Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1851-07-03
Cotton Power or che soath.

Cotton Power Of the seufh.
The New York Herald, in drawing
comparison between the political power Of
the North and the cotton power ofthe South
remarks:
docs any one doubt the extent Of the
cotton power, its ability to tear up even to
the smallest fibre, the cankerous root Of alb
clifton, let him only study the true nature
of the infection which the withdrawal Of
the Southern trade from Boston has put
upon Boston during the past season. That
city could have better afforded TO have
given the entire product of the gold mines
Of California, for thepast year. to the abo-
litionists, than to have their action and agi-
tation. 1t has cost them more, and will
cost them still more now that they have
elected Sumner. The retribution of the
South IS fearful one, but it is proper 1t
is Just. When men break their political
faith-all the pledges of the compact and
constitution under which they have agreed
to live-they cannot expect that honest
and high minded men will respect them.
On the contrary, they must expect that they
| will have no communication with them
This is now the case. The chivalry Of the
whole South is aroused by the avowed de-
termination Of sections of the North to as
sail their rights, as defined by the consti-
tuition. That chivalry is something strong
cr and deeper than the mock morals which
originated the anti-masonic excitement, and
which, failing in that, has now taken up
the abolition cause for political effect. 1t
is an abiding and sincere sense of honor
and justice-and it will array that trench
dous cotton power, which can move the
world, and even revolutionize it in such
hostility against political presumption, that
many Northern cities will be made to suf-
fer. The instincts Of great people, in
such case, as our Southern neighbors
will show, will be beyond the common
ways and means which might be devised
to cripple enemies. They will see where
they can benefit those who are opposed to
them. and they have the spirit to cut all
benefit off; if not by individual skill, ANNA
ted, by warm feelings, then by chivalrous
and solemn league, which knows its power
and can benda large portion ofthe world to
its will, at the cost of Only slight retrench
ments and sacrifices.
aft, in view of this subject, any one
doubts the power of the South to touch the
pocket (Which is the souD of those who are
arrayed against her interest, let him re-
member the thousands upon thousands of
Southern families who pour, during the
summer months, millions of dollars into the
lap of the North. Last summer they avoid
ed the infected districts OF the North; and
during the present season they will not be
found, we venture to say, carrying their
wealth for distribution into Western New
York, where abolition conventions and
free soil lighthouses are as plentiful as po-
totoe hills. Neither will they extend their
journeys into New England The soil of
these places can have no charms for them.
The people will be disagreeable to them.
They will not wish to associate, much less
spend theirmoney, with those who, through
the ballot box, would sncakingly rob them
of their rights and property, as guaranteed
to them by the constitution. On the con
trary, despsing the spirit Of every section
which has devoted itself to undermine her
security, and to steal their goods from them,
they willhave too high scnseof just pride,
even in search of personal comfort and re-
Taxation, to distribute their wealth among
their foes. No-the cotton power will
show what it is-a power beyond political
power-beyond the money power Of the
North--patent as well as valiant in the
chivarous spirit Of protecting itself, and
forming compacto of intentions which will
confne its power of beneittng its country
to those sections of it which are ready to
maintain inviolate the sacred compromises
of the constitution.
The foregoing article embodies fact and
foreshadows results that must strike every
rejecting mind with peculiar force. They
are entitled to the more weight from the
fact that they emanate from a Northern
man, whose prejudices might be supposed
to exercise a controlling influence i'll the
suppression of facts so fiattcring to the
South and her interests Would that the
entire mass Of the Southern people could
be brought to similar view Of the subject,
and to comprehensive knowled sc Of the
power they are capable of welding, over,
not only the Northern section of the Union,
but the commercial world, through the po-
tent instrumentality of the cotton bale
Eng.