Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1861-02-22

The Ch oniele, Of Saturday, gets OF half a
column Of "~buncombe,0 about cotton taking
the overland routes eastward, and, by stating
the quantity carried By the Pennsylvania rail-
road since October, seeks to swell the cry now
gsing the rounds Of the press, that "seees-
sion" is driving the cotton Of the South from
its accustomed channels.
There lie Ist enough color Of truth In these
statements to give currency to a story that is
simply laughable to people at alIfsmiliar with
the facts.
The Chronicle says the Pennsylvania rail-
road has carried 5000 bales since October,
6 200 Of which passed here in November.
Now ne cotton started in time 10 reach here In
November could have been influenced by "so-
cession;' but granting all that the Chronicle
Gays on that point, what had "secession" to do
with sending more than 50, 1000 bales Of cotton
over the Pennsylvania railroad during the
year ending July let, 1860, a quantity quite as
large as is likely to take the ga ne Tou.e in the
year ending next July, it 1900 bales is the
measure Of lie arrival here during the three
months in which cotton makes is greatest
rush toward its customers. -
Again, what relation does $4,000 bales bear
TO the annual cotton crop? It is about one
third OF one per cent, or about one bale in
three hundred Now suppose that as many
bales as the Pennsylvania railroad carried in
January were to pass ever thatroad each month
during the year, the total would not reach
100000 bales, or about two per cent. Of the
crop, and p zoo bales less than the arrivals
IN a single week Of last month at one Of the
southern ports. Yet tits upon such exaggera-
tons OF the relative importance Of this over
land movement Of cotton that these Newspaper
" sftec's Of secession "restI
Tit fact is that our political disturbances,
Instead or being the cause OF the increasing
moFemento Of cotton through the Northern States
to the seaboard, has merely served to direct
public attention to what is only the natural re-
suit OF the increased facilities presented BY
tue completion OF railroads, between the
western rivers and the seaboard, to that new
and growing cotton producing region which
finds its best market at Memphis.
That remarkable city ia a few short years,
from being a mere landing whence cotton
from the interior sought shipment to New Or
leans, has sprung into the position Of a COM
mercial center and capital. Il is bat lust be-
ginning 10 show the effect OF its direct access
By railroad to all the seaboard cities. Mean
while, the Mississippi river, instead Of being
merely a channel by which cotton reached
New Orleans through Memphis, now bears
daily on its broad bosom to the later, rargoes
OF cotton from the Arkansas and other rivers,
seeking she advantages Of a market at Mem
phis, which, without losing its ready access to
the mouth Of the Mississippi, enjoys a choice
81 routes up that river aud its tributaries to
the termini Of the great railroads which usite
it with the Atlantic-and has facilities for
direct tC Europe-eheEper, quicker
and simpler than even New Orleans can offer.
We repeat, and it is clear to any one having
bis eyes open to the facts, that the present
OF cotton overland to the sesboard,
instead Of being msiniY a result OF the seces-
aIon trSuhlaa uiI altar fhoua frorh7.. h,v,
BY whatever process, been brought to a peace
eul termination, vastly increase, year after
year, and prove to be nothing more than the
necessary result Of additional facilities, opened
by new routes and modes Of transportation for
the outlet OF that enormous and increasing
production Of cotton, already reaching a mil
lion and a quarter Of tuns, which, while still
crowding every southern port, will need the
help Of all the rivers and railroads that can be
pressed into service, to carry it of, in all dt-
reotions, to its countless consnneTs.-Piffs-
burg Post.