The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-09-26


viii produce, at The cheapest rate, and in the
greatest abundance those things which contr-
butte most 70 the comfort, happiness, and peace,
not only of our people, but Of the Iaboring elias
ses Of all other countries.
We are now able TO furnish the whole world
| with the cheapest and best food and with the
| cheapest aud best raiment. We furnish gram,
| provisions and coIton--the three staple articles
of commerce--in greater quantities and better
qualities, than any other nation, and the Tune
| is not far distant when will be able also 10
regulate their prices What boundess held,
then is open to our agricultural industry .
What ample reward to the labor OF our farmers
| The command OF the word-staples, even withou'
the acquisition of California (Which secures TO
us the control of the precious metals) must
have given us the control of the commerce OF
the world. But independent Of these inter
national considerations, there is yet another
which will naturally suggest itself to your
minds. Our agricultural products, owing To
the vast extent of our territory, and the great
differences of soil and climate, are so varied as
| To furnish abundant exchanges for the domestic
| trade batween the different States OF the Union
| Thew furnish in themselves, the materials OF
yery extensive internal employment to our
| coasting tonnage and secure constant employ
| ment to our steamboats, and railroads.
Planting, and farming are the mutual allies OF
each other, as are, indeed, all branches of agri
cultural industry, notwith standing the many
| preiudiccs, which, in this respect, may be enter
tanned in various sections of the country They
take narrow view Of political economy, who
! can see but rival interests growing out OF the
different productions of the same country and
they are worse than bigoted who, in consequence
Of it, indulge in unworthy jealousies or hostile
O., hrat IF ihn an m IA
You cannot, by legitimate means, benefit any
one branch of industry Of great country, with
out indirectly benefitting all the rest; but when,
as in the case before Us, one interest is Deepen l.
ent on the other-when the producer of the one
article is the best and often the only consumer
at the other, who is SO rash to assert that the
prosperity of the one works the injury OF the
other! But it is not my purpose on the present
occasion, further to pursue this train OF thought.
| NV object is not to make proselytes for par
| ticular theory ; but simply to show the necessary
connection, and intimate relationship OF all the
branches of the same species of industry, and
their harmonious cooperation in promoting the
wealth, happiness. and power of a great people.
The free international exchanges of commodi-
ties so eagerly sought for, as the great com
mercia dssideratum of the different nations of
Europe, exists already, by the simple operation
of our federal Constitution, between the differ
ent States of this Union and the products of
the different States of Europe are less varied
than those of the different geographical divi-
sons of our common country. The domestic
exchanges of every country naturally constitute
the great bulk of its entire commerce /; but in
none-perhaps not even in China---is 80 large a
portion of them furnished exclusively by the
products of the soil, as in our own.
| have thus far, briefly referred to agricul-
ture in connection with other branches Of ia
| dustry; bit propose to 90 step further, and
consider by themselves some Of the agricultural
products which enter largely into the political
economy of this country do this for the pur
pose of showing. not only how each particular
branch of agriculture may in turn aid in building
up the commercial and maritime importance of
a nation; but also, how one species Of agricul-
tura industry may come to the assistance OF
another, with which it seems to have no ne
cessary connection. And may also be able to
show, from exsnples furnished by our history,
that even products seemingly competing with
each other in the same markets, may yet have
a tendency to create increased demands for all OF
them With the theories and speculations of po-
| tical economists, have no disposition to med
die before this audience. shall content myself
with presenting facts, leaving you to make the
application.
| The leading American agricultural staple is
cotton, and its cultivation and manufacture have
within the last half century acquired an import
ance far exceeding all other similar pursuits.
| The plant, though Indigenous to the tropical re
gions of Asia, Africa, and America, had only
been used to limited extent for the purpose OF
clothing, when the American invention OF the
cotton-9in gave its cultivation an impetus and
extension unprecedented in the annals of agri.
culture No branch Of human industry has ever
risen to importance and power so rapidly as that
of cotton; none has produced so great revo-
luton in the commerce and manufactures Of the
civilized world Previous TO the revolution, and
even as late as the adoption of the federal Con-
stitution, not single pound of cotton was ex
ported from America; while it is now not only
the principal article OF our exports, Exceeding
in value oil other agricultural exports of our
country but the great basis Of our foreign ex
changes, and the most powerful lever of tn
commerce Of the world.
The cotton trade alone has suhiced to revolu
tionize the commerce OF the world. Wherever
bale of colt "a goes, II carries with 1t portion
Of Amsrioan intelligence and power. The abo
lition Of the corn laws of England-opening
the ports of Great Britain to American bread
stufs and provisions-was triumph achieved
aristocrscy Of the old world. II furnished bread
to the laboring masses Of Great Britain and Ire
land, at the same time that IL clothed them, and
formed the first step towards the ameiora'ion OF
their condition 1t afforded increased markets
not only TO the products of the South, but, from
the necessary relation Of all articles Of commerce
also to those of the Northern and Northwestern
States of the Union. What has boen effected
10 England by the power of American agrcul
ture, must, in due course of time, extend to
every commercial and manufacturing country on
the continent of Europe. The battle against
commercial restrictions is now waging in France,
| Belgium, Germany, and Italy, and must eventu
ally terminate In the sbrogation Of all monopo-
| lies.
In enumeratng the leading agricultural sta
| Piles OF our country, we are naturally led to the
consideration Of the tobacco plant 1t is not
my purpose here to inquire how far the use OF
tobacco, in any Of it, forms, may be regarded as
an elegant accomplishment, or whether its cul-
ture should be encouraged as one Of the neces
saries of life. In Holland, on the shores Of the
Baltic, and other countries of Europe, believe
a A. ..~<l