Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1862-02-07
[For the Journal.
Cotton and Christianity.

i (For the Journal
Cotton and Christianity.
There is perhaps no textile product of the
soil SO largely and universally used as cot
ton. Oft large portion Of our garments,
bed-clothes, and cordage is not only made,
but also our books, news and note papers.
Indeed it is not improbable that there are 81
the manufactured products If cotton extant
this day sufficient to cover every square foot
of the American continent two-fold. No
one need be surprised to learn that a COM
modify so extensively used by all sorts and
conditions Of men and women is an impor.
tent asticle of commerce, that princely for
tunes have been made by the manufacture
and sale of it, and that an immense number
of operatives in different countries live by
the labor attending its manufac ure
The hitherto irresistible argument in favor
of cotton fabrics has been their comparative
cheapness, which has caused them to be sub
stituted for the wooden and linen fabrics of
former days; and this cheapness has been
partly owing to circumstances attending the
production OF the raw material. 1t has so
happened that in the region which has chief
ly supplied the markets of the world with,
cotton fertile land is abundant and cheap
and hundl eds Of thousands Of laborers have
been found to work-or rather forced to
work under the lash-for merely food and
clothing. Under these circumstance, 1t is
not strange that the producers Of cotton
have been able to defy competition, nor that
a large pscuniary cotton interest has been
created among the producers and monufactu
rers Of it. 1t may be readily supposed and
freely admitted that to the general introiuc-
ton of cheap cotton wares very corsidera-
bic share Of the boosted refinement and in
tclli.ence Of the 10Th century is fairly sttrib.
utable. Yet it seems our progress in moral
has been practically very small
when it is observed that while with its con-
comitant evils, the system Of forced labor
employed in producing cotton has been de.
nounced and condemned by authors and
orators, from press and pulpit, in almost eve
~ State of christendom, as inconsistent with
the best interests of humanity utterly at
variance with the simple, clear and digni6ed
precept what ever ye would that men
should do unto you do ye even so unto
hem," while at the same time the loudest
heclalmers have continued with others to aid
md sustain the system in the most effectual
manner possible by freely and indiscriminate-
y paying their money for Its products
Without this external aid it is unlikely that |
he peculiar insti ution" could ever have at
aimed its present formidable dimensions !;
md hence if American slavery be a gross
stain on the record of the morality of the
present age, is not every independent alder
md abettor of the system, however remote,
IN active partner in the iniquity? The same
II similar selfish reasons which i, t1uence the
lave owners in their practice also prevail
With US when we buy piece of calico with
'ut considering, or caring what violence ard
wrong may have been perpetrated in its pro
luction; viz: tho force of habit-the belief
hat ,oe como honestly by it, and that it is
Profitable
1t might be justly remarked that while
my person outside of the incompatible land
If Dixie" if so inclined, could easily cease
JUS loss or inconvenience, the slave owners
I'D ~ do upitho,t |
snce, if not absolute pecuniary ruin. The
,ered or horribly disguised at American >la-
'ery never hesi,ated to send their gold and
heir goods across the Atlantic in exchange
or the fruits of the slaves labor. The peo-
lie of the free States, with all their shrewd
less, have, it would seem, failed to preceive
heir own completely Nth system which
hey have so unsparingly denounced.
The man who habituaNy buys and eats
mutton cannot consistently bring the re-
roach of cruelty against the butcher; for he
,nows that sheep cannot be eaten alive-and
hat if left to die naturally they would not be
worth eating. Equally absurd it is to rail {
gainst slavery and still buy the products of
he slaves labor Even horse steal ng wouhl
,e dead if there were no market for stolen
,orses and hence the man who knowingly
,uys stolen horse is by common consent ]
held to be worse than tho thief So those
Who dare to bring negroes from Africa in the
eeth of all the cannon of christendom and
york them at the risk incidental to the sys-
EN- act more manly at least than those who
none of the dangers and cifficul-
les of the system but who coolly reap the
benefits of it.
Mankind are sometimes so dazzled with
he prospects of immediate gain as to over
ook the ultimate consequences of their con-
luct
theoretically VIC admit but practically ig
lore the fact that there are certain immutable
avs relating to tho moral nature of man
which if violated will - certainly be followed
~ the annexed penalties as that the stone
thrown upward will return to the earth in
obedience to physical laS. On this the SAN
culinary struggle now in progress affords an
impressive commentary. Could we sum up
he net cash profits which have been derived
from the peculiar institution" by all parties
and likewise the net cash cost of
settling our present difficulties-then deduct
the latter aggregate from the former, and it
is hardly probable that half enough would
remain to compensate for the incidental mis-
cries of the struggle; let alone the hardships
thereby entailed on generations yet unborn.
Great is the moral lesson now being unfolded.
Will it be worth to our race what it will |
cost? is very grave question.
BIRss.
CEDAR COUNTY, Feb. Sd, 1862.
News Paragraphs.
The infant child of Gen. Lane died Of scar
let fever, at Quincy, ILL.,, on the 3l>t ult.