American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1867-11-30
CORRESPONDENCE.


which have concluded to throw up
on the public. From the center t
the circumference of the State | tint
among the people dull, heavy, set
tied gloom pervading all classes ant
persons-Despondency hangs OF
every hope-and a feeling tina
savorS of despair shows itself in tn,
faces 'of the whole people. No won
der-tor every hope is-bIigAted-th
low price Of c0tton-the small crol
made, the heavy taxation, State anC
tederal-no money-no provisions
10 credit. If all these burdens ar
not enough to break the spirit of /
people they must be made Of sterne
stuff than that Of which poor mortal
ty is usually made. There can bt
no doubt than nineteen twentieths
of all who engaged in planting this
year have lOst-and nearly all with
whom | have met, declare their in
tention to abandon the thought OF
trying to raise cotton another year.
1t is but natural that they should do
50 in many parts;3of the country as
the opinion is prevalent that cotton
alone should support every depart
ment Of State.
First the Government at Washing
ton taxes the article D cents per
pound, next comes the State taxes,
and last though not least, the Rail
roads claim their full share-Alas !!
the poor planter, once power in
the land-now so poor that none will
do him reverence-the privilege and
right demanded by the commercial
men to extolt the last copper from
his lOcker-coupled together with his
present crippled condition make the
world needless and deaf 20 his muir.
murings of diScontent-while he.
poor soul, with Christian patience
and resignation buries all his mise
'ries deep in his bosom. The Rail
reads built to a great extent with
his own money have declared against
him-tor instance, the price of cotton
TO New Orleans, ria. y. o., J. & G.
\. r. r., from Canton, is 800 per
bale, while it is carried from Grand
Iunotian nn VILLAS NartL If Cou+o,,
to the same place by the same route
for SJ.00--will the managers of the
\. o. Read explain this? Why is it,
that cotton, nearly double the dis.
lance can be carried to the same
market b. the same route at only
one touth additional charge. The
planter now receives the same price
for his cotton that he got before the
war, and yet the Railroads now
charge double transportation, There
they discriminate against the plant
er according to his location which il
by the charter Of their
Their prices are so high for every
species Of freight, that they are
driving trade frCm the points which
by the laws of nature should control
it. New Orleans is receiving
heavy blow by the imbecility and F..
ignorance Of those, whose position .
enables them to do great and lasting
damage to its commercial interests. |
1t is dn actual fact that merchants .
can buy their goods in New York. /
Philadelphia or Baltimore and get
them to Canton by an all rail route, ,
cheaper than they can be carried .
from the city of New Orleans to /
Canton. Is it any wonder then that
the merchants of the Crescent city.
which with proper management of
its financial and commercial interests
might be made to rival New York
N population and wealth, are seek
ng other Notwithstanding nothing
o do but watch trade, travel and
, ~ogress all avoiding the city of the
golden horus-and seeking other
channels.
Ny business called me through
Memphis, add wishing a boat to 90
lown the river, ! inquired of the
lackman about the boats, and point {
d out one az the one wanted. as ! 5
7as going down the river. The re- :
'ly was, No. Don't you see she
S taking on cotton-she is going up !
he river" What a change has :
aiken place in trade in the last five c
ears! Eight years ago, who would f
rave thought that at the port of a
Memphis boat loaded with cotton !
vas distined North instead of South 2
hat it could be shipped to New {
FORK by rail from Memphis at a frac- l
ion over what it cost from Canton
, New Orleans. No wonder our
ountry is approximations people ,
Observation-Disclosures our chief CON- !