Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1838-11-30
asD.fHE &'g'sC.
COMMERCIAL CONVENTION.

questions submitted by The Convention for their cxam
nation In the prosecution OF their inquiries into the
latent OF Cummrrcial decline, they have
avoided all questions Inch involve subjects Of Iar'y
preference political disagreement Such discussions
might not, indeed. be wholly rrcleyan but they be
licpe that there ia sufficient ground upon hch
every friend of Southern Commerce may consistently
stand without touching subjects of party diSsersion,
trenchiug upon the lines which divide the public sen
ment al the present day Your Committee, therefore,
without sluEring any inquiry which they deemed
essential 10 a correct understanding Of The important
questions conirrd 10 thcn have confined their notice
to those plain, srpe and conceded truths which only
require to he stated, to secure The assent Of all.
Commerce is but the exchange q property, and how
diversified and intricate oil lis operations may
seem, they Inctcly designed TO facilitate such
changes The existence of Lde between any two
trss evidence that neither can Sufficiently supply H.
self from It's internal resources with those things that
may crafty the wants Of lis people No nation would
be guilty Of the supeerogaion OF sending abroad to Oh
tain what it already abundan,y possessed Of;
individual would seek his supplies beyond the limits Of
his own domain if he could always find there whatever
might satisfy his real OF his lanccd wants
The necessity which impels na!lrn to seek
abroad those ihmgs which lis industry cannot sup
ply would prompiit ob.tn what II wanted from the
rrarGs; aud convenient point: IS IT probable
that It's trade would ever be diverted from such chan
mel long products could be advanagsously
exchanged ior those OF such nrighboring community
An indIY idu i residing III the Gown o Hampton would
scarcely submit 10 ia. delay and expense Of obtaining
from the city OF Richmond any article that he could
when be had effected his purchase in Noff& hs would
be still less Disposed bear the unnecessary cost of It's
transportation 10 Richmond before receiving at his
own home. In the snpPlSrd the interests ot the
purchaser would be nInTlOusy AFFECTED, where the
rxnrnsCs u this crcuous conveyance paid by the
seller they would be where lie Is hnIsel! ininsd
arly subjected To The increased cost for, is obvious
that the SELLER by Undertaking to pay the charges OF
such indirect uanspora ION, would be unable 10 sell
bis goods at low price as he otherwise might, by
exactly the amount which he 10 pay for their convey
ance.
Having. shown that ga direct trade is the natural
channel OF communication between nations, The Com
mcP do not deem il necessary enter into any argu
nrnl prove that the trade which supplies the people
Of Virginia with foreign goods imported into the North
ern ports is not direct trade To those who are at all
acquainted with The geographical relations existing be-
tween US aud these by wh"n this trade is conducted,
such an argument would be m'rr waste Of time
They proceed ;u consider the important inquiry,
whether any and what part "i consumption Of 10
reign merchandise is supplied by means OF this indirect
communication. Upon ih!s point Information has hecn
ntuincd of precise kind as the nature OF The Case
will admit and it places IN striking light the disadvan
srps 10 which tbs and the other Southern States Gfe
subjected from the present condition Of their trade
We're there the mast Indlsputable evidence ol The
fact, il would scarcely he credited that wien the TOTAL
Imports of the T. ;. amian'rd 10 Sl26.o2l 3:S2 tie Im
ports of Virginia amounted only TO the SUM Il" -51 30
Will. OF the lOnl exports estimated al slu4 &NJI3
,Iusr of Virginia annuntrd In nrar five and half m
lions # dollars OF the above amount OF imports, h"'e
ports mro North Carolina !rss than fourth 81
a million Those 81 Massachusetts amounted To ST.,
G72, I.n while South Carolina imported but 10 the value
OF Sl1-7 2t7 Those Of Prnrsy lvnnia $40 I792GS,
whsle Georgia received little Than 500 coo, and
Alabama less Than 500 eco
Ia further illustration OF this branch ol the subject
the committee present the following extract from Ihe
adj: r.ru:l sphl:ltC 10 the late Convention at Rich
nund. by theT Committee The statements and estimates
Of which based upon The latest official returns. aud
are believed 10 be entirely rccurnt". II will be seeG
that they in close accordance with The statements
presr ted above "On examining the official returns II
vii! be found that the exports from this State
rage of the three last ears terminating on the 3ls q"
December last amount,d to 50 2Gji6l aud the Imports
to SS6 ST. the former brIng 10 the latter nearly
thirteen two For the same period the average eX-
ports Of all the Sigp,r States amounted 10 SI2 lc1 3J
and their imports So BOB GJ6, whi!r the exports OF
the ohrr States for the SANE period ama"nted but TO
500 3lG 0iG, and their Imports to Sll690S,'2l maxim.
the exports of the staple States compared Ia their I'M
ports MS 3 while the exports OF the "er States
TO their imports as J to j.
The Report after advcrng 10 the fact, TINT The "fi
cia turns do give the cnasi!hg trade and that
nv The exports from The Northern States are products
OF the South proceeds as follows: From these esss
appears that The exports Of this State nineteenth part
is direct and tenth crcuilous through Tie ports Of
the other Saies-and assuming that her imports should
be equal 70 her exports only one seventh part direct
and SIX seventies circur,vus Nor is that OF the Staple
States generally in Tuch better condition Taken IN
The ayUrrpalr Of their experts direct,
and one tenth crcuit"us; whila of their imports, the
same assumption Only two parts are direct and seven
circu,iuus suct To ali he expense anu Uurtnehs INCL
dent such intercourse
Considering This subject urn the received principles
Of poilca! economy, IL would BE- natural inference,
that dmiuullon IN the imports ni any na'ion would
be attended by. at least would indcsic c"rrc$roEh
iny decrease Of It's exports and yt startling the idct
may see the true OF the trade OF the different
sections Of this country. Tie exports {" the Southern
States have been STEADILY increasing during the "hr
peod that their imports have been dwndlng In their
present nsgncancr, while the enormous increase IN the
IMPORTS The Northern States, has been attended wihso
srht an improvement in the SUN OF their own products,
exported 10 foreign countries, as TO be scarcely worthy
of ;e u,irn In The 1870 the exports from The u.
States OF The products OF agriculture. amounted to near
si7 CSC Geo o which he articles OF COTTON, tobacco aud
r,c, sIyrr constituted than iour-tihs: and Ia The
shor, scace Of lnu years The fspmr % r products "i
agriculture had incras To upHods nt SOI Ooo0O at
which the exports Ut cotton alone e&cef6rd IN value
the whole agricultural exports Of 1870 Ohihe ether
hand the exports. OF manufactures. which were ch!tly
the producl of Northern industry, amounted III The
same year to only So 25S l3l ard in the year 1854 10
bu, Sc 6iS 393 shaving trirg increase - less tian
800 G0 while in the period, the increase ~ lie
value Of The agricultural exports. which are hthy The
products nf the South, amounted to m"re than ~ ';s'
lions ct dollars.
If we confnr our notice The great staple OF cotton,
which is peculiarly the product al Southern INDUSTRY,
the enormous increase in our exports VIII be placed IN
4 yc, ~. re striking light. This article was no, even
cultivated in the until about lie year t9o ou' 10
ten wears afterwards the crop was estimated al 30 mn
lions Of ponrds in l-l0 al % millions IN ic2O at bD
millions in 1870 al $50 millions. and Of The pIes"n, day
i, ,,ay be fairly computed 10 exceed 500 millions OF
pnmris In the year lc;iD after supplying The large
drucsic mand the exports o cotton to iofeig" coun
rims ,mounrd 10 nrar thirty millions OF dollars. AID
IN tho year I-,i To- the astonishing sum of ~ millions
Tins Is exhibited he singular anomaly, OF country
Iosur the con,,d of lis import trade rs II really IN
rrog,s IN lis capacity TO control 1t he extent OF ms
decline the Committee propose to consider u is
v,u known fact that before the establishment Of the
resent government of The United States the imports Of
Virriria largely excsPdsd those OF any other Safe,
ieirg n, one period NEARLY hTe times greater ihnn those
A.. nnde linn The oil lie