The republic., 1851-07-09

area SO immense, covering every variety
Of soil and climate, how can 1t be possible
that the extirpation even Of the great
est agricultural staple would deprive slave la
Dor of employment2 Ii would but turn to some
other agricultural avocation; it would be en-
poyed as it is now extensively in Virginia,
Tennessee, and Kentucky, in producing grain,
tobacco, OF in pastoral agriculture, in the manu-
facture of salt, in coal and ore mining, in coast
and river navigation; it could be employed as It
is now most extensively and successfully In the
construction of railroads and other works of inn
provement. But would it not starle the gen,
tleman who goes abroad with the patriotic Pur-
pose of destroying the production OF crop estl-
mated at SS0000,000, to be told that slave
labor in Missouri, Virginia, Ken@cky, and Ten
nessee, could raise 'flax" tselfin as great abun-
dance as il could be grown elsewhere, and on
cheaper terms than it could be grown by free
labor? If, according to Nj. CLAUssEN, flax can
be raised a, SIS upon the high-prlced and arti-
fetal soils of England and France, it could be
produced at so much less here as to deprive Eu-
rope of any advantage whatsoever from its cul-
ture. why then should England prefer it to
cotton Because it will injure slavery. But
she trades with Spain and Brazil for slave
grown products. Then England prefers Ameri-
can flax to American cotton, because it will
sow discord and disunion amongst the Amerl
can States and Mr.. GREELEY goes TO Eng
land to conspire with the enemies OF the Union
upon the best method of destroying the Union
II it be demonstrated that flax is better than
cotton-which Mr.. GREELEY does not pre-
tend-would not the labor of the slave be at
once employed in its production; would 1t have
the effect of Iiberating him
But as there are few things new under the
sun, so even the theory of Mr.. GREELEY has
been anticipated.
In certain political essays published before
the American Revolution, the author urges the
colonization of the "NIssissippi and Ohio, be-
cause they will yield hemp and far sufficient
to supply all Europe-nay, all the world"
The ships that might be built at louisiana"
says DU PRATz, 'fwould never be sufficient to
employ all the hemp that might be raised on the
Ohio and Mississippi" ''The inland parts of
America" says another, care well known to
: be fitted for the production of hemp, far, and
silk Such lands as are described on the Mis-
sissippi and Ohio are the very soil that hemp,
'.far, and indigo, delight in. These are the
commodities to send to Britain. They might
sow hemp and .far in winter This would
afford time for making another crop OF indigo
in summer"
But the calculator Of III differs in his pur-
poses from the modern prophet. His estimates
Of advantage are based upon the cultivation of
far upon the Mississippi to alternate with in
digo as southern staple. But the result anti
cipated will shock the marrow of Mr.. GREELEY.
Every laborer might cultivate two acres or
more in hemp, or flax, and one or two in
indigo, the produce OF which would be worth
from $50 to Gao year. This would enable
them to purchase negroes and to enlarge the
British plantations beyond what they are
otherwise capable OFT
Now, the colonial policy advanced by the
theorst of III agrees with that advocated by
building up the power of England, by develop,
ing the culture of the flax staple; but the in
formation and argument Of the essayist proves
that it might be employed as means Of en-
riching England by the culture of southern
staple with slave labor, whilst the modern Abo-
litionist proposes to introduce the same staple,
as exclusively adapted to northern culture and
favorable to the eXtirpation of slavery.
But Mr.. GREELEY, as great advocate of the
tariff, does not reflect that some millions of his
ielow-ctizens in America are artisans engaged
in the manufacture of cotton fabrics; whilst, ac-
cording to the London Economist, upwards of
four millions of Mr.. GREELEY's fellow subjects
Of Great Britain depend entirely upon this trade
in all its branches. This ''fax revolution"
would, of course, deprive them all of employ
ment, and turn them into the streets to spin
flax, ifthey could get it-more probably to 'pull
hemp" The manufacturing capital of the North
invested in cotton and woollen manufactures
would be total loss. This is, however, no
thing to predetermnate reformer He would
at any time sacrifice the white race to the black,
and vested interest to experiment. Still it
seems an odd protection to manufactures.
The medicated flax of Mons. CLAUssEN is,
however, to supersede not only cotton, but 1cool.
What, then, is to become of the Vermontese
growers of wool, and repeaers of the Fugitive
Slave law2 What are to become of the mil
lions laid out in woollens, found in the infamous
company of the cotton planter? They must
perish, we suppose, for the good Of the colored
race.
We can readily see the insane motive
which sends this man to consult with the enc
mics Of his country. We suppose that he is
there met by his co-laborer in disunion from the
South, seeking British aid in the establish,
ment of an independent republic" Strange
that interests 50 hostile should resort to the
same power to promote their objects, when
the dearest object of the northern and southern
disunionists is the destruction of each other
Interest of Great Britain considered
Political State Of the British Empire in 1892.