The southern press. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-11-15
speech Of Q. @. baylor, ESQ.


quest 9th (" Convention Of Cotton Planters"
: held at Macon, Ga, Oct 81, 1851.
Mr.. PREsIDEsT:-I appreciate the distin.
gushed honor thus conferred upon me. Nothing,
Mr. President, but the conviction that every ef-
fort in our cause, from however humble a
source it may emenate, may prove OF value,
could induce me to appear before an audience
such as this, consisting Of the talent, dignity,
and wealth of the South. But, sir, it is an oc-
casop of intense interest to the South !; AN &C.
cason having for its objects the promotion Of
the great commercial, agricultural, and manu-.
featuring interests of those Southern States.
The mastery exposition from the honorable gen.
tleman of Florida, has left nothing for debate
upon those subjects he has treated. My province
is not to act in this branch, except in assisting
its practical OPERATION ] am here for action.
Delay has been our great folly. Procrastina.
ton the thief of opportunity as well as time
For this reason sir, | wish to introduce into
our deliberations the elements of plain matter
of fact business ), action founded upon the reso-
luton of s'direct trade" which have read to
the convention, and which should be made
part of its proceedings.
hold the proposition, that commerce is the
great basis of national prosperity and wealth. 1t
IS upon commerce that every other interest must
RELY for developement and expansion. The his
tory of the world proves this. Direct commu-
nication is the proper and correct principle to be
followed in all commercial arrangements. "Di-
rect trade" is the great interest to be promoted
in the South In other words, we should "eI
port" direct the varied produce and manufactu-
res of the South to those nations consuming
them, and g import" direct those articles of for
eipn produce or manufacture consumed by u.s.
It therefore becomes the dnty of this conven-
ton, representing it does the cotton interest,
which is the foundation and life, not only OF our
commerce, but of the world, to foster and pro-
mote the best mode of carrying on that COM
merce.
There has been submitted to this convention,
several plans bearing upon the question OF
(" over production" consumption, regula-
ton of prices" organization Of planters" and
other topics of peculiar interest to the planters,
seely in regard to the staple of cotton. These
are subjects too weighty for me to presume
upon. That branch Of our proceedings belongs
to ADLER heads, and as | have remarked, has
been most fully, amply, and clearly investigated,
illustrated and enforced by the friends of the
different projects But hold, in the language
of nv resolutions, sir, "that commerce, as a
necessary principle, must enter into and become
a part Of any plan which has been presented
for the consideration of this convention, and
direct trade" the proper medium through
which il should flow" For instance, in rela-
ton TO the plan of the gentleman from Flori-
da. Judge Browne) and which is admitted by
all to be most independent of commercial in
tiuence. Suppose that the organization desired
in his mastery report is completed; the cotton
the United States concentrated in one compa-
nv. and thu wage. houses opened to the world,
New York, Boston, and England come in and pro-
cure their supplies. BY the admirable system
of their commercial and financial arrangements,
thew import direct the cotton they purchase.
And they will do it too. For allow me to say,
that England would not be guilty of the folly
of shipping heSsptton via New York or Boston:
nor the North va Liverpool As much MS they
preach nolU that such a system is the best, they
will never be found swallowing the pill they
have drupged us with for the last 80 years.
These bidders are disposed of. But what be-
comes of the continental market, with which
we now have no direct intercourse What be-
comes of the small manufactures on the CONT.
neptl What becomes of the principle that we
must extend our markets and consumption to
keep pacssyith our production rapidly and yearly
increasing! There is sir, no direct communica.
ton with these important interests no cores
dents; no agents established; no credits opened;
no medium of exchange through which to
transfer the necessary monied facilities to our
shores, TO enable them 10 compete with the
North and England But we will suppose that
these difficulties are overcome; that they have
under these unequal circumstances obtained
their supplies What are they to do with them!
How are they TO convey them to their manufac-
tories? Either by direct transportation, or cir
cautiously as noD.
Saw that we have no direct trade" and that
they are compelled to ship via the North or
Liverpool, what is the consequence! The adj
ditionaI expenses of this unnatural trade, en-.
ables England TO undersell them at their own
doors; for the more you condcnse cotton, the
less expensive its transportation becomes, and
greater in ratio its value. The nearer It's place
of production, the more beneficial the principle
and the day will come, sir, when its manufacture
in the first stage will be exclusively confined to
its place of growth. The effect, then, of such an
arrangement alluded TO, would be to paralize
the manufactures on the continent, and check
consumption now rapidly extending, even under
present difficulties These difficulties should be
removed, and no further trammels allowed. The
result of such an organization without the prin-
cipes of direct trade" would be TO strengthen
the monopoly Of Liverpool, and riyet upon us
her prasping commercial power. For, II you
concentrate the cotton crop of the South, and
put fixed price upon it, it becomes n trans
ferred monopoly, a monopoly for sale, and Eng
land, through her Rothchilds, or New York
with her Astors, or both combined, can come in
and buy il up. Task, Mr.. President, " the whole
cotton crop Of the South was thus, Appropriated
and thus bought up BY the North and England
(and which could be done with all the ease IN
the world,) where would the section power
be lodged In whose hands, sir! Would not
the right Of exclusive property and control, be
transferred to them And If We, because oil
the intrinsic value Of cotton, could get our price,
could not New York follow in our tracks and
get her price /! Most assuredly. II ] were
wealthy enough, | would not desire better
speculation, for the world must have cotton, and
| If you were send it after Sir John Franklin, the
English would send after It. 1t has become an
absolute necessity, which must be had or done
away with; our cotton and our labor must be
equally distributed. Monopolies are dangerous
TO all interests, and to themselves. We want
competition, and new markets will bringit 10
n