The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1897-04-12
"MUDSILL" HAMMOND
Ex-Governor Of South Carolina Who Said
Cotton Is King"
ARP ON THE DINGLEY BILL
The Philosopher Sees Prophecy in
the Speech of the Carolinian
in 1853.
written for The Constitution.)

Cwritten for The Constitution.)
In my last letter / said that i did not
know who first said cotton IS king"
This admission of my ignorance seems to
have surprised and awakened some of
my Carolina friends and now l know from
many sources chat Ex-Governor Ham
mond said it In a speech In the United
States senate In 1858. during the debate on
the admission of Kansas. 1t was a great
speech. for he was great man. II was a
states right speech such as Calhoun might
have made. and in It, he said: mo. sir,
you dare not make war on Cotton-cotton
is king Until lately the bank of Eng
land king. but last fall she tried TO
put the screws upon our cotton crop and
was utterly vanquished-cotton is king"
That speech gave much offcnse at the
north and for him the title Of Mud
sill Hammond" for in II he said: "In all
social systems there must be "A class to
do the drudgery of lfe-a class requiring
but a low order OF intellect and but little
skill. This class must have vigOr. docili-
~ and fidelity. Such "A class you must
have or you would not have that other
and higher class which leads progress.
refinement and civilization. This inferior
class constitutes the very mudsils OF
ciety and of government. and you might
as we'll attempt 10 build house In the air
as to build except upon the mudsills.
Fortunately for the south. she has a race
adapted to that purpose. We Call them
slaves-a word discarded by ears polite.
but you have similar class at the north.
Yes you have it-it is there. it is every
where. II IS eternal"
] remember how the northern press scar
flied him for his mudsill speech. but he
spoke the truth and Il is still the truth.
and more so for the mudslls are more
numerous now In proportion TO population.
Almost everybody in this region is a mud
sill. and If that Dingley tariff bill becomes
a law the masses will all be mudsllls for
the privileged and protected classes. The
common people of n nation can never pros
per under protective tariff until man
can lift himself up by the straps on his
boots. Only the protected VIII prosper and
they are but a small class compared with
the unprotected. Even Mr.. Atkinson. the
Boston statesman. says the Dngley bin
viii prove burden on the people and
bring IN but little revenue.
But I did not intend TO branch OF on
this tariff question. though IL is an alarm
ing and serious one 10 the southern people
for We manufacture nothing 10 speak Of
Everything I'm this room where ] am writ
Ing .same fsom the north. / have been
working IN my garden all day with north
crn tools ana even the wheelbarrow has
the stamp of Grand apids" upon Il. l
didn't use 20 be mudsil.. but ! am now
and my hands are so cramped by digging
and forklng the ground that / can hardly
hold the pen in my fingers
But Senator Hammond ala not that
word in any invidious sense He did not
mean TO sling mud at anybody. He had
built a mill on his farm and knew that
IL was necessary for the mudsill to be
SUNK teep down below the water and
f'lsand or else the hoods would wash
ssoway. Protection p~pi,-. ''''ii r.-' /
ye5r or half year OF ard
! me Goulds and Astors anu
md perish We are told li'aS
e,c~ a week supply o. - |
- ana those millionaire |
yrouldna walk 20 the |
.f,ar 81 am mighty soiry io' -
...n and helpless people 1N"' ,ult
- stop running and the ta,fers
,t,io- AMI all the but''ie. ,,e and
80 he closed for lack OF p.,-,,,td he
Snot'7 ,1'.r...s oct out OF food what ""N'N
an '''' ~. n,flionaires In New YORK 'leS
NJ, would be as helpless az ,.r,I5 he
- 80, : PAINTED ocean. Fhey ""''r ,,-tll
hiiP ~, Raise. who saws ne
nv man mlllVh r-he
lyn restore his SIN. FOR
,,lsius must not be e,lollfng
-. ~, the only class VINO a'S 49,, ..b,.
,ti,,. for the Lord SAM !" ~. nr..al d"
~. sweat Of thy face sh'l' NJ ,,,a n ir is
- am a muds,ll righ' now 81 +,
es' ~ brfnas a blessing WIN = N
"a eur a manual labor ana - -
a. i sweat of persplra''"i'' ,,.orl,
e 9syg and feel proud Of my @ny dignity
and and Mrs Arp gets of her MAJ ' have done
ana walks out to see Mi ,,,,r,Fs az appro-
ana eond Tast satisaes me TN next morn
ba'"'. york some more before ~
MS -, ,,,l,es me forget 20 bio"'
las. ,,t.1.s and il gives me s''" -
liillT and my food disrs'9 49,
-'eep -y Os oaI with the "ish,m ,,'i'i,
don'' ni Try privilege 70 be mnds' ,,,r.
,raylnaudad son Of toh for i nea 5Tep'{
GOOD 'Sd health and er- MS made out Of an
his Creat9 on, ' Se must return Adam Won Won
and az IN gn,' garden ana g 90 wh GyT he s'f1 o,
around ana smiled WIs t on e s@e On On me. 50 j.
and SOD; 50 Dor ron A. on. il wont anect what
me ~ IN my garden. l reckon 4trr. ARP.