Year: 1861




The Hon. Thomas J. Hudson, of Missis-
sippi, President Of the Southern Planters
Convention, authorizes us to announce that
he has decided to call this body to convene
at Memphis on the 10th Of December.


The first session of this convention, ss
viii be remembered, was held at Nashville,
in this State, on the 10th day of October,
1893; the last at Holly Springs, Mississippi,
Oct. 18th, 1860.


The present political condition of the
country renders its active encouragement of
the greatest Importance. While the atten-
tion of our government is absorbed in efforts
to establish our political independence upon
sound and permanent basis, there yet re-
mains a duty for the commercial and agri-
cultural communities of the South to per
form, which win exert an influence upon our
destiny less potent than the success of our
arms upon the field. The commercial Con-
vention has already met at Macon, Georgia,
and made known the wants and sentiments
of that class of our people. They have
thrown considerable light upon the true
financial condition of the Confederate States
and have advanced suggestions which, if
properly considered, win give tone and char
acter to the future policy Of the authorities
at Richmond.


E Itis now the privilege as we'll as the duty
of the planters to speak They, as the ag-
ricultural interest, constitute the main stay
of our Confederaey, and are certainly bear
ing the greater portion Of the burdens and
inconyeniences of this war for Southern in
dependence. Upon them we must depend
for the support and maintenance of our ST.
mics, so long as the conflict may be kept up
by the frenzied madness of abolition fanai-
cism. It is proposed as one Of the objects
0f this c0Uveufian IN
cultural, mechanic, and even man ufacturing
industry, and thus, by concentrating the ef-
forts of all who are laboring to deyelope the
resources Of the South, stimulate every de-
partment Of industry among us. How this
can be best accomplished is the question to
be adjudicsted by g multitude of counsel
lors," in whom there is supposed to be mnch
wisdom.


Other questions Of Importance, too, viii
be elected. In view of the existing war,
and the improbabiiity of the blockade being
speedily raised by foreign interference. it
viii be well for the planters to have some
definite and authoritative understanding
with each other in regard to the amount of
cotton which it win be advisable to plant
during the ensuing season 1t is certainly
the part Of wisdom not to rely upon any
doubtful contingency for obtaining the very
food which We are to put in our mouths,
when it lies in the power of Southern agri-
culturists to fully meet the supply by .
joint agreement TO settle upon q policy the
necessity of which forces itself urgently up
on the mind Of the whole country. In what
ratio it viii be wen to reduce the cotton
crop of the next year, whether by fifty, sew
enty-fve or hundred per cent, requires
no little discrimination, and it remains to
be decided by the planters with patriotic
impartiality, We trust, looking equally to
the public veal ss to their own individual
interests. s --s
Under these circumstances it is earnestly
to be hoped that the Planters Convention
will prove q success. To be such, it must
be brought prominently before the country
by the Southern press, and have delegs-
tions from every State in the Confederacy.
In the absence Of delegates from various
communities, or even in addition to them,
the Governors Of the several States ought to
assume the responsibility Of appointing
them. In this way large attendance can
be secured with certainty, and without this
result the whole enterprise win attrsct but
little attention, If it does not eyentuate In
complete failure. Let the subject be only
discussed, with o proper exposition of the
advantages to be reaped and the ends to be
attained by this organization, and our word
for it, we win see one Of the largest, most
practical and intelligent body Of men as
sembled in this city on the 18th proximo
that has ever convened before for purposes
Of deliberation in the history Of the coun-
try-MemPhis Appeal, 9Th.