University of Virginia Library

CHAPTER VI.

COMMERCE.

It is difficult to apportion the results of commerce to the
several States. The statistics of the great branch of domestic
or internal commerce are very incomplete; the returns of the
minor branch of foreign or external commerce are more full.
De Bow suggests that "half the agricultural products and all
of the manufacturing are subjects of commerce, and that the
whole commercial movement may be estimated at between
$1,500,000,000 and $2,000,000,000" annually. Adopting this
suggestion, the value of the products which enter into the commerce
of the two sections, for 1850, would be as follows, viz:

     

Free States,	$1,377,199,968
Slave States,	410,754,992
Total,	$1,787,954,960

No enumeration, by States, of the persons engaged in commerce,
trade, and navigation, is given in the Compendium of the
Census of 1850. In 1840, however, such enumeration was
made, and is found in the published census returns for that
year. The number of persons engaged in commerce, navigating
the ocean, and in internal navigation, was in 1840 as follows,
viz:

     

Free States,	136,856
Slave States,	52,622
Total,	189,478

This would give, in 1850, as the number of persons engaged
in commerce and navigation,—

     

Free States,	188,271
Slave States,	70,165
Total,	258,436

Domestic commerce is carried on by the enrolled and
licensed tonnage (with the participation, in a small proportion,
of the registered), by railroads, canals, and public roads.
Of enrolled and licensed tonnage, there were in 1850, in the

     

Free States,	1,459,232 tons.
Slave States,	475,405 "
Total,	1,934,637 "

Of railroads in operation in 1854, there were, miles, in the

     

Free States,	13,105
Slave States,	4,212
Total,	17,317

Of canals, there were in 1854, miles, in the

     

Free States,	3,682
Slave States,	1,116
Total,	4,798

There are no statistics of the miles of public roads in the
two sections, or of the merchandise and produce transported
over them.

We may be aided in forming an estimate of the amount of
our domestic commerce, by the following tabular statements,
from Andrews' report:

TABLE XXVI.
Lake and River Commerce.

         

1851.	NET.		GROSS.
	Tons.	Value.	Tons.	Value.
Lake Commerce	1,985,563	$157,236,729	3,971,126	$314,473,458
River Commerce	2,033,400	169,751,372	4,066,800	339,502,744
Aggregate	4,018,963	$326,988,101	8,037,926	$653,976,202

Coasting Trade, Canal and Railway Commerce.

           

Estimate of 1852.	NET.		GROSS.
	Tons.	Value.	Tons.	Value.
Coasting trade	20,397,490	$1,659,519,686	40,794,980	$3,319,039,372
Canal Commerce	9,000,000	594,000,000	18,000,000	1,188,000,000
Railway Commerce	5,407,500	540,750,000	10,815,000	1,081,500,000
Aggregate	34,804,990	$2,794,269,686	69,609,980	$1,588,539,372

It is estimated by Andrews that the number of tons of shipping
engaged in the coasting trade is 2,039,749.

This is the amount of the "enrolled and licensed tonnage."
In addition, considerable "registered tonnage" frequently enters
the coasting trade between the Atlantic ports and those on
the Gulf and the Pacific.

The "licensed tonnage" engaged in the lake commerce is
215,975 tons. The tonnage engaged in the river commerce is
169,450 tons. The foregoing figures are for the years 1851
and 1852.

In a late report of the Committee on Commerce, it is stated
that, "The lake tonnage for 1855 was 345,000 tons, which,
valued at $45 per ton, is $14,838,000. The present value of
lake commerce (exclusive of the ports of Presque Isle and
Mackinac, not reported) is $608,310,320."

Our foreign commerce is carried on by the registered tonnage
of the United States, and by the tonnage of other nations.
The foreign tonnage which entered the ports of the United
States, in 1851, was 1,939,091 tons; the American tonnage,
3,054,349 tons. De Bow says, of 1851, that the value of
merchandise imported in "foreign vessels was $52,563,083;
in American Vessels $168,216,272." By this, it will be seen
that something more than three-fourths of the value of our
foreign commerce is carried on in American vessels. The
registered tonnage of the two sections, in 1850 was, in the

     

Free States,	1,330,963 tons.
Slave States,	250,880 "
Total,	1,581,843"

We may now approximate the truth in regard to the commerce
of the two sections of our country in three ways.

First.

• Taking the value of the products which enter into
  commerce, we find the North has $1,377,199,968; the South
  $410,754,992, giving the North more than three to one.

Second.

• Taking the number of persons engaged in trade,
  and the North has 136,856 persons, the South 52,622 persons,
  giving the North nearly three to one, and this on the supposition
  that the average amount of business done by merchants in
  the South is as great as in the North.

Third.

• Taking the tonnage, miles of railroads, and canals:
  the North had, in 1850, 2,790,195 tons of registered, enrolled
  and licensed tonnage, the South 726,285 tons. (The amount
  of tonnage in 1855 was, in the North 4,252,615 tons, in the
  South 855,517 tons.) The North had in 1854, 13,105 miles
  of railroad in operation, the South 4,212 miles. The North
  had in the same year 3,682 miles of canals, the South 1,116
  miles. This gives a ratio of something more than three to one
  in favor of the North. It may, we think, be fairly assumed
  that the amount of commerce and its profits in the two sections
  are quite four times as much in the North as in the South.

We have thus shown, from such data as could be obtained, the
relative proportion of the domestic and foreign commerce of the
Free and Slave States. Adopting the suggestion of De Bow
(as to the value of the "commercial movement"), the domestic
commerce of the United States, in 1850, was six times that of
the foreign. The figures are as follows:

                   

Value of manufactures and half of agricultual products,	$1,787,954,960
Value of imports,	178,078,499
Total,	1,966,033,459
Total value of imports and exports,	329,896,631
Adopting the estimates of Andrews (Report on Lake Commerce), the domestic commerce of the United States, in 1851–2, was nearly eight times the foreign. The figures are as follows, viz:
Value of lake and river commerce,	$326,988,101
Value of coasting trade, railway and canal commerce,	2,794,269,686
Value of imports, 1851,	216,224,932
Total,	3,337,482,719
Total value of imports and exports, 1851,	434,612,943

It is, perhaps, not far from right to call the domestic commerce
of this country seven times the foreign.

Tables XXVII. and XXVIII. give the value of the exports
and imports of the several Free and Slave States for 1850 and
1855; and the amount and value of tonnage owned and built in
the same years. The tables are compiled from the annual
report on commerce and navigation. The statistics of exports
and imports show the foreign commerce of the several States.
The aggregates for the two years given are—

     

Free States,	$631,396,034
Slave States,	234,936,306
Total,	$866,332,340

being nearly three times as much in the North as in the South.

TABLE XXVII.
A Statement of the Value of the Exports and Imports of the Several Free States, for the years ending June 30, 1850, and June 30,
1855, with the Tonnage owned in said States at those dates, and the Tonnage built therein during said years, with its Value.

                                 

FREE STATES.	Value of Exports for the year ending June 30, 1850.	Value of Imports for the year ending June 30, 1850.	Value of Exports for the year ending June 30, 1855.	Value of Imports for the year ending June 30, 1855.	Tonnage owned June 30, 1850.	Value at $50 per ton.	Tonnage built for the year ending June 30, 1850.	Value at $50 per ton.	Tonnage owned June 30, 1855	Value at $50 per ton.	Tonnage built for the year ending June 30, 1855.	Value at $50 per ton.
Maine	$1,556,912	$856,411	$4,851,207	$2,927,443	501,422	$25,071,100	91,212	$4,560,600	806,587	$40,329,350	215,905	$10,795,250
N. Hampshire	8,927	49,079	1,523	17,786	23,096	1,154,800	6,914	345,700	30,330	1,516,500	8,928	496,400
Vermont	430,906	463,092	2,895,468	591,593	4,530	226,500	77	3,850	6,915	345,750	none.
Massachusetts	10,681,763	30,374,684	28,190,925	45,113,774	685,442	34,272,100	35,836	1,791,800	970,727	48,536,350	79,670	3,983,500
Rhode Island	216,265	258,303	336,023	536,387	40,489	2,024,450	3,587	179,350	51,038	2,551,900	7,862	393,100
Connecticut	241,930	372,390	878,874	636,826	113,087	5,654,350	4,820	241,000	137,170	6,858,500	14,067	703,350
New York	52,712,789	111,123,524	113,731,238	164,776,511	944,349	47,217,450	58,342	2,917,100	1,404,221	70,211,050	115,231	5,761,550
New Jersey	1,655	1,494	687	1,473	80,300	4,015,000	6,202	310,100	121,020	6,051,000	10,960	548,000
Pennsylvania	4,501,606	12,066,154	6,274,333	15,309,935	258,039	12,901,950	21,410	1,070,500	397,768	19,888,400	44,415	2,220,750
Ohio	217,632	582,504	847,143	600,656	62,462	3,123,100	5,215	260,750	91,607	4,580,350	17,751	887,550
Michigan	132,045	144,102	568,091	281,379	33,145	1,907,250	2,062	103,100	69,490	3,474,500	7,844	392,200
Wisconsin			174,057	48,159					15,624	781,200	1,452	72,600
Illinois	17,669	15,705	547,053	54,509	21,242	1,062,100	1,691	84,550	53,797	2,689,850	1,903	95,150
California			8,224,066	5,951,379	17,592	879,600			92,623	4,631,150	2,118	105,900
Indiana									3,698	184,900	738	36,900
Total	$70,720,099	$156,307,442	$167,520,693	$236,847,810	2,790,195	$139,509,750	237,368	$11,868,400	4,252,615	$212,630,750	528,844	$26,442,200

TABLE XXVIII.
A Statement of the Value of the Exports and Imports of the several Slave States for the years 1850 and 1855, and of the Tonnage
owned in said States on the 30th of June, 1850 and 1855, and of the Tonnage built therein for the years ending June 30, 1850,
and June 30, 1855, with the Value of said Tonnage.

                               

SLAVE STATES.	Value of Exports for the year ending June 30, 1850.	Value of Imports for the year ending June 30, 1850.	Value of Exports for the year ending June 30, 1855.	Value of Imports for the year ending June 30, 1855.	Tonnage owned June 30, 1850.	Value at $50 per ton.	Tonnage built for the year ending June 30, 1850.	Value at per ton.	Tonnage owned June 30, 1855	Value at $50 per ton.	Tonnage built for the year ending June 30, 1855	Value at $50 per ton.
Delaware			$68,087	$5,821	16,720	$886,000	1,849	$92,450	19.186	$959,300	5,488	$274,400
Maryland	$6,967,353	$6,124,201	10,395,984	7,788,949	193,087	9,654,350	15,965	798,250	234,805	11,740,250	22,534	1,126,700
Virginia	3,415,646	426,599	4,379,928	855,405	74,071	3,703,550	3,584	179,200	92,788	4,639,400	4,603	230,150
North Carolina	416,501	323,692	433,818	243,088	45,219	2,261,950	2,652	132,600	60,077	3,003,850	2,595,	129,750
South Carolina	11,447,800	1,933,785	12,700,250	1,588,542	36, 072	1,803,600			60,935	3,046,750	61	3,050
Georgia	7,551,943	636,964	7,543,519	273,716	21,690	1,084,500	684	34,200	29,505	1,475,250	195	9,750
Florida	2,623,624	95,709	1,403,594	45,998	11,273	563,650	80	4,000	14,835	741,750	275	13,750
Alabama	10,544,858	865,362	14,270,585	619,964	24,158	1,207,900	114	5,700	36,274	1,813,700	729	36,450
Louisiana	38,105,350	10,760,499	55,367,962	12,900,821	250,090	12,504,500	1,592	79,600	204,149	10,207,450	872	43,600
Mississippi				1,661	1,828	91,400			2,475	123,750	370	18,500
Tennessee		27,966			3,776	188,800			8,404	420,200	428	21,400
Missouri		359,643			20,908	1,445,400	1,354	67,700	60,592	3,029,600	5,084	254,200
Kentucky		190,987			14,820	741,000	6,461	323,050	22,680	1,134,000	9,401	470,050
Texas	24,958	25,650	916,961	262,568	4,573	228,650	106	5,300	8,812	440,600	324	16,200
Total	$81,098,033	$21,771,057	$107,480,688	$24,586,528	726,285	$36,314,250	34,441	$1,722,050	855,517	$42,775,850	52,959	$2,647,950

The tonnage of the two sections in 1855 was as follows, viz.

     

Free States,	4,252,615 tons.
Slave States,	855,517 "
Total,	5,108,132 "

being five times as much in the North as in the South.

The foreign commerce of New York alone, for 1855, was as
follows, viz:

     

Exports,	$113,731,238
Imports,	164,776,511
Total,	$278,507,749

The foreign commerce of the Slave States for 1855 was as
follows, viz:

     

Exports,	$107,480,688
Imports,	24,586,528
Total,	$132,067,216

This statement shows that the foreign commerce of New
York, in 1855, was more than twice that of all the Slave
States.

     

The tonnage of New York in 1855 was	1,404,221 tons.
The tonnage of the Slave States for the same year,	855,517 "
Or a little more than half that of the State of New York.

The foreign commerce of Massachusetts and South Carolina,
for 1855, was as follows, viz:

MASSACHUSETTS.

     

Exports,	$28,190,925
Imports,	45,113,774
Total,	$73,304,699

SOUTH CAROLINA.

         

Exports,	$12,700,250
Imports,	1,588,542
Total,	$14,288,792
The tonnage of Massachusetts, in 1855, was	970,727 tons.
The tonnage of South Carolina for the same year was	60,935 "

The tonnage built in Massachusetts, in 1855, was 79,670
tons, valued at $3,983,500; the tonnage built in South Carol
lina in the same year, was 61 tons, valued at $3,050.

It will be observed by Tables XXVII. and XXVIII. that the
large States of Indiana, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Missouri
have no foreign commerce, and that the States of New Hampshire,
New Jersey, Mississippi, and Delaware have very little.

The tonnage built in 1855 was as follows, viz:

     

Free States,	528,844 tons.
Slave States,	52,959 "
Total,	581,803 "

The North, therefore, builds of tonnage ten times as much
as the South. In 1855, the tonnage built in the State of
Maine was more than four times that built in the South;
Maine having built 215,905 tons, the Slave States 52,959 tons.
Of the tonnage built in the South, more than four-fifths of it is
built in ports where there is a large or predominating free
population, born out of the limits of the States in which such
ports are respectively situated, as in Baltimore, St. Louis,
Louisville, Wheeling, etc. Making a proper deduction for
this, and the amount of shipping annually built by the Slave
States will not exceed 10,000 tons. Even this small amount is
not the work of slaveholders, or slaves, or of the poor whites
of the South, but of northern and foreign-born mechanics and
ship carpenters. In case of a dissolution of the Union, and

hostilities between the North and South, the highest naval
science would need to be called into requisition by the South,
so to station this naval armament of sloops, schooners, and
steamboats as to command her seven thousand miles of exposed
sea and gulf-coast.

We close what we have to say on commerce, with the following
extract from a letter of Mr. London, of Richmond, Va.,
to the Richmond Enquirer, and published in that paper early
in 1854, just before the sitting of a Southern commercial convention
at Charleston, S. C. He had been alluding to the
sittings of other Southern commercial conventions at Memphis
and elsewhere:

"We have, since that time, appropriated millions of dollars
to works of internal improvement; some of us have embarked
more largely in foreign trade; but there are not half a dozen
vessels engaged in our own trade that are owned in Virginia,
and I have been unable to find a vessel at Liverpool loading for
Virginia, within three years, during the height of our busy season.
Every foot of railroad and every yard of canal constructed
in the Southern States is only so much added to the area
of the influence of New York, and but binds you that much more
securely to her bonds. Instead of these immense improvements
resulting in an enlargement of your foreign commerce, it is but a
contribution to your coasting trade, and results in establishing
the calculation as to how long it will take your shopkeepers to
get the productions and importations of New York into your
villages; all else but this is not considered. As to any one of
your improvements contributing to forward your own importations,
that is not thought of at all by your interior shopkeepers;
for, throughout the South, all merchants have disappeared,
entirely and completely."