The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1862-04-01
From the Columbus Ga. Sun. e..
THE NEXT CROP OF THE SOUTH.


THE NEXT CROP OF THE SOUTH.
Plant corn and be Free or plant cotton and be
beaten. This is the naked state Of the question,
fhotc much cotton shall we plant?' If there has
been any doubt upon the subject, the events of
the past few weeks have completely dspelled
them, and we have now the fact, "pure and
simple" All the vaOr OF Southern soldiers will
be poweress against grim hunger and gaunt
famine such as will overwhelm and crush US, if
we insanely raise cotton instead of corn. In years
past no little sport has been made of the Norths
argument that their hay and potato crop equal
in value to cotton crop; the derisve reply has
been, you are obliged to eat those crops, while
cotton commands cash.
just so long as we had market for cotton,
had an infinite advantage for we could buy all of
bread and meat that fell short of raising; and
after this we had a surplus Of cotton, which re
turned to in money, for cotton wds king aud
demanded money; but now as the tables turned,
We have plenty, yes, four millions of bales of cot
ton, and we neither eat nor sell it. Happy
we if we could do either, for we need both bread
and arms.
We would willingly exchange cotton for corn
to-day to a large amount, yet then there is still
some discussion of the question chow much cotton
shall we plant and this too, in the full view Of
the appalling fact, that if the plantations around
us were called on to supply meat, AZ any price,
for the soldiers who are leaving us this week, to
fight our battles, they could not-as Judge Craw-
ford eloquemtly told US the other day-furnizh
one hundred pounds per man. Now add to this
fact bother equally appalling, viz: that
completely cut off from the States on which we
have always depended for bread and meat, and is
il not enough to make Us question the sanity of
the man who axis ho1c much cotton we shall plant?
Is cotton King? We believe he is, but, like
other Kings, he must be fed. The production Of
ont IlcE in al was in
numbers, Ill 100000 bushels corn, 1000, 900
bushels Of wheat, and Sl3,000,000 worth of
slaught animals. Every one knows that the
chief market for these products found in the
Gulf States-and we could not nave lived without
them unless we had abstained from raising cotton.
Now .fhow much does any planter expect to get Of
bread aud meat from these States, out of tie COM
ing crop? aud yet have much discussion OF
how much cotton shall we plant! Add one other
facts in less than sixty days shall have not less
than SOC, geo men in arms ''iUr the war; This
vast body Of men will be not on y non producers
but consumers, thus making fearful difference
"for the war" in the feeding material of the Con
federacy! and yet say chow much cotton shall
we plant!' Can such things be, and not excite
our wonder? Has judgment fled the minds Of
men? and must shut our eyes against painful
trut aud ignore the possibility of nation
starved into submission, ''Hhile We discuss how
much cotton shall we plant" The Gordon Of
armies that would starye us is now around
Federal f4cts threaten US in every seaport and
mile Of coast in the Coutcdcracy while numerous
columns. well armed with McClellans artillery
line our Northern border, from Harper's Ferry
down to Ghc kauaw la country, on the Gap, and
sweeping down to Nashville swing up in vast
chain To the mouth Of the Missouri and on beyond
to the Indian countrf But man doubts the
issue; there is but one ground Of apprehension
throughout army, and it is the fear that the
cotton States should fail to come up to their
solemn aud unavoidable duty, For 1t is their
duty to feed the armies who shall achieve our IN
dependence. i his Gordon Of Federal armies
makes this plain. Whatever We may achieve of
successes on the borders or in the border States
who supposes that crop Of grain be raised
this season, in either Missouri Tennessee or Vir-
ginia! The advancing and receding tides of
Federal aud Confederate forces, leave desolation
in their tracts; and, hear it--hear it-ye cotton
planters Of the sunny South, who formerly were
fed from Tennessee. must now feed yourselves and
Tennessee, aud Virginia besides Fail to do this
and hstory's page will record that the Federal
boast Of starving this pepole into submission, was
accomplished by your suicidal policy. With
this danger staring US in the face, shall We con-
tinue to enquire "how much cotton shall We
rfnt?"