Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1859-09-14

The CULTIVATION OF CorroN-DEMAvD AND Sup
PLy.-The cotton question is always Important on
both sides of the Atlantic. A late southern writer
endeavorS to show that the regular and permanent
supply of raw cotton for the commercial wants OF
the world, must to large extent, be produced in
the United States, and from slave labor. The cot
ton supply of the American Republic now amounts
to eighty per cent. of the whole consumption, and
with an increasing demand. From 1885 to ls45
the annual production of cotton exceeded both the
foreign and domestic requirements. Various lnl-
practicable schemes were set on foot. and vast sums
of money expended in order to stimulate ana cNtend
the production of the raw cotton by free labor,
while the British press in aid of the effort, denounc-
ed the institution of slavery in the United States IN
unmeasured terms. The effect for a time was to de-
press and discourage the planters of the South:-
Capital was diverted to other and more profitable
means of investment, until 1916, when change for
the better took place; and from that time the con-
dition of affairs improved. The popular impression
has heretofore prevailed, that the United States
could furnish cotton to an unlimited extent and
this opinion would be we'll founded if the result de-
pended solely upon the quantity and fertility OF the
soil embraced
According to a pamphlet written some time ago
by Gen. Morse, cotton is not produced to any con-
siderable extent if at ALL in but nine OF the h''een
slave States ard in some Of these States, rice, SUI
gar, and tobacco, form no trifling item of staple
production. The slave increase in the United States
from excess of births over deaths has been about
twenty eight per cent. for each decade since '9o,
while the increase within the cotton growing States
from this source and by acccSsions from other
States has been 1903 so rer cent. from 1880 to lS4'
and u, II per cent from 1910 to 1850. This large
augmentation of slaves within these nine States has
been caused mostly by the migration of slave own
ers, and partly by the purchase OF slaves from Ma
rvland, Virginia, North Carolina, and Kentucky
The nine cotton States are Alabama, Arkansas,
Florida Georgia. Louisiana. South Carolina Ten
n.s>cc, and TcxaS-and are informed by The
Census of 1850, that there were at that time two
millions forty-cight thousand two hundred and
ninety three slaves in those Statcs-and it is lbe-
Eeve that the number has now increased to two
million five hundred Thousand. OF this aggregate.
the field hands number million five hundred
thousand, and about twothrdS of these are en-
rloycd in cultvating the staple. 1t is calculated
that the crop of 1860. with good weather, will he
four million bales to produce which an increase OF
one hundred thousand field hands will be required.
Where are they to come from? According to the
southern papers, they can no longer be supplied by
Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina. and Kentucky.
We sally fear that this condition Of things furnishes
an excuse for the ill,ci. prosecution of that most
horrible and sinfu, traliic-the African slave trade.
Only few days ago. another populous cargo OF hl-
man chattels was landed in Florida b! The whole
subject calls for judicious and liberal Legislation,
both in the Federal and southern State Capols.-
Philadelphia Enquirer.