Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1858-03-31

w PSi hCoN, SuPPOoiu5 tha1 VIC ho'C
twelve million people. England, with
all her accumulated wealth, with her
concentrated and educated energy,
makes under S16 so of surplus produc-
ton per head.
l have not made a calculation as to
the North, with her S95, 100000 sur
plus. Admitting that she exports as
much as we do, with her eighteen mil
lion of population it would be but little
over twelve dollars head. But she can
net export to US and abroad exceeding
ten dollars a head against our sixteen
dollar. know well enough that the
North sends to the South a vast amount
of the productions of her industry. l
take it for granted that she, at least pays
us in that way for the thirty or rty
million dollars worth OF cotton and 9TH
er articles we send her. l am willing
to admit that she pays US considerable
more; but to bring hel up to our amount
of surplus production, to bring her up to
S22G, ,0OO,O 900 year, the South must
take from her S125, 900, 900; and this,
in addition to our share of the consump-
ton Of the 1888, 900, 900 worth introdu-
ced into the country from abroad, and
paid for chiefly by our own exports
The thing is absurd it is impossible; it
can never appear anywhere but in book
of statistics.
With an export of 1920, 900, 900 un-
der the present tariff. the South organ
lied separately would have $40, 900, ,OOU
Of revenue. With one fourth the present
tariff she would have a revenue adequate
to all her wants, for the South would
never go to war; she would never need
an army or navy, beyond few garri-
sons on the frontiers and few revenue
cutters. 1t is commerce that breeds war.
1t is manufactures that require to be
haBked about the world, and give rise
10 navies and commerce. But we have
nothing TO do but to take off restrictions
on foreign merchandise and open our
ports, and the whole world will come to
us TO trade. They will be too glad TO
bring and carry for Us, and we
never shall dream of war. Why the
South has never yet had just cause Of
war. Every time she has drawn her
sword it has been on the point Of honor,
and that point of honor has been mainly
loyalty to her sister colonies and sister
States, who have ever since plundered
and calumniated her.
But if there were no other reason Why
we should never have war, would any
sane nation make war on cotton? With
out firing gun. without drawing a
sword. should they make war on US, we
can bring the whole world 10 cur feet.
The South is perfectly competent TO go
on, one, two or three years without plan
ting seed of cotton. belieye that if
she was to plant but half her cotton for
three years to come, it would be an i'm
mense advantage TO her. am not so
sure that after three total years absti-
nence she would come out stronger .ban
ever she was before and better prepared
to enter afresh upon her great career Of
enterprise. What would happen if no
cotton was furnished for three years? l
will not stop TO depict what every one
can imagine, but this is certain Eng
land would topple headlong and carry
the whole civilized world with her, save
the South. No, you dare not make war
on cotton. No power on earth dares to
make war upon it, Cotton is king.
Until lately the Bank of England was
king, but she tried to put her screws as
usual, the fall before last, upon the cot
ton crop, and was utterly yanquished.
The last power has been conquered.
Who can doubt, that has looked at re-
cent events, that cotton is supreme?
When the abuse of credit had DESTROYED
credit and annibilated confidence, when
thousands Of the strongest commercial
houses in the world were coming down,
and hundreds of millions of dollars of
supposed properly evaporating in thin
air, when you came to dead lock, and
revolutions were threatened, what
brought you up? Fortunately for you it
was the commencement of the cotton
season, and we have poured in upon you
one million six hundred thousand bales
of cotton just at the crisis to save you
from destruction. That cotton, but for
the bursting of your speculative bubbles
in the North, which produced the whole
Of this convulsion, would have brought
US S100,000,Q00. We have sold il for
500, 100000, and saved you. Thirty
Eve million dollars we, the Shareholders
Of the South, have put into the charity
box for your magnificent fianciers, 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 frame of society,
he best in the world, and an extent of
political freedom, combined with entire
such as no other people ever
snjoyed upon the face of the earth. So
,iely precedes government; creates it,
md ought TO control it, but as far as we
IAN look back in historic times we End
he case different; for government is no
conner created than it becomes too
trong for society, and shapes and moulds.
IS well as controls it. In latter centu-
les the progress of civilization and ofin-
diligence has made the divergence so
,reat as 10 produce civil wars and revo
uticns, and it is nothing now but the
want of harmony between governments
md societies which occasions all the un-
ssiness and trouble and terror that we
ee abroad. 1t was this that brought on
he American Revolution. We threw
fl a Government not adapted TO our so
ial system, and made one for ourselves.
The question is, how far have we sue
eeded. The South, SO far as that is
is satisfied, harmonious, and
In all social systems there must be 8
lass 10 do the menial duties, TO perform
be drudge-y of life. That is class re-
luiring but low order Of intellect and
,ut little skill. Its requisites are vigor, !
fidelity. Such class you must