Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1860-02-17

the noble duke that the attention of the govern.
mcht was directed to this subject, and that every
encouragement consistent with sound principles
would be afforded to extend tho supply Of cotton.
| (llcar, hear) The noble and learned lord had
stated that within short period the importation
OF cotton Ind multiplied thirty-two fold in this
country, and when their lordships considered how
extensive was tho demand for cotton goods
throughout the world they would at once perceive
that il was serious matter to have for tho supply
of the raw material only single source, liable to
bo affected by tho uncertainties Of climate to say
nothing Of tho obstacles which my unfortunate
state OF political relations might raiss up in the
way of our merchants applying to that sourcc.--
(lIcar, hear.) lIe trusted that efforts would bo
omitted by the people Of this country 10 promote
every rational enterprise for tho supply OF cotton
in every quarter whore il could DO obtained, and
that ali tue encouragement which tho government
could egitimately give would be afforded. ilcar,
hcnr.)
Lord Wodehouso said that their lordshps
were aware that tho attention of several. admin
; stralons had been given to the important point
# opening up tho rivers OF Africa; and two
expeditions with that view now actually in
progress, one on tho Niger and tho other on the
Iambesi. From both very satisfactory ntorma-
ton had been received with respect to tho supply
of cotton; and he would read short extract from
II recent desI a,ch of Dr. Livingstone. dated May
l., 1889, referring his visit 10 Lake Shrura and
the adjacent country
Cotton is cultivated largely. and tho further We
went the crop appeared To be ofthe greater mpor-
tnnoe The women nluno were well clothed with
the produce the men being content with goatskins
and bark made ol certain trees Every one spins
aud wenves cotton. Even chiefs may be with
the spindle aud bag, which serves as distaf. The
process Of manufacture Is tho most rndo nnd to-
dious that cun bo conceived. The cotton goes
thrnuph five processes with tho fingers before it
comes To tho loom. Time is of no value. They
p,ni,n .I f1n nlnn nj In nd iua
nous yields cotton moro like wool than that Of
| other countries 1t is strong. and feels rough in
the hand. The other variety is from imported
seed. yielding cotton that renders IL unnncessa.
ry to furnish the people with American seed.
point in its culture worth noticing is the time Of
rlnntng hns been selected 10 that tho plants
remain in the ground during winter, and hvo
months or 30 after sowing they come to maturity
before the rains begin or insects como forth To
damage tho crap.
In aucthe. letter datcl May II, Dr. Livingstone
again wrote:
planted cotton. Tho people OF the Shire ON the
| contrary, brought several bags of cotton for salo
ON our second visit though no time had elapsed
To allow of planting since weinformed them of the
existence of market. Tho cotton trade il quito
ready for development among them by agents
such rs Sicrre Leone supplies to the Niger
The inhabitants are quite Independent Of the
Portuguese, but unless large ordinance OF
the government of Portugal allows foreigners to
settle in tho country neither cotton nor sugar will
be collected"
Reports had Mt tho same timo been received from
| the Niger, stating that very great increase in
the produce of cotton had taken place, but the
tension Of the supply in certain districts was
mninly dependent upon tho suppression Of the
slave trade. lllear, hear.) lie wished he could
state that that great obect--the suppression of
| tho slave trnde--was near accomplishment. lie
| tl.akA 81 In
| the contrary. had increased and tended to still
| further increase. llo concurred in thinking that
the extension of industry and legitimate commerce
among the natives of Africa was tho ultimate
means of exingushing this most deplorabe aud
| exrcrH,le trade; and rs the cultivation OF cotton
was most important branch Of industry, tho
supply of tho demand of this country for that ar.
tice weuld coincide in u marked degree with
tho suppression Of the slave trade. 1lc was not
prepared to discuss the matter referred to by tho
noble uni learned lord relating to the internal of
/ lnirs Of Amcrica, but as regards tho slave trade,
tho United States had by recent measure shown
their disposition to suppress ii so that he trusted
the people Of that country would never recur to
| the cursed traffic.
! Earl Frey observed it was quite true, us stated
! by the noble duke, that in our own colonies the
want of labor must for many yenrs DO nm obstacle
to any sensible increase in the production oi cot
ton; but in Africa there was IN immense territory
! fitted fur the cotton cultivation. and population
| sufficient to carry il ON. lie wns sorry tn hear
! that the slave trade had increased, and he was
afraid that its increased activity WAS mainly
owing to the assistance il derived from tho Amer
lean flag To the infinite aud eternal disgrace Of
! the United States. that country allowed its flag to
be prostitued for tho purpose Of enabling tho
| slave traders TO defeat tho efforts made for the
suppression of the trade. lie believed that If
that went on America would incur tho reproba-
ton Of every man Of right feeling throught the
civilized world. Hear, hcar) She would place
herself under the ban Of humanity, and it wus i'm
possible that their lordsbps could express too
strongly the indignation they must feel at such
disgraceiu conduct on tho part Of agrcat country.
| tllcar, hear.1 But, besides America, he should
have been glad to hear from the Under Secretary
| for Foreign Affairs that another powerful nntion,
| which was deeply to blame in the mntter OF slave
| ry, had seen the of her ways, and had
adopted wiser rolicy. He should have liked to
hear from his noble friend what was the position
OF France with respect 20 the slave trade. Their
! lordships knew what Ffanee. had done. While
she had nomnally abolished slavery in her do
! mnions, her government had directly authorized
the purchase of what were in mockery called free
emi grants" of men brought down in chains to
the coast and shipped rs free emgrants tn French
colonies Their ordships were told last year thai
this atrocious system bad been put down on the
east coast of Africa He wanted to know what
was going on ut present on the west coast. There
he was Informed, the system sttll continued. and
under the name of dep3ts d'industrie. the French
government had slave markets, established places
to which the slave trader might Bring his goods
and be certain of market. To pretend to have
abolished slavery in the French colonies while
these markets were open for slaves was a mocke-
ry and delusion. (Hear, hear.) Every one
knew that the receiver of stolen goods was the
main promoter of theft and was amore dangerous
person than the actual thief. So with respect 70
slavery. The Under-Secrctary had told their
lordshps that the growth of cotton in certain parts
of Africa had been stopped bv recent slave hnnt.