Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-03-08
Amos kcndaii's Letters.


The Object of the War-The Pride Of Wealth
and Lust for Polcer FOstered By the Cotton
Monopoly. the Cause of the Re6eiiion-TrO
Glasses of SiarehOlirS-One for the Union
king Clifton on Insult to Great Britain and
France, and Conspiracy against he Com
meTciGl World.
To ABRAHAM LINCOLN, President of the United
States:
Respected Sir: Ia my last proposed TO con
slider in this letter the causes which have led 20
the pending rebellion, and TO show the advocates
of emancipation that they have every reason to
be satisfied with the progress that operation Is
MAKING.
The cause causes of the rebellion NAV be
summed up in the single phrase, Pride of Wealth
and Lust for Porer. These are not peculiar to
the South, but have their influence i'm the North
we'll. North and South they pervade with
honorable exceptions, those classes OF society
which find means to live and to enrich themselves
without manual labor North as we'll as South
the feelings OF these classes revolt against a
Government controlled by the to;ling millions,
and would overthrow it il they could In the
North the attempt would be hopeless and the
aristocratc classes quietly acquisesce in things
they are In the cotton region of the South the
labofers have political rights. and the aristo
cratic Glasses govern In all that relates To local
affairs. Bat they are not content with that.
Their pride revolts at association in any Govern
ment, however mild and bene6cent. In which la
boring participate directly or indirectly. To
get rid OF such Government, though il has been
the chief source OF all their prosperity, * the ob
ject OF the present rebellion. The avowed de-
sign Ot the South Carolina leaders is the Organ-
zttion of community composed ct gentlemen
and lshorerS, IN which the gentlemen shall he
masters and the lab0rers their slaves To this
end they were. before the rebellion broke out.
avOweuy in favor Of reopening the African
slave trade. and have since submitted with a bad
grace 10 a restriction in their Confederate Con
stiiution. dictated by an apprehension that il
would not be safe at present far 10 outrage the
feelings of the civilized world
Bur there Is considerable class Of savehold
erS especially in the border Sla, ehodiug States.
who Go not entertain ths antipsthy 10 labor Ii
IS composed Ot men OF moderate means owning
but lea slaves. They are tine sell IuaGe men,
whose industry and economy have enabled them
10 purchase one 9r more slaves and may be seen
at work ia the Sfme field with their own negroes.
The, 10 not sympathlze with the cotton rice and
sugar planters. who reckon their slaves by hun
drees. md who never PUT their own hands To the
pillow. the hoe. or the axe These small slave
holdegs. numerically probably more numerous
than the richer class. have no repugnau1e 10 be
iug a. c.ated IN a Government controlled I'M part
bY the Ahorin. men ct the North and they are
generally faithful 10 the Constitution anu tie
Union Slavery does not make them rebels
Cation i "a more prolific element than slavery
in generating the pride Of wealth and lust Tor
power which have produced ihe rebellion.
though both have CO operated. Hat cotton. ike
wheat and corn. been product OF the North rs
well As the Souih, is cultivation would not have
been a source OF nominate wealth 10 southern
panle,s. Tor the tree labor OF the North would
then have been brought INTO direct competition
with the slave labor of the South. and the price
OF the article would have been reduced 10 mod
crate profit But the climate has given TO the
South a monopoly of this culture. snd il Is a
monopoly not az all dependent on the existence
Of slavery. II would still exist e:lectually as
Il does nov II slavery were swept out at existence,
and the commercial effect would probably in that
even; he enhancement of the price.
The invention OF the cotton gin and improve
meiis ia manufacturing machinery cheapened
the PREPARATION and manufacture OF cotton - Ia
brsng " into competition, under most favorable
conditions. with every other article used in cloth
iHg the human family, AMI the demand tor il 80
rapidly increased that production conld not keen
up with IL. The consequence an increase in
the price OF the raw material, until il has reached
a point far above that OF anv article which can
I've brought IN competition with il IN the markets
81 the world Tins Is NOT The effect OF slavery.
bat VA IL causes though hot IN IL effects Il j.
entirely independents oft that institution. But. by
this Intervention Of the demand for cotton, the
sla, cholders in South Carolina and a few other
States were enabled IN employ their negroes in a
species of culture peculiar TO Their climate. the
profits of which could not be lessenei by general
competition. Though there has been a pro,l
gious increase OF production the consumption has