From nine to twelve million bales of five-hundred pounds each are
raised annually in the South," returned Captain Dillingham. "Of this
about ninety per cent. is Upland cotton, the green seeds of which have
to be taken out by a gin similar to the one Eli Whitney invented.
Approximately about half this vast crop is exported."

"I had no idea we raised so much cotton," mused Carl.

"We raise quantities of it, son," Uncle Frederick said. "Now you can
understand better why the South was so resentful at being compelled to
free the slaves. With cotton so much in demand the prices of slaves had
greatly increased. The planters had untold wealth almost within their
grasp. It was all very well for the North to assert that slavery was a
barbarous practise. Who was to tend the cotton fields when the slaves
were gone?"

"The South did have something on its side, didn't it?" Mary ventured.

"A great deal, when once you put yourself in the Southerner's place. We
in the North are liable to emphasize only the cruelty of slavery and
are often unable to understand how enlightened and Christian men could
keep slaves and fight to keep them. You see there were reasons."

Mary nodded.

"Of course, as I said before, all the cotton-raising in the world could
not make the thing right. It was wrong from start to finish.
Nevertheless it does explain why some of our people felt the freeing of
the slaves so unjust and such a blow to their prosperity that they
threatened secession from the Union."

"And it was because Abraham Lincoln would not allow them to secede that
the war was fought!" announced Carl triumphantly.

"Precisely! You cannot allow part of a country to rise up and walk out
any more than you can let some of the wheels of a watch announce they
are not going to turn any more," laughed his uncle. "It requires every
part to make the watch go; and it takes the united strength of a people
to make a nation. North and South were all beloved children of one
land, and Abraham Lincoln, like the father of a big family, was not
going to let any of the household break away from the organization to
which it belonged. It meant a struggle to do the two things
necessary--free the slaves and preserve the Union; but quarrels are
sometimes necessary in families. After they are over there is a more
perfect understanding. So it has been with this one. Both sides paid a
fearful price but as a result we now have _one nation, indivisible,
with liberty a