Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1863-01-17

EGYPT Illinois, November "a.
To the Editor Of the Chicago Times:
In the atlantic AIonth for October nd an article
under the above caption, which evidently written
By labOrng under desire TO speak correctly the
subject he undertakes discuss aud to make deductions
therefrom calculated TO enghten public sentiment bu
as ootE his statements and deductions full Of errors
and calcnlsted 10 Eslead te country viii undertake
with Rll dne respect correct the one and expose the
other, believing do that Of the greatest mi or
tunes under which people and government have la
bored has been the false medium through which have
examined facts connected with those opposed to in
the present war, and believing that god possibly
result to from exaggerated estimate
Of our own resources, or disposition to underrate what
ever advantages may be possessed by our enemies But
II clearly proved by experience that the indulgence OF
such habit has been of the most banefulin its in
huence that the history of this continent has developed
is indeed marvellous that two sections cf country, d
vided only by imaginary line and having long lived
together in the close intimacy Of enc family, could 70
deceive themselves in regard to the position and re-
sources Of each other Each party IN iae1 seems aus
trousy bent discovering that the other Is sf
pgmies idiots and he that undertakes to correct
this foolish and ridiculous idea s suspected OF oeing IN
friendly to his section. But At he risk Of such sus
pcion, viii relate what 1 have seen with ny Own
eyes, and viii endeavor 10 speak nothing but the simple
truth having spent the last four months in Dixie, and
travelled through it, from Mobile 10 Rehmond.
That the Confederscy" is greatly in want Of many
articles such coffee and dry good5 Is as clear as
day. That bacon lard and butter are scarce AMI bear
prces enormously high is also clear But on close in
speeion Of the Richmond market for several eonseeu-
tive days, found it we'll supplied with beef fresh PORK
pigs mutton and Irish potatoes peas and tufnips
prices ranging what in ordinary times would be con
sdsred high, though by means exorbitant At Mobile
and Augusa found the maj kets equally supplied with
h addition of fsh and oysors in great abundance, and
at low prices Bacon in all these markets was in small
supply and prices very high Among the planters every
where found the supply Of and fodder very age
indeed the universal exclamation was the SouthneYer
had so large supply From June until iate IN us9st
rain fell and the greatest drouth to the oldest IN
habiant experienced throughout the entire South
and shortened the NATURALLY but had the
season been good one, It Is my eandlo Opnlo1 me
"Confederaev would have raised enough to have
supp led the entire armies both North and South snd
have been able to ship enough TO nave supplied the
British market As il is, she crop is evidently large
enough 10 answer the wants twice told Of themselves
and all the srmies they bring into the field The
wheat crop was almost failure, and wheat Is scarce
and high but the crops Ct sweet potatoes ana peas were
enormous The latter crop, so little thought OF at he
North one Of greai importance at the So2tn as II III
great fills the place nt nay as wen as answer
ing as an substitute for Hogs cattle and
mules thrive finely this fsod, and many planters
fatten their pork and beef cattle with it.
field Of fifteen hui dred in peas the pr dleron OF
which was Almost marvellous but the crop Is a very
prolifce one yielding three times as many bush
els TO the acre as our best wheat land
The fanciful writer in the Aadattc says An Lll-
nOis, Iowa Indsna farmer can grow fico "he sell
ing corn at ten cents per bushel a II Is no" common
for and boy 70 cultivate hundred acres ana 10
gather five thoussud bushels 10 single season This
Is also news TO me although bora il ksstuckyr a. d
residing in Illinois for several years-two OF the nnes
corn growing States in the West
The same rom lancer further says: The South does
not possess the rich and exhsustiass soil Of prsires
which. for half century VIII ylelus WITHOUT ltlufu
successive and !uxuriant crops Of con It's soil IS gen
orally light and asy exhausted, and is titled by the
rude and unwilling labor Of the slave am sorry TO
interfere with theory that loohs 80 pretty on paper
II is indeed pity to do but having been bred and
raised to the buiness f Western farmer, learned
early in life to discard book farmn 2" and rely
facts established by experiences and against the by
pothesis Of this writer must say have never IN any
Of the Western States, soil SO rich, light and
easily oultivared and well adapted 20 the Gu
Of corn as the low lands Of the South These lands
have heretofore been cultivated in cotton while the
more Indifferent upands and barren spots nave been
left for cOrn-thst crop being IN former years, sec
ondary consideration with the Southern planters. And
this for the statement quoted by the
writer that the average yield of but fifteen
bushels 70 the acre" Now, the cultivation Of cotton
being dispensed with and these fine rich lands subjected
to the culture Of corn any sensible farmer wi readily
see mat tne average yieIa must run up - '
neither Illinois any other State can exceed
This writer says: '' The Southern planters, who
sell cotton with profit at ten cents per pound cannot
produce for less than enc dollar per ousee etc
According then to this statement corn at one dollar IS
profitable as cotton cents and cotton at that
price he admits viii be profitable although cultivated
by crude and unwilling slave labor"
He further saws Before the war the cotton crop
lad risen five millions bales, but now four hiths
II the land in cultivation Il devoted to corn and
grain In place Of five millions Of bales, worth, at
ormer prices, hundred millions OF dollars ana at
present rates eight hundred millions OF dollars the
south in its folly 10 the nJury OF the "oEd anu rum
# It of its planters is producing IN place OF us
otton less than could be furnished by Illinois IN
rdnary seasons for twenty millions Of dollHrS Now
mark well tbs effect Of this sentence and recoec the
rft Of the argument Of tbs whole article Is to prove
hat the resources of the South rapidly declining
nd must soon fail altogi ther But it being fully ad-
qittod that corn dollar pays well as cotton st
en- cents an four-fh hs Of the cotton lands have this
eason been submitted to corn and other gram II iooWs
hat the planter has realized the same proht precseiy
corn aud other grain that he would have done from
9tton taking the old standard Of prices as 0asiH VIZ:
ZEN cents for cotton and one dollar for corn
By what process Of logic this scute ressoner makes
the un Of the planter by this mere change OF crop
cannot comprehend, though it IS easy 10 see tha the
A. anfrsr roFH HHn nd
ends some small cOu the southern doctrine
hat cotton is king" The truth is, that the expert
lent Of the substitution by the planters Of corn ard
Their grain crops FOR cotton has thus TAR been attended
rita little or no los to him The unusual demand for
orage grain produced by the large armies Kept in
be field, has rendered these crops as prontaDe and
much more convertible than cotton. ShOu the war
ontnue the disposition of the planters TO Increase the
rOduc Of grain and quit cotton, viii be greatly stimu-
ated as in addition to the profits derived from such
hangs, the danger Of destruction by IRE viii deter
many while the pride Of many others viii be eneour-
gad by what they consider motives OF patriotism TO
Il the culture Of cettOn.
Having already spoken Of the great abundance Of
orn and forage far the citizens ar7 concerned
you'd say that the government has area1y purchased
srge supplies Of both thess articles and large amounts
both aboya the wants Of government were offered
rbcb were of course refused In beef cattle the sup
lv is very ample although the quality is what we
rould cal poor the cattle being generally small though
a fair order. The government agents have more Of
hese articles offered han they want traders being as
nth us constantly on the lookout for contracts The
rice psd by government Is eight 70 ten cents net In
OK meats the supply VIII be snall ana te price hlg
me latter believe much from policy AS necessity.
he government q this term the shortest way to
undersood) seems determined to teach its eitzers
Of the Yankees And to stimulate the
ianer ia the production Of articles Of prime necessity
well as In some measure 10 compensate him for the
ss by non production Of cotton, this policy Of nigh
rees in certain cases. is adopted But, to conclude
ii, point let me assure every lover Of the Union
le idea Of conquerng the South by starvation is the
lost ridiculous dslusion that ever sensible people
sbored under So far from this result be ng accom-
shed we are teaching them lesson in selfdependence
-hich may prove very annoying to the grain-growng
tatss Of the West in future time.
As to the supply Of dry goods, Implements Of hus
sndry, ETC. Il must be confessed that the advances
lade toward supplying their wants are matters Of
and worthy of grave consideration et our
snds At Augusta large cotton factory IS IN full op
ration. employing several hundred hands, nearly all
males and turning ont large amount Of heavy cot
IN fsbrics These sold at auction regular days,
nee in every week, and thus supplied to buyers all
YER the COniederacy. The fabric manufactured is
cry superior and sold exelusvely for cash. and gen
rally sells at forty to fortyfve cents per yard Yet
le wrier in the atlantic asserts that domestics could
OF be had at dollar per yard. But very much
oubt if he hiss heard of the above establishment
thou be undertakes to write on the Resources Of
be South"
There are several other cotton mills in Georgia Ala
ANA and NaTth Carolina, ali Of which are being
ressed their utmost capacity in producing fao cs
esiaes these several new com anes are now forming
build other mills capital thus employed yielos
.rge per cent end the Inducements 70 men Of means
re great The sales Of these fabrics, a. WI IS every
hing else ia this country is made for ConfedeIat
,onev and NAV as well say that h goes readily
mar an over the South and is, fact the standard
v which other mon-y Is measured Everybody seems
xous To get hold of It. and have the utmost conn
snce in IL With It NAV readily be bought lands
aves horses HuleE or any other species 81 PFoPeFI