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S^£AJtiJLiUl,e^JIKMSKJaiK!M 



•stassstsaasmn 



182 



(5f)£ iTarincr's illonti}li5 Visitor. 



vvlu;re every man is his own go%ernor. He casts 

 lii>i rye l)iick lliioiij|;li llio loii^ ages vvhicli l:nve 

 ehv|iseiJ since Crestir apiiioaclied llio cliffs of Do- 

 ver, and inlroduccil a rude degree of civilization, 

 and u liindei- linntaniiy into llie (ast-ancliored 

 \>lr. And lobliijij: tli!i)ngli the long vistii, lie 

 \ iiiulers wliy a nation, s|>inn^ from tiic loins ol 

 lii-s own nioiliei-land, and of Imt a duy compared 

 vviili liis own, sliould not only (;oin])ete, Init acin- 

 ally mitslrip lier in producing most of the corn- 

 foris oi lili;; in calling into her midst the ele- 

 puvcies and refinements which adorn society in 

 the oldest, anil most learned nations of the liasl : 

 u;i f r.i ,nu all, and iiiordlhan all, that largest lih- 

 cli confers the giealest anjount of haj;^ 

 .d exuirs the nalm-e of man. lie forgeis 

 liuw iiiany ages the Feuflal system benighted ; — 

 lunv the thinking powers through that long peri- 

 I'i lay dormant ; when the castled lord, rerjiiiring 

 i :it the service of a hrave heart and stalwart 

 arni,,fnrnishcd as a reward a scanty snbsistence 

 ill return. Then followed the agfes of tyranny — 

 th;? Edwards — the Henrys — the Richiirds and 

 i : Elizahetlis, when i)ie liiind, thoirgh slo\vly 

 iMi'akiiig from the fetters which hound it, was in 

 a sliila of sid)jngation an<l depression ; and when 

 (:. ■• 'ieiierons impulse was crushed hy the pow- 

 :no ignorant tyrant who had the tower 

 axe at iiis connnand. The ages of fanat- 

 ical dominalioii succeedetl, and did no less than 

 civil and ndlitary ambition, to keep down every 

 intellcctnal aspiration, and thus to perpetu- 

 ate' the |)ower of lliose who tyramnzed over the 

 mind. But in s|.'ite of all-these and a thousand 

 other obstacles, the peo[ile gradually emerged 

 Tro:;i the mists of ignorance and superstition ; — 

 but deriving sm:dl |)rofit frmu the ordeal through 

 . wliicjlj they hi'.d themselves passed, much as the 

 measure of oppression had been meted out to 

 them by their inexorable riders, have they meted 

 it (Hit toother nations: until, in their pride of 

 power and place, they have assumed a lorilly do- 

 niiuion over much of the face of the earth. And 

 now', standing forth in the arrogance and might 

 of (heir full growth, they affect to look contempt- 

 _ ii.-iusly upon their rejected children, who count 

 b;u;k hut little more than two cenluries to their 

 iiifuicy, and wlio presume to contrast with ihiMU 

 their pov.er, their wealth, their skill in useful 

 arts, their literary atlaiiiiiieuts, and to go infinite- 

 ly beyiMid ihem in tlu; spirit of their religious 

 iustitutions, their laws, and in their efforts to 

 meliorate'the condition of the human race. 



t'lappy are we that we h.ad not their long 



liii.ht of darkness to jjenetrate. That we had the 



'f their exporiem^b b8fi)re ns. That in 



ilntiiinary stripgiL:les, ihr. God of armies 



■iory upou onr elibrls, and enabled us to 



.1' the shackles which were cramping our 



c;i I _.:.-, and left us "verge and scope enough " 



to pursue liiose peaeeilil ami profiiable callings 



which have led us to be, what we are. 



We have never anticipated evils like these, be- 

 caus,' ill the outset "our governments were very 

 happily constituted to avoid the abuses, of which 

 I have j.iist been speaking. All things relating 

 to commerce and foreign affair.s, being entrusted 

 to the general government, the^ state legislatures 

 ai- left to occupy themselves, almost exclusively, 

 \^\;\] domestic concerns: and as the members 

 come from all prirts, and bring with them, col- 

 lectively, a knowledge of the wants, means, and 

 interests, not only ofeacli division, l)iit of almost 

 every individual, they are |)Osse.s.sed of every 

 pnssibli^ advantage (isr promoiing the progress of 

 society, as far as their |iecuiliaiy resources are 

 suffieient.'"' 



Such are some of the reflections suggested by' 

 the subject before me. Perhaps I have "travel- 

 led out of the record" in imlulgiug in them, 

 when my proper object was to notice the inven- 

 tory of the nation's gooils and lands and popula- 

 tion, contained in the census of J 840, conniionly 

 called the sixth census. My aim in engaging in 

 so apparently dry audiuninteresting a subject, is 

 not to indulge the fancy or delight the imagina- 

 tion, for I should probably fisil were I to attempt 

 either; but my desire is, in as interesting a man- 

 ner as possible, to bring belbrc your readers, 

 some of the important facts ot that stuiiendous 

 work ; to increase their rcsjiect for our institu- 

 tions— their love for the founders, and their pa- 

 triotism for the coimtry, whose productions and 

 resources are on so magnificent n scale. 



•«. A. R. vol. ix. p. 220. 



About fifty years ago the .American slates had 

 a population of less than 4,0(;0,I100 souls, and,, I 

 cannot forbear remarking, that with this meagn^ 

 number, without a navy — wilhont disciplined 

 soldiers or the proper muuiiioiis of m ar, ihe peo- 

 ple did not bcsilato to engage with one oi' ihe 

 oldest and most formidahiG |iowers, both as re- 

 gards laiiil and naval forces ; end they came out 

 (if the contest triiiniphanlly. Now our popuia- 

 lion is mori! than ]9,000,UOO. The increase from 

 1700 lo It'OO, a space often years, was little more 

 than ],000,000; but from ISiO to 1840, ten years, 

 the increase has been npwarils of 4,000,000 1 — 

 What American heart does not feel a laiulalile 

 pride in contemplating what his t-oiuiHy may be 

 lit some fiitnro period at this rate of increase! — 

 If her laws continue to be impartially adminis- 

 tered — the habits of the peojile remain induslri- 

 al, and their moral sense imcoiit.iminated. uhat 

 a grand spectacle must she jiresent at some fu- 

 ture da;,', to the older nations of the Kasl ; and to 

 their oppressed millions, eking out a miserable 

 existence by being dcpriv,?!! of most of ibeir 

 moral and political rights. In ]7t'0 we nuudiered 

 thirteen States extending from north to south 

 through seventeen degrees of latitude, or about 

 ]020 miles, anil from east to west between eeveu 

 and eight hundred miles. Now we number 

 twenty-six Stales, «ith fifteen hundred miles of 

 sea coast, and tlie distance from Maine, west; to 

 the linfus of Missouri, is nearly the same as the 

 length of coast ! The whole, including the im- 

 mense Terriimies and Oregon, giving 2,2it3,.3"2G 

 square mile.=. Nearly all this has a genial cli- 

 mate and a generous eoil, both suited to tin! 

 wants of man and capable of producing ample 

 sustenance lor the millions yet destined to inhab- 

 it. The mind vainly endeavors to conceive 

 the vast extent of this rich domain or its capabil- 

 ities to |iroduce all that can enrich and make 

 happy a people. Whrit invilations does it not 

 hold out lor the homeless of other hinds! IIow 

 would the industrious hynd bring from its boiiu- 

 tiful bosom mhve than sufficient to feed the starv- 

 ing and oppressed of every clime! 



in 18;J7, nearly four miliions of bushels of 

 wheat were imported into the United Slates ; — 

 iiut since that time we have had a large surplus 

 on hand. The annual aggregate amoimr of 

 wheat raised, is about ninety-one millions of 

 bushels: while that of Great Britain, having an 

 area of territory less than some two of our Sates, 

 is 100,000,000 of bushels. Our soil is as good 

 as hers, and will produce as much with the same 

 degree of caro and cultivation. This confirms 

 the remark just made, that it is diflicidt for ihe 

 mind lo conceive the amount which our extend- 

 ed territory is capable of |irodiicing nnder a 

 proper cultivation, and conseipiently the niiiiiher 

 of human beings it iscapaiile of sustaining. 



The supply of flour demanded at home as an 

 article of food, has been eslimated as high as 

 twelve millions of barrels, but this does not in- 

 clude one half the amount of wheat produced. 

 The cotton maiinfactories of this country are 

 said to consume, annually one himdred thousand 

 barrels of flour, for starch and similar purposes; 

 and in Lowell alone, eight himdred thousand 

 pounds of starch, and IViiir thousand barrels ol 

 flour, are said annually to he used in the cotton 

 mills of that place. 



The last cnsiis shows the crop of Indian corn 

 for the vpar.1839, to be 387,000,000 of bushels; 

 oats 136,000,000; rye 19,000,000, and the aggre- 

 ^Mte of all the grains to come up to theva.ft num- 

 ber ot 641,944,534 bushels ! And yet at each re- 

 turning harvest, this immense amount has been 

 principally consumed on our own soil! All this, 

 however, is but a inoierv of our agricultural in- 

 dustry. Tiiere may be added in part, 1 13,000,000 

 of potatoes; 13,000,000 tons of hay; 100,000 

 tons of flax and hemp; 240,000,000 pounds ol 

 tobacco; 578.000,000 poiuuis of cotton : 89.000,- 



000 of rice; 'l2(),000.000 of sugar, and 125,000 

 gallons of wine ! Vv'hen to ihese are added the 

 amount of roots and fruits, the whole swells to 

 an inconceivable sum. 



The cotton cro]i of the Uniied States is more 

 than half the crop of the whole world. In ihe 

 year 1783, eight bales of cotton were seized on 

 board of an American brig, at the Liverpool Cus- 

 tom House, because it was not believed that so 

 much cotton cOiild have been sent at one time 

 from the United Slates. Eight bales! And now 



1 suppose scarcely n week pa.sses that some ves- 



sel does not arrive at New Orleans with from 

 five hundred lo fiftecm bnudred bales on board. 

 The «hole coltoii crop of the year 1843 has been 

 eslimati-d by correspondents of the New Orleans 

 Bnllciiu to "be about 2,000,000 of bales ! Allow- 

 ing 8G1 [lOiiiids to each hide, vvhich is ihe usual 

 weight, and wn have 722,000,000 of pounds as 

 this (1843} jtar's crop. The crop of 1839, was 

 5*8,000,000. In 1783, we have seen that eight 

 bales were considered more ilian cfiiild be sent 

 from the United Slates at one time, and were 

 seized at the Liverpool Cusiom House! What 

 laiiored commentary would show the unexampled 

 increase of Ihe production of onr soil in a single 

 article, like the two siin()le tacts now aiUbiced! 

 Sixty years ago, one of the oldest and most pro- 

 ductive couuiries on the liice of ilie e.",rlh, sup- 

 posed it impossible that we shouliF exj)ort eight 

 bales of cotton at one. time ; now, il' we choose 

 not lo reserve any for bom,'? cousiiippiimi, we 

 can send those incredulous people llie astonish-- 

 ing amount of 2,000,000 bales from a siu.ule 



years crop 



! On what a nia;;nificent scale are 



our agriculliiral labors conducted, and how pro- 

 fusely tloes all bountiful Heaven fiour into the 

 lap of industry the reward for all her cares and 

 toils! 



The number of distilleries in the country is 

 10,300, and the number of gallons distilled 41,- 

 402,027, amounting, at least, lo the sum of 50,- 

 000,000 of dollars! To this item I will a.ld the 

 cost of the lobacco at leu cents a pound, (and it 

 costs more than double that sum inaiiufactiired) 

 and the aggregate is more than 75,000,000 of dol- 

 hirs! Do Ihey really add any thing lo Ihe wel- 

 liire and happiness of onr popuhiiiou ! Or should 

 we be losers if liolli artiides were struck out of 

 existence at once? What conntle.ws blessings 

 would their annual cost confer, judiciously dis- 

 tributed among the industrious portion of our 

 popnlaiiou ! North Carolina haslhe largest num- 

 ber of distilleries ; bavim; 9,803, being nearly 

 double that of any other Slate. 



In addition to llie grains and other articles al- 

 ready enmiicraiiil, we have a return of iipv^ards 

 of 4,000,000 of horse,^ and mules; 15,000,000 of 

 neat c;itlle; 19,000,000 of sheep, and upwards of 

 26,000,000 of swiiic. Their a.ii'.negate value has 

 not been compnied, but must he immense. And 

 now that a process is discovered of convening 

 lard into oil and caudles, and even of burning it 

 in its natural stale, the attention of Western farm- 

 ers will be turned to swine, and iheir increase 

 will proliably be iii a tenfold proporiion to that 

 of other animals. The facililics of iransporta- 

 lion will soon bring the proiiucts of the great 

 West to our -sea coasts in snflicient abumlance to 

 freight the agosics of the world. 



Beside ihe live stock alre;ii!y mentioiied, '• ihe 

 chicken men" have returned 9,344,310 dolhiis as 

 the value of the pouliry of ail kimis in the 

 Union. ^ 



There may he added lo the specific articles 

 which I have enumerated, a vast amount in vahjo 

 lor various crops, such a.s silk, wool, ho|!S, wa.x, 

 honej', &c., and inoie I ban 7,000,000 of doll-rs 

 lor the products of llie orchard; aboni 34,000,- 

 000 for tlie product of the ilairv, and 10,COtl,000 

 from the forest, such as lumber, lai;^ rosin, pot 

 anil pearl ashes, skins .aiid bus, ainsetig, &c. 



Then we have 38,000,000 of dollars invesled 

 in mines ; 3,000.000 in irardi'iis and nurseries ; — 

 16,000,000 in the fisheries; 4,500,000 in hals, 

 caps and hounels; 3,500,000 in lobacco ; '^9,000,- 

 000 iu leather, tanneries and saddlei'v ; 7,000,000 

 in ships; 7,000,000 iu fiirniture ; 20^,000,000 in 

 commerce, and the aggresate sum invested iu all 

 kinds of maunfaclureV'is '2(57,000,000 of dollars. 



The whale fishery in itself is a business of 

 vast magniliide, employing 6.50 vessels, and lon- 

 nagiii^ 193,000 ton.=. These vessels are mauni'd 

 by 16,000 ilaringand hardy (;fficei-s aud seamen. 

 The proceeils of this fishery iu 1841, were 11,- 

 500,000 gallons of oil, and"2.000,000 jiounds of 

 whale bone, producing 7,359,022 dollars. 



"The whole of the summary now given, with 

 tiie rapid glance taken at the various producis, 

 presents our country as one richly fivorcd of 

 lleaven in climate and .soil, ami ahonndiiig iu ag- 

 ricultural wealth. I'robably no country can be 

 found on Ihe fiice of the globe, exbibitin.ira more 

 desirable variety of Ihe products of the soil, coii- 

 Iribuliug to the snstenancs of its inhabitants. — 

 The whole aggregate of the bread stufi's, corn and 

 potatoes, is 624,5 1 8,5 10 bushels, which, estimating- 



