Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1859-07-09
-
Land and T.ahnr

70 -, ~. '' 'u'V", oialeS is mainly supplied
from Virginia, Kentucky and Missouri. I'm.
creased rather than diminished by tho nrofits
ot agriculture during the four past years, it
Mt length causes such an amount of cmirra.
ton from the Northern tier of slave States
'hat many begin to entertain the fear it will
so reduce their population OF bondmcn as to
convert them into free communities
THIS apprehension cunnot be well C,dndcd
until the price of land begins to show amark.
co decline in value in those States. Agri-
cultural capital mt the South consists oflands,
TABOR and Its implements. The land how
ever, is nearly yalulesS without the labor To
render it productive. If the price of labor
rises to such II point TINT the crops will not
pay an interest upon the whole capital in
vested, the price of the land must inl. pro-
Nidcd demand for the labor exists elsewhere
so as to command its removal Ifsuch de.
nand does not exist, and labor both must
decline, For no sane aGriculturist will cm-
'mrk capital in an industrial enterprise
which gradually cxhausts it and threatens to
bring him to ruin. E
The emigration of considerable numbers of
slaves from the Northern slave States during
the tour past years is admitted Has it di-
ninishcd the value of their lands? Is their
productive energy lcssemod? Arc they com.
paratlNclY cssprospcrous than they were ten
years ago?
paper just publishcd by Mr.. Ruiiin. of
irginln, gentleman Of considerable ability
ana well known rs successful agricultural
lstoi that State, furnishes the pleasing fact
thatits lands have lately increased on an
average of forty per cent in value. "On
particular farms it has been two hundred ncr
cent The cultivated lands of the Old
D"nl'nmh arc now MS we'll worth one hun
drcd end forty dollars per acre az they were
some years since one hundred dollars
Inc same facts can hc stated in regard to
the appreciation of farming lands in Ken.
lucky and Missouri. 1t is we'll known that
the farmers ofthcsc States are growing rich.
New improvements in farm buildings and a
degree OF taste and luxury few years since
unknown in the West characterize country
liic boti III Kentucky and Missouri
IL follows, then, irrcsstiblv that neither
otthcsc comnonweulths, which contribute 80
literally tomcct the demand for labor at tho
extreme South, have yet suffered any serious
loss. They still retain that labor which sa-
tisiics their wants. The same tlirirt-the
steady income of capital and investment of it
lii the extensions of their cultivated lands
Is witnessed in the region of tobacco hemp.
stock and grain, which follows the prosperity
OF the cotton States. The statistics of pro
dnction of either of the former common
wca!ths show large increase in amount and
value There is no complaint of fields being
lately deserted. of hnmcStcadS falling into
ruins, and of desnlation and barrcnness TAX
ing the place of fertility and abundant har-
vests, No note of warnng--no cry for sue
cor-has been heard from the Old Dominion,
from hcntLcky, or from Missouri
The natural result of the mode of culture
wncd has long been almost universal at the
South, should he the depreciation of old lands
and their abnndonment for the frcsher soil
or the virgin West. The young men would
naturally he expected to seek suil which.
as Macaulay said of some portions of Aus
trni'h, Is 80 fertile that if You tickle it with
II noe 1t Will smile into harvest" instead of
attempting tn renovatc lands exhausted by
the neglect Of all the laws of culture. To
some extent the young West and Southwest
WIN Its greater promise, has induced
Withdrawal OF investments III these older
commemorative. This, not the diminution
ut labor. has caused what change may have
taken place.
1t will be time enough to croak about the
future position OF Virginia, Kentucky and
Missouri, in regard to tho Itton States, wien
!hclr lands begin to decline their produce
10 he diminished, and their prosperity to
wanc.
1t is Instructive, in this connection. to re-
call the argument in favor of the admission
ofFcxas, used by those who now prctcndit
is a dnty to urge measures to prcvcn, the
conversion of Virginia. Kentucky and Mis-
souri,, into free States. TLay demanded an
increase oi territory aS safeguard against
The dcstrucliOJ. of the institution of slavery,
from It's confinement to the region t. which
twas then limited. The natural increase of
the bondmcn of the South was a cause of
alarm. ltwould render the slave vnluclcss,
ana prompt measures to get rid of tho burden
OF the support of institution
Now, we arc in danger from the want of
slave labor The demand of the GOTTEN States
Tor slaves is about to convert slave States
INTO free communities.
Fortunately this subject of supply ami de-
mand will regulate itself The present eager
struggle ut every sacrifice to increase tho
production of cotton must ere long reduce
tho price by ovcr-prOduction, and the profits
ot this species of agriculture being diminish
cd, the demand for labor, ut least at present
prices, must decline. Indiaat peace will IN
crease its production of this staple. She is
only required to export to Great Britain ono
nth more than she now raises to supply the
manufactures of that country with all their
stocks. Egypt and the Barbary States be-
gin to extend their production In other re-
gins of the temperate zone cotton is already
fayorabIy introduced. Our safety is in not
speedily putting the whole cotton belt of the
Union into cultivation with that staple. We
may be thankful that check cXsts upon
ultimate supply mt mere nominal prices of
blacks To people the wilds of the cotton grow
ing States. .--Nctc Orican$ Pcdyune
Correspondence of tho Richmond Dispatch.
Terrific Tornado.
NORFOLK, june 81, lS50.--Accounts of