The Placer herald., 1862-01-11
THE PLACER HERALD
AUBURN, JANUARY II, 1862.
Cotton and Labor.

capital and labor are blended in interest
that they support and harmonic with each
o;her,-that instead of being antagonistic,
thep are dependent on each other-must
prosper together, or fall together.
This if true, is rare thing in the affairs
of the world. Heretofore these elements
have been understood to be at constant war
--one with the other, the victory olwoyS
tending to the side Of capital The reason
given by the South seems plain enough viz:
that the capital of the South is invested in
labor,-in the muscle, skill and endurance
nf the Save; that to make this available
they must cultivate such products as this
skill can be most easily trane! in, and
which will meet a ready market.
The lands must also be chosen with a
view to the adaptabilty of climate and soil
for the protection of such a staple. Unless
all these elements and advantages concen'
trate their labor ard capital will not work
together, and when they do it, it is not on
" source of wealth to the capitalist but
becomes the real and substantial source Of
supply for certain Of the great necessaries
of Iife.
Among the products that within the past
seventy years has become al essentia! TO
the world at large. is that of cotton, in the
production of which it is universally admit
ted that the southern States. produce the
best article the most abundant and certain
crops, md at the cheapest rates.
The chealness of the article has brought
it into Such general use that scarcely hu-
.
er or less extent entering into the composi
ton Of bis CT her garments.
OF course it las other important uses but
this shows it has become a prime necessity
of lfe In preparing Of il for these uses of
the raw material comes into market, mil!
lions OF people are employed and are now
dependent on The supply Of it, for their
sources of existence.
To produce cotton as cheapy as it has
been, the agency has been the labor Of the
save-the great element of south IN waa th.
1t has been 50, because that labor is cheaper,
and can be applied at the proper times in
the course of the production of the plant.
Experience plainly demonstrates that these
results, will not, have not,-and therefore
cannot. be produced By free labor.
Texas and Florida were both apapted in
climate and soil to the production Of cot
ton, yet neither of them produced any for ex
port, until slave labor WAS applied to its
production. Portions of Mexico is also ad 1,
mirably suited to It's production bat there
is not enough raised for the most ordinary
uses olhome consumption. Labor is cheap
enough in Mexico, but is not sufficiently un-
der control for this purpose. 1t is therefore
quite plain, that there does not exist any
conflict b5tween slave labor as applied for
the most part. within what has heretofore
been unenabIy the Union, and that the cry
of conflict Of interest, was a faIsehood
propagated by unprincipIed demagogues to
array one people against the other.
That these schemes for their coun rvs ruin
have succeeded only too we'll, is the bitter
regret of every true patriot.
The blindness of the northern people will
not last ong,-this intatuation over the an
tagonism Of slave and free lab will short
ly be removed, and then this description of
scoundreIisn will receive its proper reward.
1t is a fact that labor and capitalization
and labor, are combined in those States, pro.
ducing what free labor cannot be induced
il is, since it in no way conflicts with the
interests Of the North. the better it is for
all the free States. When good and abunl-
ant crops were raised, cotton was cheaper
and the trade OF the planter, WAS more ex
tensve in the North and West The ship
ping and manufacturing interests Of the
North East reaped their greatest harvest,
when cotton and labor prospered most. The
Western farmer found ready and certain
market when the planter confined himself
exclusively to the production of this great
staple which he was sure to 90, when la
Dor and cotton pro>perel most. IL is now
apparent that nothing short of dragging the
plough share Of destruction throughout the
length and breadth Of the South, will destroy
this happy combination OF labor aud capi
tai, but it is very near a palpable truth
that through the false theories and vilainou
attacks Of those demagogues, upon labor an
cotton AS a combination, an incurabe breacl
has been made between the North and til
South.
The North and the South-why the YER
terms, essentially in common use, indicat
separate nationalites, grown into through
this attack upon labor and cotton. Genera
tions to come will read with wonler-wil
real with increlulity, that this great an,
prosperous nation was sunderel at the eli
max Of its prosperity and usefulness, by
theory so untenable and false, as the con
fict between slave and free labor as it hn
existed in the United States.
The historian will be aghast with wonder
at the absurd fanatcism, which led the Ne,
Engander, to quarrel with the very sourc
of his wealth, when no possible good ca
iesul: from it, to any human being-whit
or Black.