Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1862-10-16
AboIilionfsna Esun Mud.

f0ated in the air six miles above the surface O
the earth.
AbOIfHOnfsul Run Mad.
The following article is from the New York
Times of the 6th inst The reader will naturally
make his own comments as he peruses 1t. Il
shows what wild schemes and foolish vagaries
have seized upon the brain Of the Northern
abolitionists. Thirty thousand men, the Times
thinks, could hold Texas in the peacsable posses
sion of the invaders aud enable agriculture ID
progIess uninteuuptedly. What a fool Bui
to the article:
FLORIDA AND TEXAS FOR FREE LABOR
Il has been proposed to send an expedition to
| Texas sufficiently powerful to hold that State
! and then to e0lOnize it with free labor for the
| production of cotton. a similar project has
/ been suggested for Florida Both deserve the
earnest, prompt and practical attention Of the
! government. They involve consequences of
very great permanent importance, as well as
possess the highest value as immediate strategic
movements.
If Florida, by its climate, soil and productions,
| and its adjaeency to the dense slave populations
OF the cotton States, Is peculiarly fitted to be the
home Of the eufranchisad African labOrers 50 the
| great State of Texas stands out in far grander
| proportions as the arena on which free labor,
whether white or black, shall overturn the theo-
| ries OF Southern planters and kindred economists
| in the North and in Europe.
These lstteT have held that cotton. sugar and
| rice cannot be produced in the quantities
| demanded by present Civilization without resort
to black labor which aloue can endure the torrid
heats and miasmic atmosphere Of the regions
where these staples are produced. And black
labor, they have assumed, will not voluntarily
meet the wants of the world 1t must be
enfOrced-enssved-for negroes, tbey. contend,
will only work on eompulsion.
Whether this latter assumption is true remains
to be seen. Florida is well adapted to the ex-
pertinent. As to the other hypothesis, that white
labor will not prosper in climate fsrvid enough
for cotton and sugar, and cannot be depended
on for the production Of these great staples we
know it is false Texas is a present and living
refutston Of the theory, and we rejoice to hear
that the subject Is agitSsed Of lending mmediate
national aid TO the cultivation Of cotton on
large scale in that State
N government bounties are needed for this
purpose. No government aid in furnishing
farms, implements or labor. should be thought Of
Schemes contemplating such support by the gov
eminent are born Of fraud and speculation. An
that is required of the government is that which
is already its duty-the restoration Of the author
ity of the Constitution and laws in Texas. and
the guaranty that every free laborsr, b. he white
or black, shall be protected in his person. prop
erty and avocation, while he grows Gotten or
other crops, in Texas, and prepares the same for
market.
Texas is an empire of itself It stretches
north and south through ten degrees Of latitude
say seven hundred miles, by q breadth Of over
four hundred miles Is contains an area Of over
300, 900 000 acres Of land. II Is larger than the
Empire of France with its 80 000,GU0 of popu
lation it is FIVE times As large as all the New
England States it is six times as large IS the
great State OF Pennsylvania 1t has every eli
mate known to the United States, aud almost
every production. Il grows near the gulf the
best Of Sea-island cOtton-On its river bottoms
sugar cane-On all its bottoms and uplsnds the
staple cotton, Of cOmmeree--aud everywhere
corn, wheat and potatoes. Its natural pasture
lands, extending from the western gull coast
toward Arizona, are illimitable, aud covered
already By millions Of head Of hogs horses
cattle and sheep, that are fat the yesr through
on the natural growth and yield OF the forests
Il is no e1sggeration to say that Texas alone
could easily raise, and almost without cost
cattle and sheep enough to supply the wants of
the population of the United Stats IN al time
And while thus stretching through ali the zones
and yielding ali the staples Of Southern COM
merce, as well as all cereals, meats and fruits
Texas at the same time is beautiful as Italy,
and saIubrieus as the most healthy country
in the world. Negro slavery is tae only
blight that rests upon It. This industrial
curse has kept the emigration Of the North
eTn States and Earope away, and left Texas TO
waste its miraculous gifts III solitude Yet not
entirely. Il is known that the rare and beauti-
full pastoral lands in Western Texas have been
invaded by a large number of Northern men,
Germans and some French, to the extent, per-
hsps, of $4,000 altogether aud this population
is prosperiDg by culti7atiDg cotton in small
patches, raising sheep, building factories, plant
ing vineyards, making wine, and trading with
the northern States Of Mexico, from which they
get bars of virgin silver in exchange for their
products. This portion Of the population of
Texas is loyal, though now 0veTawed by
treason. It's labor is tree-ieW slaves exist in
their midst Yet they grow large quantities of
cotton and are Ouiy limited in their crops Of this
staple By the lack of facility for getting il to
market. - ~.
As Western Texas Is so might nearly the
whole Of that vast State become. Land is so
abundant compared With the population as to
be at this time almost vslueless. Il could be
bought to-day IL any quantities for two shil-
ings up to 50 so per acre, each acre of which
would net 500 IN cotton at its present price.
Texas alone is capable, by the proper applica-
ton of free labor, land free labor cheerfulg and
successfully works there) of producing more
ported by the aid of its four million slaves
The question is viii the government send
force into Texas sufficient to dispeTss the rebel
powers there, and protect the free labor thatwiH
gladly 60 thither to engage in the growth OF
eottoD2 No large army will be needed. Let the
Missisaippi river be opened and properly PIT
rolled by gupboats, and Texas, Louisiana ana
Arkansas will be utterly helpless A disciplined
army Of 10000 men would, in three months,
~ IL l. IL
slssippi river, and hold the finest cotton aud su-
gar region upon earth open to the immediate op-
erstion Of free laJ0r. With the incentive Of
present high priess, there would be instant oecu
paney OF this inviting field and in q few years
time, an industrious, free and loyal population
would hold the greater part of its area and all Of
its strong places, and make treason Odous as il
wonld have become Insignificant and unprOht.
able.