Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1838-04-13


cnmng back, by slow but sure steps, to the gfea.
cples Of FREE TRADE and UNRESTRICTED INDUSTRY: ~
avail ourselves, however, of all the advantages VI WI"
great and saiuary change in our System, 1t Is
bly, necessary that should free ourselves Ito' Wv
trnmmels of long established habits opinions anu p.Ja
dices II Of the greatest evils OF
its effects continue long after the eviitseli mas
rected-and in alcommercal operations lhe
established usages is extremely difficult 10 De ~
To divert capital from its accustomed c"ai"e - ,nr
troduce new associations and habits OF business au"S
commercial men is one Of the most difhcult tasks WHICH
any people can impose upon themselves anu ~ W."
moi for the high spirit and intelligence OF OUT
n,iobt dsrusi our success-When we survey me aetua
ond;,ion of the Southern and South western Sta'es
however who can fail TO perceive That we possess M
MESsE ADVANTAGES in this contest, winch properly ~,
moved must in the end crown our efforts VII" W.
nm han success IL is true we have but lew shps uu'
NO have shin timber in abundance, of the choicest oe
scrp,ion-and surely no Southern man can be iDsenso
Of the vital Importance OF securing mercahll'e Hs,".
which in The future changes and chances 10 winch "u
coun,rv must sooner later be exposed may be esse
no, only to our prosperity but I" our very existence a
free neonle We want also it is said, commercia Gu
p,,a and credit and cannot 1t is supposed, iu'n,si SUI
an extensive market for foreign goods, as WIN
nc 10 or: Ter into successful competition with Inc c'tes
,h Nor,h Now we base all our calculations, and rest
all our hopes upon the fact tina, 1t is the nataTul ecs
of trade TO exchange directly, the proIuc"us y. vi"
copntry for those of another and that all indec' ana
circui,ous modes Of intercourse must be ATTENDED oy
,sd EXPENSE and be therefore less advantageous to all
n,,es than the direct trade Trade like water, always
seeks it's level and unless when opposed ny natural or
artificial barisrs will its course In the shofest una
INNS, direct line II must be admitted, therefore, mat nut
for onpospg obstacles which have been inerpnsed aud
which have forced the commerce Of the South outof us
natural thanncs cotton rice and tobacco ~ouu nave
found their markets in Europe by the shortest ana most
direct route from Southern seapns and IN Southefn
ships; ADD il is equally obvious that the foreign goods
received in exchange for these productions w"uio na's
been returned 10 US through the same channels M"
can any plausible be assigned, why under system
Of free trade, the exports OF b Carolina ana "e"e
amounting as has been shown to S24 UOu,Ouu ahhuaiy,
shond moi be sent directly to Europe from ana
Savannah: and shy the foreign goods for h'eh My are
exchanged should not be imported directly IN re'urh'
Our harbors safe and commool"us, 'ne 'oyuSe 70
shorter and safer and the ght less But, what is OF
infinitely more Importance, actually PRODUCE THE
VERY ARTICLES which to be exported ana require FOX
OUR coNsUMPToS The very goods 10 he receiver !"
exchange for those exports. Now can any tng De con
cpi7ed more unnatura-mnre out OF the usual ana proper
course of bnsiness-thnn that OUR CorroN which IS 10
he exchanged for the Manufactures Of England should
be first shipped to New York-there sold 10 the New
York Merchant-by him transshpped and sent to Eng
land-thee again sold and converted into British goods
which goods be frat imported into iork, ana
from thence forwarded Charestonthere to be sold 10
the Carolina Merchant and paid for in bills al per cent
Count the number Of agencies employed IN ms ransac
ton; up the freight, insurance, commissions pre-"
fits and other charges consider the loss OF time and The
risks incident such course and can any reasonable
entertain doubt that such trade can be carried
on at all a DIRECT IMPORT AND EXPORT TRADE ui there
be no obstacle intepnsed) must be Infinitely more pro
hiable: Under similar circumstances the capi'ai re-
oued to carry on the indirect trade must BE- nch greater
than that which must be needed IN the direct trade In
deed under a system Of mutual exchanges ct our pro
duc,ions for those Of Europe the capital required I'M
der ll.ordered system of commercial arrangement,
would be comparatively small. Credit might, 10 Ger
tun extent, supply The place of capital and such trade
might be conducted on principles which would ensure
the planters the largest profits his crops and his
supplies at the lowest rates. while the merchant, The
ship owners and every other class IN The cnnnunlty
would participate largely in the advantages oil such
trade.
But let this direct intercourse be established, and
capital would s0on fo,c in fran all 9narters 10 supply
any deficiency that might be found to exist The great
law of demand and supply would not leave US long
without nancy capital fully adequate to all the ope
ra,ons of trade So with regard To the market for The
foreign qonds, which under this system would be receiv
ed a, our Southern s.apor,s Obtaining them. as we
should be able do less cost than they could posi-
bly, be procured through New York. we would unques
tonaby be able dispose Of them"n advantageous terms
nj least the extent Of dtaad tor those go"ds
and this alone would increase our direct Importa'ons
to Eve or six times their present amount II only the con-
sumption Of the South supplied through her own
ports this of itself would create revolution IN our trade
which would change the entire face Of the country and
pour food Of wealth and prosperity through every
part of our land But it is Of the most important
and interesting features of system, that 1t IL nse
parahly connected with The extension Of our intercourse
with the interior IF county by means OF Railroads
Canals and Turnpikes CONNECTION between The South
and the West BY the various schemes in progress in
Virginia. North and South Carina, Georgia, aud Ala
hama will furnish nu'le for all the goods that can be
received from abroad in exchange for our productions
And when the great West shall find market, and re-
ceive her supplies through the seaporis of the South
demand will be furnished the exe and value OF which
cannot be too largely estimated Let these various
schemes for the extension Of our interior con
ne xone be prosecuted with zeal and energy worthy OF
the object, Let no unworthy ipa!ouses-no narrow or
merely sectional views disturb that harmony OF eeng
and of action, which so essential to success
There ne some circumstances connected with the pre-
sent condition of the country, which may serve 10 AMI
mate ZEAL encourage our efforts and urge us TO that
PROMPT AcTIoS on which our success may depend
Our GREAT STAPLE has now become 'Me common
currencu of the oord 1t is The great medium Of
change regulating, and controlling 10 considernhe ex
tent the cia operations both of Europe and Anne.
RIGA During the suspension Of specie payments 1t al
fods almost the only Of obtaining those credits
abroad which Northern commerce has heretofore
mainly relied for it's support This great staple is OUR
owns
The revolutions which have recently taken place in
the Commercai Wurld-the failures and destruction Of
credit in New York, and the stopPage OF The Americas
Houses in Great Britain, has brought about Crisis Pc
cuiarly favourable TO views Here Is our cotton ~
ing at our very d"ors-the produce of our own fields
and furnishing this time. the only medium of Exchange
for the Manufactures Of Europe. Why should our own
Merchants not use for this purpose? The door now
open TO us and have hat enter and take posses
sion Of that which belongs to ms. If we improve the
opportunity the victory will be The eide in
affairs is a, the food Let US launch upon bravey,
and it will assuredy 'ead US to fortune But should
this glorious opportunity be LosT-our gallant bark in
stead Of riding the waves in triumph, may be driven
among the breakers dashed upon the rocks best
be again involved in those .eddes and shadows, from
which we may never be able 10 escape Even the
"Pilot who weathers the Storm, may be compelled To
H., tho, ,hp,1 he thn md pt
10 condition so utterly hopeless.
The MEASURES which are deemed by the Committee
proper be adopted in order carry these views into
effect embodied in distinct propositions which
herewith submitted to the Convention They embrace,
strong and emphatic declaration of the feelings and