Year: 1861




and corn in great abundance. We would
compete with the world in the production
of these. We grow also the tobacco plant
and rice. We live in the land of the fig
tree, the pomegranate and the vine. Hard
ly any thing used as food but it is grown
in the Southern Confederacy, and we could,
if need be, grow an abundance of every
thing except coffee. We therefore have
the means, under the blessings of Heaven,
to support ourselves, and keep upon the
field every variety Of cattle suitable for food
or draft. We therefore can grow bread
enough to support our people and keep
from one hundred thousand to two hundred
thousand men in the field. Let the block
ade last, let the Western people be cut Oh
from trade with US, and within the eleven
ESouthern States we could for years carry
on the war, support ourselves and our ar
mics, and, rather than to be subjugated and
become vassals of Lincoln's power, fight it
out beleaguered by blockade all around.


y But this is not our only capacity. We
grow supplies that the nations Of the earth
must have--that is, the cotton. How the
North is to do without it, as I have said,
I cannot say. Hundreds of thousands are
dependent upon it for their daily bread and
these people are now turned out Of employ
ment. Perhaps they are the men who, for
want of bread, have Joined in this unnatu.
raj and suicidal war, which will be to them
as disas trous as to US. In England perhaps
not less than five millions of people to de-
pend upon cotton for their daily bread; in
France several hundred thousands, if not
millions q am not particular in my stats.
tics) :. And, when you come to take into
consideration the amount of capital, the
number of sailors and the amount of ton
mage employed in this trade, you will be
still more surprised. Why in the United
States, there are forty thouand seamen en-.
gagged in the transportation of cotton alone.
And if you take into account the numbers
in England, France, Germany, Holland and
Bremen engaged in it, you will find that
| it will amount to not less than ten millions Of
people, to say nothing of the hundred mil
lions of money capital engaged in it: This,
therefore, is an element of great power
the great motor of the commerce Of the
4 world. We grow it. There is no part Of
the world that grows it as we do We sup
ply the markets of the world-they must
have it. =. '---'. ..... 20.


2 I meet many asking about the blockade.
cannot to-day tell you how the blockade
| is to be raised. But there is one thing GER
tain-in some way or other it will be OBJ
liged to be raised, or there will be revolu-
ton in Europe-there will be starvation
there Our cotton is the element that will
do it. Steam is powerful, but steam is far
short in it's power to the tremendous power
of cotton IF you look out upon the ocean
to-day, and inquire into the secret agency
of commerce, you will find that it is cotton
that drives it, and the spindles and looms,
from those in your own State to the reno
test quarter of the world, it is this element
of cotton that drives them and it is this
great staple which is the tremendous lever
by which we can work out our destiny, un-
der Providence, I trust, against four times
four hundred thousand. { [Applause.] ]


Upon reasonable and ordinary estimate,
We grow four millions of bales of cotton.
am here to-day to discuss before you the
fifty million loan, but am frank to tell
you, it may be one hundred millions, and
I think it probably will be. The PROPOSE
ton that the Government makes, is not to
tax the people The object of wise and
good Government is to make the burthens
fall as light upon the people as possible, to
meet every exigency. The proposition the
Government makes, therefore, is to take
loan in produce. In the grazing growing
sections the members Of Congress solicit the
loan in grain, army subsistence, meat, corn,
wheat and -four. We are nota grain-grow
ing country. Our supply is cotton. I ad.
dress you, therefore, solely on the subject
of cotton. The object is to get along with
as little tax as possible; but, my country.
men, do not suppose the Government will
not tax you, if necessary; for I tell you the
Government does not intend to be subju.
gated, and if we do not raise the money by
loans, if the people do not contribute,
tell yon we intend to have the money, and
taxation will be resorted to if nothing else
will raise it. Every life and dollar in the
country will be- demanded rather than you
and every one of US shall be overrun by the
enemy. [Applause.] On that you may
count. The Government, while it desires
to carry on the war, establish your indie
pendence, and maintain the Government,
: at the same time wishes to do it in such a
way as not to cripple industry; and while
our men are in the field fighting the bat,
ties of their country, their brcthern at home
are discharging an equal duty, so that no
serious detriment to public property will be
sustained, and we have the element to do
this that no other people in the world have.
i Now then, if four millions Of bales OF
cotton are made, upon an average price
they will bring two hundred millions Of
dollars. If the cotton planter will but lend,
not give-lend to the Government the pro-
ceeds of but one.half, that will be one hun
dred million of dollars, double what the
Government wants, or did want, when
we adjourned-quite enough to keep two
hundred thousand men in the feld-the
balance you can use as you please.


! I NOW will read to VOL. inst at this part