Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1856-12-04
boTroN AND THE SLAVE Trade.

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The i3llowing extraet from the Message Of Gov
ADAMS, Of South Carolina, read to the Legislature
of that State, contains some interesting reflections
on tine growth of cotton in this and=osher eoun.
tries. His views in favor of re opening the slave
trade are uRtenable and impracticable: 49, ~
aThe consumption Of cotton mas steadily increa-
sed, and viii in q few years exceed the supply
not from want, on cur part of land on, which TO
grow it, but from want of operators tc cultivate it.
The demand for the article being greater than the
supply, the price must 60 up in the absence of all
disturbing causes. As long sthis continues to be
the case, we must prosper but the certain effect of
high prices win be to stimulate the growth of it
in foreign countries, apd in time TO destroy the
monopoly which we have so long enjoyed. The
possession of this monopoly is the chief element
of southern prosperity, and the dependence of the
manufacturing interest on Us for supply of this
article viii continue to prove to be one CT our
strongest safeguards. The amount of cotton now
grown in the East Indies, should open our eyes to
our true policy. The idea that African slaves only
can successfully grow cotton, is an entire mistake.
Under British domination free SLAVES are now pro-
ducing in the East than the entire crop of the
United States in 1920 From report Of the Hon.
W. L. Marcy, Secretary of State, in answer to
resolution of Congress- it appears that during the
| year 1856 the shipments of cotton 10 Great Bri-
| bers, six hundred and seventy nine millions of
pounds aud from the East Indies Egypt, and Bra
ill two hundred and two millions of pounds
| Whenever England and the Continent can procure
| their supply of the raw material elsewhere than
from US, and the cotton States are limited to the
home market, then will our doom be sealed De-
stroy the value of slave labor, and emancipation
follows inevitably. This England, our commercial.
rival clearly secs, and hence Der systematic efforts
| to stimulate the production of cotton in the East.
The success which has thus far attended those eff.
! forts, will incite her to redoubie Them The East
| Iudies abound in fertile land and cheap labor.
! France, too, is encouraging and stimulating its
growth in Algeris with like advantages of soil and
/ labor, To maintain our present position, we must
/ have cheap labor also. This can be obtained in
/ but one wsy-by re-opening the African slave
trade. Until Providence interposes and changes
his organism, the African must continue to be q
| shewer Of wood and drawer of water" 1t is q
| diseased sentimentslity which starts back at the
idea of legazing the slave trade and at the same
| time contemplates without emotion the cruel SER
/ vtude which capital exacts of labor, all the world
over. There was time when canting phiauthro-
pists had nstiled into US belief that slavery was
wrong. Investigation has entirely charged the
once common sentiment On this point The south
i now believes that mysterious Providence has
brought the two races together on this continent
for wise purposes, and that the existing relation
has been mutually beneficial Southern slavery
has elevated the African to degres of civilization
which the black race has never attained in any
other age or country. we see it now in its true
light, and regard it as the most safe and stable
basis for free institutions in the world" Had the
slave trade never been closed, the equilibrium be-
tween the north and south would not have been
destroyed The north has had the Old World from
which to draw her supply of labor and hence the
rapid settlement of the northwest. Since 1903
the south has supplied her own labor and has ne
cessarily made slower progress in settling up the
sodth- west. If the trade were open now, l am
persuaded that the south would not to close
it and this is, perhaps, the best answer to the
gument derived from the mere sentiment that is ar
rayed against the proposition. 1t is app ehended
that the opening of this trade will lessen the value
of slaves, and ultimately destroy the institution.
1t is sufficient answer to point to the fact that
restricted immigration has not diminished the value
of labor in the northwestern section OF the Con-
1 fadaranu ~ Z