Year: 1861

1t would be unkind to deprive the Cotton
State agitators of the refined and humane en-
joyment which they derive from their pictures
of food riots in the Northern cities and of
professions of starving laboriug men thrown
out of employ, marching through the streets,
bearing the heads of Republican leaders on
pixies, and with frcbrands in o. hand and
arms in the other, demanding bread or blood i;
all of which is to be brought about by the
withdrawal of Southern custom, and by the
financial reyulsi0n which Southern rebellion
has brought upon the country.


A picture at once so pleasing to the refined
mind, and which affords much consolation
under their own diStresses, should not be light
ly destroyed. But lest they should allow the
wolf which is at their OWE doors, to tear out
their bowels while they are waiting the reali-
zltion of their wishes in the North, they had
better leave of the indulgence of these happy
fances, and inform themselves of the real con
dtien s5f afflirs in both sections. That we
arc now suffering reverses, when we have all
the clements Of prosperity, and when, with
stable Government, we shonld be enjoying the
highest prosperity, is true. 1t is true that
more men are ont Of employment than is uSu-
el at this sensCn of the year. But if the Sc
cessionisis expect to suffer until they cause
food riots in the North, or any general suffer
ing among laboring men, they had better COM
nit suicide at once, for the population of every
Cotton State will starve while they are wait
ing to realize it. A proper understanding OF
the relative condition of the two sections
would go far to lower the pretensions of the
Secessunsts. and to establish friendly rcla-
tions. The Cotton section habitually regards
itself as the pivot on which the nation turns.
They think that the world must have their
cotton or empires would cruHblc into ruins
Yet falling off of one-fGth OF the cetton crop
threatens general suspension of payments in
the Cotton States What would become of
them if they were cut off Fl ON market for one
year Freedom does not make starving la
borers any more dangerous. There is no en-
pire, nor set of manufacturers that could not
better endure to have the cotton production
cut off for a year than the Cotton States
could. What is so necessary as food? Yet
the producer might as well talk of stopping
his supply of food, as the cotton planter talk
of Withholding his cotton from market. The
dependence is mutual and that is all.


But the SeccSsionistS even believe that they
consume the greater part of the imported
goods, and of the goods manufactured at the
North, and therefore that they furnish the rev
enues to support the Government and the
greater part of the employment for Northern
laborers. This is more ignorant delusion
than the other. No statistics are necessary to
show this, except those of population and a
general knowledge of the industry of the two
sections. The North has twice the white pop
ulation Of the South. In the South, the
greater part Of the agricultural labor is done
by slaves. 1t would be moderate to estimate
that on an average every laboring man in the
North consumes as much of imported and
manufactured goods as four slaves. Compar-
ed with the slaves on the cotton plantations
the disproportion is probably much greater
And the class known in the Cotton States as
/ the poor whites, probably consume less o
these commodities than the slaves.


NoFther agriculture is carried on chiefly by
farms of one or two hundred acres, generally
worked by the owners, who are liberal custom
ers for all the agricultural implements ant
machines, and for all the appliances of com
fort and of moderate degree of luxury


which will be found to mnch greater eXten
among the farmers of the North than among
the planters at the South. A consideration o
these facts, which are universally known, anC
of the different forms of industry in the TIVE
sections, will dispose of the idea that tn


South is the chief support of the North, o
of the federal revenue.


Yhe North coners benefits on the South b


the Union. She owes nothing to it. Sh
pays, probably three-quarters of the revenu


of the Government and the Cotton State


draw most literally upon it. South Caroline
+ which is now praying Tor famine riots and 10
fire-braHtls and pixies, and the cry of bread


blood in the Northern cities, cings with tn


grip of a drowning man to the $4,000


which she draws from the North to pay TO


supplying her with postal accommodations
The arms and forts which she has stolen troT
, the Government were three-quarlers paid 70
by the Northern labor which she desires I
reward with starvation.


We are willing to allow that the relation


between the two countries are of mutual ben
eft, If they can be made iricnly but it an.


excessive obligation is claimed from the Nortl


to the South, we should like to huTe bill