EXPENSE AND RESULTS OF SOUTHERN PLANTING. 329 



under that of '42. Most of the articles consumed by him are so reduced by do- 

 mestic competition as to admit of no greater reduction in price by the change to 

 Free Trade. There may be occasional reductions from glutted markets, but no- 

 thing permanent, especially if the y»«//7// of the domestic fabric be compared 

 with the foreign. All this, however, we will be able to lest, for the new Tariff 

 will last long enough to afford us the opportunity, though I am not willing to 

 admit that it will be the permanent policy of our Government. Salt will un- 

 doubtedly be reduced in price some 10 or 15 cents a sack. Iron will not, for a 

 reason that will alike operate on sugar. I am now free to admit that the price 

 of the latter is not likely to be so reduced as to interfere with new investments 

 of capital and labor in its production. But if the price to the consumer is not 

 reduced, where the benefit of the reduction of duty ? "Will not the reduction go 

 into the pocket of the foreign producer? The price of batrging cannot be lower 

 under the new Tariff; for it cannot be imported free of duty and sold for less 

 than the Louisville prices of last summer and spring, to wit: 1\ to 8 cents; 

 and but for the protective system, we never slmuld have had domestic bagging, 

 but still have been dependent on the foreign fabric, the quality of which is fully 

 one to one and a half cents per yard inferior to the domestic. 



I therefore cannot see wherein the cotton-planter is to be benefited by the new 

 Tariff; and I may be pardoned for my obtuseuess, but not suspected of willful 

 blindness. 



Why is it, that with the opening of the ports of Great Britain, and the im- 

 mense demand for our bread stufl's consequent upon another short crop in Europe, 

 and the almost total and universal destruction of the potato crop, there should 

 be so little importation of foreign goods ? Why is it that exchange on England 

 is so far below its legitimate par ? If our new Tariff has invited importations, 

 why is it that we do not see the effect of large orders on the rate of exchange ? 

 The reason is obvious : our own importers believe the country will buy no more 

 than it will consume ; and they arc willing to lea e the exporters to bring back 

 their returns in gold. Is the cotton-planter to be benefited by this? If returns 

 could be made in British goods, with any reasonable hope of profit, surelv there 

 would be no returns in gold. Is it not fair, then, to assume that a greatly en- 

 larged consumption will not necessarily follow a modification of the TariH" of '42 ? 

 That our markets may and will be glutted by foreign fabrics is possible, nay 

 probable, and the price of commodi»ies reduced thereby ; but it will be bv British 

 manufacturers, to get clear of surplus stocks ; and the effect will be but tem- 

 porary. 



But I have already written more, much more, than I intended. I hope S. B. 

 will not attribute to me a desire to prolong a controversy which is not likely to 

 result in conviction on either side. My only object is to satisfy him that out of 

 Carolina there are persons who do not hold to the Carolina doctrines. 



I am free to confess that there is the strongest probability the '■' true cotton 

 res^ion" will be found farther north than 31° 30' — nay, I am disposed to think 

 that for the next ten years it will be found to be north of 33°, and in ten years 

 after, north of 35°. I believe the whole region south of 33° Avill be, to a great 

 extent, abandoned as a cotton producing country. We have fearful indications 

 that this will be the result ; and /lotv far north the culture may be pushed or 

 found advantageous, time will soon tell. 



Before I conclude, let me assure S. B. that I had no wish by my first commu- 

 nication to invite South Carolina planters to migrate to this region ; I could not 

 conscientiously do it. For the last seven years in this parish we have not aver- 

 aged 5 bales (or 2,000 lbs.) to the hand, and this year not one and a half hales. 

 It would be preposterous if not wicked and cruel to invite planters from any sec- 

 lion, into this region, and I have too high an opinion of the chivalry of the Caro- 

 linians to expect them to settle among the rcpudiators of our sister State. 



.\. V. z. 



Rapides, La., lltli November, 1846. 



P. S. I owe you an apology, Mr. Editor, for this long communication, the 

 greater part of which may be deemed improper in a periodical such as yours ; 

 but I promise you this shall be my last. 



The Editor tnists that no friend caii misiuiderslaiid him. The object of his first and 



greatest anxiety is, that the readers of this Joiuiial, and AuiericaD agricultm-ists generally, 

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