Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1856-10-09
Cotton a Censeryator Of Peace.

and cotton has ever since been acting
the part ofthe strong protector Of the
United States against Great Britain.
It is no longer, however, a shelter for
our riaemen, behind which they may
conceal themselves and pick out a
bright red-coat as a mark. Cotton
lis now our commercial bulwark = the
grand conservator of peace between
Europe and the United States. We
may be laughed at for our little army
and our little navy; but we must be
respected for our great cotton crop
an unchivalric defence for a martial
people, but potent one and peace
fnl one, which sheds no blood. imposes
no taxes and does not drain the
National Treasury. If there is a
diplomatic furry between England
and the United States, the cotton
lords of Manchester rise and protest
against any interruption of peace; if
the crop falls short in the Southern
States, Manchesterfeels it. and if the
crops is a large one, Manchester still
enjoys the benefits. - = e;s
There is doubtless little humilia-
ton felt in England at her condition
Of dependence upon us in this matter
of cotton; and numerous have been
the schemes for procuring the raw
material from her colonies and from
other countries. The success of these
has been only partial. Indian and
Egyptian cotton is, indeed, imported
into England. but the quality is In
tferior to the American, and the guam
tity though considerable, is not such
as to produce any effect upon the
sales Of our product Efforts have
been made to grow it in Italy
and Algeria, but they have proved
quite unsuccessful. In spite of the
production of cotton in India and
Egypt, the English demand for the
American article has been increas-,,
ing. At the present time it is called
two millions of bales. This out of a
total crop of about three and a half
millions,is veryimportant proportion.
leaving as it does, only million and
a half of bales for domestic consump-
ton and for export to the continent
of Europe. Two million bales Of
cotton keep some millions of people
in work and bread in England, and it
may readily be seen what a calamity
it would be, if the. supplies were
stopped by a-war or any other eausesa
1t is demonstrated by past expe-I
rieuce that, in the present amazing
progress of the world, with its rapid
increase of wealth in the precious
metals and its constantly growing
love of luxury, the supplies of cot
ton, from all parts of the world, does.
not keep pace with the demand. :
The English manufacturers are con-
stantly extending their operations;
SO, too, with the manufactures of
France and Germany, while at home
in spite of our low tariff, the con-
sumption Of cottonis growing larger
every year. Boston, New York and
Philadelphia each import the raw
material in very large, quantities and
all that comes here together with
much that comes to New York, is
consumed by mills of Philadelphia
and the various towns Of the interior
State. These mills are steadily
increasing in numbers anditheir op-
erations; in few years the domestic
consumption Of cotton will be as
great as the foreign has been within
/ the memory Of many persons now
living. 80 az Sc ss.sss 81.
In view of these things, the efforts
occasionally made to alarm America
by threats of growing cotton else
where are totally unworthy of con-
side1ation. Some Manchester men
have been making such a threat and
talking about extending the culture
Of cetton in India and Africa, solely
with a view of making England in
dependent of America. The declar-
| ed intention Of this movement is. not
altogether consistent with the intense
affection lately expressed by the
Manchester people in Peace Ad-
dress which received many thousand
signatures in few days. But the
soul of Manchester is in her calicoes,
and she is for peace or war just as
they may require. Our impression
is that they will always require
peace, Notwithstanding the late effort
- & z. !.