The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1862-02-12
The Fxnortafion Of Cotton.


I We need supplies of arms ammunition medicines
shoes clothing blankets and other articles for our labor
1 erS and army. We want in a word, to exchange cot
ton for foreign merchandise. Il is essential to tue sue
cesSul management of the 10 the convenience aux
/ comfort Of the people. W. need the supplies and ",
must make the exchange or barter. We have not goN
purchase the good required The question OF expor
tation Of products involves on own absolute want
and the necessities OF orr army. We advocate policy
4 which brings goods to doors, the condition tina
We supply to the importers return cargo in cotton.
trafe necessary to our own welfare ought not to bt
opposed by the government the people; and for VIVA
reason shall it be opposed Because the government
the merchant, who may offer the gade advantageous
has not been pleased extend the Confederate States
the mere courtesy Of gecognition-the extension to u
OF mere clvIlbY-tiie saving that are an independ
ent people We would accept and encourage the trade
and commerce OF such nations from selfish advan
tage to ourselves and with no reference what bene
hts such parties may derive themselves 1t is mere
question OF trade and not Of international law. We
need the trade no"we await the courtesy of ma
\ tons
What is the recognition to which we attach so much
Importance, and for which we beg at one breath and
threaten coercion at the next? We already indie
pendent nation No recognition the one hand the
other hand can make more or less independent. It
would not add dollar to our treasury soldier to
! our army II the Confederate States were recognised
independent nation tomorrow, it would in way
affect the question OF the blockade OF our ports Foreign
powers require the blockade to be efficient if our gov
eminent was recognised the requirement would be ex-
h acty the same In way would the blockade be al
tered by the question Of recognition With this view
OF the subject we ought not TO buy the goods need
for the cotton which prodace for market Recogni-
ton at most, will only give the trade which the
chant offers US withal upon his own capital and at his
own risk. Why wait? The trade, to be sure, involves
hazards but the hazards, when taken by merchants,
foreign domestic for the chances OF profit upon the
exports of cotton and the imports OF goods General
laws, which legislation cannot abrogate nor sensbly
change regulate the trade and commerce of nations
We cannot place trade upon any unnatural basis between
States, without failure of any good result Cotton is
exception to the principle or rule that applies to all
products. Trne il is great interest but it must yield
obedience to the laws which regulate commercial
changes.
For any object, bEaDg peops. any Interference with
the natural stream OF trade both dangerous and deli
cate in operation. Without expectation Of Gotten
ouloaDs will be empercal in practice Of doubtuls issue,
and still more doubtful in principle. Such operations
will be mere expediens, yea the devices of smallattor
neys used the trelery and suberfuges of special
pleading rather than the broad views Of practical
financial wisdom of the craftsmanship of intellect and
experience. 4 wide, liberal and Ineligible commercial
policy by the government of the Confederate States,
would be- in our Judgment very far superior to projects
and cxpedents Tie honorable secretary of the treas
urv whose experience viii soon direct his sagacious
mind into eight channels will he advances soon find
that free trade hr0wugopen our ports to the commerce
OF the world without restrictions or imposons of any
sort will achieve far more aid in strengthening the
people and consequently the government itself We
think the experience Of statesmen and of the commerce
of the world viii sustain in this view
Give the Confederate States free trade Just now-open-
ing our ports to an who will the risk of com
mercia intercourse With people, and we cease to
trouble ourselves about the courtesy of recognition" by
foreign nations and that can, with $500 800 600
of cotton for expectation sustain government and
people against any such financial revusion, which, as
the threatens to overake and break down the
northern States, provided this war lasts much longer!
Who are most loudly claiming for the recognition OF
the Confederate government These gentlemen who
seek foreign MISSIONS To them a recognition is most
important; but really otherwise do attach much
value to the act Let command it by the success of
in battle and she magnitude and thrift of our
commercial nterchanges with every eivsed people who
may by their enterprise, skill and capital rush with
cargOcs into our ports
There is reason then, against the exchange in cur
ports Of cotton for what need Our great object is
to open ports to general trade The barter pro
posed would serve the purpose certain extent Il
would tend to bring about the recognition which is con
sdered 50 important Above all we want supplies and
we must have them To obtain them We must furnish I
an adequate quantity Of cotton. To this mode of ex-
portaton of cotton there be sufficient objection
We have drawn very largely from anonymous article
that has fallen in hands for opinions positions and
language NemriIS Avalanche