Cotton is king, and pro-slavery arguments : $b comprising the writings of Hammond, Harper, Christy, Stringfellow, Hodge, Bledsoe, and Cartwright, on this important subject
History
Cotton is king, and pro-slavery arguments : $b comprising the writings of Hammond, Harper, Christy, Stringfellow, Hodge, Bledsoe, and Cartwright, on this important subject
Scott, Dred, 1809-1858; Slavery -- Justification; Slavery -- United States; United States -- Fugitive slave law (1850)
KING COTTON is a profound statesman, and knows what measures will best
sustain his throne. He is an acute mental philosopher, acquainted with
the secret springs of human action, and accurately perceives who can
best promote his aims. He has no evidence that colored men can grow his
cotton, except in the capacity of slaves. Thus far, all experiments made
to increase the production of cotton, by emancipating the slaves
employed in its cultivation, have been a total failure. It is his
policy, therefore, to defeat all schemes of emancipation. To do this, he
stirs up such agitations as lure his enemies into measures that will do
him no injury. The venal politician is always at his call, and assumes
the form of saint or sinner, as the service may demand. Nor does he
overlook the enthusiast, engaged in Quixotic endeavors for the relief of
suffering humanity, but influences him to advocate measures which tend
to tighten, instead of loosing the bands of slavery. Or, if he can not
be seduced into the support of such schemes, he is beguiled into efforts
that waste his strength on objects the most impracticable; so that
slavery receives no damage from the exuberance of his philanthropy. But
should such a one, perceiving the futility of his labors, and the evils
of his course, make an attempt to avert the consequences; while he is
doing this, some new recruit, pushed forward into his former place,
charges him with lukewarmness, or pro-slavery sentiments, destroys his
influence with the public, keeps alive the delusions, and sustains the
supremacy of KING COTTON in the world.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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