Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-06-07
TIL Z OEESzLON.

ILIE COILOA QJESIIOA.
The Philadelphia Age, one of the
Invest and most ~far-seeing of our ex-
changes, thus comments on the views
enOunced by Gen. ALCoRN in his
late speech in our Convention, on this
great and, to us, all-interesting sub
ject: "Gen. ALCORN, the Radical
Se~natorelect from Mississippi, was a
delegate to the Memphis Convention,
and delivered a speech before that
body on the condition of the South,
especially with reference to their
leading product-cotton; which is
creating a decided sensation in all
parts Of the country. As the speaker
is one of the acknowledged heads of
the South, his words have q double
potency as indicating the line of poll
cy likely to be pursued by the South
ern wing Of the organization now in
power. In the course Of his address,
which was long and exhaustive, Gen.
ALCORN showed that the Southern
cotton interest, which, before the war,
used to bring into the national treas
Ty two hundred and fifty million
dollars in gold, has been ruined by the
results of that collision; that since the
outset of the war, a colossal conspi-
racy, initiated by British capitalists
and manufacturers, and joined in by
the governments and capitalists of
other nations, has been at work for
the establishment Of cotton culture
abroad and the breaking down of the
American cotton monopoly; that this
conspiracy has so far succeeded that,
even in 1864, thirty-nine sources, eX-
elusive Of the United States, con-
tributed, for instance, to thesupply of
cotton at Manchester; that Australia,
Jamaica, the French West Indies,
Greece, Turkey, Brazil, Portugal,
Morocco, Egypt, Italy, Austria,
Hayti, Malta, Japan, China and Ven
ezuela were among the producers;
that the average fibre Of foreign cot
ton in fourteen instances was equal,
for average purposes of manufacture
to the American fibre; and that
in several, in fact in most of the coun-
tries named, cotton can be cultivated
and exported to England at cheaper
rates than American planters can af-
EC- ATranN- %I,r- .1Ir,-N,1+o. i
how the war, and the policy of repres-
sion pursued by Congress towards the
has paralyzed an industry
furnished over three-fourths
Of the exports of the country.
proposes as a remedy the
construction of levees along the
Mississippi. The uplands mt present
available for cotton yield from 200 to
pounds per acre. The rich bottom
.ands would yield from 1900 to 1000
per acre. This enormous
yield, in his opinion, would enable
American planters to underbid once
more the markets Of the world, and
place the United States in a position
% lead all other nations in the raising
md selling Of cotton. But this desira-
Die result can only be achieved by Wig
Drous efforts to repair the ravages
which war and unwise and bigoted
PARTISAN legislation have inflicted upon .
he cotton interests of the South.
That section needs a well defined la
,or system, in order to produce such
rops of cotton as viii put u sellers {
n their old relations to the demand F.,
upon US from Europe. At
resent the area planted is much too :
and the expenses connected {
nth the production too large, to ena- ]
lie us to control foreign markets. If /
he Radicals will let the negro alone, I
disturbing this class of labor !
nth political questions, the business .
zen of the South win 0 project f
nd make practical a labor system r
Dmpetent to meet the pressing de :
lands of the occasion. When repre- d
sntative Radicals like Gen. ALCoRN =
oint out the dangers surrounding a f
advance of the sectional col t
mn in the South, there are hopes that !
halt will be called, and steps taken '
repair the folly and madness of the :
asst" "