The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1868-12-08
Direct shipnents from the interior
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f
consummation ofthe railroad connec-
ton between Selma and Charleston,
under the mistaken impression that
the through shipments to New York
will be productive of much benefit to
the South. I hope that they will
soon be convinced of their error,
although, it is to be feared, not be-
fore New York has sucked the blood
Of our South, as spider does a fly.
This policy. instead of enriching our
people, is keeping them impoverish-
ed, and pouring all the benefits of
our immense crops into the lap of
New York.
Cotton is the only product of the
United States equal in effects upon
the world to gold. and our people do
not realize the immense power that
nature has given them, and which
they may WELD to such advantage.
Secretary Mccullough, in his official
report of the Fall of 1866, stated,
that 'if it had not been for the
receipts of cotton from the South
during the past year, tho United
States would have been bankrupt" t"
1t was the staple of the South which
kept this Government propped up,
when still staggering from the effects
of our war. The Northern mer-
chants realize its value, and have
shown great intelligence in drawing
our staple direct from our interior to
New York, there to dispense the be-
nefits which should belong to our
cities.
If the cotton was sent to the ports
of the South to be sold, there would
accrue oil the Incidental charges upon
it; there would all the money bo ne
gotiated and circulated; there would
tho Northern buyers themselves re-
| sort, and by competition raise prices
| above the comparative rate now OBJ
tained in New York under the pre-
sent system. Our factors would do
O better business, and thus be ena-
bIed to give more aid to the planters
theNec,vcs. AS has been well ex-
pressed, our planters now are but
little moro than overseers for New
York. The receipts of cotton at
Charleston now reach $4,000 bales;
out of which $4,000 have gone to the
North, and but G.500 10 Europe.
The result of the shrewd through
system, and the result of this fact is:
that New York has become cotton
port, at our expense; there European
purchasers buy their supply; and
there the shipping of the world resort
for freight.
The crop Of this Year will bring
into the South about two hundred
millions Of gold or its equivalent, at
least three-fourths Of which will first
circulate in the Northern ports, and
to those give the benefit of that
amount of money-a benefit which it
would be much to the ultimate inte-
rest of planters to give to their
Southern ports. One hundred and
fifty millions of gold can be used to
the amount of three times its amount
In currency, say fonr hun lrcd and
fifty millions currency, all Of which
can be made to dispense its benefit
at home. Instead OF which, the
South will receive for her cotton
sent North, two hundred and ten
millions currency; or, to sum the
whole, she will give TO the North two
hundred and forty millions of dol
lars.
The through shipment system
should extend only to our sea-ports;
there the cotton should be sold; there
the European consumers should be
made to draw their supplies; there
the ships should be made to come
for it; and there the money should
be negotiated and circulated, until
through shipment means to ourports,
and no further; our land will be but
slowly regaining her former prosperi-
ty; but when our people take more
care of their true interests. our cot
ton crop will be really worth three
times rs much as it yields to the South
at present. PROSPERITY.
BY far the most destructive confla-
grafton that has occurred in this city
al II. l.