Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1845-04-04
COZ. CHESTER ASHLEY.

United STATES Senator from .ifEansds.
We published during the last week the able
speech OF this new ard wo-;hy Senator from ar
kansas. Ii ouch, 10 be read By every Virgiaian-
rs presenting many bold and original views Q.
The annexation OF Texas. His statistics about he
growth of cotton and the extent OF emigration TO
tia, country, are particularly worthy OF n":ice;
He refers 10 the designs of Great Britain. ard
saws: "She would no; set Texas by The swoid;
hui he would tell gentlemen how Sic would get
il. and mere ei:eciually toby treaty OF conf
n,ercc. So long as Congress continued TO exact
The same dues as il now levied, Great Britain
would make with Texas treaty which woul,:
operate eleciually 10 destroy sill our commerce IN
the South and Southwest. Let her admit IeXian
cotton into her dominions free of duty while We
paid duty ON it CT IL per cent; lei Texas re.
ceive British manufactures into her ports free OF
duty. or under a mere nominal duly; and let u.
Britain covenant 10 support aud defend the indie
pendence and safely of Texas by the power Of
her navy and armv-and what must be The neccs-
sary effect upon US? |, would al once reduce the
value of all our land in the South and West, ard
in effect soon destroy the entire colion-Srowing
region Of the South"
1.-THE argument Of the Lynchhnrg Virsinian
quoted in the last National Inellsencer, Will
scarcely hold water. What, though Sir Robert
Peel has proposed 10 make all raw cotton free Of
du,y7 Yet does it follow, that as soon rs Texas
raises enough 10 supply large proportion Of
the British demand, this discrimination may not
then be made in favor Of Texas cotton
''The gentleman from Virginia, mir. Rives,]
when responding TO the argument, from cxredicn-
CT, in favor CT the admission OF Texas, had ask
cd And what was to be done for poor old Virsi-
nia?' and Teproached gentlemen in having
~. hoo. ,rl
they never had said turkey 10 her once. And
yha; had been his inference from the whole pros
peci before US? The depopu,a;ion OF Virginia.
But Mr.. A. woull say 10 that honorable Senator,
on the other hand, that Recommendation would
operate 10 depopnae the whole South. The
staple cotton product of thai region had now 50
increased in value and importance, that il con-
;role,l The commerce Of the world. About The
wear 1870, We exported to England Only three
bales of il; but since then, the product had risen
10 Two and a hall millions of bales. The product
had greatly orcrrun The consumption; and il II
should continue much more TO increase, The price
would run down, till at last it would not pay The
interest OF The money invested Now, if Texas
should make such a treaty with England rs he
had designated, what must The planters be driven
TOT To employing their slaves in producing
something that would pay their debts; and, as
cotton would no longer DO this, they would nol
re able 10 afford 10 remain longer within the U.
States They would have an induccment 10 the
amount, OF IL per cent. on the entire value OF their
crop of cotton, 10 leave their country. But this
was not ALL In addition to these thirteen per
cent on their cotton which they could save by
removing across the line inio Texas, they would
save the average duty. say OF forty per cent
which they now paid To orr own Government on
British goods imported, and, b. consequence, The
fact
reasons so commanding for his removal, no plan
ter could or would long stay AT home lie must
20 10 Texas or s,arve That state Of things
would then have arrived in which, il the slaves
did not run away from their masters, the masters
would have 10 run away from the slaves This
was, in fact, fulfilling every week. and that to an
extent of which lie Senate had little imagination
"Mr A. resided at Little Rock, and there the
tide Of emigrans for Texas was so great that they
required Steamboat to ferry them across the Ar
kansas river: and their numbers had raised the
price OF coin from twenty fvc cents 10 two dollars
a bushel on The route OF emigration. Then there
was another line Of cmigranls which was pass
ing through Arkansas, on the extreme Western
border Of the State; third passed near Natchez
10 Na,chitoches; and, in addition, a strong emi
grafton by The way OF Eed river; besides all the
rest who went across The Gull.
"What would he thu natural effect Of such
state of things! Five years would not pass away
before Texas would bea.le 10 crow cotton enough
10 supply the whole wo;d. Why, lille Arkan-
sas, with her populations d i25 600, possessed cot
ION land enough 10 supply Two such worlds
Tia, little State alone could produce double the
quantity Of all tie cotton now raised in The o..
States. To accomplish this would require bu
fonr millions Of acres, and The State had from ten
10 fifteen millions Of good land for The production
OF cotton"