The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1874-01-15
For the anderson Mtelligeneer.
The Bloody Reiqn of King Cotton.

% MR. EDITOR: The many readers of your fine
County paper were delighted to be able to vel
come it back again otheir homes and fresides,
for it is to them messenger of Joy and comfort.
It was natural that you should have desired
short respite from your monotonous labor, du-
ring the Christmas holidays; and you were
certainly justi6able in yielding to that inelina-
tien. ~. -.
But Christmas has past BY and, alas an
other year has come and gone A new year
has dawned upon as; and it is to be fondly
hoped that new life and energy may come
along with it, and arouse our people to re-
newed exertions in all the praiseworthy voca-
tions of life. 49,. = --~pf
It has been time.honored proverb, that
Experience is the best of. teachers" and there
is none other more pregnant with truth. In
deed, the sad experience Of the past, year, in
regard to the cotton crop, should be solemn
warning to all who would depart from course
full of danger, and pursue one not so hazard
Gus, but much surer to lead to ultimate success.
Let the honest farmer not become so reckless
an adventurer as to run the fearful risk OF
being deprived of house and home, and OF
seeing those who are dearer to him than life
thrown upon the cold mercy of this rude world,
simply in consequence Of having ventured all
on the success Of one cotton crop.
" This is no idle talk, for many have been the
sufferers by the ipordinate. passion that has
seized our planters for letting everything be
sacrificed to that wonderful thing they are
pleased to term King, and which has really
become a god, to which they bow in humble
supplication morning, noon and night!
Now it is quite true that cotton can be SO
used, or managed, as to have it become power
in the land, even more potent than it at pres
ent is; but this laudable end cannot be at
tained by our enslaving ourselves to it. 1t
should be made the grand groundwork OF the
wealth and commercial greatness OF the South !;
but it should not be allowed to stride over the
once fertile plains of this now fated region,
making them. barren wastes, by, absorbing
all substance from the soil, whilst nothing IS
returned by way of recuperation. ''
e One who has spent much time in the lower
part of this State can see the fatal effects Of this
disastrous course very plainly; but it's not con-
fined to that portion of the country entirely.
Even here, around Williamson, the baneful
influence Of the raging mania is making itself
felt. tis almost incredible that the extensive
cultivation of cotton is carried on within sight
of the mountains! From a lofty eminence IN
this town the eye can easily discern the snow
capped peaks of the Blue Ridge; and yet,
wonderful to tell, numerous fields are to be
seen, here and there, covered over with white
particles, resembling snowfakes! Yes, 1t IS
true that, instead Of retracing his steps, the
powerful king is steadily on the advance, and
has we'll nigh extended his vast dominnlonss to
the base of the mountain range. He has sub
dued fertile fields, and chased away the we'll
fed cattle from the green hills; and now, alas!
he is even preparing to enter upon another
bold campaign, in which he proposes to climb
the mountain heights, to win for himself new
dominions in a new land, and to erect lofty
throne upon some towering peak, which rears
its head proudly into the sublime regions OF
perpetual snow!
But even there, reigning in his palatial
mansion, constructed of smooth slabs OF crys-
tai ice, as polished as the costliest white mar
BILE, and as durable IS the Egyptian pyramids,
he will not be content. Alexander the Great,
after he had become master Of Greece, Persia,
India, and many other countries, actually wept
because there was not another world for him
to conquer. Just so will it be with the blood
thirsty tyrant, who is now subduing the New
World. He will descend from his crystal, pal
ace and begin his second grand campaign.
The wide extent of prairie land between the
Allegheny and the Rocky Mountains will fall
an easy prey, for the ranks of the invaders
hosts will be alarmiugly swelled by myrlads OF
recruits from the Mississippi valley. Thus re-
enforced, no human obstacle can impede his
progress and, like the great Napoleon, ne Will
penetrate the mountain fastnesses in the dead
of winter; and, like the renowned Hannibal,
he will descend upon the smiling fields that
are blooming with all the freshness and rich
ness of the once famed wales of Southern Italy.
The burning of ten thousand Moscows could
not turn him from his determined course; anu
the raging flames would only serve to cheer on
the ruthless, invaders to the preparation OF
crimes, such as are not committed by humane
foes, even in the dread hours of midnight
darkness There would be no Fabius to
check their onward march by his strategy and
skill, despite the murmurings Of an ungratefni
Senate, and soon the tyrant would be standing
in the blue waters of the broad Pacific, not
commanding them to be chastised with chain
but slashing asunder, with his huge sword, the
spark-crested waves of the angry deep4
Now, the true friends of liberty will suppose
that the despot's ambition has been at last