The Yazoo City Whig. [volume] (Yazoo, Miss.) 1844-1851, 1846-10-30
From the National Intelligencer.
TO the Editors.

Gentlemen: On the Sth inst, by your
courtesy, statistical table on the subject of
raw cotton appeared in your columns. In
connecting with that table would, through
The same medium, ask the attention of cot>
ton planters to. some facts in the history of
that great staple, and show them that the
present value thereof is, in fact, in a great
measure, owing 10 those protective duties
against which they SO loudly complain.
That cotton culture In this country had its
origin in the fostering care Of protective
tariff, during the administration OF Washing
! ton, is we'll known Although Georgia did
export very small quantities soon after the
peace of 1888, yet as lage as 1899 there
were ONLY lbs, 1928 lbs. of cotton of all kinds
exported from the u. S. From the time
that our Government threw its protecting
arm over the plant aud the manufacture, the
rapid increase oil It's production is unparalIel-
ed in the history of agricultureand commerce.
In the brief space Of half century il has
grown TO be the mightiest staple on the globe
Ia y ung giant which had its conceptio on
in the wisdom of our Revolutionary patriots
and statesmen, and its matrix in the virgin
soil of the South and Wesl-stil careering
proudly onward its growth, weaving the
web of destiny for nations in lis course, link-
, ing together the most distant points on oul
sphere and promising yet to be the grand con
troler of the commercial world. FFis passing
strange that many OF our countrymen, whose
all is staked on the continuance of this pro
!. dizzy in agriculture, should, with the light o
:, history before them, still exhaust our Ian
guage in abusive epithets directed agains
r the benefcient system which first nuriureC
n the cotton plant, and even now sustains il
r Is il ignorance, or pride of opinion, or low
t. of the appearance of consistency2 To b
consistent is not to follow the path in lf
:, which we or our fathers before US have trot
,r den, but 10 conform our actions 10 the die
'r tates Of right reason When light breaks
r upon the human mind, and reason show
9p that the end sought can never be attained
p the way pursued, wherein does true cons
s. tencv lie-in marching directly 10 the obje
S, in view, or in still following the path of e
st ror despite of better knowledge!
r. The OBJECTION urged against the tariff
= that trade is reciprocal, and that consequen
eP ly every cent duty levied by US upon the fe
,,r eign fabric of cotton imported into this cou
Or try recoils upon the cotton grower, who
D'r compelled either to sell his cotton for
3! much less as the duty takes from the pro
,ePp Of the manufacturer, or to withdraw from t
= foreign market so much of the cotton as wou
be consumed in that portion of the forei
fabric which is substituted by the manufs
lures with which the duty levied enables
to furnish ourselves at home. The argums
-. sounds we'll, and al first blush conVncir
,ar but we may readily find tho reason why pr
par. teal results ialsify so we'll sounding thee
par. AS in most cases of reasoning a priOri.
par the facts relevant to the Issue are not broui
6 before the mind. Those who urge this obj
!" ton do not seem to have inquired into |
very important matters of fact, viz: how
dol the people of England are under the nee
Q. stiy Of manufacturing cotton; and how
: by reduction Of duties in any way bearing
.. the manufacture, England IS capable of
ducing tho cost of the fabric. Those obi
$50 tor had, even as many as fifteen or eight
500 years ago, falsely assumed that the COS
500 fabricaiing in England was reduced to
< ~ lowest rates. We will inquire into
200 branch Of the subject more fully pFeseu
100 Nor do these same directors seem to b
100 looked into another question of fact equ
S 3 sO important, and that is, whether our du