The Feliciana Democrat., 1858-06-05
INCREASE OF SLAVE LABOR.

oppose il most e0ectudiiy
1t is undeniabc that the produce of slave labor in
the Southern States Cuba and Brazil, is recognized
necessity to mankind II the curious statisiician
would sum up in dollars and cents the value OF all
the cotton rice tobacco. sugar coffee, and other pro
ducc exported from these countries for the consnmp
tion of the rest of the world and then add the wages
Of all those millions who are employed in the trans
portation and manufacture of these crops and foot
the column y the net profits accrung Ia all the par
ties the figures would sartlc him. Now, who of all
these people and nations of the earth intend 10 be
the most obstinate in opposing the importation Of
that labor which is essential to their propcrty?
It is the habit with some to regard the British Gov.
crnmcnt as the dvincly appointed guarlia of Atri.
en- but hope to show, in subsequent letter, that
England will not be the most earnest opponent We
shall have to encounter. For the present it is suhi.
cent to recall the vast interest she knops she has in
our slavery.
1t is estimated that capital of Mt least s5OOoOo
600, and population Of over 100000 in Great Bri.
tain, are Immediately dependent upon our cotton for
profit, wages and support More than sevcnty-ivc
per cent of the cotton worked up in the British mills
comes from our plantations. To this must be added
nh endless string of items, all aifnrd'ng employ.
mcnt and profit TO the people of the British empire.
IF then it should appear that the increase in slave
labor here must add to the prosperity OF hrclng Ia
bor there and, on the contrary. that determined
opposition. on the part Of the British Government
TO such an increase Of labor, must permanently ill.,
iure the Interests represented ut Liverpool and Man
chester, can il be supposed that Downing street will
continue 10 be quietly INDUCED in the old crisp and
shryclcl fantasies Of /" the Broughams ana WILDER
forces ~
Impossible. The commercial spirit and thrifty
ventures OF the present age are leaving far behind
them The cantng hypocrisy of the past While we
at our ircsdes, hrc changing moral views in re-
lation to the civilization which God has given us to
develop our old enemies in their mills and counting
rooms across the water, are drifting along the same
current albeit the chart which guides them is inter
est and their polar star i profit Price is po
tent agent. There are hopes Of its yet assuaging
the gricfa of philanthropy, the principle of
counter irritant removing distress and care from
cmpry-hcadcd zcalots TO cmpty.pockctcd masses Of
people crying for bread.
Heretofore. the only crisis which has disturbed
HE cotton interest of Eaeand has grown ont of mo.
ney prcssures or strikes" for an increase Of wages
But awfully different would be the case If the strikc
should be for ior wdges rafier than none which could
be occasoned only hy permanent deficiency III tie
supply of raw cotton. The strike" would he a ter
rifle for eraeace. Those OF us whose attention
may have been called TO the matter will remember
the dcporablc accounts Of the Lancashire strikes
a few years since The town of Preston. for exam
pie, was described as having the appearance of a be-
Sieecd city The workmen had been so long out of
work. and the supplies from the Trades Union"
had become 50 scaniy, that the population, with sun
ken checks and ank sides looked more like sufferers
from proraced siege, than free citizens in an open
town Of England
In few months the funds of lle Trades Union"
and the Benefit Societies" were exhausted, and it
was found that the only effect produced was loss Of
over q half million Of pounds sterling to the cotton
interest and a fit conclusion TO the affair. dcega.
tions Of workmcn from every part Of the Kingdom
were invited to London to deliberate in what was
significantly called "a labor Pari,anrnt'' Now sncl
strikes as these can always be eflcctualy put
down because they seek to violate the laws Of econ
omy and Of nature. They are contests between cap
ital and labor, in which the former is sure to tr
umph. Labor must eat its daily bread capital can
hold long fast. But, whenever deficiency Of
slaves to cultivate cotton occasions large and
permanent deficiency in the Liverpool market and
there is no forthcoming supply from other sources
the present cry for another America proving vain
the strike" will no longer be that Of the workmcn
against their employers; the struggle will cease 10
be that of labor against capital 1t will have requ.
red no presciencc to satisfy all interested that the
scarcity and high price Of cotton there is due to the
scarcity Of slaves TO cultivate 1t here which is the
consequence of the prohibition of the slave trade
a further opposition to the trade would be mqprot
ialAe, and the policy Of Downing street would have
TO conform to the pressing demands of Lyerpoo and
Manchester continued deficiency of cotton would
change short time" into no time mills would be-
closed, and the result would be labor Parliament"
on the one hand and ''spnner's Paramontr on
the other Cotton would be demanded by both at
any hazard epm cost lie sacrifce Of tie aJolaion in
Ruence, and C0TToN PARLIAMENT would be witnessed
in England equal in its results TO any Of her mad
Parllaments, her long Paraments,' y or her
" Rump ParlamentS' The London times Is evident
y correct in saying that the world is wiser than
it was when Abotionists ruled it." Commerce now
rules is king cotton is heir apparent, and sla
very is queen dowagcr Whatever, then may be the
views of Great Rroin In rolotion ia o,,.