136 
THE SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. 
®l)e Soutljern €ultt«atciv. 
AUGUSTA, GA. 
VOE.. III., NO. 9...SEPTEMKER, 1845. 
The Maine Farmer. 
Our friend and co-laborer, Mr. Holmes, of the 
Maine Farmer, copies two articles from our pa- 
per of July, and speaks of them and of the South 
as in the articles hereunto annexed. We copy 
his remarks, because we are pleased to have our 
efforts to serve the South commended in a quar- 
ter where we might suppose the prevailing inte- 
rest to be that we should continue to indulge 
ourselves in the old folly of depending on others 
for the thousand and one things Yankee thrift and 
ingenuity have contrived to sell to us in times 
past : for instance, that we should continue to 
get Thomaston lime for building, when there is 
in Georgia alone better limestone, and more of 
^ it, than in all Nev.' England put together. But a 
more especial purpose of copying the article of 
the Maine Farmer, is, that we may protest, as we 
now do, against the imputation of referring to 
the action of the Tariff alone by the words “ pil- 
lage according to law.” Not by any means did 
we intend to be so understood. Yet, even if we 
had so intended, we do not see how offence could 
be properly taken thereat, after a New England 
Senator had made the declaration, in the U. S. 
Senate, that the repeal of the Tariff would make 
New England a howling wilderness : — a pretty 
plain admission, we think, that New England 
does live by the pillage of somebody, either ac- 
cording to law or somehow else. But this, most 
unfortunately for the South, has been made a 
topic of party politics, and has, therefore, been 
steadily avoided by us in the conduct of the Cul- 
tivator , We have a higher aim — we take more 
extended views of the subject, and our purpose 
was to be understood as referring to the whole 
system of national finance, revenue and expen- 
diture both, but chiefly the latter. To show how 
the public money is spent so as to impoverish 
the South and enrich other parts of the Union— 
to make Maine prosper, for instance, and Geor- 
gia retrograde in everything— must be very deep- 
ly interesting to the whole cotton planting inte- 
rest, who suffer so severely by the operation of 
the system. But to do this in detail would take 
up too much room. We can but refer to a few 
particulars as sjiecimens of the whole. Where 
are all the large and expensive establishments of 
the United States government — fortifications, 
armories and navy yards— all requiring, to keep 
them up, the disbursement annually of millions 
of money? Who ever heard of a public ship 
being paid off at Savannah or Charleston? Oh 
no ! — the millions that go that way must be paid 
out in Boston, New York and Philadelphia. 
What became of the millions squandered in the 
Florida war? The government, we believe, 
took good care that its favorites in that business 
should be chiefly Northern men. Look at the 
custom-houses and compare the miserable buz- 
zard roosts in Savannah and Charleston with the 
palaces in Boston, New York and Philadelphia, 
costing, each of them, millions of dollars. Why 
has the Post Office Department recently gone to 
New England and got printed fifteen tons of 
blanks to supply eight thousand post offices un- 
der the new law ? Gov. Hill is our authority for 
this. Why does the Navy Department go to 
New England for granite for building a dock at 
the Navy Yard at Pensacola? Answerus that, 
friend Holmes. The Government some years 
ago issued Treasury notes, bearing interest, 
some at six per cent, and some at one mill per 
cent. Somebody in Augusta asked another if he 
knew the reason of this difference. O yes, was 
the reply, the six per cent, notes are for the 
North— the one mill per cent, for the Sonth. 
Now we don’t, by any means, assert this to be a 
true account of the matter ; but that it furnishes 
a very apt illustration of the working of the sys- 
tem there can be no doubt. What say you, Mr. 
Holmes? 
These instances have been thrown together 
just as they occurred to us, v/ithout any attempt 
at arrangement for effect. They are but items 
m a very long account that might be written out. 
They are, however, fair specimens of the whole. 
Is it at all surprising that the cotton growing in- 
terest of the South should, with the late prices 
of our staple, be rapidly sinking under the opera- 
tion of such a system. When cotton could be 
sold for 15 cents per pound, the planter made 
money so fast and so easily that he either did 
not feel, or disregarded the load that was put up- 
on him by his government. But now, with an 
impoverished soil, and a price for cotton that for 
some years past has hardly paid the expense of 
culture, he cannot bear up under it with patience, 
And now let us ask the editor of the Maine 
Farmer, if he were to leave his frozen regions, 
come to the sunny South, and were in the habit 
of seeing all the.se things as we daily see them, 
and as they really are, whether in speaking of 
the working of such a system, and its disastrous 
effects upon the condition of the people among 
whom his lot was cast, he would not be most 
likely to use language, to which the term “ pet- 
ulant” would be altogether inappropriate, as be- 
ing too mild. 
From the Maine Farmer. 
“ Good Lecturing for Home Consumption. 
— The editor of the Southern Cultivator, Mr. 
James Camak, of Athens, Ga., occasionally gives 
his brethren of the “ sunny South,” some whole- 
some advice in his paper, occasionally mingled 
with a hit at us Northrons for meddling some- 
times with some of their institutions, and for be- 
ing as greedy of golden pelf , as they are improvi- 
dent of it. He is right in trying' to rouse up a 
different spirit in his section of country. With 
every advantage which nature could bestow, 
what hinders them from outstripping us in the 
race of industry and prosperity? Nothing but 
their own supineness, backed up by incorrect and 
futile notions of the servility of labor and the no- 
bility of idleness. The following, quoted from 
the Cultivator, shows the amount of their pro- 
ductions, and yet, with all their profusion, they 
cannot exhibit that evidence of thrift, comfort 
and independence that the North can. Why? 
Not from “ the pillage according to law,” which 
he, rather unjustly, not to say petulantly, refers 
to — by which, if we understand him, he means 
the action of the tariff, but from the other cause 
which he mentions.” 
[Here follows our article from the July number 
of the Cultivator, beginning with “Products of 
Southern Industry.”] 
“Now we should rejoice, (continues Mr 
Holmes.) to see the South rise up as one man 
and practice on the advice which he has so inith- 
fully given them. We should rejoice to see them 
carrying their surplus produce to Europe, in 
their own ships, manned by their own sailors. 
We should rejoice to see them starting up manu- 
factures throughout their territory, operated by 
their own citizens. Why may not the spindle 
and the shuttle be heard by the side of the cot- 
ton field? It would perhaps curtail the profits 
of the North somewhat, but it would be produc- 
tive of a great and singular blessing. It would 
create a unity of feeling between us — it would 
strengthen the bonds of the Union, in a common 
interest — it would do away with many false and 
ridiculous notions in regard to the respectability, 
or rather disrespectability of labor — and it would 
destroy much splendid misery that the world 
little knows about, and carry comfort and strength 
into many a family, that are now, perhaps, de- 
pendent on their fellow-beings for support. 
Here is another lecture which he reads them, 
under the title of “ Southern Folly” — he might 
have added, “ Northern Folly too,” for it is hard 
telling which ought to be rewarded with the 
greatest fool’s cap, the South or the North. Any 
community who will play the fool so emphati- 
cally as have the Southerners and Northerners, 
about two old mares, deserve to be reproved ev- 
ery day in the year.” 
[Then follows our article on ‘ Southern Folly.’] 
The Agricultural Press. 
The increase of Agricultural papers, in the 
Southern States especially, is very grati.fying. 
Since our last notice we have received the first 
number of the North Carolina Farmer, a very 
neat and well filled monthly, published atBa- 
leigh, at $1 per annum. 
The Alabama Planter, published weekly at 
Mobile, by W. W. McGuire, at So per annum, 
the first number of which we have received, is 
an exceedingly interesting paper, and, if support- 
ed, according to its merit, by the planters of that 
wealthy State, it must have a very happy influ- 
ence on their interests and character. 
On the 1st of October next will be commenced 
the publication of the '‘New Orleans Commercial 
Times — devoted to Commerce, Agriculture, Lite- 
rature and the Arts.” Tne Agricultural depart- 
ment is to be conducted by ourcorrespondent, Mr. 
Thomas Affleck. V/eneed not say with how' 
much ability the task will be performed. The pub- 
lic have evidence enough of that in the essays of 
Mr. A., heretofore published in the principal 
Agricultural papeis of the United States. 
The American Farmer, the oldest Agricultural 
paper in the Union, has been changed from a 
weekly at $3 per annum, to a monthly at $1. In 
its new form it shows a decided improvement in 
every respect. We wish its intelligent editor, 
Mr. Sands, all the success his spirit and enter- 
prise entitle him to. Judging from the two num- 
bers which we have received, the farmers of Ma- 
ryland are fortunate in having among them so 
able an advocate of their interests. 
The first number of “ The Farmer’s Library,’* 
by J. S. Skinner, has come to hand. So far as 
the publishers, Messrs. Greeley &, McElrath, are 
concerned, the work is very creditable to them. 
It is gotten up in very handsome style. This 
number contains three plates, two of which, the 
portrait of S. Van Rensselaer, and the picture of 
Southdown Prize Weathers, are admirable pro- 
ductions of art. Then, as to the Editorial de- 
partment, it is only necessary to sa)^ that J. S, 
Skinner has charge of it, to satisfy every one, 
that though the subscription is S5 per annum, 
the work will be really worth many times that 
sum. The first part of the number before us, 43 
