Daily Nashville union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1862, 1862-04-15
NASHVILLE TENN
Ffem sAe N9tlonal intergcpcer
Cotton Raising at the South.
DEnATs y rnE - sEsATn.


The Richmond Enquirer furnishes the
following report of the recent debate in
the Confederate Senate on eotion-raising
at the South, which was alluded to in
the Intelligenccr Of yesterday. The de-
bate took place on the I2fh ultimo:
The resolution which was sent to the
Senate from the House of Representa-
tives proposed TO advise the planters Of
the OOnfederacy TO abstain from raising
cotton and tobacco this year and to de-.
vote themselves exclusively to the pro-
duction of grain and provisions.
Mr.. Brown, of Mississippi, moved to
lay this resolution on the table, for. the
purpose Of allowing him to introduce a
bill TO curtail the cotton crop for the
year 1862, . d.iI1rr-s1 9u I1s 1881
The measure proposed by Mr., Brown
provides that no planter or head of a
family shall SOW more cotton seed than
will produce more than three bales of
the staple for himself, and one bale for
each of the hands employed in the Gull
ture during the year 1862; and, in case
of exceeding this number, the penalty
shall be $40 fine for leach bale; and,
further, that the planter or head of fam
lily shall be required to swear to the
exact number of bahs raised during
the year. and 10 be treated as pcriurer
if he sWears falsely s Ct 'dH aIa5a.ls.l .
! NJ Mr. Rrew"n said that the resalati4n
of the House was not of the slightest use
in the world, If anything, it would
have a bad effect inasmuch as IL virtu :
ally offered premium for treachery.
Patriotic citizens would not plant any
cotton, with or without the resolution !;
but the large class of grasping Sylocks,
bent on gain and personal aggrandize-
ment, would pay no attention to the adj !
vice Of Congress; and for these Mr..
Brown would have a compulsory law.
He conceived that large cotton crop
this year would be ruinous 10 US, since
the labor of plantations would be with
drawn from the production Of provisions
! absolutely needful fer the support of our
armies and our people He thought
that If there was evil in the cotton croI
we should strike at the root, or take X
by the throat.
mr.. UrI-7 or rCITn Car0lina AID iTif
! gentleman was mistaken as TO the mum.
Der Of unpatriotic planters. The class
in his judgment, was very small.
Mr.. Clay, of Alabama, suggested thai
the measure proposed by the gentleman
was unconstitutional. The forfeiture o
the forty dollars per bale was an indirec
mode of raising revenue, and all bills fol-
this purpose, under the constitution. mus
be originated in the House of Renresen
tatiyes.
Mr.. Wigfall, OF Texas, said that if an,
power was laid down clearly in the con
stitution of the old Government and il
the new il was the definition Of the pew
ers Of Congress regarding the punish
Went of the crimes Of treason, of piracy
and Of felony on the high seas Here /
is clearly laid down that Congress can
not create crime. Apart from the un
constitutionality Of the proposition, MI
Wigfall objected to the measure propose,
for other reasons. lie was not sure tina
ii was good policy for us 90 neglect rails
ing cotton. Unless we continue to rails
the staple in abundance, England woul
foster It's cultivation, and after the war
would be difficult for us to monopoliz
the markets of the world If we raise
no cotton in 1862 it'would keep the pric
up so high that il would pay the othe
nations Of the world 70 invest largely
This is The policy most desired by Eng
fish statesmen, and it is that which ha
prevented the raising the blockade.
Mr.. Brown could not understand VIII
a bill TO punish people for not burnin
cotton likely to fall into the hands of Oh
enemy was not unconstitutional whe
one to punish the production Of the articl
was. He conceived that in time Of wa
the powers Of Congress were augmented
and that it is was quite different frol
peace.
Mr. Clay replied that persons allowin
cotton TO fall into the hands ofthe enem
were guilty of treason; for il is giyin
aid and comfort to the foe, and that
treason, and treason is one of the crime
defined by the constitution. MIR. Ola
denied also, that the constitution was
elastic that it expanded its powers in VIZ
and contracted them in peace The con
stituhOn was the same always.
Mr.. Barnwell, of South Carolina, wa
not prepared to abandon the cultiyatio
; of cotton under any circumstance
/ though he admitted great deal of lab,
: should be bestowed upon the productio
; Of supplies especially at this junctur
On the cultivation Of cotton and increa
of supplies for market depend not Onl
' our sources OF wealth, butour importanc
and consequence, and weight with fol
eign nations. All our interests appeal
y us never 20 give il up, We must raise
" hold il, and fight for it. We must let Il
b world know that we have il, and tn
. ] a., A. I'm Ill "a Il III NO. 49,.