Free Labor Cotton Growers in the Slave States

Free Labor Cotton Growers in the Slave States

The readers of the Citizen, and, in fact, the community generally, are aware that there are a great many free labor producers scattered through the Southern States, who grow cotton in small quantities with their own hands. It is probably that 100,000 bales are grown in this manner, and mixed with the common product of the country on its way to the Northern States or to Europe. The Free Labor Produce Association of Philadelphia has taken great pains to find out that addresses of above a hundred of these small growers, and to purchase their cotton, and keep it free from contact with slavery on its way to that city. Up to within a few weeks, not one had been found who produced more than six bales a year. But a friend has just shown us a letter from his sister, the wife of a free labor farmer in Texas, which communicates a very interested fact. She write: "Tell Elihu Burritt that Mr. L. made twelve bales of cotton, weighing 450 lbs. each, six or seven hundred bushels of corn, &c., without a negro on the place, and with only his three young boys to help; and Mr. L. was sick last fall for five or six weeks, so that he could not be with them in picking cotton." The oldest of these sons is but fourteen; so this very interesting case shows the productive capacity of free labor in growing this important staple. This is by far the largest crop produced in this way on one farm, of which we have as yet heard. We have written to this farmer to inquire if there are others doing like him in his vicinity. Speaking of the industry of her oldest son, Mrs. L. observes: "He can pick 250 lbs. of cotton in a day, and even Amos can pick 170." "Texas," she adds, "would be a great country if we had railroads to bring up our groceries from the Gulf, and for the convying of our cotton to the different ports. As it is now, they charge more freight on groceries than a planter can afford to pay. We yesterday received three barrels, viz., sugar, flour and molasses, one sack of coffee, one of salt, and the charge form Indianola, ninety miles distant, was $30. They ask $2 50 per hundred for hauling at this season of the year, as the roads are bad. Flour costs $16 or $18 by the time we get it here, and sometimes $20. Wheat will grow in the northern part of Txas, and some people in this section raise it."
The Germans in Texas, almost to a man, adhere firmly to the economy of free labor. There are now nearly 30,000 of them in the western portion of the State, constituting a living wall of opposition to the extension of slavery into Mexico. They plant themselves in compact communities, establish journals, schools and other institutions, and create and enjoy a high state of intelligence and civilization. Their language "is all Greek" to the native Americans around them; so they are allowed a liberty of tongue and pen which is forbidden to any other class of residents. Some of these Germans are highly educated gentlemen, having distinguished themselves in their own fatherland. One of them, in response to a letter addressed to a friend of his for information, writes:
"I see with pleasure that our brethren in sentiment at the North begin to help us practically. There is no State in the southern section of the Union more fit for producing cotton and sugar by free labor than Texas, allowing with her genial climate the European and northern laborer to work hard without apprehension of sickness. The Texas cotton equals in quality, if not excels, every other. Negro labor being at a high price, white labor has an advantageous competition. If, nevertheless, free has not yet disputed the ground with negro labor, it may be imputed to the following causes: First, the largest portion of our population depending on free labor in Texas, live further off from the coast, and consequently from the market, than the other. Second, The prices of corn in this upper country have been so high hitherto as to render its production as profitable as that of cotton. Third, It is every where difficult to introduce new branches of industry, the results of the old one always being before one's eyes, while those of the new are only problematical. There is a good basis in Western Texas for establishing the free labor cotton production on a large scale."
We could fill an entire number of the Citizen with interesting communications from Germans in Texas on the subject of free labor farming. We hope this correspondence may be largely extended, and that we shall find most valuable co-workers in this numerous and increasing portion of the population of that State. But the Germans can live and labor as safely and successfully in the upper portions of South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi as in Texas, and they are finding their way into those States also. It would fully and well employ one man's time to correspond with these scattered communities, and communicate to them the stimulus of northern sympathy, and perhaps of material assistance, or of some facilities which would be helpful. We should be glad to receive from our readers any information they can give bearing on this subject; or the address of any persons of their acquaintance in the South from whom such information may be obtained. Perhaps some one who may see these lines may be disposed to engage as one of the pioneers in free labor farming in the Slave States. If so, we should be highly gratified to hear from him by, post. All communications for the Editor of the Citizen should be directed to New Britain, Conn. --Burritt's Citizen of the World.

Reprinted from Burritts Citizens of the World.

Friends' Review; a Religious, Literary and Miscellaneous Journal 9:38, p. 598

5.31.1856