Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1857-12-11
TOBACCO.

The (Tenn) Chronicle says that crop
Of tobacco sold there last week at 81 per
cwt., and several tobaceonists have closed
contracts for the weed at S5a$5 so per cwt
The above article, from the Olarksville
(Tenn.) Chronicle, would seem to indicate
that the sales of this article will range
among the low prices next year. But a
moments reflection will satisfy any think
ing mind that our sister neighbors of
Tennessee have become alarmed too soon,
and without adequate cause. -f. .t
The recent circulars from Europe to the
State Department on Tobacco Statistics,
shews that there is no surplus on hand
abroad, but greatly diminished supply,
as compared with former years. Besides
this, it is well known that the crop of this
year, is far short of the crops of either
1855 or 1856. The domestic consumption
has increased within the last ten years,
twenty five per cent, and the demand in
foreign countries has been increasing in
the same ratio, while the production at
home, from the want of labor and other
causes, has made no progress correspond
ing to this increased consumption at home
and abroad.
The foreign production has never been
and never can be very large; therefore
the great supplies for foreign consumption
must be drawn from this country after
supplying its own large and increasing
demands. But more particularly, at this
time, when our foreign debt is to be paid
in agricultural productions, if paid at all,
by reason of the utter prostration and
loss of other available remittanees, is it
the height of folly, or at least of exagerat-
ed panic, to suppose that the only avail
able mediums of exchange Cotton, tobac-
co and breadstufs) canAong remain at an
inactive or retrograding value. 7rr
By the last arrival from Europe we have
an illustration of what we say. The Paris
correspondent of the Courier des Etats
Unis uses the following significant langu-
age in one of his letters: "Most of the
houses which may suffer in theis trade
with the United States are rich, and well
able to resist the crisis; while others have
adopted measures to save themselves and
receive returns for their advances They
haze transmitted orders to their agents IN
the United States to accept paymentin IN paper,
and immediately to to employ dt an the
purchase cf cereals, cotton, sugars, de-, for
'ohich they can easily find a good market IN
Europe" The same results took place in
1887, during the suspension of specie pay
ments by the Banks in that year. Agri-
cultural productions were almost the only
remittances that were made to foreign
countries, and accordingly, in that year,
and in 1888, tobacco as we'll az cotton
commanded high and dremunerationg prices
So it will and must ever be when by rea-
son of the boarding of specie by the
Banks or other debtors, the productions
of country become the chief if not the
only commodities Of exchange.
We say then to the tobacco and cotton
planters be of good cheer. You hold in
your hands the stuff of national and in
ternational prosperity and integrity. The
debts neither of nations or of individuals
can be liquidated without resort to your
medium of exchange. Be not foolish or
dumb stricken by brainless newspaper
photographers or commercial hirelings, but
knowing and feeling your own indepen-
dence and strength, stand firm and de-
mand the real value of your agricultural
labors. Both cotton and tobacco ought
to advance instead of decline.-MoIboro,
! (Ma) Gazette.