Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1844-07-18
Gen. Waddy 1'hoIllpson,
on TEXAS.
ToIhsI Eairors i'm Nisi.Hai Iqllsrie,ne,r

.
Toihs EE5if0rs efths .NsisHaf Fgtdiiesncer
Msssrs Cats &SEAToy: Ia an ad
dress which Irecenay made TO the Wing
OF Albany. | MADE some rssmsrks in rela
lion to the late treaty for tie annexaii
Of Texas 10 the Uni,edStates. A utisre
presentation mo doubt Tslaiing f.om
Misunderstanding ofihose remark make
I proper IN my i0dgmentflIatI should nt
longer Withhold the pubisc expressioa
OF my opinions upon that sihfct. aud iii.
due 70 myself thai should al the same
tune give The reasons for taose opInions
10 the speech whlch 1 made al Albanx
expressed no opinion uPenI The question
OF ultimate annexation, OBJ because
thought that my views az that subject
would be dissgreeable to Tile audience
which was addressing. but for exactly
The opposite reason. preferred TO dis.
cnss the subject before d Southern asdi
ence, where different opini5as we're enter
tanned. and where il wasfpossible that
sone~Eool nigh, be done. No indtyid
ual ID The United States has more motives
Of personal character thar | have 10
advocate The Immediate annexation. oil
Texaslio this country. ] was the first msu
who on the floor Of Congress expressed
his sympathy 10 the Revolution Of Texas.
|, was. an amendment offered by me 10
the appropriation bill in Mslch. 1897,
which secnfee~the recognition OF Texas
BY orr Government Ia measure at that
time Of vital importance 10 the yeuns Re
public Circumstances have since placed
il ID my power 10 give macy other and
substantial proofs Of m} friendly feelings
both ID Texas and the Texans andI am
proud 10 know that no liviag[m man has a
slrongerI hold upon the .gralnpde and al
feciion Of the people Of Texas than have;
and, I will add, that there are pecuoiary
considerations Ito me notHdaimportaa)
which would make The annexation OF
Texas eminently desirable 70 ME vet,
With sll these motives to a different cor.
clrsioh. have not been aele 10 change
my opinions Upon the subject. These a.
pisions have not been hastily form ed, bu,
have rinened into fixed and settled con
vic'ions
am opposed TO The auhexaiion, be !.
cause 10 The language Of Judge Upshur.
iii wpnld injore their chief agricultural
Interest that Of The SOUTH Aby raising up
a powerful competitor = aud ii would
cheaper the price Of cotton the principal
raw material Now these considerations
may have great weigh, withlihv maaufac-
iurers of the North iheyshape exactly
the opposite effect with me 5as a Southern
man ard a cotton planter. aW,ll such b.
be. no one can dol6g Who Il IS T scs il l6ted
wiihabe uneqnaNed ADVANTAGES OF Texas
asa cotton growing county. 4 do not
hesitate 10 ssy-and | 60 50 Oh no light
au,hotily-ihai if the most skillul cotton
planter were TO ask of Heavens country
for theEgrowing Of that staple. he would
ask noisingle advantage WHICH isnoifound
in Texas. There are millions OF sctes
there which will produce from 2 800 to
4 600 pounds o. cotton to the acre. As a
provision country il is at least equal TO
any portion OF our WesteTn country, and
il Is more healthy than any other cotton
growing region in the world Il i, true
that there are some portionsof The United
States where, in favorable years. hand
can make as much cotton as no can ga
iher. but here presents itself an inappre
cable advantage which Texas possesses,
whichlis this: From the month Of Feb
ruary. when the cotton is planted. until
the middle of July. when tits mslured,
there fare constant showers. and from
July until the middle OF Decs 70 Der in or;
binary wears there is TO rain 1t all ; thus
sGordlng Eve months Of uninterrupted
good weather for gatheripg The crop -
The cotton IS therefore UNSIGNED, and its
siaplelis also better than tbaf.ol American
cotton. | am perfectly satisfied that ju-
dicinus investment 10 a cotton plantation,
in Texas will Weld. besides all neeessa-
ries for family consumpIionaf fom eight 70
ten per cent. prof, per annnR ,,ai the price
Of three cents per pound foF the cotton.
In eon6rnslion Of these views it is on
" necessary TO say, that eyen now. with
.all the insecurity Of property 10 Texas
MANY ofthe best planters IN Tie Southwest
are removing their property there. |
know myself ,hatiwo gen'leBsen who own
the very best plantations which have
seen 10 Alabama and Flofida..have aban-
doned 10 great degree theft estates and
removed their hands 10 Texas. IA disiin
ruished allocate OF the measure estimates
iha, ID very shor,iime two hondred thou
sand negroes will be removed 10 Texas.
The most OF these will be ftsseu from the
exhausted lands of the old States where
they DO not produce one tBo5sand pounds
of cotton 10 the hand. and Carried TO Tex
as, where they viii average ave thousand
pounds to The hand. To which may be
sd6ed large number OF slaves and white
laborers nov employed in ioiher branches
Of teficulture. which will sill more in.
crease the production of eot.bn Isitwise
10 us4hust to STIMULATE the production OF
our great staple now; when tle adjustment
of The demand and SUPPLY fsitremhling 10
the balance. and when Ill the indications
are that this adjustment win be most dis
aslrous 10 The cotIon plsnsSE pnd no, &c
The cotton planter alone. bui 10 The value
ofsIave labor, and oinecesssr4 consequences
10 the existence OF slsyerys i presume
that no.one will deny ihalbcoiloB cannot
continue 10 be raised 10 sks old States a
three or four cents The pound. and know
Of nothing else that can besnbsiituted fol
It. Slaves will then becpne an ineum
brance which We shah ba8glad 10 be iii
Of and coofess Tor myselfthai Il kill az
ford pe very lisile consolation in ridins