Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1869-06-04
Southern independence.


The following sensible communication i.
copied from late number of the MacOI
(Ga.) Messenger, and we commend til.
views to orr planter readers
We have tried the sword and spear, ant
failed. If we now try the plow and spin
die we may, in less than four years, be th'
most independent and prosperous people
in the world.
Let us determine to make our own pro
visions, bread and meat, sugar and syrup
We can do this, and make as much cotto1
as we should wish to make besides. If WI
only make cotton enough to supply tb,
European demand, we will get about a.
much money for it as we would for twice
the quantity.
Let us make everything we need that i
made out of wood, iron and leather W.
have every variety of timber growing OF
our land. Let US use it, and pay our owl
mechanics.
Let us sell our cotton for gold We will
then have currency that will go at par al
over the world. Besides, it will bring
about direct trade with Europe, a thing
which every Southerner should do every
thing in his power to encourage.
Let us invest every surplus dollar IL
not only be able to manufacture our OWL
supplies, but able to convert a large por
tion of our cotton into its most valuable
form before We sell it, and secure to our
selves the profit heretofore realized by the
New York spectators and New England
manufactures.
In short, let us stop the drain of money
from South to North. When we do this,
We will have gained our independence. and
shall have it in our power to levy an EN-.
barge on commercial intercourse with the
North, and to dictate to those who are
doing every thing in their power to oppress
and degrade us, the terms upon which il
shall be removed.
But in order to succeed in this great
enterprise there must be concert of action
and combination of capital. But few per-
sons have sufficient capital to go into man
ufacturiEg alone, bat if We form companies
and combine our capital, we can put in
operation factory In every county where
cotton is grown. Let there be at least one
manufacturing company In every county
where cotton IS grown. Let the stock be
let out in small shares-so small that every
farmer can take stock. So soon as there
is sufficient capital raised to start factory
even q small one-let us send to Eng
person to put it in operation. Even a
small factory would be a blessing to the
community. 1t would give employment
to INDECENT women and children, and open
a market TO the farmers for many articles
OF food that they could not otherwise dis
pose of.
Let there be an agricultural associaticn n
formed in each county, and let each coun-
ty be represented in the annual State Con-
ventions, and let each State be represented
in Southern Agricultural Convention, to
be held at some central point, at least
once year. In this way we may secure
harmony and concert of action.
Let the press, and our leading and most
influential citizens throughout the South
take held Of this matter in earnest, and
devote their minds and their energies to
the emancipation and elevation of the
South. Ii we do this we are bound to
succeed. We have slept over our privil-
eges long enough. Let us at once adopt a
policy that cannot fail, in a few years, to
render the Southern people the most
independent, the wealthiest and happiest
On the face of the globe.
With a most delightful climate-a soil
capable of supporting perhaps one hun
dred millions OF people-with our fine nav
igable rivers, and water power sufficient to
run, perhaps, all the machinery in the
world-the South is, to-day, the poorest
section of the United States. While New
England, with an unpropitious climate,
poor soil-incapable of supporting the
present population, is the Wealthiest. How
happened this unnatural state of affairs ?
Simply because through our stupidity the
New York merchants and New England
manufacturers have managed to appropri-
ate to themselves the profits of our labor
for fifty years past, leaving us bare sub
sistence. Where are the proceeds of the
unnumbered million bales of cotton pro-
dCced in the South for the last fifty years
All thrown away and gathered by our ene-
mics.
Slavery, no doubt, was at the bottom of
this evil. The slave owners realized enough
from the sale of their cotton and rice TO
render them comfortable, and they there
fore did not trouble themselves with those
enterprises that were necessary to build
up the material wealth of the South
Slavery is now gone, and it becomes neces-
sary for us to change our system, and adopt
that policy which we should have adopted
fifty years ago. The manufacture of cot
ton and the mechanical arts should have
started with the production OF cotton. Ii
the three branches had grown up together
and kept pace with each other to the pres
ent time, the South would be to- day the
grandest and weaithiest and greatest manu-
featuring district in the world.
It should be borne in mind that if we act
wisely and prudently, we can have no COM
petition in our industrial pursuits. New
England may boast of her great wealth,
and her unlimited machinery, and facili-
ties for manufacturing, but the fountain
head of her great wealth is to great ex-
tent in our power, and if we choose to
control it, her wealth will soon disappear
like the morning dew. New England
cannot produce cotton, and unless We fur
nish the cotton their machinery may rust
and rot. And unless we produce too much
cotton, SO as to come into competition
with each other, in the foreign market We
can have no competition at all.
SoUTHERNER.