Mississippi advertiser. [volume] (Aberdeen) 1842-1848, 1845-02-15
AFACT AND A QUESTION.

The following condensed view of the quantity and
value ofthe staples Of the Southern States, given
by writer in the Charleston Mercury, is well
thy the serious consideration of every patriotic
statesman. The question thrus,s itself upon the
attention of the most sluggish intellect, as to the
causes Of certain commercial and pecuniary phe-
nomena which he sees taking place in the social and
political community of which he ia a member. That
question is why is the South which produces oigh-
W millions worth of Cotton, twenty millions worth
of Tobacco two wons worth OF Rice, five times as
much grain az New England nearly twice as much
as the middle states, one eighth more than the
grain States of the est, and, Of Indian corn alone
three hundred millions OF bush ls-constanty fall
ing of, in teafuly increasing ratio, in wealth and
power, whilst the Northern States, with all the dis
advantages Off rigorous climate, stetile soil, and
scanty production of the very necessories of life,
are advancing in wealth and power, with rapidity
aud s,eadiness uncxampei in the history of any
country Why is il, asks the POLITICAL economist,
the statesman, and the cilzcn7 The full answer to
that question would disclose u system of egisa-
tive oppression-a history of legislative wrong and
nustce--and ill-concealed scheme of plumber,
color Of law, such az finds no parallel in modern
times. Under its effects, the buraened and OPP
pressed South, conscious OF her situston and othc
evils which are crushing her, struggles for relief,
but struggles in vain. Like the miserable sufferer
oppressed with the incubus of night, sha cries for
help and essays to fly from the appalling dunger
but her paralyzed limbs cannot move, her eless
tongus can arculale sound, and her PROSTATE en-
orgies attract 10 sympathy. She has confided too
far she has been duped too often; she has trusted
to perhdious legislative Delilah; and her ambro-
sial locks the evidence and the secret Of her
strength, have been shorn from her, and her enc
1 1 l.. 1 / L.,
of power. This is LUCRATIVE language we know,
and proves nothing yet it but leebiy illustrates the
true condition at this moment, of that portion Of the
county which produces, but does not enjoy, this
vast amount of wealth. The people at large have
witnessed this unjust unequal state of things, and
have said it must sceaase. They have demanded a
change. They have decreed that there shall be sys'
TEN of equality-and equality is justice. That p un-
dered SOuth--that derided South--that opposed
and long suffering South, still asks for simple and
even handed JUSTICE she is still willing to enter IN
to treaty with those who have so long despoed hel
of the rich fruits finer labor, but there is point o
time, beyond which, endurance ceases to be lauda'
BILE. and supplication ends.
We commend the following article to few mo
ments' calm and serious reflection:
"a writer in the Charleston Mercury, over the
signature of "Mercator,' whose entiie article we
Il would publish mad we room, SHOWS, HoH Lon
gressional document Of last session, that the South
ern States, taking the Potomac, the Ohio river anC
the Missouri, as the northwestern boundary, pro
duce OF grain the enormous quantity OF nifty three
and three quarters (j33) bushels to every sou
within their limits, while the Middle States, incu
ding Maryland, produce but twcnty-nine and
quar- .er to each nhabtant, and the States of New
England produce but nine and half bushels TO ev
: cry inhabitant. Thus, we Of the South lndepen
dent of our eighty millions worth of Cotton, gu
twenty millions worth of Tobacco, our two million
worth of Rice, produce more than five times a
much grain as New England, nearly twice as niue
i as the Middle States, and one eighth more than tn
y great grain States OF the West We produce {
h Indian corn alone, nearly three hundred millions
q bushels
"'Mercator' contends that as the cotton croT
4 have been for the last three years they have near
!, all been consumed-that the demand has carrie
n off the supply, and at the close OF the last sessiC
there was not excess of cotton on hand as legiv
ID mately to produce the important and rninuus cite
the prices OF the ensuing crop that has occurrc
" Mercator' th-n asks why, then, has not 4
price Of cation been maintained The answ
m seems to DO very plain. Byour tariff laws, says
y our cotton canno, DO exchanged for therroducto