The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1865-10-28

&eSoPAe VI !uS1ana met In convention. at
as.. aa.s.o.a1napeus, 1i yesterday, one hundred and
hfty delegates present.
"A convention Of grain dealers of the
estern markets was held on the 22d, to
oreak down the excessive rates now charged
on grain shipments East.
The Cotton Supply In America.
Mr. Edward Atkinson, Of Boston, has
written second letter to Mr. Bright on the
subject Of the American cotton supply. He
says,
have reason to believe that the esti-
nste OF the agents OF the Government who
nave been sent out to take charge of cap
tured cotton would not lead to the expec-
tatlon of over 1000 900 bales Of old cotton.
including that captured at Mobile, Charles.
ton and Savannah, and about SOC, 1000 bales
OF new crop. Ny own estin1 ate, obtained
from our business agents, would lead me to
expect as much as 1880, 900 OF old cotton.
but much less than 100000 Of new-the
cultivation OF the new crop planted during
the. war having become entirely disorgan,
lzed by the sudden collapse of the Confede-
rate rule. You are aware that believed
IN and dreaded the existence of a much
larger quantity Of old cotton 1 dreaded
the effect OF very heavy receipts in Novem-
Der and December, both upon the future
cultivation i'll this country and elsewhere
now feel very safe against any great de-
presslon. The abrogati Of the extra tax
OF 23 per cent. and the restoration of trade
to ITS normal condition gave immediate
conndcnce 70 splnners and consumers of
cloth, and enabled us to absorb the late
tole-ably heavy receipts without any very
great fluctuations in price. I estimate our
present consumption at 10000 bales psr
week. and at that We cannot supply the
demand for cloth, even though we are
making excessive profit. Scarcity of ope-
ratives prevents q rapid increase. If the
supply of American cotton shall prove to
be only 1,50O, 900 bales from September l
1860, to September l, 1866. and the price
shall! be at or about % pence in LIVERPOOL
we shall retain more than one-half for con-
sumption North and South.
Nlf. htklrson encloSes two letters from
one OF his correspondents, sent out to the
cotton States to procure information bear
ing upon the present and future supply of
cotton. In one Of these letters it is stated
that there are about 10000 bales of cotton
II Augusta, Georgia, and that the s'esti-
mate Of the new crop is not to exceed 10
per cent The writer says the negroes
won't work on the plantations but crowd
to the towns. In the second letter, which
Is dated Macon, Georgia, August q, the
writer says:
Il am more and more persuaded that the
day for large crops of cotton at low prices
hes passed forever. Cotton will be raised,
but not as before. For instance. the wo
men who used to work in the fields now
follow the men to the cities, and the men
support them there. 1t is all humbug to
talk OF the negroes starving; everywhere l
hear nothing but complaints because the
supply OF labor is Insufficient, and this
while not one plantation in ten is half
worked. The whole Of the South is to be
rebuilt and refurrished, and until it is, the
negro Will md an abundance Of labor with
0il working the fields. Everywhere I ind
Northern men; in Ill Of the ut-of-the-way
places they do almost all the business. I
md the impression among the planters is,
that while emancipation will not perma-
nently injure the border States Missouri,
Kentucky Virginia, North Carolina, Ten
nessee and Arkansas-it is total and ire
medlable ruin to the other States; at least,
SO they all express themselves, almost
without exception. Many are removing to
North Carolina or some other border State.
I found the quality of the cotton at Augusta
superior to any have yet seen. It's supe-
rior condition is doubtless owing to the
greater care 1t has received in storage
The quantity OF cotton in Macon to-day is
from 10000 to $4,000 bales. The amount
il the district tributary to Atlanta is some
q, 1000 bales, as nearly as I can make il.
This includes the Whole district Of country
to the Northward of Atlanta, which does
not border Oh the rivers also the countries
about the iead-waters Of the Chattahoo-
chee and those Immediately to the South of
the city, say thirty counties in all. This
district of country has been drained to a
very large extent of its cotton. Here at
Macon the cotton compares favorably with
that at Augusta, which is to say it is in much
better condition than that have seen else
where. Some $4,000 bales have been sent
away since the Federaloccupation, of which
1000 or 5000 have gone down the river to
Darien.
SINGULAR STATE OF AFFAIRS IN MA
R1oN, WEST VIRGINIA letter to the
Wheeling Register details a singular
state Of affairs as having recently ex-
1steG IN NIa1.ioN Conn fu Wncf N;ree;,,:a