Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1849-05-16
From the Columbia Taegroph
MANUFACTURING AT THE SOUTH

| lrlenu nl Tue f,dtWcf0 b1HNeT yeSteIdd
made The following remarks:
I'VE regret 10 see s'n,e ofIhe oldest an!
ablest free trade. papers Of The South yield
ing TO The plausible but deceptive notion
that The remedy for The. South is TO manu
faclure for herself. and 10 learn 10 :liv,
within herself. We are not disposed t.
discourage any branch of mechanical in
dusry which may prove profitable TO those
who undertake it, but we .cannol conser
at this late day, and in the present advanc
ed stage Of commercial enterprize anc
prosperity, 10 90 back 10 The old, exploded
ridiculous federal doctrine of maxim;
every thing we want, and buying nulhns
from our neishbcrs. We can, see no gooc
reason ,chy the people Of The Souh silould
not be aiio,osd 10 plant Cotton. they car
make more at that, than they can al spin,
ming, H.; nor ghy they should notte alloissa
10 bug calico and are handles from thci,
Yankee nlghJors, if they can Juy them joi
les: than il ,rould cost TO make them 10,
themselves. We see no reason why we
should throw away the peculiar advantages
we. possess as the only country in the
world where cotton can be extensively and
successfully cultivated, to 60 II mauu(ac.
turing. business only resorlcd 10 in dense.
ly populated countries, where the soil
cap0o! support The inhabitants"
1--WE regard every factory established
n, lhe SouIh as a fatal blow struck al Free
Trade, and. il it is not also. a covert blow
a, the institution Of slavery. itself, we shall
be agreeably disappointed. =.
Now VIC differ in toto from our friend
both in his premises, his conclusions, and
his proposed policy for The Southern coun:
try; believing that the develion TO the cul..
ture Of one staple only hos greatly crippled
the energies, aud driven off the population
from tho older Southern States.
This we had thought was universally
conceded nuw-and we are therefore sur
prised that one 20 we'll informed and prac.
lical as the Editor Of The Banner should
recommend our people to pursue course
which has already proved ruinous 10 so
many Of our planters, and settled Alabama.
Mississippi, and Texas with cmigrants
from Virginia, North and South Carolina.
isiesssa lie not istyF teSe
The question is not, Can more be madehy
planting Cotton than spinning il? but.
Can more he made hy combination OF
the two. by employing part OF, our labor
TO cultivate the staple, aud tie surplus
labor to convert the raw material into
manufactured goods for home consamp
ton?
Numbers of our most intelligent plant
ers and most sagacious citizens agree in
affirming that there is now an sr-produc.
lion of Cotton, which deprcciacs lis price
and renders the labor employed upon il
valueless 10 the producer. The laws Of
trade, regulated by supply and demand,
thus are made to work against The produ-
Ger, aud the legitimate fruit of his abors is
lost TO him. So strongly has the necessity
of some diminulion Of production impress.
ed itself on the minds Of The planters, that
various suggestions for shortening the
coming crop have been made, and a Con-
vcniion Tor that purpose called for. To
remedy this evil ma"y of the citizens of The
South have diverted their labor into other
channels. and our Factories are found TO
work we'll in giving employment 10 labor,
aud remunera'lns profits 20 those who
employ il.
This question is practical one alto
geher. and not political one; and we
| imagine that there 5 bur liuIe danger 10
he apprebended either 10 the cause ol
Free Trade. or 10 Southern Institutions.
because labor is diverted from Improbable
into profitable channels, and Southern
planters pocket the proceeds Of their own
industry, instead Of paying tribute TO The
North.
True the machinery Of our Factories ir
all, and The directors ofihem in some. are
Northern; but very short time will allow
US to dispense entirely wirhrh services o
the latter. and prudent regard for thei
own comfort will muzzle Them frnm mis-
chief most affec!ually while they remain
among US.
With regard to The other forms Of man
ufacturing industry, all Of which our frient
disposes of al cone fell swoop." we think
that the decided direction Of the public
| iDlIlu tuds way hiio'uS lic ucSt SVibulCu
tary on their utility and necessity.
The question simplyis Can we MAKE
al home a better and a cheaper article thar
can be furnished from ibe North? If ",
can, and no more profitable employment
of the same lsbr can be made, then lher
is an eud TO the mailer.
People will do what is most consonau
TO their own interests, and the instinct
which cause radical changes in the habi:
aud occupations of communities are ncve
without strong motive causes. Our ow
view of this matter we have too slrenu
ously asserted over and over again, 10 b
Inexperienced. Our belief is, that lb
only way of Strengthening The South an
rendering her independent. is by diversity
ing the forms Of labor, and producing q
home all that we proftably can. Souther
labor needs no protection. nor will South
ern institutions, if our labor is made prof
table and not all forced violently into on
narrow channel, already filled 10 over
flowing.
The ,one OF The Northern press in rela
,lop 10 the new impulse given 10 manufat
turing and mechanical labor at The South