Year: 1861

though it would be easy enough TO takS him away
from tho cultivnt o. of one staple, to break him


into another is lot 20 easy. The raising Of cotton,
moreover requires system of labor peculiarly
fitted to Slavery, as that is best which keeps the
slaves longest most steadily at work Cotton does
this for the larger part of the year, even into the
Winter with picking, and would, for that reason
alone, be abandoned reluctantly; while corn is
soon grown and sooner harvested aud leaves the
slaves idle, and time to become discontented. There
arr these practical difficulties in the way of any
extensive changes in the agriculture Of the South
in single season. which render it improbable that
the crop of cotton will be much diminished this
year.


But much cotton is little corn, and little corn
is starvation. The inevitable result Of ole years
experience of this sort will be to force the
planters to attempt to overcome the diiiicultias
We have just been considering, aud turn Their at.
tenton to tue raising Of food, not so much from
| prudent forethoueht as the dire pressure OF ABB
soute hunger. And this effort viii be stimulated
by the fact that the present crop OF Gotten, or
large portion of it, must, if the war continues,



| there for two reasons: it cannot get to market
BY sea- and conjunction Of circumstances may
make il desirable both to them aud to US that il
sho,Hd not 90 by land. But, if it goes at oil, 1t
goes only by our permission, and mono certainly
would be allowed 10 be forwarded belonging TO
or claimed by the iasureent Government, what
ever may be the case with that in private hands.
1t is impossible, uuless the war iS finished before
tho new crop is ready for market, but that dis
tubances of this character shall utterly disar
range the usual supply of cotton from this coun-
try; indeed, were there no other reason for
apprehehdDg it, the mere want Of baggng must
be a very serious obstacle 10 moving the crop.


The events Of the lost six months have given
grea. Ell uulus 10 the cotton'cnltnre in VarIous
parts of the world, aud that will oe much aug
mented by the absence Of half or third oi
crop this year from this country, and by the
actual consequent decrease IN the CULTIVATION the
wear after. To all these causes we must add
the disorganizaton Of society at .hc South, Tie
great destruction Of actual war, the necessity Of
years of industry and prosperity to bring that
region back to the condition Of three months
ago; and the moral influence upon EDgland,
prompting her to free herself as speedily as pos
sibe from dependence upon country reduced to
su:h u condition for staple Of such vast
Importance 10 her. II is to u.s. therefore,
very difficult to believe that the Southern
S,atas of this Coniederacy are to continue
the great cotton producer Of the world, even
though the war rhould be ended within year;
but # IL promises " continue two, the prosperity
of the South, SO far ~ cotton is concerned, has
gone forever. There will come tho time, pro-
dicted by John Randolph, when tho master will
ay from tho slayo, and not the slave from the


master. The question is 8 very serious one for
England, snd hex wi-est and SPeedicst sslHtion is
tho stimulation Of tine culture Of cotton III other
reg,apa