Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1866-12-27

u Tu. UIsCUUTaGG
and paraly7 ed because, while the President woul
boldly lei FER them over to degradation, incurre
on account of their adherence to the Union in til
| darkest days of treason and blood, the Congress
seems TO make no definite distinction betweeI
| them and their late and present prosecutors ant
| enemies; but should Congress recognize and up
| hold them by some just and discriminating ac
| ton, they would take courage and boldly and sue
| cessfully work for the interest of the Union. Thus
| would the true element of the South stand promi
nently forward and make secession and treason
bow its head. Now traitors are bold and arrogant
while the true loyalists are mystifed and silent.
| The peace of the country is still disturbed, anc
the Union still unquestionably in danger"
In the views we shall to-day present. we
shall assert principles which will conflict
with those heretofore advanced and sup
ported by the practice of our agricultural
| citizens since the first opening of our cOun,
try No less will they be at variance with
that class who have made the naval stores
and lumber trade their exclusive occupa-
ton.
Formerly there were those who argue
wisely against that system of labor which,
while certain staples were produced, appa-
rently with great profit, sent the proceeds
of that skilfull labor to foreign countries,
or, what was really worse for us, to the New
England and Northwestern States, to sup
ply us with the merest necessaries of life
We can now see, that instead of securing
ourselves at home, we become, with all our
great resources, perfectly dependent upon
others for not only the luxuries, but the
indispensable supports of existence, bread
and meat. The first great object in the
cultivation of the soil should be to make
subsistence as cheap as possible. The
reasons for this are apparent upon the
highest investigation. Aside from this,
placing us beyond anxiety, it Will keep in
our midst the whole of the proceeds from
the market crops, and enable us to devel-
op the great mineral and manufacturing
power of our State, and to improve in every
branch of agricultural industry. 1t will
cause to flow into our sparsely filled dis
tricts industrious immigrants, who, upon
coming, will know that their wants can and
will be supplied at living rates and it will
be the means of securing labor at wages
which can be paid and leave fair profit to
to be desired. Can any one doubt that, if
to-day, corn were selling at fifty cents
the bushel, and bacon at ten cents the
pound, our farmers would feel the same
hesitation in beginning work for the coming
year IF the abundance which our lands
are capable of producing were now in the
country, would there be that dreadful ap-
prehension which so many experience p
Will not the planter, be his crop what it
may, be far better off with an ample supply
of everything upon his plantation neces-
sary for its support, with half his staple
crop for market, than with the whole
of that market crop, when in the
latter case he would have to spend full
the half for bacon, corn, flour and the ami
mails necessary to make the coming CROP
We are convinced that if in the past year the
rule had been adopted and followed of
planting full provision crop, the South
would have been better off than now. There
is hardly section OF the country where
enough has been raised to supply itself with
food. This has been owing partly to the
great drought, but equally as much or more
to the desire of every one to have as much
cotton as possible. Who can raise cotton
noW and sell it for thirty cents the pound,
when he works freedmen, and pays twenty
five cents the pound for bacon, and one
dollar and half per bushel for corn when
sugar is twenty cents, and an ordinary mich
COW is regarded as cheap for sixty dollars,
and when every necessary article is at equal
ly high rates ? Out of the earth must come
our rise from the terribly depressed con-
diiCn of the present. The wisest legisla-
ton, and the most generous terms from our
conquerors, in the place of vindictive, mali
cious and unprecedentedly severe exactions
in the form of taxation, together with all
that our good old State can do for us, can
avail nothing, until the products of the
earth shall be sufficient, first to supply onr
wants, and then to send abroad for market
those staples which will command money
for any enterprise.
While we urge all to look we'll to the
present in this, we would also impress
GuS4A Will Vic AeCtSSlbJ VI uOG 1OI Sobtll4S
that this change is to be permanent. Let
every land owner do all that he may to i'm
prove that land. Labor is scarce, but it
will, in many cases, yes, in most, be in the
power of all to do that which will in few
years hence return a reward far beyond
what the most sanguine could hope. The
new year is almost here. From the expe
rience of &c let 81 derive such lessons as
shall make US one year hence independent,
at least, so far as to have food. It is folly,
madness, to look for the same results now
as those obtained before our great and dis
astrous revolution, unless as great revolu-
ton be wrought in our agriculture and its
products.
Gen. SickleS' Order.
The Raleigh Standard quotes some re-
marks we made few days since, relative
to the late order of General Sickles, and