Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1852-1852, 1852-07-09
Cotton.

Cotton is one of the most important of all the pro-
ductions of the earth. There are many persons now
living who recolect when but little was made. and
that little was picked from the seed by the fingers,
ginned on small roller gin turned by hand; but
few pounds could be thus cleaned in day-of course
but little was cultivated beyond what was needed for
domestic use-now and then bale was sold as it bore
a good price Improved methods of separating the
lint from the seed tended to increase its culture and
from few bales annually raised it has now increased
to upwards oftwo Million constituting one OF the most
valuable and important productions of the world
In the culture of Cotton millions Of slaves are enga-
ced and their labor produces the Of furnishing
themselves and their owners, with the comforts and
luxuries of life Whereas if the negroes were not in
the condition of slaves, their we'll known mprovdence
and aversion to labor would put them in destltutlon
and suffering while now they cheerful and happy
and contented
Cotton cannot be raised but to very small! extent
without slave labor-whites cannot endure that con-
slant exposure to the hot sun which becomes necessa
ry in the cultivation of this plant To show the i'm
portance of the cotton crop OF the South 1t would re-
ouire volume. 1t is one Of the main elements OF
prosperity to the Northern States, to England France
GERMANY and those countries connected with them oy
commercial relations In England. France, and west
ern Germany, millions engaged in the manuactur
ing of cotton into various abrcks-to them it OF all
staples the most important the most conducive to their
support and in the transportation OF the raw and un
manufactured article much employment is given to
their shipping. Our production Of the article en-
enables us to buy freely of the various goods they
make, thus adding to their prosperity To the North
crn and North States Of this Contederacy the
cotton crop is all important. In the transportation OF
the cotton annually, and Of the goods bought in ex-
change, very large proportion of the shipping OF the
North is engaged We of the South have been mostly
producing people, and but little engaged in manufac-
lures or navigation; our population and preferences
leading us to agricultural life Besides the advantage
to the Northern shipping interest the manufacturing
of our cotton has built up in tina: region large towns
thus giving labor and wealth to immense numbers of
citizens there All these advantages and many more
that we might enumerate the North derives from our
slave abor-employed in the cultivation of cotton. 1t
is difficult for an agricultural people to change their
pursuits. From the fair remuneratlng price that cot
ton has borne in former years. the South has been sat
sfed with buying from the North all manufactured
articles which they needed but the unjust tariff, laws
so oppressive to us and beneficial to them-together
with other crcumstances-haye induced the South ol
late years to commence manufacturing cotton and 9th
er goods-in which they have so well succeeded-that
in a few years they will supply their own wants and
make an abundance of these articles for export In
Justice will have taught good lcsson-to depend
more upon our own resources.