Specific Duty .$8,921,780 Specie..3,962,864 66 Tea.. Coffee 5,730,514 ..6,221,271 Copper in Plates and Sheets ...738,936 .10,057,875 Sugar. 4,780,555 .3,154,782 Iron Manufactures.. .4,858,962 Copper in Pigs, Bars, Cotton.... .1,122,997 ..1,027,541 Wines and Spirits. 2,757,904 ..J,160,644 All other articles. ..9,280,235 &c. Dyewood.. All other articles ..1,225,301 603,408 .3,558,168 Earthen and Stone Whole export of the year, $114,646,606, of which 55,821 the value of $4,782,464 only was in imported articles 70,597 dutied and entitled to drawback. IMPORTS OF THE UNITED STATES FOR THE YEAR ENDING JULY, 1845. Free of Duty Ad Valorem Duty Gold and Silver Bullion. $107,378 Cotton Manufactures. $13,853,282 Silks.. Woolen The United States have enacted, since the establishment of the government, thirty-one tariffs of duties, general or special in their nature. Grand total $117,254,564 The first tariff was that of July, 1789, the ad valorems of which were 5, 7, 10, 12 and 15 per cent., and a discrimination of 10 per cent. on the gross amount of duty wa s 1821 to 1829. 1833 to 1843. 1843 to 1844. 36.3 .41 9 31.2 made in favor of American shipping. The Average per cent. on dutiable imports from Average last year of compromise, 23.9. In connection with these statistics and tariffs, the following judicious reflections may be inserted: The tariff of 1816 was levied for revenue purposes, its average duties being higher upon other than the articles now called protected; and it was so arranged as to favor as much as possible the manufacturing establishments grown up during the war, and threarened with annihilation at its close. The highest ad valorems of this tariff are 30 per cent., and the system of minimums, as they are called, was introduced upon certain cotton cloths, raising their value by a fiction greatly above the true. These minimums, until 1846, have been preserved. The tariff of 1824 was a high tariff, and intended for the protection of home manufactures. It raised the ad valorems, in many instances, to 50 per cent., and extended the minimums. The tariff of 1828 was also general, and it advanced the scale of duties upon most articles much higher than any previous tariff; discriminating widely for protection at the same time. The acts of 1830 reduced the duty on coffee, tea, cocoa, molasses and salt. The tariff of 1832. The country's debt having been paid, the President suggested to Congress the propriety of reducing the duties. This was done, but the principle of protection preserved. Coffee and teas were for the first time made free, and the ad valorems now reduced. The tariff of 1833, or what has been known as the compromise. It was introduced by Mr. Clay in a spirit of conciliation and of true patriotism, to allay the excitement and discontent occasioned in certain sections of the Union. The protective character was in effect surrendered, and a gradual reduction of duties toward 20 per cent. substituted in its stead. The system to have effect for ien "It might have been expected that the effect of the different tariffs which have been enacted from time to time, would be distinctly visible in a table like this; but such is not the fact. There are so many other causes which affect the amount of imports and exports, such as good crops at home, short crops abroad, the state of the currency, and the general prosperity or prostration of business-that the effects spection of the returns. For instance, in the comof the tariff are not, in all cases, visible on an inmercial year 1842, when (with the exception of one month) the lowest duties were in force that have existed for 20 years, the amount and proportion of imports and exports were very nearly the same as in 1844, under the tariff which has since gone into operation. Again, it appears that the excess of imports over exports, instead of diminishing with each successive augmentation of duties, as would naturally have been expected, has generally increased; having been greater under the tariff of 1824 than under that of 1816, greater still under that of 1828, and greatest of all under that of 1832, prior to any considerable reduction under the Compromise Act. For it must be remembered that only two-tenths of the excess above 20 per cent. had been taken off, under that act, prior to the 1st of January, 1838. It may therefore be stated, as a general remark, that the greatest excess of imports over exports, has occurred under the highest duties-we say, as a general remark, for since the present tariff went into operation, the exports have exceeded the imports. So also they did in 1842, and in 1840, under comparatively low duties. In the last-mentioned year the excess amounted to $25,000,000." In making a review of all the tables which have been given, the fact is forced upon us, that the South, though furnishing the great aggregate of the exports of the country, has declined in the relative importance of its foreign commerce. This has been accounted for in different ways. That we are a people without enterprise, is in a measure true, though there is no natural reason this should be the case. Almost all the great maritime and commercial people of ancient and modern times have been Southerners; and many, under suns more burning than ours. This has been eloquently shown by Col. James Gadsden in a former number of the Review: "It was the spirit of enterprise of these southeastern and luxurious people (the Tyrians, &c.) which reared to greatness and power and wealth the Assyrian, the Egyptian, the Median, Persian, and Arabic empires; extended over Greece and Itsiy, passed the pillars of Hercules, and explored more distant regions. It was Phoenicia which planted her Carthage on the burning sands of Africa, and whea by her commercial power and greatness excited the envy and terror of Rome-a proud military people holding trade in contempt, but who had sufficient stinct to perceive, in the wealth and energy of that southern city, a rival that would overwhelm her, if not controlled and subjected. Delenda est Carthage was the decree which went forth from her oracle. It was, notwithstanding, the commercial resources, the nerve and sinew of Carthage, which, under the of New-York or Boston. If there are any wares or merchandise to return, for our own consumption, from the cotton, tobacco, rice, sugar, or grain, sent by us to Europe, how natural and proper is it, that these wares and merchandises should return directly here, without being saddled with the profits of intermediate hands. That the South should be DEPENDENT upon the North for its imports, lead of a Hannibal passed the Mediterraneen sea, overran Spain, scaled the Alps, and descended with the rapidity of her mountain torrents on the sunny plains of Italy, and threatened the mistress of the world under her very walls. It was commercial enterprise in the south that reared Venice, amid the very waters of the Adriatic, and made the silks of Persia and the spices of India tributary to her luxurious grandeur. Alexandria, too, midway between the Indian and Mediterranean seas, though now traced only by its ruins in the sands of the desert, once held its high place among the great commercial marts of the world. Its decline is to be as-is inexplicable upon any sound principle of cribed to the discovery of the passage around the Cape of Good Hope. To adventurous Southern spirits, to Portuguese navigators, is the world in political economy, and evidences a state of things humiliating in the extreme. We do not want capital, but most sadly want enterand the China seas. Genoa should not be overlook-prise, which God, we implore, will give to debted for that new avenue to the Eastern ocean ed, or omitted in the enumeration of ancient southern cities, reared by southern enterprise." The question then presents itself, will the South be content with its present position? If a great centralization of capital at the North be the secret of its vast commerce, have not we to balance against it many other advantages? We are as near to Europe. nearer to the West Indies, to South America, to Mexico, and other important trading points. Thousands of shipping leave our ports, with rich products, annually, and they must return directly to us, in mere ballast, or take a circuitous course back by the way our children, should it so happen that we are irreclaimable, and past all hope.* .182,259. .935,586.. 853,139 1,445,959 .88,067 The British exports to the United States during the year 1847 are officially estimated at £10,974,161; and in 1848 at £9,564,909. * We might have remarked at length upon the operation of our system of cash duties, drawback, &c., and the desideratum of a comprehensive WAREHOUSING SYSTEM. Our tables generally will show the comparatively small re-export business done in this country, to what might be done under more favorable auspices, and to what has already been done. Perhaps we have not dwelt sufficiently upon this, but it is now too late. We will leave the reader, however, with one reflection. Mr. Webster stated in his Faneuil Hall speech, in 1820, "that the average value of foreign merchandise re-exported COMMERCIAL EDUCATION IN UNIVERSITIES.-Several years ago we drew up a plan for a Professorship of Commerce, etc., which we recommended to public attention, and which was adopted by the administrators of the University of Louisiana under an endowment by Col. Maunsel White. The duties of the chair have not yet commenced, owing to interruptions in the organization of the literary department of the institution and the unfinished state of the building. When these impediments are removed and the funds establishing the chair are made available, it will then be in a condition of perform-wide field, and on the most interesting which ing useful service to the community. Locke's Essay on Government; Lieber's Political Ethics and Hermeneutics; Montesquieu's Spirit of Laws; Smith's Wealth of Nations; McCulloch's Commercial and Geographical Dictionary; Say's Political Economy; Vethake's Political Economy; Carey on Wealth; Stephen's Progress of Discovery and Maritime Commerce; Heeren's Commercial Researches; Vincent's Commerce of the Ancients; McGregor's Commercial Legislation; Annual Reports American and Contemporary Governments. We proceed to make a brief exposition of the duties of the professorship, its organization, &c., and give the outline of its labors. In this we are without guide from any quarter, but give our own views, the result of continued reflection upon these matters. Professorship of Public Economy, Commerce and Statistics.-I. Origin of Society and Government; Theory, Forms, and Ends of Government; Rights, Duties, and Relations of Governments; Sources of National Wealth and Progress, and Causes of National Decline; Production, Distribution, and Consumption of Wealth, with the Laws appertaining thereto. II. Statistics of Population and Wealth in their application to COMMERCE, AGRICULTURE, MANUFACTURES. 1. History and Progress of COMMERCE, its Principles and Laws; Home and Foreign Commerce; Tariffs, Treaties, Life Insurance, Roads, Canals, Shipping, and Revenue, Systems of Reciprocity; Balances of Trade; Mercantile and Navigation Systems; Colonies and Colonial systems; Banks, Finances, Accounts, Transportation, Book-keeping, Principles of Merchant Law; Commerce of Nations, Ancient and Modern; Geography of Commerce, Commodities of Commerce, etc., etc. 2. Progress and Results of AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE; Principles of Agriculture; Comparative condition of Agricultural, Commercial, and Manufacturing Communities; Statistics of Agriculture, etc. 3. Origin and Progress of the MANUFACTURING SYSTEM; its Relation to the other Pursuits; Invention and Machinery in Manufactures; Condition of the Manufacturing Classes; Statistics of Manufactures, &c. Text-Books for this Course: from the United States, from 1795 to 1817, amounted to 42-100 of our whole exportations. In some years the exportation of foreign had exceeded that of domestic produce." From 1822 to 1845, the re-exports have never exceeded one-third of the whole exports, they have been more often a fourth or a fifth of their value, and in 1843 they were one-twelfth! It will be seen that the project covers a could possibly be imagined. Of course it would be impossible to treat in detail all of these subjects, but a sufficient view might be taken of them for all general purposes by every student. Some would of course be glanced over, whilst others, being of higher consideration and importance, would receive elaborate notice and exposition. In the successful progress of the University, it might be found, too, at some other day, that the labors of the professorship could be divided, giving to the practical and theroretic, different departments and different professors. The division we have made of subjects needs little explanation. They run naturally one into the other, and it is necessary to make the beginning in the proper place. For example, of how much importance is it to be understood among merchants, from the constitution, theory, and objects of government, how far they should interfere in the practical and industrial pursuits of life. How many salutary lessons will be learned from a knowledge of the undue interferences which history records! This, with what is generally known as political economy, or what we designate public economy, are embodied properly in the course. Political discussions would forever be excluded from the Chair. Whatever may be the views of the professor in relation to any matter or matters connected with commerce or manufactures, and which are involved in the excited controversies of parties, he shall present them only in connection with the views of either side fairly, and refer the student to his own reflections for conviction, after a careful consultation of the text-books and authorities. This can as easily be secured as a professorship of the evidences of Christianity, to be found in many colleges, but excluding rigidly all sectarian views and theological discussions. It should be required from the professorship to prepare and deliver twelve public lectures each year, free to every one, upon subjects determined in its organization. For example, upon the "Sources of National Wealth and Decline;" on the " History and Progress of Commerce;" on the " Foreign Commercial Relations of the United States, including our Treaties;" upon "Finance;" on the "Results of Agriculture and the Advancement of Agricultural Classes;" on "Manufactures;" the "Science of Statistics;" the " Geography of Commerce;" the "Commodities of Commerce;" the "Literature of Commerce," etc., etc. The lectures to be of a practical character, and perhaps published eventually, under the auspices of the University, as one of its text-books. Such a volume, prepared with all the light afforded in the libraries and collections of the University, would be complete. chant; Woods' Survey of Trade; Defoe's Plan of English Commerce; Gee's Trade and Navigation of Great Britain; Carey's Discourse on Trade, &c.; Dobbs on Trade of Ireland; Decker on the Decline of Trade; Tucker on the Trade of France and England; Tucker on Commerce and Taxes; Tucker on Trade of Turkey; Bell's Vindication of Commerce and the Arts; Postlethwayt's Dictionary of Trade and Commerce; do. Commercial Interest of Britain; Cantillon's Analysis of Trade; Rolt's Dictionary of Trade; Mortimer's Dictionary of Trade and ComFor the Library, in addition to all the merce; Mortimer's Elements of Commerce; standard periodicals and the most select Tucker's Tracts on same subjects; Sheffield journals relative to commerce, commercial on American Commerce; do. on Irish Compursuits, agriculture, manufactures, statis-merce; Oddy's European Commerce; Mills' Defence of Commerce; M'Culloch on its tics, &c., may be mentioned the following works, a very large portion of which we will Principles and History; Pitkin's Commerce venture to say could not be obtained at this of the United States; Hagemeister on Rustime in our country, and scarcely any of Statistics; Melon's Essay on Commerce; sian Commerce; Macgregor's Commercial them in our city. Many other works equally Savary's Dictionary of Commerce; Condilvaluable we could enumerate, were it neces-lac, du Commerce et Le Gouvernement; Risary, and we could enumerate maps, charts, cardo's Traité du Commerce; Arnauld's Baetc. etc., which are appropriate to the de- lance du Commerce; Sismondi, Laboulinierre, partment. With this catalogue we conclude our observations, in the hope that what has Settlements; Bacon's Colonization of the etc., on Commerce; Douglass' North American been said will excite public attention, and Free States of Antiquity; Moseley's Treatise ensure from our wealthy and enterprising on Sugar; Brougham's Colonial Policy; Edmerchants such action as we think they will wards West Indies; Bliss' Colonial Interbe proud to take. Now is the time for accourse; Bliss on the Timber Trade; Martin's tion; who will take the matter in hand and Statistics of British Colonies; Merivale's charge himself with the important service. Lectures on Colonization and Colonies; Mun Library of the Chair of Public Economy, on the India Trade; Robertson on Ancient Commerce and Statistics-Economics.-Stew- Communication with India, and Modern art's Inquiries in Political Economy; Lauder- Trade with it; McPherson's European Comdale ou Public Wealth; Smith's Wealth of merce with India; Milburn's Oriental ComNations; Ricardo's Political Economy and merce; Chitty on the Laws of Commerce, Taxation; Malthus' Works on do.; Torens Manufactures, &c; Hooper on Ancient Meaon the Production of Wealth; McCulloch's sures; Reynardson on English Weights and Works; Dr. Cooper's Treatise on Political Measures; Arbuthnott's Coins, Weights, and Economy; Cardoza's do.; Whateley's do.; Measures: John Quincy Adams' Report on Chalmers' do; Scrope's do.; Senior's do. ; Weights and Measures; Gordon's Universal Carey's Principles of Political Economy; Accountant and Complete Merchant; King's Quincy's Logic of do.; Hume's E-says; British Merchant; Hertslet's Treaties of EngWest on Land and Capital; Ricardo's Dia- land; Evelyn's Navigation and Commerce; logues; Bailey on Values; Jones on Wealth Anderson on Commerce; Macpherson's Anand Taxation; Boileau's Introduction to Po-nais of Commerce; Vincent's Commerce of litical Economy; Young's Political Arithmetic; Foreign Works of Isnard, de Tracy, Say, Garnier, Ganilh, Douffroy, Sismondi, Droz, Blanqui, Rau, Chevalier, Rossi, Verri, Becarria, Gioja, Pecchio, Munoz, Ward, Ortiz, Guarina's Estrado, Dictionaire d'Economie, Scrittori Classici Italiani, di Economia Pulitica, etc., etc. Mill's Political Economy. Commerce-Robertson's Mappe of Commerce; Roberts' Treasure of Trafficke; Eugland's Treasure by Foreign Trade, by Thos Mun; Fortrey's England's Interest and Im-on Paper Credit; Foster's Commercial Exprovement; Coke's Treatises on Trade, etc.; England's Great Happiness; Britannia Languens; Childs' Discourse of Trade; Dudley North's Discourses on Trade; Davenant on the Balance of Trade; King's British Mer the Ancients; Stephens' Progress of Discovery, Navigation and Commerce; Cooley's Maritime and Inland Discovery; Heeren's Commercial Researches; Huet's History of Commerce; Depping's Histoire du Commerce; Marin's Commercio d'Veneziani; Petty on Money; Locke's Treatises on Money; Sir Isaac Newton on Coinage; Leake's History of English Money; Harris on Money and Coins; Suelling's Works on Coinage; Murrey on the Coinage of England; Thornton changes; Liverpool on Coinage; Blake on the Course of Exchange; Rudong's Annals of British Coinage; Gilbert's History of Banking; Gallatin on Currency and Banking in the United States; Gouge's Treatise on do. |