The Impending Crisis of the South

active commerce, buy, sell, fabricate, receive the profits which accrue from the exchange of our own commodities, open facilities for direct communication with foreign countries, and establis

city in the South, that we are now annually drained of more than One Hundred and Twenty Millions of Dollars! We should, however, take into consideration the negative loss as well as the positive. Especially should we think of the influx of emigrants, of the visits of strangers

Mason and Dixon's line-as we would have done, had it not been for slavery-and had disbursed it in the upbuilding of Norfolk, Beaufort, Charleston, or Savannah, how much richer, better, greater, would the South have been to-day! How much larger and more intelligent would have been our population. How many hundred thousand natives of the South would now be thriving at home, instead of adding to the wealth and political power of other parts of the Union. How much greater would be the number and lengt

learn the news of the country, do we not go to the city, or to the city papers? Every metropolis may be regarded as the nucleus or epitome of the country in which it is situated; and the more prominent features and characteristics of a country, particularly of the people of a country, are almost always to be seen within the limits of its capital city. Almost invariably do we find the bulk of the floating funds, the best talent, and the most vigorous energies of a nation concentrated in its chief citie

your country! You are the channels through which more than one hundred and twenty millions of dollars-$120,000,000-are annually drained from the South and conveyed to the North. You are daily engaged in the unmanly and u

m also consider what disposition is made of it after it is lodged in the hands of the North. Is not the greater part of it paid out to Northern manufacturers, mechanics, and laborers, for the very articles which are purchased at the North-and to the extent that this is done, are not Northern manufacturers, mechanics, and laborers directly countenanced and encouraged, while at the same time, Southern manufacturers, mechanics, and laborers, are indirectly abased, depressed, and disabled? It is, however, a matter of impossibility, on these small pages, to notice or enumerate all the methods in which the money we deposit in the North is made to operate against us; suffice it to say that it is circulated and expended there, among all

eedom in the cities. From every person as yet unconvinced of the despicableness of slavery

tment Comptro

February 1

Helper

r S

handed to me for an answer, which I

property in this city w

nal property in the city, according

the number of inhabitants at that time can b

truly

S.

-York, Secre

February

Helper

r S

the population of the city of New York,

opulation

" " 5

" " 3

" " 3

" " 2

" " 1

e the same facilities of judging

truly

efield, C

Office,

, Decembe

Helper

r S

reply to your communication of the 24th inst., addr

tion assessed January 1st, 1856, was $102,053,839; the amount of exempt taxation (i

of the city has been taken since 1850. The estimated populatio

nchard, S

yor of the City

er 30,

Helper

r S

inst., received to-day, I hasten

t one-half the real value. Its market

; it is over 110 millions. There has been no c

s tr

V

ana. Mayoralty

3d day of J

. R.

-Yo

r S

refer you to the enclosed abstract for the value of re

en no tax authorized until this year. The assessment is now being made and w

1850, except an informal census, made in 1852, fo

ating population at this season, it would probably reach not less than 210,000 inhabitants. The U. S. c

espect

bed't

. Wa

ret

ton speaks, we find that the value of real an

ate, $67

s, 5,

l, 18,

$91,1

all, B

31,

me for a reply-and I would accordingly state that the value of real and pers

on, on the first day of May, A

city of Boston at this date-sa

ery resp

T. McC

y C

Lo

27,

Helper

-Yo

r S

spring of 1856 by the Sheriff, and although it was inaccurate, yet the population as returned by him was

y, 1856. Value of real and personal est

n will be sufficient for

rs,

n H

yo

ce. City Hal

y 24th

Helper

i

your inquiries

property in this city w

nal property in the city, according

1855, and the number of inhabita

population n

mmon Council, made on the 5th of Jan., 1857, have been transmitted by mail to your address, and

. Po

yo

S. Bra

's Of

on, Feb.

Helper

w Y

r S

e ago, the Annual Fiscal Statement of the Committee on Accounts made to the City Council, w

8. The population at present must

my power to furnish you with, wil

espect

rcher

yo

year ending the 31st of August, 1856," it appears that the total value of real a

's Of

ti, Jan'

city, as assessed for taxation, amounts to $88,810,734. The realty being $60,701,267; the personalty $20,795,203, and the bank and

ated at 210,000. No complete ce

above assessment of $88,810,734,

espect

b'dt.

J.

yo

Helper

-Yo

's Of

Ky., Janua

Helper

York

r S

l estate, slaves, and merchandise, (exclusive of home manufactures,) which are taken at what is supposed to be their cash v

ng that it shall be taken this year. I am now preparing to have it done. It

al message to the Gen. Counci

tfully

arbee

ribune

, May 2

Helper

i

is not taken by the assessors. Citizens are not sworn as to the value of their personal effects, nor is real estate given in a

l estate at

on the same

roperty, $

al value, $

ts sell readily at $1,000 to $1,200 per

d 80,509. The best estimate at present makes the number, on May 1st, 1857, to be 112,000, which is rather under than over the truth. The amount of building, in the city, i

truly

& Me

Ch.

mond

25th

Helper

r S

is $18,000,000. The value of the personal is $191,920. Total value $18,201,920. This does not include slaves, of whom there are 6,472 in the city. The State values each slave at $300 each-making $1,94

ery resp

. St

's Of

e, Dec. 3

Helper

Yo

r S

ard of Assessors, giving the requisite information from that department. I send you this day a census report,

ectf

Y. S

yo

or's O

e, Dec. 3

Helper

r S

communication of the 25th inst., addressed to him, so far as rela

this City in 18

ate, $36

Estate, 2

$58,0

in June last, and completed on

xation $7 7

tax raised

tfully

ph M

the Board

ld O

a., 28th A

Helper

-Yo

r S

ssessment of the personal property will be completed in three or four weeks hence; but its exact value cannot be arrived at from the fact that a large portion of this description of property-includin

horities assume the population to be 16,000, but I am in

iven may answer the purpose f

tfully

Brou

's Of

March 1

was received this morning. The answ

he property of our city

real estate

l estate,

nd personal,

in the summer of 1855. That showed a populat

ectf

ob't

. St

's Of

9th Janu

Helper

-Yo

r S

send you the last Mayor's report, in whi

en taken of the

ed populati

pectfull

. Sc

yo

ents," for the year ending October 31st, 1856, amounted to $8,999,015. The value of the perso

f New-

om, 1 mo.,

. He

inst. came to h

ay that the amount assessed on the 1

tate, $

al, 17

$27,0

ious autumn gave 20,391 persons, from

ectf

Rowla

yo

's Of

N. C., May

Helper

-Yo

r S

The value of real estate as per last as

ue of personal property: I estimate the amount,

nce 1850-the present number of in

y to afford you more

spectfu

. Pa

yo

we make up the following summary

FREE

lation. We

ca

0,000 $511,

500,000 325

,000 249,1

25,000 95,

210,000 88,

,000 171,00

60,000 58

0,000 45,

21,000 27,

$1,572,1

LAVE C

lation. We

ca

50,000 $102

175,000 91

140,000 63

60,000 36

70,000 31

0,000 20,1

7,000 12,

5,000 11,9

10,000 7,

$375,862

t, though we assent, as we have done, to the inclusion of all this fictitious wealth, it will be observed that the residents of free cities

ve no great cities, and without great cities we can have no reliable tenure of distinct nationality. Commerce is

ntry, and of the great cities through which that comm

corporate limits, owns one-twentieth of the property of this entire Union, being an amount equal to the wealth of any three of the New-England States, except Massachusetts. In this city is found the richest community, per capita, of any

n editorial article on the "Wealth

o be much the wealthiest community in the United States, save New York alone, with four times its population. The value of the real estate in this city is increasing now with great rapidity, as at least four millions of dollars' worth of n

trade, and in commercial transactions with the East and West Indies, South America, the Pacific, Europe and Africa. The three sources from which the population of Boston is maintained, and its prosperity continued, are these: Commerce, trade, and manufactures. Its annual trade and sales of merchandise are said now

Hunt's Merchants' Magazine, writing on

edecessors, be eclipsed by western rivals? New-Yorkers do not doubt, and indeed have no reason to doubt, that their city, now numbering lit

his law continues to operate, she may be expected to possess 1,800,000 in 1871, 3,600,000 in 1880, and 7,200,000 in 1901. If twenty years be allowed New York as her futur

reaches this plain. Its most promising city at present is Chicago. The law of its growth since 1840 seems to be a duplication within four years. In 1840 it numbered 4,379. In June of this year it will contain 88,000. At the same rate of increase carried forward, it would overta

ted to contain about one-tenth of this population. Before the end of this century the towns and cities of the central plain will contain, with their suburbs, not less th

OF MER

rnal, of a lat

from coastwise ports. The waters of the bay and harbor presented a beautiful appearance from the surrounding shores, as this fleet of white-winged messengers m

ple, then ships, coming to us from the four quarters of the globe, will, with majestic grandeur, begin to loom in the distance; our bay

CE OF

s of the ruined commerce of a

tants; in proof of which nineteen-twentieths of those engaged in foreign commerce have terminated in their insolvency, the principal cause of which has been in the unrelenting hostility, to this

minion of slavery, is, to us, one of the most inexplicable of mysteries. "Commercial" Conventions, composed of the self-titled lordlings of slavery-Generals, Colonels, Majors, Captains, etc?tera-may act out their annua

ST, PRESENT,

following interesting sketch of the Monumental

ants. But the increase in the manufactured products of the State, as shown by the report of the Secretary of the Treasury, is a matter of even greater astonishment. The statistical tables of 1840 estimate the aggregate value of the manufactures of Maryland at $13,509,636-thirteen million five hundred and nine thousand six hundred and thirty-six dollars. In 1850, the value of the articles manufactured within the limits of the State amounted to $32,593,635-thirty-two million five hundred and ninety-three thousand six hundred and thirty-five dollars! A signal proof that the wealth of the State has increased wi

ed, but the extent of which is known to but few, and we hazard nothing in saying that this enormous progression

a proper spirit among our citizens to make Baltimore not only the commercial emporium of the South and West, but also the great coal mart of the Union. Our flour market is already the most extensive in the known world-we speak without exaggeration, for this also is proven by unquestionable facts. There is more guano ann

rable geographical position as to the energy of our merchants and manufacturers, we design to cast no imputation on these excell

extent, superseded by inland transport, because of the greater speed and certainty of the latter. Let it be remembered also that the migration westward is incessantly going on, and that with every farm opened within striking distance of a great arterial railway, or its anastomosing branches, a certain amount of freight must find its way to the seaboard markets, while the demand for manufactured products, and for domesti

rcially, we are justified in believing that its progress must be in an accelerated ratio, and that there are those now living who will look back with

es, have fewer slaves in proportion to the aggregate population than any other city or cities in the South. While the entire population of the former is now estimated at 250,000, and that

f the population was rapidly decreasing. The census of 1860 will, in all probability, show that the two cities are entirely exempt from slaves and slavery; and tha

dependent on New-York, Philadelphia, Boston, and Cincinnati, for nearly every article of merchandise, wheth

, and perfuming his handkerchief with Northern cologne. See him referring to the time in a Northern watch, and glancing at the news in a Northern gazette. See him and his family sitting in Northern chairs, and singing and praying out of Northern books. See him at the breakfast table, saying grace over a Northern plate, eating with Northern cutlery, and drinking from Northern utensils. See him charmed with the melody of a Northern piano, or musing over the pages of a Northern novel. See him riding to his neighbor's in a Northern carriage, or furrowing his lands with a Northern plow. See him lighting his segar with a Northern match, and flogging his negroes with a Northern lash. See him with Northern pen and ink, writing letters

ying, and selling, and wearing, and using Northern merchandise, at a double expense to both ourselves and our neighbors. If we but look at ourselves attentively, we shall find that we are all clothed cap a pie in Northern habilaments. Our hats, our caps, our cravats, ou

-string or a bedstead, a fish-hook or a hand-saw, a tooth-pick or a cotton-gin. In ease and luxury we have been lolling long enough; we should now bestir ourselves, and keep pace with the progress of the age. We must expand our energies, and acquire habits of enterprise and industry; we should arouse ourselves from the couch of lassitude, and inure our minds to thought and our bodies to action. We must begin to feed on a more substantial diet than that of pro-

ense of true honor and patriotism, we will here introduce an extract from an article which appeared more than three ye

s of this city had not trusted Southern traders for the past three years, they would be a great deal better off than they are. * * * Alrea

at home. But do Southern merchants stay at home? Do they build up Southern commerce? No! off they post to the North as regularly as the seaso

e never to sell goods to a merchant from the slave States except for cash. Being well acquainted with the partners, we asked one of them, on one occasion, why he refused to trust slave-driving merchants. "Because," said he, "they are too long-winded and uncertain; when we credit them, they occasion us more loss and bother than their trade is worth." Non-slave