Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1866-05-01

the globe, and made them besides, by
their organized enforced labor contribute
more to the moving forces Of modern
society than any other four millions Of
souls on the face of the earth. We never
said that "labor was the business Of
sIaves.''
We must also observe, that scant as
were the Of the South for a
long war. such as she a~dveBtured, new
ertheless. they were in M particular as
small. comparatively, as those that I'm
bsrrassed our forefathers in the revo-
luton Of 1776, who had none Of the
advantages that we did possess. Ae-
cording 10 the m~aterisIistic logic Of the
| Tribune the men Of 1776 were, therefore,
sheer lunatics. Moreover, we may as
sure the Tri5une, that had our own peo-
pie and statesmen rightly comprehended
the downright regal power Of cotton, and
called into full requisition its sovereign
potency from the outset Of the war, the
end might have been quite different.
Had our statesmen done this to all
practical extent and sent to Europe
the cotton-over four millions Of
/ bales, that were in the eountry-or
even the cotton that our military burned
AZ different stages Of the war, there
would have been no lack Of means for
the conduct Of the war on our side under
very different circumstances than those
which attended and concluded in disas-
ter, our nevertheless Titanic struggle for
independence. The expectation Of this
cotton could have been effected with
little difficulty in 1851 and 1862, as is fully
attested by the scale on which private
enterprise carried on commerce despite
the blockade, even as late as throughout
lS6I.-and from close personal ohserva-
lion. we cannot doubt what the Govern
ment might have done with proper or
g~anization on ascaIe commensurate with
the interests at stake, and the results TO
be achieved. Then indeed itwould have
been made apparent that COTTON WAS
KING"
But cotton is no dethroned potentate
after all, and the very people who foam
and froth at the mouth over the very
thought, are Of the section now harvest
ing the main advantages accruing from
the cotton power in the marts Of the
world. The cotton that has survived the
war and been set moving in all the chan
nels Of trade and commerce, saved the
government Of the United States and
the northern people from bankruptcy,
directly and indirectly, by giving them
the use Of an equivalent in value to full
5810-D00 900 in gold, or at least as much
as the total amount Of the precious met
ais produced in the last sir years by the
gold and silver mines Of the United
States. Itwasc otton UnquestiOnably that
has brought down gold in the last
twelve months from 300 to 127, and
not only this, it has revivi6ed their
whole business relations Of every sort.
Had this very cotton that wrought these
effects been destroyed in the course Of
the war, words cannot paint the fearful
condition that must have befallen the
finances Of the triumphant section, even
in the moment of their utmost pride and
vainglory. And We say 10 the Tribune
the real lunatics are those spi5e-mad
5 radicals who are blind to these patent
facts-those fellows who so 0~bstinately
stand in the way Of the restoration Of the
cotton producing States to the enjoyment
b Of every privilege that shall stimulate
cotton culture and Te-esJablish our mo-
nopoly Of the staple on the indestrueti-
Die basis which nature has given TO this
country exclusively.