The national Republican., 1862-04-01
OursIDE.-A variety Of news, in addition tc
miscellaneous matter.
COTTON NOT KING.

COTTON NOT KING.
The published debate Ia the rebel Senate,
March IL, upon the proposition to prohibit the
planting Of cotton this year, brought out the
reluctant admission, that cotton" Is no longer
"king," in the sense In which the secession
politicians have claimed royal prerogatives for
that useful plant 1t Is discovered, at last, that
It may be produced in many quarters, and that
the South has only held the markets Of the
world BY producing it abundantly and chesply.
These gentlemen have discovered another
thing, upon which we have been insisting for
Q year past, that Great Britain desires nothing
90 cordially Is the entire ruin Of the cotton
cultivation in America, and that she never had
the rlightest desire 10 raise the Southern block.
ade for the sake Of getting cotton. That was
pretsxt merely. The real cause Of the wish
of the British politicians for the success Of the
Southern rebellion was aud is their jealousy
Of our great and increasing power as a united
nation. That has been the difficulty, and not
cotton at all. Her policy for twenty years has
been to stimulate the production in India ot
all she wants. Independence Of the American
cotton planters is one Of her fixed msxims, and
she 10 the last Power in the world likely to
come to their relief. They see 1t now, and
would have seen 1t before but for the Judicial
madness which has led to their present ruin
We make the following extracts from the de.
bate in the rebel Senate:
NJ. ;uEu IS h~
that IL was good policy for us to neglect rails
ing cotton. Unless we continue to raise the
staple in abundance, England would foster its
cultivation, and after the war 1t would be difh
cult for US to mouopolizs the markets of the
world. II we raised no cotton In 1862, II
would keep the price up 20 high that 1t would
pay the other nations Of the world 10 inves,
largely. This Is tho policy most desired by
English statesmen, and 1t lie that which has pre-.
vented the raising the blockade.
Mr.. Sarnwell Of South Carolina was not
prepared TO abandon the cultivation OF cotton
under any circumstances, though be admitted u
great deal OF labor should be- bestowed upon
the production Of supplies, especially at this
juncture. Ga the cultivation of cotton and
increase of supplies for market depends not
only our sources Of wealth, but our Importance
and consequence and weight with foreign ma
tioas. All our interests appeal to us never to
give 1t up. We must raise it, hold it, and fight
for 1t. We must let the world know that we
have 1t, and that we will sell it cheap, and that
we will fight To keep It from our enemy and
to protect 1t. We should not only protect our
selves against our enemy, We should not give
our sole strength to the production Of articles
Of subsistence, but we must keep up The cult
walton Of that which gives us position In the
world ss nstions. and by which we will contro
the world. We must have monopoly of all TIT
markets. We begin to nod out that We have
not monopoly, that cotton can be produced
elsewhere. Plentiful crops, low prices ant
superiority of the article will alone achieve ou
ends. These, at the end OF the war; will Civ
n our former preponderance.
policy which diminishes tbs supply Of col
ton will hold out no Inducements for Eng
land to break up the blockade. by keep
ing cotton scarce and high, its producuo
is stimulated In other countries India for In
stance. II we are denied admission to the maj
kets for several years and the price Ia kept VI
to rs or to 80 cents, see what powerful incsn
tves are given TO its production eAewhert
To bring about this state Of things, and 70 be
come the main producer Is the secret of sl
British legislation. This stimulates the planter
In their tropical colonies to raise cotton undo
any disadvantage otherwise their interests a
manufacturers would have compelled them t,
raise the blockade. Cotton Il q source O
power and influence only so long as we cal
raise and keep it in vast quantities at lov
prices.
Mr.. Semmes, OF Louisiana, had long sine
abandoned the idea that cotton Is king. lie ha
arrived at the conclusion that this was q mis
take. We have tested the powers OF King Got
ton, and have found him TO be wanting. w
must now abandon all dependence on foreig
Intervention. England never will interfere
becsuse 1t Is not to her interest Rather thar
make war with the United States, she woult
convert her Government into m eleemosynar
for the maintenance Of her hordes OF starvinl
operatives. She would do this because 1t woul,
bs cheaper, and because the darling projects o
her statesmen could be fostered and cotton b.
produced in her colonies.
Mr.. WiRfall acknowledged that cotton wa
not king, but merely the badge of royalty t
TO him who possessed IT, This was the reaso
England sbstainsd from raising oAr blockade
She wished To see us destroyed as cotton pre-
ducers, 20 that she could become raiser as wei
- spinner, and thus command the world.