The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1857-07-01
THE COTTON QUESTION IN ENGLAND


In the column devoted to department news the
reader will find some suggestions relative to the
present state Of the cotton question in England and
the vehement efforts that foot to render the
British manufacturers independent of the United
States for the supply of the raw material xNever
was there more utoFian scheme concas ted bv Brit
ish philanthropsts visionary sculators than that
which proposes to substitute, 4, the cotton markets
Of the world, for the grsG staple Of our southern
States, cheaper Material equal in quality and more
abundant in nantity, from the East and West Indies
ana inc Inferior Of Africa And yet, Judging from
resolutions adopted at the different meetings
.ed in Liverpool and Manchester, and the speeches
of the different speakers, this would seem to be the
result aimed at and African and Chinese labor the
means by which it is to be accomplished. Strike
down the institution of slavery in the southern States
Of this Union and throw open the East and West
Indies to the free emigration rather to the unre-
strcted importation, of negro apprentices and Chinese
coolies, and nothing more seems to be wanting to
realize the visions of these Manchester enthu-
siasts Hear one of the leading speakers, Mr.
G.. Booker, at the Liverpool meeting, held on
the 18th instant dsposing of the objections urged
slavery in the West Indies and of establishing it in
the East indies: 'We are told you can never OBJ
tain sufficient laborers to work those possessions nm
less yon have recourse to Africa or China if from
the former it would too much Of the old trade
slavery; and if from the latter, there is growing
prejudice in consequence of the way in which it has
been carried in the island of Cuba With respect
to the former shall refrain from making any com
ment but to the latter assertion must enter my
protest. AS well might comparison be drawn be-
tween the position of own emancipated blacks
and the slaves in Cuba to draw one between emf
grafton as conducted by the two countries With
out stopping to inquire how far the slaves in c,,p
would suffer by comparison with thaseS-
- II, emancpated
4et us hear what the Hon
m member of Parliament and another
~sssakcr at the Liverpool meeting, has to say in ref
erence to the question as it concerns the United
States: Il am not Of those who anticipate an in
terrupion to the good feeling which exists between
this country and America, nor am apprehensivc of
an interruption which, to take place, would not
enable the cotton to find it's way to this country.
But there also other important questions of
which we must not lose sight; we cannot lose sight
of the fact that in America there 100000 slaves
and they are the principal cultivators Of cotton.
And what would be the result supposing in the pos
sibe, might say in the probable, event Of either
legalized emancipation instruction of the
slavesf" Tho result would doubtless be- for a time
at least to raise the stock of the East India and
West India cotton spectators to high figure but
the manufacturer would soon find ont to his cost
that his success in the markets of the world would
depend, as it now does, upon the quality of his
goods; and that, without tho material supplied by
the United States he must inevitably fail in raising
that quality to the very lowest standard required
for the worlds consumption. This is the test to
which the question must be ultimately brought and
when it comes this the United States has nothing
to fear.
1t may not, however, be known to many of our
readers that in Great Britain there are two sides
to this cotton question, as there to all others
and that already the alarm is sounded lest the gov
ernment should lend its aid to the fostering or build
ing up of interest at the expense of all others The
contest has already commenced between those who
are favorable to government protection for the
growth of cotton in India and those who demand il
to increase the supply of food for the millions Of the
suffering and destitute in the Omitted Kingdom
Food before clothing is the more natural order, and
such is the cutlery raised in England by the latter
class of aspirants for government protection. On
this subject late number Of the London Economis
very Justly remarks eve would further decuc,
from the fact Of the intimate union between us all
while the whole society is very extensive and com
pcated, Tint il is not safe policy NEEDLE will