Cheraw gazette and Pee Dee farmer. [volume] (Cheraw S.C.) 1838-1839, 1839-09-06
From the Charleston Mercury.
The Convention.


veriion about 10 be held in Columbia during
the next session Of the Legislature, our
planters should regard with more than COM
mon favor. The crisis urges them TO con-.
centrate, in that assembly, all their energies
both moral and intellectual, for never was
there time so fraught with gloom and bo-
ding TO their substantial interests. Since
we have been converted into stock.jobblng
people, may we date our misfortunes. The
planting capital, which of all others to be
successfully invested, requires certain ra,h-
er than unequal profits, however large, has
been operated upon by the expansions and
con,raciions Of q money market, under the
control Of those, who can only hope during
the fluctuations of trade, to amass large for.
tunes from the use of their credit and their
funds. Prospects have been he'd out, so
as TO entice some OF our sober farmers to
venture nearly their all in the scramble for
stock -jobhing eminence, while o:her capt.
talists anticipating the sudden rise ofprop-
erty in yalle, after the abolishmcnt ofthe
National Bank, bought lands and negroes; !;
and 10 realize profits on re-sales, have forced
prices to artificial and unwarrautable stand.
ards so that, while the price Of negroes. of
lands, of houses and rents, has been increa-
sed by the oyer.issues Of the Banks at
home, our staple articles have been regula~
ted by a,foreign demand and in this way,
the measure ofthe planters expenses have
doubled. while his ability to pay Tor what
he consumes, remains the same, or has dim.
finished. Let the Banks issue ever so much
paper, this will benefit the Cotton Planter
little for over. issues, that is, issues very
fur above the value Of the annual crop, OF
the whole amount of the States productive
labor. only increases the prices Of articles
Of domestic exchangeable value, such as ar.
.ice Of living and add nothing to the price
ofCo,ton, that depends on foreign demand.
This is not all. Great pains have been
taken TO persuade the planter that he is rich
that he has spare money 20 venture in trade ;
and that his patriotism and his interest alike
call on him TO draw part OF his capital
from agriculture to invest it in stocks. Now
of all persons he IS least Fl ted for trade or
stock jobbing, for banking or brokering !:
he is too honest, too simple, and has too
much heart for that sort Of thing: his
occupation is to till the earth, which claims
at his hands devoted labor, with all the
skill. science and money he can expend to
revive its fertility. That indeed is fatal
policy, which draws the capital Of the pan''
,ers from agriculture, in an indebted State
like ours, whose soils are nearly exhausted
Of their fertility and where whole Districts
have been aband doned, that may be made
productive, by not very larg investments Of
time and labor. The agricultural is our
commanding interest /; and 10 its improve
ment alone, can we look for the means Of
relieving us from our present embarrass.
ments for nothing else that We produce in
South Carolina, except Cotton and Rice,
will enable US topay our foreign debts, and
in part the debts of The Union.
Let US not be deceived then !; we are
not that prosperous people The orators"
would have US. Where are the increased
sources Of our wealth Has South Caro-
lima. like Georgia, recently acquired an ex
teusive fertile country, and consequent in
crease of population and resources ? Have
new ARTICLES OF agriculture or manufacture,
to any important extent, been produced
among US on the contrary, has no, Con-
siderable portion of our negroes been sent
10 the West and South West. and our abIes.
hands put at work TN Railroads, which, as
yet, have give. lutte, ;fany, profit to the
Stockholders? Grant that our importations
have near,y doubled that Charleston and
Inc inland towns had done an extensive bust.
ness looking to the alarming fact that our
crops must have diminished, how can we
'e prosperous ? We are only so in dress
md equipage, in sumpluous living and Wild
excess. True, the farmer now dresses in |