The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1861-01-11
Science is King,


We are often told, perhaps for tho pur-
pose of intimidating tho good Republicans
of tho North and their electors, that the
South will notsell us her cotton If Mr.. Lin
coin goes into tho Presidential chair, and
if they cannot have thor wav another four
years and moreover, that they will dissolve
the Union, fancying that that will punish us
worse even than cutting us of from their
cotton.
But there is material interest at present
coming into existence, which providentially
will mako US quite independent, compars-
lively speaking, OF tho cotton crops OF the
Southern States. Southern politicians de-
clare cotton to be king; and as they grow
cotton, they fancy thems olives the dictators
of Northern interests. which they know arc
largely connected with manufactures. But
SCIENCE is king-not coiion, nor (as Broder-
ick on one occasion boldly responded to ono
of those naughty Southern gontlemen) gold.
Science and art are the sovereign rulers OF
our national greatness and commercial pros
perity.
The cotton gin has made the South rich,
important, proud aud imperious. But the
same Northern ingenuity that invented
cottoa gin has also recently invented anoth-
or machine calculated to make as great
revolution in our commercial affairs as the
invention of Eli Whitney brought about in
the culture and manufacture of the cotton
plant. The inventive intelligence of North.
orn man has now brought forth, and is per-
fccting the machinery for converting COM
mon Tid1 into fibre and staple as white,
fine, soft and silky as any cotton grown in
Alabama or Georgia. Besides, the opora-
ton of tho machinery is go simple, rapid
aud effective, that an incredible quantity Of
raw material can be worked in q short space
of time.
The entire North and the boundless West
can raise fax at tho cheapest rate and in
two years wc should not DO dependent on
the South for cotton fibre, if necessity COM
PEELED our man hfactures to turn their en-
couragement to textile materials of pure
Northern growth. We have been recently
informed that ono manufacturing establish
mcnt alone can use Gudging from their
practical experiments) this tldr cotton as
mixture with their cotton fibTe so readily
as to mako q saving of seventy thousand
dollars per year, over their present profits;
and that, to do this, it is not necessary to
alter their machinery or the shape of
spindle.
It is utter madness for tho Southern
nal security and domestic happiness, when
dsuDited from these Northern States. The
prosperity of the North would not be inter-
ruptod by the secession of all the slave
States. National prosperity depends on
agriculture, manufactures, and mercantile
marine. We lack in the North only ono
agricultural product to make Us wholly in
dependent of the South-that is o textile
fibre fit for a substitute in our manufactures
for their cotton fibre. We have it in fax,
and il can bo raised by free labor in the
Middle and Western States, and in all tom
perato latitudes, cheaper than cotton can
be grown by slaves anywhere on the earth.
The inventive genius and the capital Of
Massachusetts have already commenced
this vast agricultural and commercial revo-
luton. Machinery has already boen set up
in several regions of the West to effect the
first processes in the manufacture necessary
to prepare the raw material for bleaching
and reducing tho fax into an almost silken
fibre far more capable of receiving and
holding colors than cotton.
Hundreds of acres will be added next
year to this source of prospective industry
and wealth. Thousands and millions will
be added hereafter
We shall not need so much cotton in
year or two as We have been in the habit Of
using; and Il compelled to pay very high
price for it. and pay the cash in ad-
vance, we shall tho sooner be disposed to
encourage Northern agriculture and FREQ
labor. England will not be long in follow.
ing our example and if, in ten years from
now, the South finds less use for her slaYes,
and is compelled to sell her cotton very
cheap, and to beg purchasers wherever she
can find them. oven on the curb.stOnes Of
Boston, she will have only South Carolina
TO thank for the prostration of hor great in
terest-Boston Journal