Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-10-24
COTTON FAx.
The Merchants Meeting at
the Chamber Of Com
merce Yesterday.
Adoption Of Resolutions and
~ Memorial TO Congress.

ternoon to consider the propriety Of
memorializing Congress on the subject
of the heavy cotton tax imposed by the
Government, and which is proving so
disastrous to the commercial interests of
the South, Mr.. 4. A. Nelson, president,
occupied the chair, and the assistant
secretary, Mr.. Ridgeley, oficiated as
secretary. After the meeting was called
to order, Mr.. Nelson thus explained the
objects:
GENTLEMEN The object of the meet
ing has already been announced by
advertisement, to be for the purpose OF
adopting suitable measures to memorial
ize Congress to remove the burden under
which the Southern country is now
staggering, on account of the tax on
cotton. That it is running the prosperity
of the country, has almost paralyzed the
energies of our people, and reduced the
aborers TO poverty and want, is plain to
any observing man. The planters and
the negroes are poorer to-day than they
were a year ago. No man can raise
cotton and pay tax on it and sue
cessfully compete with foreign produc-
tons. If the Government and our
| Northern friends want us to raise cotton,
they must foster its production, rather
than Cypress it. Otherwise it must cease,
except so far as is necessary to
supply the Southern States where
it will be manufactured), and perhaps
very few hundred thousand bales
in addition, to purchase the actual
necessaries of life until the productions
of the country can be changed, aud
money raised from some other crop.
Scarcely a planter in the country has
paid expenses this year. Immediate
relief is absolutely necessary by repeal
of the cotton tax law, and refunding all
money paid since September LIST. I'm
less this is done, and done promptly, at
an early day after the meeting of Con-
gress, our people cannot raise money to
plant next year, and the production of
our great Southern staple must, 10 a
great extent, cease, and the people must
turn their attention to other crops that do
not require so much labor.
| believe that when Congress properly
understands our condition, they will af-
ford the necessary relief, which will give
joy to every white man and every negro
in our country.
On motion of Mr.. W. S. Pickett, a
committee of five ware appointed TO
retire and draft a series of resolutions
and a memorial to Congress, urging the
repeal of the oppressive cotton tax, The
chair appointed Messrs. VIM. r. Moore,
L. M. Mahan, W. S. Pickett, j. j. Muir.
ply and A. P. Burditt.
During their absence, Col. Leon
Trousdale, being called upon, spoke
briefly about the wants of the South, and
the injurious effect produced on all
classes by the heavy tax on cotton. He
deemed it vital to both North and South
that the tax be at once repealed.
Mr.. Gage thought committee should
be appointed to visit Northern and
Southern cities in behalf of the proposed
repeal
Judge Thomas r. Smith said the North
as we'll as the South was suffering from
the tax, and deemed it advisable to also
memorabilia McCulloch on the subject.
By this time the committee returned,
ard submitted, through Mr.. William r.
Moore, their chairman, the following
MEMORIAL AND RESOLUTIONS
The present tax upon cotton proves to
be a serious and grievous burden upon
the producers, and through them, neces-
sarily upon the national interest. When
it was first enacted, the peculiar condi-
ton of affairs may seem to lawmakers
to Justify it. We we're then in the midst
of fierce and bitter civil war. Our
Atlantic and Gulf ports we're blockaded,
and the European manufacturers had not
then become comparatively independent
of our staple. The labor supply among
us, suited to the cultivation of that
commodity, had not grown disor.
ganized and unreliable, and it was
not believed by many of even the
most enlightened American statesmen,
but, under almost any reasonable cir
cumstances, VIC could, and would, still
continue to control the cotton markets Of
the world. The tremendous revolution,
however, which since that time has been
wrought throughout the nations, in con
sequence of our deplorable domestic
difficulties in every department of life
social, political and financial-has left
us, instead of leading in the cotton pro-
duction, as of old, actually following, or,
if not following, running so sluggishly
in the race for supremacy as to be
scarcely able to maintain respectable
position.
When the act laying the tax was first
promulgated, the subsequent serious dis
organization Of the labor system had not
been foreseen or even feared and it was
difficult, if not altogether impossible, for
even the most sagacious and farseeing
minds to anticipate the rapid and extra
ordinary progress which has since been
made by foreigR growers. But, what
we then scarcely dreamed Of, is now an
accomplished and gigantic reality; and
to-day the growers of foreign cotton are
discussing their ability to not only grow
cotton successfully, but actually to make
It their monopoly Think of this, you
who put trust solely in American cotton.
At the recent annual meeting of the
English Cotton Supply Association Of
Liverpool, they report, among other
valuable facts, as follows: :" 1t may be
said that we are on the eve of great
raceT For what2 "For the monopoly
of the cotton supply" Which country
will win or send in good and suitable
cotton at the lowest price? We hare
greot hopes of India. Many countries
will enter into the contest, but the great
rivalry will be between the United