The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1856-11-29


crease par passu with the demand and that the deficiency
must be made up from other countries yet il by means
follows that the production Of the South viii be super
seeded or even diminished ia value This apprehension OF
of supply demand has at some periods at
eoted every industrial and commercial interest OF the
world and yet the ideal danger has never been realized IN
solitary instance. Since the discovery of America peo-
pie have been subject to periodical fits OF alarm lest
the precious metals would be produced out OF all proper
ton to the exgences of But the world does
not yet suffer from plethora OF gold and silver Nautilus
applied the principle of excessive supply 10 the generation
of the human species, and frightened great many old
maids and ncorgble bachelors from the enjoyments OF
mamony with the danger that the earth was about TO
be overstocked with stomachs Providence ID perfectly
competent take of the interests not of this globe
only but of the universe of worlds and these vagares OF
philosophy are remembered only for their folly Notwh-
standing the extended and diversified of the mechani
cal powers of the Injuries of society have been
produced in There is rational apprehension
that cotton which among the prime necessaries OF life
will be produced in of the wants OF mankind
Its consumption is capable OF infinitely greater expan-
sion than its production and its price will be kept up by
its application 10 of which we have now no concep
ton
Governor Adams seems to apprehend that the demand
for cotton will increase the supply up to certain
point when under the stimulus OF necessity, England VIII
produce much in India and France much in Algeria
that the slave-grown cotton of the South will become
mere drug in the market But have not France and Eng
land been taxing their ingenuity and the resources OF their
philosophy for years in the vain search after some sub3
ute for American cotton is demonstrated beyond dis
pute that India and Algeria in combination cannot pro-
duce cotton in sufficient quantity to GupeTsedo the demand
for American cotton. But if that were possible the qEa
OF the savegrown cotton of the South will forever protect
1t from injurious competition even, much more from such
dimnution Of price will render It's production imprac
cable.
According to the theory of Gov Adams the relations OF
supply and demand in the article of cotton are to be
yersed in the progress of events At first the demand Is
to exceed the supply by much provoke the inge
nuity of to discovery that shall increase the
supply far beyond the demand. To avert dreadful Ca
asophe he proposes that the South possess itself Through
the agency of the slave trade) of saveabor sufficient to
supply the world with cotton. The governor loses sight
of the fact that large proportion of the slavelabor OF
the South is employed in other industry and that this
surplus of saveabor will be devoted to the production of
cotton when the production of cotton to demand
such enormous remuneration. This diversion of labor will
tend to preserve the due proportion osuppy and demand
and doubt the natural increase OF the negro population
will be equal to the progressive exgences of the cotton
cultivation. If not, India and Algeria may exc out the
needed supply though they produce in such
peabundance to drive the cotton of the South from
the markets of the world
Since Governor Adams fails to demonstrate a necessity
for the revival of the slave trade may discuss the
measure matter Of policy.
And here encounter the obvious and inconestable
fact that the revival of the African slave trade legal
commerce is political impossbilty. Our laws
denim the traffic and there is chance of their repeal
The laws of the civilized world denounce the PEN
altes of piracy against it and they in any event. be-
yond the range OF control Is there thing in the
tone OF public opinion, IN this any other country which
warrants the idea that the
of the slave trade a legitimate branch of commerce
is the thing possibieP Certainly this inquiry touches the
most essential point of the controversy and yet Governor
Adams entirely ignores it,
1t being apparent from the of the prop
ositon that the revival of the slave trade moral mpos
sbliy there need of any further discussion of the
subject The States of the South not yet prepared to
defy the public opinion and to provoke the positive hostility
of the foremost powers of Chrsendom and the attempt
to reopen the traffic in African negroes would inevitably
draw this penalty upon us may rest upon the concu
sion that the policy impractcabe and will be sub
jected to the test Of experiment.
But have word in illustration of the improperly
and folly of discussing the revival of the slave trade
object of southern ambition and enterprise. Can
any fail to observe how much Of stimulus and
strength the agitation of the scheme mpars TO the
antsavery sentiment Of the North how much Of odium
and resentment provoke against the aggressive spirit
Of slavery propagandsm to what extent ii impars tie
moral security Of the South aad nurousy affects the
stability of its institutional 1t is idle to deny that slave
ry is condemned by the public opinion ofhe world The
States Of the South of from the sympahes of the
despotc well the most popular governments OF
Europe Whether from honest conviction the sugges-
tons Of hypocrisy they all join in the clamor against
Even Spain, in whose dominion slavery exists affects
Of moral anagonism to the South Is il the policy Of
the South still further embarrass its poson-sti more
scornfuly to defy the opinion of the worldto name
the zeal and multiply the number of its enemies And
all too, in pursuit of mpractcabo enterprise and
equiVocal adEsntage II not then let stop this talk
about reviving the African slave trade