The weekly Mississippian. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1859-1864, 1860-05-02

think Of the institutions of the United ota'
South. To their assertions in relation to. Fl
labor we would merely remark, that if tn
viii make our African Supply as liberal
4 that OF the oppressed of Europe in the Mort
ern States, we will show them prosperi
unequaled in the world before. 1t is lab
we want:
4 From the Glasgoao Shipping Gazette.
The American Cotton Supply and Il
-. Slavery Question.
| Avery feeble but injudcious attempt is
present being made to revive discussion II
/ garding American slavery. 1t is not on tn
side OF the Atlantic that the matter at issue b
| tween the slaveholding states of the America
Union can be decided. At least there is onl
one possible mode by which the people Of tn
/ country could etfectually aid the abolitionist
OF the United States-namely, by at once prC
4 tiibiting the import Of siave-gfown cotton int
the United Kingdom. This course, however
4 no efe, so fir as we have observed, has ven
ttdfed tc'propose. And tits well that it is so
FER wlsx MczIf % she Immediate result o
the negro population of the United States
4 Simply, thatthe cotton manufacturers of this
would be ruined, and the working classes in
all our spinning and weaving districts would
at one fell woop be deprived of their only
means ofsuport Suppose, for instance, that
the whole lass of the population of Lam
'cashire rahrownidle-which they would
be at once wre our supply of cotton withheld
for one week-why, it would take the entire
income proboly of the county to supply them
/ with food, an the other necessaries Of life. Be-
fore such Catastrophe could be provided for,
the people wuld be driven to desperation.
and reyoiutio or rebellion would speedily en-
sue. Those Fho denounee American slavery,
or many of tem at least, may be quite con-
sstent in usig every means in their power to
obtain liberty for the captive but there are
more ways thn one of accomplishing so de-
sirable an ohjct. .s'
In discussing this subject however, it should
never he iorgoten that American slavery is a
British legacy, nd not, as we are too often led
to believe, sirnW native American institu
ton. Our forefthers, no doubt, found it nec-
essary,- in a contry so thinly populated as
America in its arly history was, to employ
slave labor in orer toraise their cotton and to-
tobacco crops, esecially as the climate in what
are now the Sothern States was such that
Europeans wereinftted for that purpose, even
had the supply + free labor been sufficient,
but which it is ut even at this day, or likely
ever to be.
Neither shoultit be forgotten that it IS not
50 very long sine Great Britain itself was
slaveholding contry, and that most Of the
West India proprstors who held estates when
the Emancipation Act was carried are still
alive and amongs US; at all events that most
OF our merchant pinces have either made or
derived their weath and position from the
fruits Of slave labr We do not remind our
readers Of these fats for the purpose of advo-
eating lie interested ofslaveholders, with whom
we have 40 connection whatever-but mcrely
to show that as it was only after a long and
arduous conflict tat this country got nd of
slavery, we should treat the shareholders OF
America with somedegree Of charity when dis
eussing this subject.
1t is impossible, indeed, in this country to
Alright the circumstances in which
the American planters are placed, or the diff
culties that lie in the way OF emancipating the
black population. While labor is scarce, and
ratiye-born Americans are little better suited
now than were Europeans formerly for toll
ing in the cotton fields, under the burning sun
of the southern States. The employment OF
negroes is therefore stern necessity, unless
the entire country is to be thrown out Of cul-
tiyation. This is an undeniable fact; con-
seq 4nnntiy no Long - riaa -cnnsiFsntnn Of EoSsr
ton in the United Kingdom is so large, and
the supply from all other parts of the world
so limited, cotton will be grown in America
to meet the demand from this country
Are there no means, however, by which
slavery can be extinguished without interrupt
ing the cotton trade? We believe there are
We have simply to show them that free labor
in the long run is cheaper than slave labor
use our influence to send coolies from our
possessions to the slave states of
America, as we have agreed to do the French
West Indies supply improved machinery
for cuitivating the soil and preparing the
crops,-an by all fair and friendly means in
our power to induce the southern planters to
give free labor, whether white or black,
trial
AS it is, the northern Safes are progressing
at rapid pace in prosperity and material
wealth, compared with those of the south,
thus exhibiting in the most effectual manner
the superiority of free labor.
In proof Of this we find, from official returns
recently complied expressly for the Federal
that while the value of real and
personal property in the northern or free
states amounts to 4O00,0O0OOO dollars, in
the southern or slave states the value is only
100000 dollars, including slaves, al
though the extent of country in the latter is
greater by 10000 acres than in the north.
From the same. tables We also learn that the
population of the north comprises 100000
souls. while that of the south is 9o00,OOO,OOO,
Of which 100000 are negroes. The rate OF
in the north is equal to % to the
square acre. while in the south it is only ii !;
and, taking the product of the soil in bushels,
the north shows surplus of II 100000 bush
els, or 100000 dollars in value over the
south.
These are instructive facts, and ought to
convince us that the best plan for aboliuonsts
m this country is to show, by our own exam
pie all over the world, that when brought in
to competition, free labor is always cheaper
than slave labor. Besides, American slavery
in no way affects our conscience, we are not
answerable for it; and, as we never hear Of
Americans interfering with the domestic insti-
tutions of this country. we really are not enti-
tied to interfere with theirs.