The southern press., 1851-10-27
rrt,s IA, cassllasa Yssslsg
,IbIfsit tfaasB--rhs rsiley Of the Planters
of BUcth Carolina,


est our monled affairs, our manufactures, the
value of land and increased value of the sta
Piles of cotton, rice, and tobacco and slave la
Dor, arise prominently in looking upon this sub
Jeet IL has been discussed for the last twenty
years, and is at this time the subject of gen
eral movement on the part OF the planters. For
twenty years every effort has proved unavaDg,
and assuredly will prove so noD, unless the
planters arouse themselves from their slumbers,
and diligently inquire into the cause of their
evils, the manner To correct the abuse, and the
obstacle heretofore TO that correction. That
there is an increasing demand for cotton in the
world, none can deny; that this demand is equal
to the increas Of the staple-and If properly
fostered, would be superior to the Increase
thst there is an anxiety on the part of the gov
erpments of Germany, Austria, Russia, &c. to
introduce the manufacture of cotton among
their people, so as by giving them labor to pre-
pent those popular outbreaks which endanger
their stability and very eXstence--that the capi-
tai and machinery of the continent desire invest
ment in the staple of cotton these are truths
in the possession of every intelligent person.
Yet, strange to say, these results so desirable to
the planter, have never been attained. Their
staple which should have an intrinsic, high and
fixed value, is the mere medium Of exchange for
New York and Liverpool, and bya most singu
lar intatuatiOn of the planter, is completely un
der the control of those aohO should be controlled
byif. The surplus usually found in Liverpool is
admitted to be great evi, yet not one step has
been taken to prevent the accumulation of this
surplus. What does surplus mean An over
abundance. What is the "cotton surplus in Liv-
erpool?' "That amount of cotton which Eng.
land can not nor does not manufacture"
"What effect has this surplus upon the price OF
cotton 2" at lOl0ers it," "What effect has this
surplus upon the extension Of the consumption
of cotton % at checks it," "What influence has
it upon the enterprise and manufacturing inter
est of the continent" " ut Itdepresses the first and
ruins the other, and stands as a barrier between
the planter of America, and the consumers on
the continent, between whom there should be
direct alliances"
This is but one of the many evils originating
in the present state Of things How are these
evils to be done away with! "There's the rub"
Men can talk of remedies--get up conventions
pass resolutions, and even plunge into des-
perate and devastating war to correct an abuse
but, when the thing is to be done quietly and in
an every day way--to be affected by the indi-
uiduaL action of those intere sted, roHh a singu-
lary strange contradiction of their ayowed feel
ings, they fold their arms and decline any active
participation. In explaining this phenomenon
among Southerners, especially the planters of
South Carolina, it has been given as n reason
that the cause of I" direct trade,"-that commerce
does not appeal to their sympathies. And if
this cause of " direct trade" does not appeal to
the sympathies of the planter, what does! His
interest," present and future, his feelings of State
and personal independence, his social and pot-
cal position are involved in this last struggle for
commercial equality for if ttis thing fails, aid
from the continent will be lost. And has the
hat ba Ix,.b
New York and Liverpool agents say,) no other
motives, no higher aspirations, than merely to
wear broad brimmed hat mount stout pony
and ride down to his gin? There is no class OF
| people on the face Of the earth who have so
much responsibility to bear, 30 much power To
WELD. Unhapply they have to carry the respon.
sitity, while they give the power to their enc
mics. They should take an interest in commerce,
an interest in manufactures in shipping in in
ternsi improvements, in everything calculated
to dignity the So nth and, taking an interest in
these things, they should wisely and with enter
prise and perseverance promote through the
medium of their great staple, which is tho fopn
| dationQf any commercial enterprise, this move
| ment for "direct trade" There is only one
point to which we would call the attention of
the planter. Wa do it with reluctance, but we
do it from stern conviction of duty, from a
| full sense Of the evil and its dangers, and from
a knowledge, derived from high authority of its
| active operation even now to prevent " direct
| trade" We do not say that the IN dire is to
prevent direct trade" although il is the result; /;
| but we will say the promotion of their opn in
terest, and that of their specuiatIng allies, to the
J injury of the cotton plan'er That this is the
great evil and the only obstacle, we sincerely be.
lieve and will, therefore, illustrate it, and then
make some suggestions for the consideration of
our friends
We hold thai the interest Of the Gotten plant.
/ ers is secondary TO other and foreign interests
under the present regulation of trade We
hold that New York and Liverpool, by their
| complete and wise commercial policy. have OBJ
tained an influence over cotton interest which
is used solely for their own advantage. AS an
illustration of this, we will say, that disinter.
ested agent Southerner in birth and feeling,
with full authority, has tried TO promote the
planting interest through the medium of the
present commercial system, and that he has
been unable to do so from the fact that houses
IN our own seaports acknowledge their superior
duty TO other and conflicting interests, aledginf
that they are not disposed Ohough acknowlpdg-
ing the advantage TO the planter to take" as
they express it, business from their old friends |
and give it to new houses This Is ali well
enough, and does great credit to their feelings
of friendship The question we have to put to
the planter, is "Are they your friends :" In |
other instances, they reply even that they nd.
wise the plaateEs rot to change the present
state Of things. In sone cases, we have known |
of planters desiring this change, and they have |
been told: "Oh, il is better TO sell a. home /
you have no guarantee to ship abroad, even for
joint account"
Now, we wish it understood, that we are
struggling to establish n market and every boy
ten years Of age, knows that when that market
becomes 20, and direct trade" in all its ramif
cations is founded upon it, that this re,y marker
'oiH hroro INTO our ports neio bidders and ne,e
monied focilities for neio customers For, relieve
Liverpool of her surplus; create a continental
depot TO compete with her; let the cotton spin.
ners of England be apprehensipe about Ceiling
their supplies, and struggle for the crop will |
take place TINT vii. demonstrate TO the world |
the truth Of the asse-tion, tb0i coRon has an in
trinse paiHe, and will at once and forersr put an
end to these depiorabe fluctuations. For, (vill
any one nnswerO why should the excess Of
10000 bales in our enormous cotton produc- !
ton, make declins of 40, or even 30, or 30, 10 !