Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1860-12-26
Drowning Men Catching at Straws.


republican journals are resorting in the
sea of troubles " on which they are toss
sed suggest the image of drowtlins men
grasping at straws. Ono Of them, prefer.
ding to be an organ OF commerce, assert,
ed yesterday that " cotton is not king, >
because some Downeaster says he has dis
covered a substitute for it in Canadian
flax, from which lie manufactures what he
calls "fibriiia," just as il the fibre OF fax
will not always make linen, no matter to
what process it is subjected. 1t may
prove to be a very good article, anC il
may tur oat q sham; bpt it will be nc
substitute for cotton, which is destined to
reign king of American commerce FOL
some time TO come, Notwithstanding tlie
ingenious Yankee invention.
Another republican journal Of this city
long beiogged in the midst of Mincio's ell
bows, lahore yesterday 10 show in long
article that the South is Of little or nc
value TO the Union, and that 'two Low
ellis are Of greater moment than South
Carolina III commercial affairs. and Phil.
adelphia IS = dozen South Carolinas rcll.
ed into one." We would ask what would
Lowell and Philadelphia be to-day but for
South Carolina En1 the other cotton
States? Because Loge.V produces fabrics
exceeding in value halt the whole exports
OF South Carolina, ergo, Lcwll is double
the value Of that State to tie country
Now the difference is just this, That th,
threatened loss of South Carolina has' 'sha
ken the Union to its centre, and Europe
itself mas felt tlhe shock whereas, if Low
ell were swallowed UP by an earthquake,
and all New England and her nianufacto
ries with il, the loss to the rest of the
Union would amount TO nothing. Indeed.
on the contrary,a large majority of the
people would consider the absence of the
New England States from the confedera-
tion very great gain. just let Massachu,
sets propose TO secede from the Union,
and she will see wheihe any of the mid
die or Southern States will ask her to re-
main They could get every description
Of fabric cheaper from Europe than from
Massacb usetts, and they would get rid OF
the disturbing element of her Puritan
ism.
There is 20 danger of Revolution and
civil couyulson from any Of the New
England States going out of the Union,
whatever may arise from their re naming
in. The Massachusetts, factories, with the
aid OF the South, merely give living to
their OWE population, far inferior to that
which South Carolina gives her slaves
There are no paupers in South Carolina,
whose products not only support her Own
people in comfort, bat contribute nateri-
ally to the sestenance of the white slaves
Of Lowell. From pound OF iron, worth
a few cents, watch springs may be manu-,
tactured worth thousands of dollars. But
without the iron 10 manufacture where
would be the watch springs and their ma
kers? Without cotton what would Low.
ell be, and the other towns Of New Eng.
land where it is anuiactured! Whei
the South, in exchange for her cotton
takes the goods of Old England iasteaC
Of those Of New England, and at the sam,
tiIe msuufactpres extensively for hersel
what will become of :he prosperity o.
Lowell and the wealth of the solid men
of Boston? 1t is only persons WHOSE wits
are affected by their desperate situation
that can resort to such fl'msy logic as that
which constitutes the staple of the repub.
lican journals of New York .-LicraH
I I)I ..Mpp,y,., - 4