In

a reduction in wages of labor. Their the abolition of African slavery. In 1789, fanatical opinions, with their desire of Hayti exported 73,573,300 lbs. Muscopolitical power for sectional aggrandize- vado sugar. The French, during their ment, induce them to invite the foreign revolutionary days, abolished slavery. pauper population of Europe by millions In 1840, under African free labor, Hayti to our shores, by proffering to give them exported 741 lbs. sugar. the public lands that they deny the The great change brought about in the right of their southern brethren to pur- trade of the northern and southern states, chase from the government and settle, has been caused by an almost exclusive only on degrading conditions of being application of capital and labor in the ruled in their property by Mexican South to agricultural pursuits; and the laws. greater amount of capital and labor in The other commercial and manufac- the northern states being employed in turing states are, New-Jersey, Pennsyl- commerce, internal improvements and vania, New-York, Ohio and Michigan, manufactures, has given the northern They contain 197,027 square miles, and a population of 8,265,711. These states are much richer, naturally, than the New-England States, in vegetable and mineral productions. Iron ore, coal and copper are abundant; a large portion of them are productive in grain and vegetable productions common to cold climates. Agriculture, manufactures and commerce, all have a share of capital and labor devoted to their success. Commerce is the ruling interest, and in consequence of southern inattention, and the vigorous prosecution of that branch of industry and enterprise by New-York, she has, to a great extent, monopolized the foreign and domestic trade of the Union. She spent forty millions on her canals, which are frequently closed with ice, and sixty millions on the NewYork and Erie, and other rail-roads, to connect her with the Lake and Mississippi trade. These improvements, with her extensive foreign trade, have turned freights and passengers up stream in the Mississippi valley. Although her works of internal improvement cost a large amount, the advance on real estate in New-York alone will doubly pay the whole amount; besides rents, rail-road and canal stocks, bank stocks, and all interests are made to prosper in proportion to the extent of trade.

people many millions annually of southern and western capital, that could have been profitably employed in the South and West, which has enabled them to receive all the protection from the Federal Government, for the encouragement of domestic manufactures, and tonage duties to build up commerce. this manner the northern and New England sections have been receiving for many years a constant flow of capital from the South and West, which, according to the best calculation that can be made, since 1808, has amounted in govemment protection to nine hundred millions of dollars, and about a similar amount has been lost to the South and West in consequence of their indirect and expensive system of trade. Under this state of things, the present prosperity of the commercial and manufacturing states is of very uncertain duration, as all unnatural systems of prosperity must be. Should the South and West, in the next five or ten years, embark extensively in commerce, internal improvements and manufactures, as it is clearly their interest to do, and the seat of commerce and manufactures be established in the most congenial parts of these sections, the present appearance of things will undergo a wonderful revolution. At this time the rapid progress of the various Before the Revolutionary war, Virginia isms in the commercial and manufacturexported and imported three times more ing states, must make the lovers of justhan New-York, and had a greater po- tice, order and good government, begin pulation. New-York has now thirty- to feel the unhappy European uncertainthree members in Congress and Virginia ty in the future. To accomplish the abothirteen. In 1769, Virginia imported lition of slavery is only one of the vision$4,085,472. The same year New-York ary dogmas of the day; the same princiimported $907,200; for the year ending ple will abolish rights to all property and 30th June, 1850, Virginia imported all opinions not in accordance with its $426,399, New-York imported $111,123- own. Unless this spirit is soon checked, 524, this is a change in trade as re- the standing armies common in Europe markable as that in Hayti produced by will soon be absolutely necessary in a

Commercial and Manufacturing States-Southern Seaports. 443 number of the northern states. Mob they will, therefore, be able to convey law is already stronger than civil law. In a very considerable portion of NewYork, land-rents cannot be regularly collected short of force of arms.

The commercial and manufacturing states owe a debt of $92,154,118, which, if a healthy system of trade were established, would be at least four times, according to means, as great as that due by the agricultural states. A proper adjustment of the export and import trade would not give these states more than one-fourth of the Union..

The agricultural states are, Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Texas, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Tennessee, Kentucky, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa and Wisconsin.

passengers and freights lower. The Mobile and Ohio, and Alabama and Tennessee river rail-roads, commencing at Lake Michigan and Lake Erie, and terminating at the Bay of Mobile on the gulf, will be to other roads what the Mississippi river is to other rivers. Mobile will, therefore, become the great outlet, by railway, that New-Orleans is by water. The natural shape of the country points out the states of Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri and Tennessee, the upper parts of Arkansas, Mississippi, and Alabama, as the heart of the rail-road system for this great slope of basin. This region will become the empire of manufactures. On the gulf, where all the productions of this inexhaustible country has a tendency to get an outlet, will beThey contain an area of 1,043,686 come the empire of commerce. Here, at square miles, which is four times as large all seasons of the year, vessels can go as the commercial and manufacturing and come by the assistance of the gulfstates, and nine times the size of Great stream and trade-winds. From the naBritain, and would, at her density of po- ture of things, these will be the great pulation to the square mile, support two highways of general commerce for cenhundred millions of human beings. They turies. One of the results of the war contain now a population of twelve mil- with Mexico, will be to turn the trade of lions; lie in a compact body on the At- the Pacific, to a great extent, across by lantic and gulf slope of the Rocky Moun- the land route. Mobile and New-Orleans tains, with the great Mississippi River, will then be in a central position for exmaking its way from the Lakes, through tensive trade with surrounding countheir centre, to the Gulf of Mexico, tries. London and Liverpool, New-York which is the great ocean river, sufficient and Boston, will be far out on the outly large to contain all the shipping of the skirts. world. Within their limits are soils, cli- Southern seaports not only have admates, and seasons, capable of produ- vantages of a back country containing cing all the elements of food and rai- all the natural elements in the highest ment necessary for civilized man, in the degree of agricultural, commercial and greatest profusion, with timber sufficient manufacturing prosperity, but they have to build all the boats, ships, steam-ves- a population that renders more safety and sels and houses that may be required for stability to investments in any pursuit of the next thousand years; water-power life than any of the surrounding nations. more than sufficient to drive all the ma- None of the dangerous dogmas of the chinery of Europe and America; vast day can flourish in any of the slave or coal-fields, inexhaustible for ages; iron free states belonging to this division. ore, of the best quality, in the midst of the Rights of property, according to our concoal-fields, to an extent that knows no limit, with thirty thousand miles steamboat navigation emptying into the gulf and Atlantic at sufficient points for all useful purposes; with more than two thousand miles of sea and gulf coast, never closed by ice, or even obstructed. This country is now the empire of agriculture.

In consequence of low grading and cheap right of way, rail-roads can be built at one-third less cost than in the commercial and manufacturing states;

stitution, are strictly regarded and complied with without difficulty. They contain the best material for a defensive war of the age-a slave population, the most effective laborers for a warm climate, under the best discipline and most skilful direction of any other people, in numbers sufficient to raise the means of army subsistence for any probable war, too well fed, clothed and taken care of, to be restless or unruly, and the least dangerous from insurrection. If the three millions of the African race now in these

states were suddenly destroyed, millions by land and sea, guarantied to every citi

Revolution in Trade-Importance of New-Orleans and Mobile. 445

ferson, Franklin, and their ever-to-be- power, would, in all probability, use it remembered compatriots, were compell- with justice and liberality to all seced to do, in order to secure political li- tions. We might then calculate that our berty-but by a commercial and manu- country would move on rapidly to prefacturing revolution, which, instead of eminence among nations. This is one burthening us with heavy taxes, will an- side of the picture. There is another. nually advance our aggregate wealth by By our conduct events may take a dif many millions. ferent turn. Samson had power at one On commencing this war, we find our time to slay the Philistines, regardless of opponents already fully organized and numbers. He was enticed from duty, drilled; our own forces scattered over an bound while asleep, shorn of his locks of extensive country, without any organi- strength and his eyes put out. We are zation or discipline. To offset this we this day, physically, the most powerful find ourselves very favorably situated in people of the age; but there is a Delilah one very important particular. We have enticing us, deceptively, in order that their campaign provision, and our own, we may sleep until she binds us with a too, already in possession, which of course cord of free-soil states, that our locks of must decide the victory in our favor, if we strength may be shorn from us; which are capable of properly using and suc- states, to a great extent, are to be reared cessfully defending this important ad- up by the pauper population of Europe. vantage. Their commercial and manu- They are now lean, lank, degraded, facturing prosperity now almost entirely weakly human beings, entitled to our rests upon our large surplus of exporta- pity. When our lands, with the fat ble produce. We have been in the thereof, shall be divided amongst them, habit of letting them have the use of the the change in their condition will be so greater portion of these exports without sudden and great that they will know interest, and paying double in profits and no limit to universal equality. Our facharges, which would be necessary if natical neighbors, with the aid of a few conducted by our own citizens, through foreign emissaries, can soon raise a cruour own ports, on the most advantage- sade against their southern brethren, on ous plan, to make our section bloom whose means they have been warmed with prosperity. All then that is re- into striking power. In the mean time quired to ensure success, is to organize our taxes will be increased; we will conproperly a force competent in every way tribute millions to increase the wealth to use our means for our own advantage, and power of another section. The love without letting thein get the control as of power and sectional aggrandizement, they have heretofore. This can be done aided by fanaticism, will encroach upon best on military principles. Let every our dearest rights and liberties, until postate raise an army of capitalists in num- litical and national death, under the cirbers and amount, sufficient to carry cumstances, will be preferred to longer every seaport on the coast at the first existence. The southern sword, seldom onset. This can be best done by get- known to falter, will be drawn. Vigoting the exports from, and amount of rously assaulted by cool, calculating goods sold in the region of any port that power, and furiously assailed by fanatican most conveniently obtain their sup- cism, attacked on all sides, by sea and plies at such port. It is practicable un- by land, in front and rear, the deathly der the system proposed, by incorpo- conflict will rage beyond a parallel, rating the Alabama Direct Trade and until our common country will be Exchange Company, to lay down foreign drenched with blood from sea-shore to goods in our cities, towns, villages, and mountain. Those who now fear to meet landings, in proper quantities, lower than the gathering storm, and disperse or roll possibly can be done by New-York and it back, may well then call on the rocks Boston, which will, of course, take the and mountains to fall upon them and trade. If the South and West, in this hide them from their furious enemies. manner, revolutionize the trade of the No human foresight can predict on country, they will change the relative which side victory will rest, but all can sectional population, and, as a conse- see a powerful check, a stop to civilizaquence, the political power. They have tion, progress and well-regulated human always been just and liberal to the liberty on the North American ContiNorth, and therefore, if they had political nent.

Every southern seaport city, except The removal of these obstructions will Baltimore, is doing an unnatural and probably come under national and state less extensive import trade than would legislation for aid. Appropriations on be entirely legitimate, and can add the part of Congress will be within fedegreatly to their own and the prosperity ral jurisdiction to an amount sufficient of the surrounding population by ex- to deepen the mouth of the Mississippi tending their commercial operations. and Mobile bay, so as to admit largeAlabama and Louisiana, the one in Mo- class vessels-clear the Iberville River bile, the other in New-Orleans, each from obstructions that will permit a free holds a great key to the future prosperity passage of first-class steamboats from the and progress of the millions of human Mississippi into Lake Pontchartrain. Apbeings that are to inhabit the great Mis- propriations of one hundred thousand dolsissippi valley. In the present condition lars each, to four lines of steamers or of the world the cities above named are other vessels, from Mobile to ports in of vastly greater importance in a pecu- Europe, South America, California, Asia, niary, political, and military point of view, and the Mediterranean, with the view than Gibraltar, which is the key to the of touching at all points on their respecMediterranean. After the adoption of tive routes desirable; appropriations of the United States Constitution, the pos- alternate sections of public lands in aid session of Louisiana by a foreign power, of a branch trunk of the Mobile and and the consequent embarrassments at Ohio Rail-road to New-Orleans; approtending the free navigation of the Mis- priations of lands in aid of the great railsissippi, threatened seriously the dis- road now in process of construction from solution of the Union. In consequence Lake Erie, by way of Cincinnati, Ohio, of the modern system of rail-roads, Ala- Frankfort, Kentucky, Nashville, Tennesbama holds a pass no less important than see, Selma, in Alabama, to Mobile, conNew-Orleans. A failure to remove ob- necting the Lakes with the Gulf; also structions to free trade and travel through appropriations of alternate sections in these important passes, leaves the popu- aid of the two great railways now in prolation of Western Virginia and Ohio, cess of construction, one connecting Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana, Michi- Memphis, Tennessee, with Charleston, gan, Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, Missouri, South Carolina, and which is destined, Arkansas, a portion of Texas, and a vast as the country is settled, to progress unterritory back to the Rocky Mountains, til it reaches the Pacific coast; the as well as Louisiana and Alabama, with other connecting Savannah, Georgia, parts of other states, whose interest it is with Vicksburg, Mississippi, will make to have an outlet through the gulf, prac- its way through Texas. tically in the same condition that a portion of the valley was before the acquisition of Louisiana. Access the most perfect to each city, from every direction, by land and water, is the true policy of the respective states to which they The rights and interests alike of the belong, and of the Union at large. The citizens of the Mississippi valley and the obstructions to a free access to each city Union, require the re-opening of Iberville from all directions, consist in the shal- River, in the State of Louisiana, which lowness of the channels at the mouth of formerly connected Lake Ponchartrain, the Mississippi and of Mobile bay, they by way of Lake Maurepas, with the being too shallow to admit of large-class Mississippi, at a short distance below the vessels. But the greatest obstruction is town of Baton Rouge. This river was that of the Iberville River, which is en- formerly an open, navigable stream, and tirely obliterated for some distance, in of sufficient note to be recognized and consequence of obstructions heretofore established, by the treaty of Paris in thrown into it, and also the want of 1763, as a part of the boundary line postal lines making regular passages to between the possessions of Great Britain and from important ports within our own and France. The Iberville River. at limits and to foreign countries. There this period, was an outlet of the Misis also needed the completion of the main sissippi, so large as to give the ap rail-road trunks from the Upper Missis- pellation of an island to that part of sippi valley to Mobile and New-Orleans. Louisiana on which New-Orleans is

Extensive bodies of public lands are now in Alabama unsold, and must remain government property many years, unless rail-roads are constructed through them.