The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1855-07-27
COTTON AND FLAy.

"Co.ion is King" is the piihy title Of a
recent pamphlet on slavery, which has ex-
cited considerable attention Throughout, the
country. Verify cotton is king, and SO long
rs its reign endures, we see no prospect iha,
tho ioules, stain on our nOtional character
will be wiped out. Cotton is the main pill
lar OF American slavery, and in all human
probability, the two will stand or fell toge,h-
or. Neither protests nor entreties, neither
threats nor brides, neither political manGu-
wiring nor secre, plots, neither religion nor
reason. neither Union-sayers nor fire-eaiers,
whether Northern or Southern, will ever
bring about the extinction Of negro slavery.
And yet we have not doubt that slavery
is doomed. The Ruler Of nations, in his
own good time, will silently touch hidden
spring, which shall change the pecuniary
relations between the slave and his master,
and 10, the problem Of centuries IS solved
the CHAINS that bore upon the white mau
with scarce less weightthan upon the negro,
snap asunder like tow. Slave labor must
ultimately become Improbable, and It's de-
cline will then be as rapid as has been its
growth. Possibly the David whom God is
10 use in shifting this Goliath, is already
born. Possibly his name is FLAX. Do no,
the following paragraphs which we copy
from the Buffalo Democracy, read like the
foreshadowing oi,he doom OF slaveryl
"Up in ,wen,y-iourih street, New York
city. is now surely spinning out the sOlu-
ton Of ootton-planiing slavery. Iron and
steel machinery and chemical solvents, are
making OF flax fiber more than rival for
the Mississippi fiber which underlies the
southern system Of labor, and on which
rests the politics OF half this Union, and in
whose behalf tho extreme resort 10 disrup-
ton OF the federal tie, and civil war is con-
SANITY menacel. The rivalry between flax
and cotton Is established. Can there be
any doub, about the final issue Of this COM
petition Must no. the cotton hand lose
his value, and, Of consequence, will no, the
planter DANGEROUSLY insist upon the consti-
,uional duty Ofihe Union to buy his slaves
thigh prices and dcpOr, them to Africa.
GIVE years ago, in Buffalo, gentleman
engaged in spinning cotton was led, by
perusal of an article in Rces' Encyclopedia,
TO experiment upon flax fiber with bleach.
ing salts. These no deemed to be nearly
Identical WIN asoiutIon mentioned by Rees,
as employed by linen makers in Sweden to
whisen the fiber before |, was carded and
spun-'he ashes OF kelp thrown into sea
water. The result was satisfactory. We
nave seen on reel the flax cotton produced
oy him'
we have now before us three samples
from the New York establishment. No.
ispearly white, coarse though soft, and
very glossy. | has only been passed ihro'
the picker. In this state il il TO be put into
the market. No is TO show the length Of
the fiber. This is q inches long. No. 3
is the same article caTded. This operation
is not intended 10 be performed at tho es-
Enlistment. That will be leh for the man
ulaciurers TO do. This last sample is white,
son, fine and strong, and perfectly clean.
In this condition ii can be spun, either alone
or mixed with wool or cotton. The sample
,yopIJ sao,, ,o Ia,vc M ,Iorbt NJ tho ,,oc-