HISTORY OF THE COTTON GIN. 317 



5,000,000 Ibs., and the quantity exported was 487,600 Ibs. 

 In 1794, the year after, the crop was 8,000,000, and the ex- 

 portation was 1,601,760 Ibs. In 1800, six years after, the 

 crop was 35,000,000, and 17,789,803 were exported. In 1810, 

 two years before Whitney applied for the renewal of his pa- 

 tent, the crop was 85,000,000 Ibs. ; and of upland cotton, 

 84,657,384 Ibs. were exported. In 1845, the entire crop was 

 1,029,850,000 Ibs. ; 862,580,000 Ibs. were exported, and 167,- 

 270,000 Ibs. were consumed at home. Cotton has been for 

 many years not only one of the staples but tlie great staple 

 for export. For many years past, it has constituted from one 

 half to seven-tenths of the entire exports of the Union. 



These facts speak for themselves. They tell us that the 

 planters of the south owe it to the cotton gin, that, for half a 

 century past, they have been able to raise and send to mar- 

 ket their great stapl3, and that it is to Whitney that they are 

 indebted for the great estates they have accumulated, and the 

 ample incomes which they have so generally expended. 

 Whatever wealth the country has received in the increase of 

 individual estates, the country owes to the inventor of the 

 cotton gin. These statistics tell us, that whatever has been 

 made by the immense trade between this country and its 

 great customer on the other side of the sea, is mainly owing 

 to the same invention. The shipper of the cotton owes to him 

 the profits on his freights. The importer the profits on goods 

 which he has been able to buy with cotton ; and the govern- 

 ment, the revenue which she has exacted on these goods ; as 

 well as the immense advantage which she has gained from 

 having so abundant a staple of her own, with which to pay 

 for the imports which she has received. The manufacturers 

 of cotton too, whether at the north, they drive their magnifi- 

 cent establishments, receive their splendid dividends; or 

 whether at the south, they are inspired by the hope of the 



