The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1855-02-21
No: 27.

Speaking of the alliance of Austria with the
western powers, and the probabilities of gen.
era war in Europe, and its consequences up
on the commerce of the United States. the Bal
tlmore Patriot says:
We cannot believe that cotton will materi-
ally decline for the following reasons Whilst
1t seems plausible that a war in which the first
manufacturing nations of the world are in
yoved would diminish their capacity for man
ufacturlng production, it is to be remembered
that cotton is staple indispensable to the sim
plest human want. Whether there be war or
peace, the consumption of this staple will be
limited by human ability to procure it. Even
if we were ourselves at war, a cotton port
would never be blockaded by any manufac-
turing power. But when we are neutral and
when the doctrine that free bottoms make free
goods is universally acknowledge, we cannot SEQ
why the price of cotton should decline, ex.
cept as we have stated, to the extent that the
ability to purchase clothing may be affected
by the burdens and Interruptions of the war.
To affect the first mentioned cause of dimin-
ished consumption, we have the increase de-
mand from the supplies Of public clothing re.
CURED by immense military organizations, and
in regard to the latter, so long as the war shall
such an interruption to the commercial or in
dustrial pursuits of continental Europe. orsuch
a dminution of the popular ability to consume
our staple as to reduce its price materially.
For what economically considered, are the
effects of war? A few thousand men with
drawn from the competition of labor-a few
millions OF money expended in provisions, ar
tllery, clothing and wages Does not cholera,
f,ycc oh, i / =
feet precisely the same thing9 Such are un-
doubtedly their effects. Yet the diminution
OF laborers increase the wages of those who
remain, and their ability to purchase food and
clothing. Whilstthe loss of millions by casu.
ality or speculation is soon repaired BY the in
creased attraction for capital hoaded or held
upon low rate of interest We cannot then
see Why with free commerce and the ordinary
Inducements to industrial employments, the
great American staple should decline on ac-
count OF foreign war which has thus far been
waged without any great increase of ordinary
human mortality, and without any material ad-
dition to the popular burdens. These are of
course opinions based upon individual reason
ing, and though well founded, cannot control
the speculative belief to the contrary We
however record the opinion that there is no
reason in the present or probable hostilities of
Europe. calculated to impair the demand for
American provisions, shipping, or cotton.
This well merited tribute to labor is from
the New York Mirror-We have heard among
the idlers who float like driftwood on the sur
face of society, contemptuous filings at those
whose heritage is toll. They sneer at the
hard and swarthy hand of labor, but they for.
get that, of all that is useful, luxurious or
beautiful on this earth, toll has been the crea-
tor; that, from the marble palace to the white
kids OF the tailor's most exquisite walking sign,
all has been wrought out by human hands,
Much OF it too, at painful cost to human
hearts far more sensitive to the real dignity of
manhood than the most bedzzened and per-
tuned of these scorners of labor.
1t is the toll of these hard hands, thou pitt
tul ldler and sneerer, that has reared empires
in the old, and planted republics in the will
derness of the new world; that has hewn the
rocks IN the quarry and built the temples and
monuments OF nations; that has achieved all
the fame that belongs to genius. with sculptor's
chlsel, the painters. pencil, and the poets pen;
that has winged the ocean with white sails and
exchanged the products of every cline, that
has measured the circuits of the stars, and
plumed the ightnings to descend upon wires
10 be the mercury of the world .
Labor, whyman Of idleness, labor gave YOU
being, rocked your cradle and has nursed your
pampered life. Withoutit, the woven silk and
wool on your back would be in the silk worms
nest, and in the feeces Of the shepherds fold
For the meanest thing that ministers to human
want save the air of heaven, man is indebt.
ed to toll. 1t is only the drones who toll not,
who infest the hives of activity like masses of
corruption and decay. The lords of the earth;
If they would but know it-are the working
men who can build up or cast down at their
will, and who can reto1t the sneer of the soft
handed, BY pointing to their trophies wherever
art, science, civilization and humanity are
known. Work on, man Of toll! thy royalty is
yet to De acknowledged, as labor rises to-
ward the highest throne of power.
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ORIGIN OF THE BALLor.-The origin of the
method Of voting BY ballot is, we presume but
little known. It has been considered for many
years as the invention of James Harrington, an
English writer on the side of republicansm in
the seventeenth century, and it is worthy of
notice that in this early stage of its history,
the ballot was connected with the republican
idea. Says Toland in his preface to the works
Of Harrington.
s.To aid the propagation of his theory he
established in 1853, a political debating socie-
ty called the bato, which met nightly at Miles
coffee-house, in New Palace yard, Westmin-
ster. Their debates we're spirited, and the
sense of the meeting was taken by ballot
which mode being first invented or introduced
by them, drew crowds to the room every even
ing. This society was dissolved at the restor-
alton; and Harrington having rendered him
self obnoxious by his an,imonarchial princ-
pies, was arrested" DC.
4 letter recently discovered among some old
MSS. in England, has however, demonstrated
he existence of the ballot more than forty
years previous to the above date 1t having
oeen proposed to be used in the election Of
ome officials of the East India company in
london, somewhere about 1910, but was set
lside by the influence of the king in favor of
IN unpopular candidate.
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