The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1861-08-07
4 p,itish Cotton Route Through Mexico.

On 2lst Of last May act was passed by the con-
ress of the southern States at Montgomery prohlog
under heavy penalties the expectation OF COTTON Vi "a
cotton warm except through the seaports OF the saiu
Confederate States And this prohibition is to continue
so long as any Of the ports of the south are blockaoe
nv the Government of the United States The OBJECT OF
this act clearly to retaate upon the northern States
by preventing them from obtaining tor their manuac-
tnres suDplv of the raw material overland ltWonu
near therefore that for the present all commerce ~
American cotton is efectually cut OFT The oockaae u
the southern ports by the navy OF the north on te
hand and the strict prohibition against the lnlaha t
on the other must entirely shut up at least the ORDINARY
channels of traffic But there is clause III the recent
at ssa nv the Confederate States which indicates that
new outlet may be found i'll the present crisis Tor tue
oreat stane of the south The provisions to when we
refer in the following words: Nothing in this act shall
be so construed to prohibit expectation 10 MeAleo
through its conterminous frontier"
Now as the northern States at peace with Mexico
hev cannot of course interfere with any exports that
NAV he shipped from that country. Still less can they
blockade any Mexican port The question OF the plac-
ticaby of establishing transit for cotton across the
Mexican frontier is therefore, one OF very great hpoF
lance and more especially to ourselves. we may re-
member that during the RIlSn traffic OF similar
kind was established with great success Although al
direct intercourse with Russia prohibited the pro-
duce of the country found its way overland to the ports
of Prussia and thence shipped without leu or nm
drauce to England The land traffic had no DOUBT the
effect both ofraisng the price and diminishing the guam
tity But we deemed it better to submit to TINS neon
venence being deprived of Russian produce atogeth-
err The truth is the commercial the world grows
the more difficult does become to enforce the laws OF
war regarding trade The spirit OF these laws is SO es
senay opposed to the spirit of commerce that we need
not be surprised this, at the various attempts
which have been made of years by different com
merca bodies both in Europe and in America, to over
turn the ancient doctrines upon this subject and to IN
troduce an entirely new maritime code.
WhetArorno the contempt cotton traffic through
Mexico likely to succeed not prepared to say
Tampico we believe the nearest port to the american
frontier and the route from thence through Texas to
the mouth Of the Mississippi is long and difficult But
we know that in India cotton is still brought from the
interior of the country by the most primitive modes OF
conveyance; and in the event of protracted struggle
in America we have no doubt that portion OF the pro-
duce of the southern States will find its way to Mexican
ports and from thence in neutral bottoms to Europe
It is astonishing to what channels commerce will adapt
itself when its ordinary course interrupted Napoleon
could march in triumph from Tagus to the Vstula He
overthrow as if by magic the bestapponted armies and
the most ancient dynastes in Europe. He could make
and unmake what laws he choose excepting only one
the simple and certain law of demand and supply.
FIondon Times.