The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1861-09-11


volunteer in the service OF the United States any per-
son wearing the Uniform Of such soldier volunteer
any spirtuous liquor or intoxicating drink and every
person offending against the Of this shall
be deemed guilty Of msdemeanor and upon conviction
thereof, before magistrate court having criminal
shall be punished by fine Of twenty dol
lars or imprisonment for thirty days.
Approved August 8, 1861.
From the London Times.
THE WORLD IN ARMS AGAINST THE
sOUTHERN Goa TON MONOPOLY.
A revolution is now impending which may
affect the fortunes of States and empires far
more extensively Than any changes of dynasty or
Government. In all ages of the world the tracks
of commerce have determined the relative pros-
perity of Kingdoms, and the track of the great
est commerce ever known may soon be diverted
from one point to another. Amsterdam rose and
Venice fell rs the trade OF Europe with the East
flowed in IA new channel, and some countries will
nfalliby fall while others rise if the cotton trade
should be transferred to new ports and new peO-
pie. The Confederate States OF America are full
" aware of the magnitude of the stake, but
they believe themselves sure OF the game. They
hold that We must have cotton somehow, which
10 true enough; but they proceed to argue that
We can only obtain it from them, and that they
consequently are masters Of the situation. We
think il, however, by no means certain that their
confidence will be justified They supplied Us
with admirable punctuaty, no doubt, but the
disturbances in the Union have alarmed US we
have advertised our wants, and already score
Of candidates neither ineligible nor unenterpriz
ing are competing for q custom rising to $40.
600, 900 q year. If this trade should actually
find fresh channels, there is no man living who
can calculate the national v!cissitudes which may
ensue.
India is making an eager bid for the prize
She 10 the fav0rite candidate, and combines, on
the whole, the greatest number of recommends-
tons. India possesses all the requisite condi.
tons Of soil, climate, cheap labor and practiced
husbandry. The Governor General of India has
just reminded the Manchester people that the
Hindoos have really nothing to learn, as re-
spects the cultivation of cotton, from any other
agriculturists on the face of the globe. They
may be open to instructions as regards picking,
cleaning and packing, but they have grown cot.
ton from time immemorial, and thoroughly un-
derstand the business. There is plenty available
ground, too, though not exactly in the sense i'm.
agined by some parties at home. India contains
no large tracts Of unoccupied and fertile land,
such - could be brought under cultivation in a
Few months by spectators in America. There
are no vast districts Of virgin soil inviting the la
bors of the husbandman.
Cotton must be raised by the extension OF
small isolated farms, and brought to port by the
multiplication and improvement of roads. II
channels, however, are found for these ,ivulets
of supply, they will form in the end mighty
stream. Cotton will flow fast enough to England
as soon as the tide once sets in the right direc.
ton. There is, indeed, one district, where ope.
rations might be undertaken on an extensive
scale, and under official patronage. Certain wild
parts of Chittagong are excellently adapted for
the production Of cotton, and Immediately avail
able for the experiment. The Rockies, who in
habit the country, are at present chiefly noted
for their practice of invading the subaceIt plains
and carrying of human heads, and it has ap
peared to the authorities that If this occupation
could be exchanged for that of & owing cotton
il would be of a beneficial result. So they art
half inclined to make start at this place sr
their own account. The Lieutenant Governor
Of Bengal observes that in Q few years time tes
win undoubtedly become the great staple export
Of that Presidency, though no such prOducs
would ever have been heard of if Government
itself had not set the example of cultivation. II.
argues, therefore, with some plausibility, that j
the Rockies can be converted to honest industry
and Manchester be supplied with cotton by ont
and the same venture, it is worth while for thu
Government to repeat the exceptional interven
ton which answered 90 well in the case of tea
For the rest, anxious as they are to promote tn
| views Of people at home, the authorities can &C
only in one single direction. They will do thei
best tO make or mend roads, beginning in thes
diatricts where the actual crop Of cotton is great
est Everything else must be done by purchas
! ers and their agents, by the natural operation O
demand upon supply. Government will lem
every possible facility to the proceedings, but
| can do no more.
Yesterday We placed before the public tb
prospects of Egypt in this great competition, an
the intelligence was derived from the VicerOy
own mouth. Said Pacha was perfectly alive I
the magnitude of the question aud to the inte
rests of his country. Make Egypt our cott0
of ties. We doubt, however, whether there
much to be done there. The country lies at
convenient distance from US, il is fertile 20
proverb, and well suited to the growth of co,tor
But labor is not very abundant. The popnlatio
is not 90 numerous bat what the absorption of
few thousand hands on the Suez Canal schem
forms an appreciable drain, and thcug
the reduction and dispersion of the arm
tends to feed the market for the moment, th
economies of the Court may not be permanent
Otherwise the Egyptian agriculturalsts are ope
to terms. The peasants are ignorant but perfectl
able, a the Viceory informed his visitors, to r.
cognize their own interests. Show them tbs
the production Of cotton will pay better than tb
production of corn, and they will take to cottor
growing tomorrow. They are poor, however
and dependent on advances, so that though b
Highness offered all desirable assistance, it is NJ
likely that Egypt will take the place of Americ'
Still, she may send . good contribution. He
exports of cotton have increased in the last for
years from 90, 900 bales to nearly l50, 900, an
may continue TO improve.
This great question il actually regarded wit
very different eyes BY the two sections of th
late American Union. The South, as We hay
said, imagines its position unassailable, and
disposed 70 hope that in our craving for cottol
and eur inability to procure it else where. v
shall be compelled to break the blockade. tt
Northerners reckon otherwise. They argu
that, what with stocks on hand and supplies G
their way 70 us, we are safe till next spring, t
which time the results Of the movement in Iud
will probably be visible in the form Of large in
portations. We certainly look forward to th
period with considerable interest. 1t viii briI
pretty good indication of what India can real
do for us. It viii show how far the cultivate
Of cotton can be pushed in single season
short notice, and what improvement can be ri
en- - means Of communication under similar CO
ditions. The interests at stake are enormou
but the question win ultimately be decided
the operation Of natural hws. There will not
much room for national predictions or polite
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