Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1863-03-24
Cotton ard Tobacco Planting.

We cannot too earnestly invite the attention Of
readers to the letter of Gov. Brown of Georgia
which We publish to-day, on the subject of cotton
planting. Gov. Browns appeal ought and we trust
it rW exert a good influence on those to whom it
is addressed We endorse every word of it. and
consider it as applying much to this State as to
Georgia. The Legislature ofthe latter State is about
to assemble in special session, the call of Gov.
Brown, to take steps to restrict the cultivation of
ccttOn.
By an act passed in December last the Legisla-
ture of Alabama has imposed tax of ten cents per
pounds on every pound of seed cotton which may be
raised this year, over and above twenty five hun
bred pounds to each full hand Gov. Shorter, in an
appeal to the planters of Alabama, says:
Look around you at this moment when the
crop upon which the poor must mainly depend is
not yet planted, and behold the want and destitu-
ton which, notwithstanding the munifcent pro-
vision made by public and private benevolence is
to be found at the hearlhsoneS of many whose legi
innate projectors have fallen in battle or are now
fighting the defense of your homes and property
Let not deceive ourselves. The failure to raise
the largest possible quantity Of supplies the present
year may bring disaster and ruin upon our cause.
The soldier must be fed and his family provided for
and our home population, white and black, must be
supported. The experience Of the past and the
necessities OF the present give serious and solemn
warning as to the future. Let not our armies which
have hitherto, by the blessing of God proved irwin
chile, be conquered or disbandcd by the want of
subsistence in their camps or be demoraized by the
presence of famine in their homes"
Virginia has also restricted the cultivation of to-
bacco by law recently passed by her Legislature
We regret to learn that some, if not many of our
farmers are making arrangements to put in large
crops of cotton and tobacco. Can it be possiblep
Are any of our people so indifferent to the cause as
to devote their labor and their lands to the cultya-
ton of cotton and tobacco for proft at a time like
thisH In the language of contemporary, "the
man who plants cotton now to sell and we may
add tobacco-"give Lincoln more direct help than
if he and all his negroes to go into the Yankee
army" This is the sober truth Every plant of
cotton of tobacco which may be put in the ground
for profit will De nail in the coffin of Southern
independence We beg those who are thinking of
doing this thing to pause. They may do it. and
gain thereby few dollars; but they will aid in
Parayzing our brave troops in the field, in famish-
ing their families and in running their country. We
agree with the Richmond DispGtch that the grand
duty of the hour" is
ITO put every grain of corn in the field everything
that can supply food for man and beast. We are
panied hear of the elaborate preparations making in
some portions of the country for the cultivation of
tobacco If this prevails to any considerable extent
it is idle to shut our eyes to the consequence. A
people without bread an army without bread and
what is our fate9 What the dismal and inevitable
result9 Can any one contemplate it without hor-
rorP
We do not need more men in the army Our
great aim should be to feed those who are there
By in providence, waste, and msmanagement, we
have diminished resources which at one period ap-
peared to be inexhaustible Now we can only sup
ply our wants BY strict economy, and provide for