The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1869-05-29
The Cotton Crop and tho Politicians.


All our accounts from the South concur
IN the statement that the spring floods and
the cold weather have had m injurious
effect upon the cotton plant. In many sec
tions of the country the plantations in the
river bottoms have been washed out, and
rcplanting will be required, while on the
up-lands the cold weather has been very
preJudiclal, and the young plants have as
sumed yellow and sickly appearance.
which promises i'll for the copaing crop
Anything which affects the yield of cotton
in this country inevitably affects industry
and trade in the general results of tho year.
Cotton is our chief gold-produoing staple,
and IS relied upon to settle large portion
of our foreign balances and to equaiize the
How of the precious metals It therefore
enters largely in the field of view of bank
ers and merchants who watch the progress
or our trade, and forms one of the great
elements of their calculations Washing
rains, heavy floods and cold spring are by
them looked upon as national disasters.
AT the present time there is another dire
ful element which selfish considerations and
private aims are bringing to bear in q man
ner injurious to our supply of cotton this
year We allude to the efforts which are
being made to delay the elections in some
OF the cotton States until the time of the
year that would throw them into the midst
of the picking season. Such pro
ceedlng cannot but have q most disastrous
result. The newly liberated freedmen take
great delight in their new political rights,
and are always willing to give up their la
bors for the purpose of taking part in DO
litlcal meetings and political demonstra-
tlons, and no season more prejudicial to the
general interest than the fall of the wear
can be selected for these operations TTha
parties who are urging such delay are main
ly disappointed politicians who have not
succeeded in obtaining nominations or ap-
pointments, and they hope that if the cleo
tlons can be put off, something will turn up
to their advantage. They are the Micaw-
bers of the field of politics.
Fortunately, this matter rests entirely in
the hands OF President Grant, and we must
look to him alone for the assurance that he
will not be led into an error pernicious to
the whole country by selfish political mis-
representations and on him will rest the
entire responsibility Of action in the uues-
ton. No partisan advice can relieve him of
the stigma that will follow upon action in
furious to the great interests of the country.
From Washington we have conflicting ru-
mors OF his intentions in this matter, which
coming as they do, from authoritative
sources, tend to disquiet the public mind
The assertion that the Mississippi and Texas
elections must be deferred until the result
IN Virginia is known indicates some hidden
purpose, neither creditable to the President
nor considerate of the public good He
should at once set the mind of the country
at rest by issuing his proclamation for hold
ing the elections in Mississippi and Texas
two OF our greatest cotton growing States
IN July next. The canvass and the election
will then be over before the cotton picking
season commences, and the freed labor will
be left free from political agitation during
that period of the year when it's misdirec,
tion would have the most pernicious effect
on our crops, trade and revenue
Ne,o York Herald.
An outbreak in Ireland is feared. and tbo