Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-03-15
The Great Gotten Dirtlsu.ty.

Commonly the point is taken for granted that N.
Americans would look with disfayor and regard AZ
calamity the discovery Of any source Of cotton
supply, at all approaching their own in Quantity
| the precipitation of this sentiment. They argue
that il would not be less advantageous 70 them
selves than TO the cotton interests Of ths country
that new cotton producing districts should be made
available to the country. They say that Ia proper
ton Of cotton supply are discovered and
fortified, will the chances Of calamity diminish
from the sudden cessation Of produce, on whatever
circumstances dependent That these views are
sound, no political economist of Whatever scliDoi
will question, and they entertained By all the
cotton growers Of America with whom we have
had communication.
| Engishmen may depend upon this: Whatever
the issue Of the struggle now imminent-perhaps
more than imminent between the Norsber, ard
Southern States may be, if it have the effect of eaus
ing here On this side Of the Atlantic 10 open m
new sources Of cotton growth and cotton pFsduc-
ton flor growth and production in this case are
anonymously It viii be 70 the interest Of the cotton
States no less than to ourselves.
To judge of that tenor Of letters almost daily an
pearng in the newspapers the great cotton prorlem
resolves itself into question, where can raw
staple be grown. Day By day, almost we are re-
minded Of the climatic conditions Of one part Of the
world or other. Of Natal of Ceyion, Jamaica Aus
tralis and others We are given to understand that
cotton 1ourishes luxurantiy in each and all State
ments like these 60 to prove TO what extent the
whole cotton question is misunderstood. Gotten
grows plentifuy enough indeed; and IS matter Of
soil and climate. But between cotton growing pods
and producing cotton bales the difference is nearly
great, in every commercial sense as between the
growth OF sugar cane and the production Of sugar
However freely and luxuriantly the cotton shrub
may grow, an alliance of three conditions mest be-
in some wayf brought about before any particular
cotton growing region be elevated 10 the position
of source of cotton supply in Eny commercial
sense. The three indispensable conditions are
labor, regular, reliable, continuous; machinery for
freeing the wool from seed and packing; and third
IT, sufficient means Of tansit Either Of these con
ditions failing any particular spot Whatever its eli
matte advantages at once sinks below notice or re-
gard as q source OF commercial CO ton supply.
Personally, solace ourselves with the belief Of
yielding to none in the feeling Of abhorrenee to
slavery, whatever guise il may assume but no
amount of zbhorrencs justify one in testifYing
untruth and glsring untruth it would be 10
aver that any condition that OF forced serfl-
tude, has suficed to get systematic and confn-
uous labor out Of the negro race Some well mean
ing philanthrcpsts are looking forward to the time
when native Africans shall learn that the profit Of
mans labor at home is greater than the. prOfe de
rived from the sale Of mans hesh for expOrtafinns
Mr.. Clegg, his expense, has had negroes over
from Africa. instructed them in the mysteries Of
cotton and sent them back with seeds and the ne
eessary machinery. To assume the native AfrieaB--
with food sufficient for his small needs naturally
provided by fruitful soil and a genial elime-Wii-
agriculture of cotton demands willing and able 70
open up roads through the forest to dig canals and
more than all, TO procure and understand, and keep
in order the machinery for clearing cotton wool
from its seeds the machinery Of hydrostatc presses
for bale packng-and all the odds and ends thareET-
on dependents something very agreeable to cor
template no doubt for those who can believe in L.
To our apprehension Hindostan seems to be the
most promising field for future cotton growth and
cotton supply. Climate and soil are both propi-
sious labor is abundant, and the Hindo0s, in the
delcaey of their touch and their mechanical inge-
nuity, are the very antipodes Of the negro race.
What India really wants to enable her TO run an
even race with the Cotton States of America il
means to transt-roads railroads canals; things de-
pendent not on the psople but on tbs Government
and which. had the late East India Company per-
ceived its true interests and pursued more enght
sned policy would have been seen to and complsted
ere new.
The North had ssme central portions Of the Aus
.raiian continent Just discovered and also spots ef
great promise in regard 70 cotton supply. They
possess the additional advantage moreover, Of lying
in convenient proximity to both India and China,
either Of which might seemingly furnish their labor
element so indispensable 70 success Time viii
,oou make manifest to what extent the cotton pro
luce of America may Be supplemented, now that
the cry Of "Where are we to get our cotton ~ has
been taken out Of the category Of sentimental
topics Of debate and placed in tie category Of prob
ems sterniy pressing Tor solution