[22] See the speech of the Hon. Gerrit Smith, on the "Kansas-Nebraska Bill," in which he asserts, that the invention of the _Cotton Gin_ fastened slavery upon the country; and that, but for its invention, slavery would long since have disappeared. [23] This is only the consumption north of Virginia. [24] This estimate is probably too low, being taken from the census of 1850. The exports of cottons for 1850 were $4,734,424; and for 1353, $8,768,894; having nearly doubled in four years. [25] These figures were taken from the official documents for the first edition. They vary a little from the revised documents from which Table VII is taken, but not so as to affect our argument. [26] See Table VII, in Appendix. [27] See Table VI, in Appendix; and in this connection it may be explained that the _crop year_ ends August 31st. [28] See Table II, in Appendix. We have of course to limit our statements in relation to some of these amounts to the figures used in the first edition, because they can only be ascertained from the census tables of 1850. While it will be found that the exports of bread-stuffs and provisions have increased considerably, it will be seen from Table VIII that it is not in a greater ratio than the exports of cotton and tobacco. To show that the statement as it stands was a fair one at the time, it is only necessary for the reader to look at the last named table to see that the three years preceding 1853 exported considerably less than that year. [29] See Table III, Appendix. [30] These estimates have not been recast and adapted to 1859, for the third edition, because, as will be seen from Tables VII, VIII and X, there has been no great change in the amount of these commodities consumed since 1853. CHAPTER VII. Economical relations of Slavery further considered--System unprofitable in grain growing, but profitable in culture of Cotton--Antagonism of Farmer and Planter--"Protection," and, "Free Trade" controversy--Congressional Debates on the subject--Mr. Clay--Position of the South--"Free Trade," considered indispensable to its prosperity. BUT the subject of the relations of American slavery to the economical interests of the world, demands a still closer scrutiny, in order that the causes of the failure of abolitionism to arrest its progress, as well as the present relations of the institution to the politics of the country, may fully appear.