
result of revolution and msgovernment in the
Old World. From this source alone the popula-
ton of the Northern States has added TO its num-
bers not less than eight millions Of people within
the last half century. and to its capital. in
money and labor, all the little property the skill
industry and enterprise of just that number. The
South. meantime, has gained comparatively moth
ing from this source; but in fact and truth the
growth of the Southern States, by natural means,
has been just great that of the North.
As to the material prosperity Of the two sec
tons. comparisons are drawn between some OF
the Northwestern States and the cotton States
between Illinois and Georgia, for example Now
if there be State in the Union which owes more
to the influence of immigration than another, it Is
Illinois; and moreover, 10 compare the growth OF
new State with an old one in almost the first
decade of the formers existence. with labor and
capital flowing into il from abroad, as il has done
in the North western region, is absurd. We all
know to what circumstances the North western
States owe their great increase in population sild
cultivation, and we know that the Southern
States have not shared me advantages of the-e
circumstances. 1t is to immigration from Europe
and from the Atlantic States and TO the fever OF
land speculation. that the new States of the West
are indebted for their sudden prosperity. But in
the matter of solid financial stamina il is folly To
compare the West with the South. The West.
with all its advantages, is hardly able to pay its
way Ii is only upon the splendid future before
it that one can predict ANYTHING for that section
of country. The South, on the contrary has al
ways been sound in its financial concerns Ii pays
its debts. Commercial transactions with the
South have always been secure operations-not
mere gambling speculations, as with the West.
But it is urged that the South has only one
staple. This is not so; it possesses in abundance
four great staples-essenta 10 the whole civilized
world-cotton rice, tobacco and sugar. And IL
it were rot moro profitable TO raise these products
and buy grain from the Western States, the
Southern fields could grow cereals as well IN
much larger quantities than they are raised now
Taking the cue again from Helper, the anti
slavery journals argue that the South pays only
one tenth Of the duties on foreign imports. Nov
we will venture TO assert that more thsn half the
luxuries paying high duties-such as wines rich
silks and velvets, jewelry and other items-are
consumed in the South, although the duties are
collected in Northern ports. The West uses very
little Of these articles; the Atlantic States. Of
course, consume their proportion; but half of the
entire importation Of luxuries goes to the South.
Ii is the poorest sophistry 10 represent the amount
of duties collected in the Southern custom houses
he fo<f off flo si.ff9ou of In
the revenues OF the Government. No matter at
what port Of entry the duties imposed. IL Is the
consumer Of dutiable articles who indirectly pays
the impost and in this regard the Southern States
are not behind the North.
Again. IL is said that all the cash capital is cen
tered in the North. II is true the great bulk Of
cash capital is in the Northern States, but where
is itf Not in Wisconsin or in Illinois, nor in
Vermont or New Hampshire II is in the large
Atlantic cites-in New York, Boston and Phila-
delphia; but If the Southern Confederacy is to be-
come permanent through the hostile policy ofthe
present Administration, there may be a very ma
terial change In It's location before long. Already
we hear of large houses here breaking up and go
ing South; and it is not only the merchats who
will transfer their business in that direction. bu
even the manufacturers Of New England will be
soon following; the mill owners and manufactur-
ers Of Lynn and Marblehead and Lowell viii re
move TO Virginia and the other border States il
the Southern Confederacy maintains its indepen-
dence permanently; and then what becomes of
our cash capital and Of our property Of every des
criptiohf They will go 10 the dogs before many
years have elapsed. II is very well for the anti
slavery newspapers to get up articles based upon
Helpers false tables Of finances and statistics. en-
dearoring TO prove that the North enjoys all the
prosperity of the country, and that the South is
weak, poor and despicable. But the theory is not
true, and IL the political events now transpiring
do not assume An amicable complexion before
long. that theory will be put 10 bitter test.
shall discover when too late.-N. Y. Herald.