Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1821-05-11

d'hnSf every pidntfT pOsSeS>fS more IMAM
lie actually cuuivstes. Corresponding 9
eft cts are produced by fall in the price
! ct cu,'oh in foreign markers. IL Is evi.
drn!. therefore. HAT planter niay realize
AZ very different prices of co,iop, The
san,e interest on his capital-undersiaiid
my by his capital, The sum wh.cli his land
ani negroes would command AT The rrs
peciv. periods IN which IL would be ue
ce.sZIy !" invest 10 land aud negro,s III
order tn produce the same qaan.Hy OF
cotton.
Alterations in the value of cotton there
fore sffeci the uoiue Of ms capital, but not
The rate of interest he derives from it,
and ID CITE. per 10. when iha; value lie re.
duved one halt, may afford him The ave.
rage profits OF stock IN The country where
ae resides, IA certainly as 50 cents before
thai reduction.
The cxpe,ice of clothing The ncgi oeS ia
almost the only element la the cos, of
produciiO OF cotton "hicli does mol FOL
low lis tiuctuaiIons in value, and this ia
too ins,2niti cahf la require nuiicr.
Could land and negroes therefore IN
any particular country. be applied 10 no
Other purpose than the production ct The
subsistence of The Iabourers and of cot.
toti, The planter might afford 10 sell his
cotton, or III other words have an induce.
men' to cultivate u, al amy price. B or
cents per ID. for instance, al which his
crop world leave a surplus after paving
The eXpence OF cluthing his negroes. a
sale OF his land and negroes, being in
this superstition iaprac,icablr, and his
only choice lying between small pretit
and none.
This, however, is no where absolutely
the case-and IN order therefore 10 Judge
nj tllasI In alaltI
mimution IN the culture Of cotton, il is OF
less consequence 10 enquire into The cost
OF production at any particular time
(Which may be easily ascertained--ibe
items which compose he cOsI of produce
ten beng taken at their current rates J
Than TO ascertain The lowest price al
which cotion would yield AS large return
as other articles winch might be subs,i..
Iuted III it's place. The price of other
articles therefore enters essentially into
tie question, aud any permanent rise or
fall IN The price oi these, might have The
same fleet IN mere asing or diminishing
The growth of cotton as a rise or tall I'm
The prlce of cotton itself. For instance. II
indigo al S per Id. aud cotton "a, l5 CTS.
all rued an equal remuneration Ia me
planter, IL might be a matter o. indItfrr-
ence To ttim which he should cultivate.
=, cotton remaining al 10 cents, The
cultivation OF Indigo would be waterfall,
Increased, and HAT OF COTTON proportion
ally dl'un.sj'td.
Now 10 apply this 10 the actual silua.
ton of thr United States la South Ca
foiina and Geoiga, ine principal arli>
S;tS 0i culture 81 present are rice, a lii
lie louacco, Indian corn and coiion.-
he tobaccO and rice lands generally. [
in.asInr, are MOI Suitable Tor Tie culture
oi totop; ana II Is MOI likely thai any
probable variation IN then r.Iaiivr vaIn,.
would lead 10 any material alteration IN
the relative extent OF their cultivation
Inc sol, h"weVeT, most suitable Tor cots
ton, l. ~ell calcniais:i for Indian corn. II
thrfeioTF, We could conceive OF a iore,pu
UemHud Tor Indian corn, so extensive an
to sustain II permanently, III a pre-.
| Which would leave ii greater prof. than
Tie culture at cotton. the ,uiti,ation OF
The latte" would no doubi decline.
Tins, however. cannot be anticipated
as the enormous Quantity WHICH would
be raised wouit soon uepress The price
aud the foreign markets WVnid uIiimatcl,
be supplied 10y those STATES. winch pos
sesS as great or greater advantages for
tEe Cu tvation 1T Indian corn, and aye
less adapted Tor Tie production of other
staples. Ii does not thereto e appear pro
bablr, (ihe cultivation of indigo having
been absndoue'i, aud that OF heup be-
irg easily subslItulrd) thai there are any
articles 0f produce which ia Georgia or
Carolina could b. substituted inr cot
ton, EVEN !! that article should decllpe
consIftrabIy-to eight or ten CENTS, Tor
instance.
1t Is possible, however, 10 transport lie
q nj tn Mi -,
ry therefore to enquire whittier any tul
ture in the nclghbnuring states, would at.
fnfd an lnhuvrnleni to migration, IN cave
OF material decline IN the price of cot.
ton.
Sugar. and perhaps sugar only, dors
affOld such an Inducen nj, bul us growth
| Is liDiled Ivy certain latitude, aud there
~ regular supply of slaves iru,m Viryi.
MA and North Carolina, not previously
! employed in The cultivation of cotton, aud
| more than equal To the annua! demand
! for the culture of Sugar. | am disposed
Therefore 10 believe that Upland and Leu.
is'ana cotton might drcIIne considerably,
| 10 8 10 cts, perhaps. before ia tUliivd-
tI'n VIII he materially checked, and al.
most AL The p'aht"rs Will wh m have
conVersed. concur IN tits idca.-l ought
| howevtr Il except Two very eXtrHsIvr
! oncs from y. Carolina aud Louisiana, Who
stated 10 and lS cts. rs the lowest prizes,
| al wluchiliry conceived HAT cotton would
be cultivated ~ their respective states TO
any extent am inclined to- think how
ever, thai neliher of them would maintain
these schijmepis IL they we're D"i COTTON
! planters; One OF hem is man Of very
good sense, but his opluion appears 10
be ou'v eigbed by gcnIaI reasoning on
Tie s0bject aud by the almO.i UNANIMOUS
] semtlmnnls af The planlels win wi,nln