Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1862-11-14
Cotton aHa the EHem1.
From the Richmond Examiner.I


From the Richmond ExaminerJ
We may expect that extraordinary exertior
will soon be put forth by the enemy 70 get Dol
session Of a considerable portion of our cotto
country. The winter is approaching the river
will soon rise, and in short time the signal Wi
be given for a general, and probably simulta
neOus onset on our seaboard and the inlsn,
frontiers of the Southwest.
Cotton is to be the great prizs this winter
Twenty millions OF people in the North are to b
supplied from stock of cotton and cotton good
which the New York journals declare will be en-
tirely exhausted before the FIRST of next January
A distress of no ordinary character threatens the
/ North; the cotton famine is discussed by the
| journals in tone Of the most serious alarm
and the factis pointed out that not more than f
! teen per cent. of the cotton machinery of their
\ country is now running, with q stock on hand
| that will bs consumed before the year is out.
It has never at any time in this war been so
| important to keep'the great staple of the South
out of the hands Of the enemy as now. When
the war commenced she Yankees had on hand
an abundant supply of cotton and cotton fabrics
which has thus far enabled them to put off the
distress which now so nearly threstens them.
Oae great object Of the epemy's winter cam
Paign south ef Virginia will be to obtain sup
plies OF cotton; but in this be will be easily de-
teated, no matter what may be his military sue
cesses, if our people remain faithful to their obi
cations Of loyalty and patriotism.
the enemy should get possession this winter
OF sny considerable portion Of our cotton terri
tory, 1t does not follow that he will get posses
sion Ofthe staple it produces. Where the cotton
csunot be removed beyond his reach It is TO be
committed 70 the flames. In this matter we
must trust much to the discretion and vigilance
OF our military commanders; but if % these WAS
added a rule to punish with death thoss who
succeed by contriVsuces in selling It to 90 North
we believe that then, and not until then. we
would have perfect assurance of the safety OF
the cotton Of the South from the hands Of the
enemy
The Yankees have been most adroit in their
management to obtain cotton from the invaded
districts OF the South. They give ts this article
peculiar distinction they will not confiseate
ii their policy is to buy it and pay for it in gold
The object Of this magnanimity Of the tsnnteT
Is simply to hold oBt inducements to the plant |
ers not to destroy their cotton It will be recoI-
Iected that Butler, in the midst of his pilaps of
New Orleans, caused it to be advertised that bs !
would respect even rebel" " ownership in all /
the cotton brought to its whsrves, and make the |
retarns to the planter in gold. The device pro- |
ceeded on the suppOsiLiOn that there we're men 4
IN the South base and avariciOus enough to sell /
their country. Unfortunately this supposition /
has been realized to an extent we had little /
imagined
If We wish to keep our cotton this winter ont
OF Yankee clutches, we must first take severe /
aud vlgilant measures against the contraband /
and unpatriOtic trade that supplies the enemy /
through number of keen and avsricious con /
trivances. From this souTce the North is now
obtaining supplies Of our staples to an extent /
? lmost Incredible. A recent number Of the New i
York Times estimates that the receipts of cotton
fhuFn Fu N.E
thousand bales q week. But litge of this ia the 4
PRICES of war; it has been sold in the South and
has gone North through the secret and crooked /
channels of the smuggler
1t Is absolutely astonishing how blunt the !
moral sense OF portion of our people is on the
surj sct of this ccntraband and destructive trade
A communication was recently addressed TO this
paper, purpordng to como from a large planter,
IN which great complaints were made of mill /
iary commander VIII had not allowed him 10 1
pass his crop to Nsw Oreans; the arpuulent of
the ssid patriotic planter being that if he sold to
the Yankees 1t would be so much taken from the /
enemy, and so much to enable himself to make 4
loyal and grateful contributions to the expenses
Of the war. The hypocrisy of this is about as
contemplate as the svsTice which is so aimsily /
covered with the patriotic argument. Our COT |
ton is more valuable to US than the gold Of the 1
enemy that would purchase it, and with it our /
and dishOnor.
Again, there is one circumstance which an
pears never to have struck those who busy
themselves in making weak and ignorant eT-
cuse5 for traffic with the enemy. If cotton il
sold within the lines of the enemy the gold that
IS paid for it is kept within the same lines.
W hat good can it do the Confederscy in these
What possible profit is the
o'uth to derive from the gold that hss flowed
1ut from Mr. Lincoln's treasury in New Orleans
and Nashville, and is sunk in the avaricious
pockets OF those who have become the asso-
,iates of the enemyl
1t is to be hoped that the wild wicked passion
Tor gold will not eat much further into the pa
IiotiSm and morals of or country; and that
arguments which involve great and intricate
public interests are not longer to be put down |
by weak rant about hard money. The South
can do without gold. The North cannot do /
without cotton. We should hold the latter with I
; miser's grips. We should destroy it, rather /
han 1t should be captured by the enemy. As .
he is about to take possession of any portion of |
our country, lei our commanders put the torch
20 the cotton and have a halter for those who.
pretending to hide their property to keep It from
The Yankees, are really hiding it for them.
The power of cotton will never be realized, as
org as We permit it to slip through our fineeis
% the North and Europe II we succeed in
Keeping it within strict blockade for only a
ew months longer, we may yet realize that
Cotton is King;" that its power is not van
shed, and hiss never yet been fairly tested