The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1842-05-11
From the lEdgcEelA Plcngh Boy.

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Mr.. Editoy-If tic East India expert
ment in relation to Cotton, should prove
a splendid failure, anA turn out TO be
the greatest lnlmbng OF the acc. 'he
reason Er curiaiIing our pro tnction,f
though not 50 ccgncm,, still address them
selves, with great force. 10 every p!aa'cr,
who desires to sec his profession cstab>i,
]ished upon a sol@l bass. We will net
stop to inquire. whether the arguments
for or against the probability Of success
preponderatc; nor do NC regard It a.
matter Of much Importance to &c Cotton
planters Of this continent. to go Int1 alb
stract spcculatons. about the capacity 0!
the East to drive us ultimately ont Gi the
European market; oar business Is to treat
the subject as though the success OF the
experiment were placed bcyound tho pos
sibility Of a doubt.
We promised to show that the remedy
over production and consequent low prI-
ces, was practicable, and we now pro
ceed to redeem the pledge. The Whole
matter is resolved into the simple qucs-
ton, how is the production of Cotton to
be curtailcd. and the capital and labor d.
verted from it, to be more prollta5Iy III
vested?
Let it be taken for granted-as am
sure the proposition cannot be successful
" controverted-that half the quantity OF
Cotton now produced in the U. States,
supposing the production to be reduced
one-half, would yield to the planters as
much money as they now realize tor the
whole; it follows that one-half their capl-
tai and labor employed in the production
of Cotton, is most improvidently thrown
away. How could it be proftably III
vested! In the first place, in rcclalming
exhausted lands, and making substantial
improvements. Secondly, inraisinS eve
ry horse, mule, hog, cow and sheep, neces-
sary for the utmost comfort OF the plan
ter. These suggestions are SO common
in this place, that stranger to the rum
GUS system heretofore practised in the
Cotton region, would be apt to dlscrcdlt
any evidence but. that Of his own Senses.
going to- prove that any people upon the
face of the globe, could neglect such car
dinaI virtues in the pursuit of filthy lucre.
But the; catalogue is not'yet comp!et.-
Besides being dependent on Kentucky
and Tennessee, for large proportion OF
the stock used and consumed, we are
tributary to North, Carolina for butter,
apples and cabages; to Virginia tor tobac-
CO; to the New England States for shoes,
hats, negro cloths, butter, cheese, IRISH
potatoes, picked beef and pork; to New
York, Pennsylvania. Maryland, and Vr-
genia for flour. In this enumeration
have purposely mentioned those articles
only, which may as well be raised IN The
Cotton region, as in the States respective
", from which they are brought to us;
and it will be ,recolIected, that tor every
article purchased from the four first nam
cd States we. pay. cash instead OF pro-
duce in exchange; and that the amount OF
southern produce consumed by the north,
is nothing like an equivalent tor the "a
mount of northern produce and manuiac-
turers consumed at the south.
but the capital to be diverted from the
production Of Cotton, may be proftably
invested in various other ways. Should
Cotton take the place of Hemp, in the
of bagging, rope, &C., the
number Of factories should be increased.
The planter may devote portion Of his
skill and capital 10 making Silk. Our
soil and climate arc admirably suited to
the production oflndigo, and it is the
opinion of an excellent writer in one of
our sister States, that it might be profta-
bly, cultivated. More nieht be said upon
this branch of the subject, but let US sec
what wonld be the effect of the course
upon the ultimateproperity Of
The country. 1t would make US ar indie
pendent people, by throwing us Oh our
own resources. We should form laL;ts
which would soon free rh
from debt, and cure the propensity for
wild and wreckless speculation, by with
drawing the facilities aud temptations to
its Indulgence propensity more dan
gerous to the prosperity of the country,
and one which has already been more
destructive to its best interests, than all
other calamities besides. 1t is not extra
Uafrant to say that the unnaralcleQ en-