22 G. S. CALLENDER 



during the twenty years previous planters had spent $900,- 

 000,000 in neighboring states for mules, horses, implements, 

 and clothing. These are but rough indications of the extent 

 of this trade; but they are sufficient to establish the fact that 

 it was very large, and that it grew up almost entirely after 

 1815. 



The influence of this extension of cotton culture upon the 

 north was not confined to the agriculture of the northwest. 

 It affected every other northern interest as well. The pros- 

 perity which it brought to the whole southern and western 

 population increased their ability to purchase such manu- 

 factures as they required, and thus provided eastern manu- 

 facturers with a rapidly expanding market. This was the 

 great influence which caused the steady growth of manufac- 

 tures from 1816 to the civil war, both under the protective 

 policy of the earlier and the low tariff policy of the later years. 

 Commercial interests also received great stimulus. The in- 

 ternal trade of the country sprang at once into commanding 

 importance. A large and prosperous agricultural population 

 in the south and west was devoting itself to the production 

 of valuable crops of food and raw material, and exchanging 

 them with the northeastern states and Europe for manufac- 

 tures. This trade opened new opportunities for the merchant, 

 the banker, the shipowner, the insurance company — to the 

 whole commercial class, in fact. The fact that all the capital 

 which the south accumulated was put into cotton culture left 

 this whole field open to the commercial capital of the northeast. 

 An eager rivalry arose among the commercial cities of the sea- 

 board to secure a share of this internal trade, and each appre- 

 ciated that its future position would be determined chiefly by 

 the success of its efforts in this direction. 



The effect of all these changes upon the economic con- 

 dition of the country at large was almost revolutionary. It 

 opened the eyes of the people to the economic possibilities of 

 their situation, and turned their attention for the first time to 

 the exploitation of their natural resources. The west ceased 

 to be a mere refuge of poverty and field for the adventure of 

 pioneers. The enterprise and capital of the country turned 

 away from the ocean and foreign commerce, and found here 



