70 
SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. 
brought about. In 50, or 100 years, masters may be 
moving them to Mexico, Central and South America to 
t>e relieved of the responsibility of maintaining them. 
Who now, in any of the countries of Europe or Asia, 
would, for their labor, take one hundred men, women and 
children, and be responsible for their support, as we are 
for our slaves 'I But how will the poor get homes, when 
land is scarce and labor so low 1 We all know that the 
slaveholder is able to, and does, seize all the best land 
now. It is mu^h more important to have a home than a 
wild African. 
Statesmanship looks to the future, as well as the pre 
sent. But we would be injured as fast as the Africans 
could be introduced. The first effect would be to bring 
down the price of cotton. Some assert the paradox that 
increase in the supply does not effect the price of cotton, 
because, accidentally, and from extraneous causes, prices 
have sometimes ruled hi^h on a large crop. But I do not 
know that we need lay the reason for it to accident, for a 
high price may rule when a large crop in coming forward, 
consistently with orthodox political economy. Cotton 
so large an article of commerce that the effect of supply 
may not, and I apprehend is not, felt under a year, or 
perhapslonger, after it is made. By the time the crop is be- 
ing moved to the interior towns, then to the sea ports, then 
to Liverpool, then to the factories, then into the hands of 
those who give orders, then to the sea ports of the con- 
suming world, then to the interior towns, and then, by 
the thousand rills of conveyance, to the retailers, and then 
finally, to the consumer, I apprehend, quite a year will 
have elapsed. But we have not computed all the time, 
for it will take some time for the retailer to know that the 
consumer is over supplied, by his refusing to buy, and 
this knowledge, which will make what is called the reac- 
tion, will take, perhaps, as long in travelling from the 
consumer to the gin house, as the cotton was in taking 
the track that I have so tediously gone through, 
So the short crop of last year and year before, may now 
be sustaining the price of the present large crop, by 
furnishing the spinner with the orders now in Manches- 
ter. And on the other hand, by the time the present 
large crop shall have taken the route I have just indicated, 
and have reacted back on Manchester by a scarcity of 
orders, a short crop may be coming forward, for sale at 
low prices ; because the spindles cannot go without or- 
ders, and the orders cannot be had because the consumer 
will be wearing goods made of the present large crop. 
Let no man flatter himself that the inexorable laws of 
political economy are different with cotton from any other 
article of consumption. So that increase of labor will 
bring increase of crop, and in the long run a reduction 
in price, as certainly as any cause in nature will bring 
its legitimate results. Hast thou found honey 'I eat so 
much as is sufficient for thee, lest thou be filled therewith, 
and vomit it. It is said of Alfierri, “ that he thought Italy 
and England the only countries worth living in; the 
former because there nature vindicates her rights, and 
triumphs over the evils inflicted by government; the 
latter, because art conquers nature, and transforms a rude, 
ungenial land into a paradise of comfort and plenty.” 
But in our slave States both these advantages are com- 
bined, and will improve if we will let well enough alone, 
I have been hearing, for half a century, of the good 
time that was coming, but it never arrived till the year 
1858. Abundant crops; cotton, and every thing that 
makes cotton high, and every thing else low ; and the 
crowning advantage is the State has been during the year 
without barbecues, speeches, or elections. Can the man 
who calculates the eclipses tell us when such a year will 
come again? I have often thought of the application to 
our case of an anecdote I once heard from my friend Gen, 
H. He resided in the same tov/n with Judge C,, both of 
whose doors, it would seem, had for years been “ham- 
mering places” for petty collecting agents and ministerial 
officers of the courts. Judge C., finally took refuge upon 
one of the islands on the coast by marrying a rich widow, 
who resided there. Coming to the town after the honey- 
moon, and meeting his old and persecuted friend, Gen. 
H , and who looked as ifhe needed sacutuary, invited 
him to the island; telling him that he could read when 
he chose, sleep when he wished, hunt when he desired, 
and not a d d constable on the island. Now, when 
my eyes have been swimming with pleasure at viewing 
the gushing abundance of our harvests, knowing their 
high value, and the general prosperity and health of our 
people, 1 my heart has overflowed with gratitude ; but 
when the crowning blessing of the year, that there was 
not a candidate in the country, if in the State, suggested 
itself, I have felt the unutterable joy of Judge C., at the 
absence of constables fr©m his Eibn. Now, Messrs. Edi- 
tors, open the African slave trade, and there will be an 
end to this prosperity. The price of cotton, and of our 
slaves will come down, and the abundance of money 
which has kept our people’s property off the sheriff’s block 
will disappear and go to the Northern shipper for slaves. 
And, as an additional argument to the “ sound men on 
the slavery question,” the Northern people will receive 
immense benefit in having our cotton at four and five to 
cents to make red handkerchiefs, to supply us with slaves 
for our hard dollars. The Northern shipper and manu- 
facturer are aware of all this ; for they are as sharp in 
discovering their interest as modern chivalry is, as to 
how and when the greatest amount of bullying can be 
enjoyed with the least possible risk of danger. But they 
are controled now by the “sound” anti-slavery men, who 
in their madness and folly are as incompetent to reason 
correctly on the subject as their prototypes of the South. 
They are wiser in their own conceit than seven men that 
can give a reason. 
To a humane and Christian people it is pleasant to feel 
that slaves are humanely treated, for the greater their 
value the greater the security for the exercise of humani- 
ty. At their present prices is it economy to take good 
care of them, if other motives than humanity are wanting 
for their protection. But let them be reduced to one-fourth 
of their present value, and it is not to be feared that many 
owners would work one to death to buy two more 1 
Many men. North, have manfully stood by our rights, 
and I can well appreciate the difficulties they must have 
encountered in such a contest in supporting the right, in 
the face of these “sound” anti-slavery foes. But we cannot 
expect, if they have the African slave trade to shoulder, but 
that the camel’s back will be broken. The advocacy of the 
African slave trade by the South will most certainly put 
the abolitionists into power in the Union, and if we have 
any friends there who can stand this test, why then we 
may try the eating ordeal ; for then they can swallow 
that too, and live and conquer. 
But, if the trade is to be opened, let it be done accord- 
ing to law. For, if the country is to be ruined let it be 
ruined according to law, and not give all the advantage 
to smugglers who will make immense fortunes at other 
men’s expense. At the present prices of slaves, without 
great vigilance by land aud water, they will be smuggled, 
in defiance of law. Open the trade at once fairly, so as 
to give us all a chance, or close it effectually. If fortunes 
are to be made, there is no reason why a preference should 
be allowed to law breakers. 
Why, Messrs. Editors, if labor is so important now, 
might we not introduce coolies ? I ask the question, be- 
cause I do not feel sufficiently informed to answer it. But 
it seems to me that if the Spaniards, French and English 
find them profitable, we can make them so ; for I w'ould 
rely on the energy of Southern planters making more out 
