The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1882-01-04

oAOh W NloIe VIC NOtGOll LA pOo4l4Oh
at Atlanta:
GRAYsToNE, Dee. II.
To the Executive Committee of
the International Cotton Exposition,
Atlanta Gentlemen-I have the
honor to receive your resolutions iu-
viting me to visit the international
Cotton Exposition as your guest, and
designating Messrs. Robert Tanna-
hill, J. II. Inman and NJ. B. Field
ing as a special committee to COM
municate them to me- l have also
had the honor Of personal presen-
tation of copy of the resolutions at
the hands Of those gentlemen, ac-
companied by Gov. Colquitt, the
president ofthe exposition, and Gen.
Gordon
1t is with much regret that | feel
obliged to deny myself the great
pleasure tcndered me with such dis
tinguished courtesy 1t would de-
light me to Interchange friendly
greetings with the citizens whom |
should expect to meet at Atlanta,
and to avail myself Of so favorable
an opportunity for observing with
my own eyes the clements of in
dustrial growth which promise a fu-
ture Of marvellous prosperity to the
Southern States. Above all desire
to contribute my influence, however
inconsiderablo il may be, toward en-
couraging Il movement to organize
investigation and intelligence con
corning subjects of vast interest, not
to the South alone, but to our whole
country and the world.
| may venture to hope that the
public spirit which created and has
sustained this exposition is not ex-
haustod, but that the signal success
Of this first essay will induce similar
efforts, attract increasing public at
tention to them, and secure for them
wider cooperation and moro per-
feet development.
The last time | visited those is
| lands. which were the homes of
most of our ancestors, ] realized
what q benefaction it was that had
set in these heavens a sun which is
generally radiant and sometimes
| blazing. It is what cIimatologists
call the upward curve in.the hourly
and daily tides of heat which makes
our $50, 100000 bushels of wheat q
sure crop, which ripens our 1850
100000 bushels of corn, and which
enables us to grow 100000 bales
of the best and cheapest cotton.
The invention which separates by
machinery the fibre of the cotton
from the seed gave new comfort
to every freside. Better clothing
at less cost was a boom to mankind
The sfact that one-half of the
present cotton crop is the product
of white labor has dispellod the IL
lusion that the Caucasian race has
been excluded by Providence fton
their natural share is so important {
culture, an assures in the future al
ample supply of labor from sources
of indefinite extent. This result de
rives momentous Importance from
she fact that the actual culture o
the cotton is now applied to less
than one-thirtieth part of the land:
embraced in the cotton belt.
The development of your agricul
tural industries will soon be follow
ed by manufactures. A mature
community, while it is enlargine
the positive volume of its externa
commerce, increases the proportion
of domestic manufactures which en-
ter into the local consumption. Tht
advantage of a superior adoption 0
climate, soil, and other spontaneous
! bounties of nature, and Of a geo
graphical contiguity to the market
are a legitimate protection to th'
local industries, founded on tht
greatest productiveness of human
labor in supplying the wants 0
man, and upon the utmost saving il
the cost of transportation betweei
the producer and consumer. /
contrasts with the artificial device
of legislation, always unskillful AM
often perverted by selfish greed
which generally have the effect {
diminishing the productive powe
of human labor, just as if the so
were rendered less fertile or the cl
mate less genial by act of congre'
in order TO enable the deluded ben,
: ficiary to make some profit out
, enterprises otherwise unremuneri
} tive. The South is rich in natur
capacities of production, as y
mainly unappropriated. 10 utilii
; these capacities is a benefcent pr
: cess. Its results may come, not
: fast or so soon as some may hoI
]. but / predict that when they
! come they will in their magnitu
v Transcend the anticipations of t
4 most sanguine. f4