Mobile register and journal., 1845-10-09


tune, whilst the irsders poured along re hfon9s OF
negroes bound for what was at that Time the land |
of terror "the Alabama After 1870, the runlors |
which reached The old settlements OF those men VINO
were oyerseers last year. and send 500 bags Of cot
ton of their own 10 market this year. WIN the apt
reference of The mind 10 the high prices OF lne afl-
cle set the imagination of large holders oil slaves |
and all on fire. Emigration onl that time nn,il the
Illusion vanished in ST, the one idea oil Tue old
States.
Il were more correct 10 say that the population oil
tins State has been increased by emigration ana ma
iural causes; and that far az the negro Popnla-
ton is concerned, the traders have awaited them-
selves of the demand for labor in the cotton REGION
and have contributed swell that class Mt Infhbit'
ants by supplying IT,
After having accounted for The failure Of the re-
strctye law heretofore passed. and showing the per-
ilous condition of the State situated as she IL be-
tween the cautious and sighlad States of Georgia
and Mississippi, with their prohibitory laws, II
mieht be supposed the author would enlighen US on
the substantial effects produced in those States by
their wisdom in this behalf But the address IL 81
lent on the operation OF those laws, and seems to
consider the evil of which he bitterly complains very
northumberland straghtway sets about to discuss
H. 1t asks, "How is il IN evlp' 10 VII, the miro
dclion OF slaves for sae-and then proceeds the de-
monstraton.
In The illustration of his views this question,
the author of the address does not attack the habit
of the cotton region of making much OF the 'sa-
ple;" nor does he condescend TO notice the trulsm,
that if the consumption OF cotton were lai ger or the
production of The world less, the price would be
higher. But he sezes The proposition that the sale
of slaves in Alabama BY trading, is the greatest
cause Of low prices and other evils, anu ahlf'ns' 10
another part Of the address, that the fertile fields OF
Texas, wanting laborers, is an area large enough
for the surplus negro population oil virginia ana
Mary land.
The whole mower .f his mind is bent upon this
proposition. The prices Of cotton from 80 10 80
ranged from l2a to 20 cents per pound. He will
not undertake say that the animal introduction OF
slaves has .ssoel,' induced the downward tendency
since then admits that Bank expansions and Wis
ionary speculatons had something to do with the
matter but there is s'great reason to assunle
that "yuch great number of SLAVES fdr0wn upon u.s.
(Alabaa) gear after gear, has contributed more thin
any thing Else PROSTATE The price Of our great sfa-
pis" We give the treason in hsown words:
"For (says he) common sense will teach, that Tor
So every new hand put in a cotton heidi Three bales
50 more, on an average, must be added 10 the pro-
az ductlon in the State; and when we once reflect
that the slave populaion since 1880 has been
" than doubled, am | not justified IN taking such IA
Sc positon?'
Now this reason nav he very satisfactory TO Col,
Pickett but confess we do not see The strength
of it, For it strike the mind oil every man, that
ii the slaves employed in Texas, or any where
else nstead of this State, the excess Of production
in the "ereat staple' would have the same effect
upon the price. Besides, the commerce oil the world
does not exactly depend upon the production IN this
State, the increase of aborers here, although The
State Of Alabama is no inconsidefaole contributor
of the great staple. There some few bags made
10 other parts Of our habable globe than Alabama;
and If slaves are to be sold for the purpose Of ma
king cotton we confess our State pride is so far
| selfish. that we more anxious that our crops
should be increased 10 the last ioa, than that the
surplus slaves of Virginia or Maryland should pass
on TO Texas.
There is certainly no distressing circumstance in
| the sad tale told by the Colonel in his "common
sense" illustration 10 the "three bales" more per
handbut the contrary, there is much 10 approve
and admire in The calamty-as we shall presently
| show. .Hl
Alter the revulson of '37. the traders cnntnued
TO throw new labor upon US they did not then
| stop the nearous busness-and cotton, per guod.
| has continued to fall down, down, down--dead!-
The great indebtedness of the State does not deter
them-,he misery of our people does not oppose
| them. They will sell negroes, because the people
| will buy of them. In Montgomery last winter they
sold 800 at $500 esch, and in consequence, $780,
| 900 has been thrown away, to iaiten Virginia and
| Maryland Nabobs-ay, and the money taken from
widows and orphans, and sent clean out OF the State
forever! II is true, however, that the 300 negroes
remain behind. TO curse us with 900 bags in
| The cotton crop. We must grleve, therefore. that
we shall receive this winter S22 500 from the sale
| of the cotton, even al 8 cents pound, and mourn
over AN investment AT only about 20 per cent. Aas
for the State! Yet the Virginia nabobs care no
more for the distress which they produce than if we
were Hottenlots. that they innocently ''enoy the
| great benefits created by our RUIN"
| "They give nothing, (he says) but impant on
Is our soil their surplus negro popuaton--whose
" labor but pooi y remunerates The purchaser, who
" IS bound to feed, clothe and support them. Some
I" Of tlase negroes sold at their native home by
80 distress, and others for crimes and misdemeanors
" while the greater portion are worthless. 10 visit
g. these people upon at this juncture. and under
&c such circumstances, is worse than II England
" should force upon her conycis--for Engla
!" would be content that they were unon our hands,
without, like Virginia, requiring high price for
| =. them besides"
3 III, the address assures that ttv people had
rather purchase such negroes FROM the trader. than
| TO buy those OF their neighbors. And he author has
given most amusing account Of the terrible evils
which attend the sale of negroes by The Sheriff,
boot. 1t seems some of his poor uniortunates, in
stigaed by the love of investments al from Is to 20
| per cent, won't pay their debls aud The law crap
pies with them. Nobody will bid for their negroes
on the block; The bystanders are electrified by curl
osy at spectacle SO rarely exhibited, and forget
| in their amaEement that trader IS about ready 10
pounce down upon the neg, oes. He no sooner gets
| MIN in his clutches, however, than they raise The
cash, by hook by crook and buy the negroes back
and there's new profit made--more money gone.
Verify the neighhors of The Colonel very green
| excessively verdant, in fact!
| But then other circumstances resulting from the
great evil. The condition Of people isverv bad;
(sorry, very!)the prospects very gloomy .(indeedN
thu crop half cut oi-(will The prise rise-
| the provision crop short-(how happens thai?)--
Bank debts pressing-(ah land negro traders at
| our heels!-(terrbel )-For God's sake, Grand Ju-
| rors, keep the peace, shall be desoured!
Then again look AT the State debt, $lA, 100000!
and only $1,000 600 Of assels!-33I per cent. de-
manded and paid AT all the banks but the moiher!-
some of us sued-ruln! run Stop these traders.--
stop, oh. stop this internal cottoD-making open
highway to Texas, and all will be we'll. Stop it on
| ly for five years-only fve-reduce the crops-then
we will trade 'ogether-bid for negroes at home
our money won't RIM away-we'll pay our debts, and
finally get well OF the 'smoney -gripes!'
Now all these miserIes terrible, but tolerahe,
| after all 1t is the fancy picture Of very clever
cotton Quixoe, who would stop the great current of
commerce IN order that njudicous adventures may
prevailed upon to check the sale of negroes in the
State, and that species OF property would instantly
rise in value, but the difference would be exlorted
from our own citizens. The heavy debts of mann
moth planters would be shifted by the sale of me-
groes on those who had hand in contracting them;
the people would bear the burtfen without any
relative increase production and price, and AT the
expiration of five years. prohibition, we should
have lugubrious Cry from the same source that
alarms us for free trade, open ports, and fair play.
The remedy proposed ispaltry and puerile The
consumption, production and trade OF the world can
not be altered by the fearful concerts "f Alabama.
Money cannot be kept in restraint when opposed by
the interest of mankind the demands Of profitable
investments and any attempt to do so would reflect
dscredil upon the State, and result as badly the
experiment Of paying an unmanageabe debt by ex-
te nding the han PLANTER.