Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1845-07-18
Cos,sees,o3,ccs o. Annexation

!
Now that this great measure is consum-
mated. we may be permitted to oiler lie"
speculations on the consequences which
will naturally flow from the union OF the
two republics. We mean, however, IN
the present short article, only to advert to
the influence which annexation will have
upon our great commercial rival and' we
NAV add, commercial encmy-Great BIZ
tain. Every body who has paid the slight
est attention to the rise and progress OF this
measure, is we'll aware that England has,
from its lncipient stages down to the pre-
sent moment, done every thing III her pow
er to prevent its consummauon. why was
this? We might answer generally, that
England looks upon the United States as
her only great maritime and commercial
rival; and that he: jealousy OF our growing
importance would stimulate that overbear-
ing government to throw every impeachment
she possibly could in the path of our on
ward progress. There is one specific cause,
however, which impeiled her to leave emo
stone untumed " to prevent Texas annexa-
ton. There is one of the products OF the
Southern States of our conlederacy which,
! during the last dirty years, has entered
! largely into, and has, to some extent, con-
troled and Influenced the commerce OF the
whole civilized world. The cotton plant
of the Southern Atlantic States plays al
most important part on the great theatre oil
commerce. 1t is destined daily and year
" to become more important. Every year
that rolls over our head bears witness to the
fact that this article is gradually suppIantlng
almost every other article, which, for centu-
rics past, has been used 10 cover the naked
ness of the great mass Of mankind. New
markets, too, are almost every year opened
up for the consumption Of cotton, Or rather
manufactured cotton. China, for instance,
with her two or three hundred millions Of
inhabitants, has opened all almost mex haus-
tble market for the cheaper kinds of manu-
featured cotton goods. But why need we
enumerate. Cotton must, and undoubted-
ly will, constitute, in time, the clothing Q!
! 4 large portion of civilized mankind. Eng
ldlitl, StiGC tlit AIN" t'Ss IA
great measure, secured to herself mo-
nopoIy of the manufacture Of the raw ma
teraI. The superior energy Of her people
tile perlectioi to which she has carried
machinory-the gcnious other institutions,
and the vast control which her maritime
greatness has enabled her to exercise over
the commerce Of the world, has tended to
: make her sea rirt isle Tire great workshop
= Of The world, particularly i'll the line about
which We have been speaking. She has,
! for years, and now does, possess a mo-
nopoIy of the cotton manufacture OF the
Il world This has contributed much to
elevate her to the pinicle of power and
: greatness upon which she now stands. It's
preservation is almost essential to her very
existence. Her statesmen know and feel
u ibis. But if England possesses moDopo-
~ Of the manufacture Of cotton, we, the
0 United States, enjoy still more exclusive
MONOPOLY If the growing of this great sta
l. pie. England is well aware that ifthe tide
) OF wealth has flow ed into her lap from all
1t the world, drawn .thither by the products
of the spinning Jenny, SO long as tee UNI
ted States preserves within her borders the
almost exclusive production Of the raw
. material, the great first cause of this tide
t of wealth, she (England) must, i'll q mea-
i sure, be dependant upon this country for
Il her prosperity. Here, then, is the secret
Il of all her desperate and sleepless endeav-
. ors to prevent annexation. 1t is estimated
by those who have travelled over Texas,
| that in very few years she Will be able
to produce near million of bales of the
" finest cotton in lie world annually. Now
u could England have managed TO induce
= Texas to reject the propositions of the U.
! States-to remain in state OF quasi indie
. pendence, she would have gained point for
" which she would be willing to have paid al
most any consideration. Her next step un-
ut doubleday would have been 10 conclude such
= commercial treaty with that infant repub.
~ lie as would have secured to her the virtual
10 control of her future destinies-as would
lie have made her to all intents and purposes
e, a colonial dependency. Had she succee
ded in her designs, she would then, in the
IS event of difficulties with this country, have
!, been able to procure large supply of cot
k ton, so essential to her very existence
. from the cotton growing region of of Tex
70 as, and she might have snapped her fingers
,e at us. But now that the Rio Del Norte
is eur Southern boundary line, we com