The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1843-07-05

our soil, aad which long habit and The character OF
our climate and productions have been rendered nc
cessary to US.
But he has too much art TO attempt by violence and
openly what his cunning and knowledge has taught
him may, il he deceive us enectuaIiy be
accomplished by indrection. II our production can
be rendered Improbable, his object, he sees, will be
accomplished Should the stakeholder also be brought
into disrepute, his whole purpose will be fully ut
tanned. A disreputabe and Improbable culture he
knows will necessarily be abandoned.
To this end have the British sugar islands been de-
stroycd and thai product sought to be transferred 10
the more genial climate Of india. Hence, also, the
great efforts to draw their supplies Of cotton from the
same region. II would seem to questionable
whether a plentiful and cheap supply Of sugar can
be drawn from thence; and still more so as to cot
ton. The CHM has given, II is true to the cot
ton experiment apparent success; bat this, proba
bly,, does not belong to il rapid increase IN the
production Of sugar in Cuba and elsewhere has pre-
vented The effects Of the destruction OF the British
Islands from Icing, as yet, fully felt. But this viii
be experienced, by the suppression Of the slave
trade, efectualy checking any further extension,
even il 1t do not dmin 81 the product. The ugar
interest may, and probably will be prosperous. II not
sacrificed by its own Government in the pending adj
justmcnt of the tariff.
Sugar growers are large consumers Of most of the
| articles Of manufacture and products on which the
duty will fall; and, il they do not obtain cores
bonding duty on their product when inn ored, II Is
their settled conviction that this branch OF Southern
|
culture not forced into existence by protective
tariff that does its being 10 any forced or
faIse rystem, but was cherished by duty that was
|purey revenue one. Sugar has been very fruit
full source Of revenue to the Government, although
the duty never has been very heavy or onerous
one. Having grown up by the ride of the wants Of
the treasury, it would seem hard that this interest
should be abaud oned to its fate whilst Others that
sprang out Of the false system of an avowedly pro
tectivc tariff should continue To receive ample pro-
/ ~
advocate Of protective tariff, us such; but have
never been able 10 see the improperly OF SO ADJUST
ing the tariff as 10 yield such incidental protection to
the great Interests Of the ry could fairly and
honestly lie gwen, But, ours Is an agricultural
ard Sss,hern interest, unaied by active agents, and
haslrs ao,h,ag 10 eallst tho syGpa,hes Of the tariff
s&le et The hos q must be sacrificed unless those
ahs are in principle and habit an,-tariH will see
ssat equal las,iec bc done US
SsseaS as your feelings and principles have always
ecea again>, the protective policy, do not think
that you have concnded that tar incidental pro
secssoa was either incxpedient or adverse TO any
sound principle. But even il you were, you could
not, think, fail 10 perceive that, when such ayors
were being dispensed, the South would be entitled to
fair partcip alton.
My great fear is that the friends Of free labor will
see in il too favorable opportunity TO aim fatal
blow al the prohtabeness OF slave labor rely ing on
your and friends gene al hostility TO protection,
rendering you not unwilling spectators Of the move
Should they succeed in putting down the culture oil
sugar, the great force now employed must neces-
sariIy be employed in cutivating cotton; promising
results the price o. that article much more imme-
date as well as permanent than the culture in In
dia. We make, on an average, 100 900 hogsheads
Of sugar. 1t is fair to say that not than from
three to four bogsheads per hand are made, which
gives you the effective force so employed, al (say)
about 80 600. This force employed the rich lands
| of the Mississippi, would produce from $50 TO u
600 bales. As the increase Of all The negroes-not
only those employed in cotton but in all the slave
holding States-would then exclusively be thrown
on that crop you will see how rapidly the culture
would be extended, well as how certainly the pro-
duction wrud overtake the extreme point OF con-
sumption.
To me il seems equally certain, that If cotton, by
the success in India, be rendered unproductve, the
force that would BE- drawn from it TO the culture of
cane would soon involve IT In the same rum. l have
no doubt that the entire consumption OF sugar, not
more than half being made, could be furnished,
but not proftably, ill the suppression of the slave
trade be fully ieit, except under the protection OF
we're supplied this, in the event of cotton being I'M
profitable, would absorb but very small part Of the
slave labor. The inevitable consequences would be
over-production and the consequent depreciation in
the value Of that species OF labor.
To me il seems certain that whether cotton
gar be first rendered vaucless. the evil must
soon follow the other II such be the fact, any thing
promising that effect will come powerfully recon-
mendod to the abotionis,s. Success in culiiyating
cotton in India the destruction Of the culture Of
sagar.csne here, would gise them all they could de-
sire.
In their wild yea, TO accomplish their object, il Is
not TO be expected that they will pause TO consider
the injustice Of throwing this branch Of industry
open 10 the destructive competition OF the foreign
products whilst they furnish themselves with ample
protection. No one knows better than you how
blind fanaticism Is TO all such cons deratoDs. II is
the more especially so, when stimulated by inte-
rest and embodened 10y the presumed weakness Of
the oppressed party.
| On both sides Of the ocean IL has been so often
asserted that the South Is too weak 10 defend her
self and that without contradiction, that II may,
and probably will, produce measures that might
not Otherwise be thought Of. is II not time that "
should be con,rsdictcdi Unless IL be, our peo-
pie may come to believe it, A slave population
does not necessarily make people weak. We did
not show ourselves weak IN either Of the wars In
which the country has been involved. Neither rea-
son nor experience warrants the leief that slaves
could be more readily turned against an invading
enemy II is in the nature Of ignorant men, more
particularly Of negroes TO be dsirustfu Of strangers
Without we have entirely mis- aiken their feelings to-
wards US is surely ridiculous 10 suppose that they
would readily abandon those they have known all
their lives In support Of those whom they have
seen Should IL become our interest TO use that kind
OF power, can hold on, TO them strong induce
men,s strangers and might render them very elf
cicnt in rcpelng invasion, or redressiug grievances
Perhaps no State could in time Of war more easily
spare a part Of it, labor--ccrtsnly could so
promptly call II in % action--as a slave State.
4 II would afford me great satisfaction 10 have your
views on ioti les which so deeply inter ST US all
Your time, / am well aware, is very fully occupied ;
and nothing but the ecp importance belonging TO
the subject could have induced me TO ntrude on II
with these dgested remarks-much less to have
asked the benefit Of your opinions. will barely add
the assurance Of my great respect and esteem
ROBERT CARTER NICHOLAS
wsspseros, 9TH May, l5i2.
! NV DIAN Sra You do not state too strongly the
danger to which the South, and, in fact the whole
country is exposed Never, IN my opinion, has the
country been in more danger than at present. The
Administration is powerless, and the Wings infaus-
ted and IL the object to ruin, instead OF saving
the country, IT would be scarcely possible to take
/ Ihan thai which has hccn mn