Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1863-02-05
AMERICAN AFFAIRS IN FRANCE.

The following srticls frca, La Nation,
newspaper edited 10 the, interest OF
the French Empress is very signi6csnt,
the more so as il Is said to be from the
pen Of Napoleon himself.
The crisis iu cotton manufacture is
acquiring daily such proportions Is
ought in France as well ss elsewhere to
call upon it the serious mediation OF
publicists, Of statesmen and Of Govern
ments. Af At
Like the crisis which results from Q
deficient crop Of grain, the crisis In
cotton does not give hope Of 8 speedy
amelioration, founded on the probabili-
ty Of q better harvest. On the contra
", the crisis in cotton manufacture
does not reasonably promise anything
but IN aggravation.
On the one hand, experience proves
that the supplies Of cotton furnished BY
Indis, Egypt and Algeria. are INSULT
eient; and on the other, it is manifest
that the want Of material, which has
made itself felt thus far but in few
places, will not be long 10 extending il.
self to she others.
The question OF knowing how 10 give
work and life to the numerous work
men in this great industry. places itself
before us, therefore, in all that it pos
sesses Of seriousness, OF pressing haste
and Of formidableness. II is q ques-
ton for the serious attention Of all
friends Of humanity and OF order.
In definitive, here are the terms Of
the problem: No other country than
America being able for q long time to
come to furnish the necessary amount
Of cotton. by what reasonable and prac-
ticable way may America be brought to
again furnish our supplies? as
We know of but one precedent, to
speak the truth, which, borrowed from
similar situation, may be examined
and weighed in connection with the one,
and this precedent is the war waged
by England against China in l841, to
force the latter to accept the opium Of
India 10 exchange for tea. The Eng
lish thought, in the circumstance we
now recall, that justice permitted them
to re-establish BY a military interven-
ton q traditional commerce, the inter-
ruption Of which was highly prejudicial
to England and to Europe.
Il win be admitted. without hesita-
ton, that the re-establishment OF the
commerce of cotton with America will
present itself in conditions much more
conformable to the principles Of equity
and Of general utility.
In the first place, To lack cotton, that
is to say. TO leave without work and
without bread in France. England and
Germany. thousands Of families who
live BY the cotton industry, is a mis-
fortune Of much greater magnitude than
to live without tea.
On the other hand when the English
pretended to re-establish by force the
tea trade. they imposed in return. on
the Chinese Government, an article
which is in reality poison. and in which
the Government Of China saw, with
reason. cause Of physical and moral
degradation.
| Every one will see that in America
the question is altogether different. In
determining the Americans to renew
with Europe the trade in cotton. we
will carry to them, along with the spirit
Of concord. of fraternity. and Of peace,
the re-establisbment Of labor. of agri-
culture, of commerce, OF transactions,
and consequently Of public prosperity.
While leaving TO the Americans the
right and the care Of resolving interior
questions in a way to SUIT their own con-
venience, and without pretending in any
way TO impose upon them either union
or separation. Europe might evidently,
in a general interest Of humanity, re-
solve the question Of cotton, il not in q
( definite manner, at least in a way to
relieve sufferings that have become in
tolersble. BOD ,-7s .. -r~-.s
In the state of solidarity 10 which.
thanks to the spirit of Christianity, all
the nations Of the earth are to-day ar
rived, good sense and equity admit that
no one Of them may bring about the
ruin Of the others. When any profound
calsmities happen to acountry. the SEN
timeDts Of humanity oblige all other
countries to take their part in these suf-
ferings. Ameries is therefore obliged.
in the name Of these principles, to take
account in a certain measure, Of the
/ distress of the European workmen.
For ourselves we do not see any 9TH
er solution to the cotton crisis than a
European intervention, of which the
/ form snd the extent remains to be de.
cided, but which, in leaving to the
Americans the solution OF their Ma
tional question, shall furnish to the
manufacturers OF Europe at least enough
material 10 render possible q serious
revival Of labor.
] We shall be surprised IL. 10 the COM
! ing legislative assemblies of France and
England, ideas similar to these are no!
brought forward; and. in the name OF
the interests Of labor and humanity. we
conjure the Press TO examine this point
Of view Of the question.
SIf fifteen hundred millions ol
dollars, four hundred thousand lives,
asd two years Of war, fail to take
Richmond. how long will it take, how
much money will it cost. and how many
lives must be expended before we sub