The Feliciana Democrat., 1858-03-27
Tbt ftlitiana Democrat.
TcoNrtSuEp FROM FIRST PAGE.


mitting that she exports ns much as we do,
with her eighteen millions of popu alton, it
would be but little over twelve dollars head
at the outside. She cannot export to US and
abroad exceeding ten dollars head agans,
our sixteen dollars | know well enough that
the North sends to the South vast amount
OF the productions of her industry. | take it
for granted that She at least, pays Us in that
way for the thirty or forty million dollars worth
oi cotton and other articles we send her
am willing to admit that she pays us consider
ably more; but to bring her up to our amount
OF surplus production, to bring her up to s220,
600, of surplus production, the South must
take from her 1926, ,O00, 900; and this, in adj
dltlon to our share of the consumption of the
1888, 600 900 worth introduced into the coun-
try from abroad, and paid for in part by our
own exports. The thing is absurd; it is i'm
possible; it can never appear anywhere but on
census statistic book.
With an export of 1920, 600, 600 under the
present tariff, the South organized separately
would have about SAC, 900 900 of revenue -
With onetourth the present tariff she would
have revenue adequate to all her wants, for
the South would never 20 to war: She would
never need an army or a navy. beyond few
garrisons on the frontiers and few revenue
cutters. 1t is commerce that breeds war II
Is manufactures that require 10 he hawked
about over the world, and rive rise to nayics
aud commerce But we have nothing to do
but to take Oft restrictions on foreign mcr.
chandise and open our ports, and the whole
world will come to us to trade They will be
TOO glad to bring and carry for MS, and we
never shall dream of war Why, sir. the
South has never yet had n Just cause of war
Every time she has seized her sword it has
been on the point of honor, and that pomt of
honor has been mainly loyalty to her sister co
lonles and sister States, who have ever since
plundercd and eliminated her
But If there were no other reason why we
should never have war, would any sane ma.
ton make war on cotton? Without firing a
gun, without drawing II sword when they
make war on MS we can bring the whold world
10 our feet. The South is perfectly competent
TO go on, one, two or three years without
planting seed of cotton. believe that if
she was to plant hut hnlf her cotton, il would
DC an immense advantage 10 her ! am not
SO sure but that after three years cessation she
would come out stronger than ever she was
before and better prepared to enter afrcsll
upon her great career Of enterprise. What
would happen if no cotton was furnished for
three years | will not stop to depict what
every one can imagine, but this is certain: old
England would topplc hcadlong and Gerry the
whole civilized world with her No, sir. Won
dare not make war on cotton No power on
earth darcs make war upon it Cotton j.,
king. Until lately the Bank of England was
king, but she tried to put her screws as usual.
the fall before last, upon the cotton crop, and
was utterly vanquished. The last power has
been conquered Who can doubt it that has
looked at recent events? When the abuse Of
credit had destroyed credit and annihatcd
confidence, when thousands Of the strongest
commercial houses in the world were coming
down, and hundreds Of millions of dollars of
supposed property evaporating in the air, when
you came to a dead lock, and rcvolntonsf
were threatened, what brought youup? For
tunatey for yon it was the commencement of
the cotton season, and we have poured in upon
you one million six hundred thousand bales of
cotton .nst at the crisis to save you from sink
ing. The cotton, but for the bursting of your
speculative bubbles in the North, which pro-
duced the whole Of this convulsion, would
have brought us 500, coo 900 We have
sold it for $50, 900 900. and saved you Thir-
ty.fve million dollars we, the shareholders of
''iio ''ouoh, h"'' 'uo III lnc 'Hdi'iy ooA VI
your magnificent inanciers, your cotton lords,
your merchant princes.
But, sir, the greatest strength Of the South
arises from the harmony Of her political and
social institutions This harmony gives her a
frame of society, the best in the world, and IN
extent Of political freedom, combined with en-
tire security, such as no other people ever en-
joyed upon the face of the earth. Society
precedes governments creates it, and ought to
control it; but as far as we can look back in
historic times we find the case different; for
government is no sooner created than it be-
comes too strong for society," and shapes and
moulds, as well as controls it. In later cen.
turies the progress of civilization and of in
telligcnce has made the divergence so great
as to produce civil wars and revolutions; and
it is nothing now but the want of harmony
between governments and societies which oc-
casions all the uneasineSs and trouble and ter
ror that we see abroad 1t was this that
brought on the American Revolution. We
threw off government not adapted to our so
cia system, and made one for ourselves. The
question is, how far have we succeeded? ? The