Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1845-12-04
Important Move at the South.

| Our readers may not all be aware that Convention
of the south and southwest has just been holden at
Memphis, Tennessee to consider the best means of i'm
proving the commerce and military deicnces of the
south, southwest and west. There were nearly six
hundred members enrolled-mainly from the slave
states, but some from the western States lying on the
Mississippi. John c. Calhoun, of South Carolina, was
chosen president On taking the chair
He expressed his deep obligation for the honor
done him in appointing him to preside over so impor-
tant body-that he sympahized deeply in the great
objects for which it was convened-tho improvement
of the commerce and the military defence Of the SOUTH
southwest and west. That all State and local Jealous
les must be at an end where the interests of the whole
was so much concerned. He looked upon the west as
the great agricultural reg Of the republic, and would
have every measure adopted which would deveope Its
resources. He regarded the interests of the South
and west as IDENTICAL and would open by all means
the most intimate communication between them. In
this vew he regarded the establishment ofrairoads as
all important, and circumstance most extraordlna-
ry that at point in DcKalb county, Georgia Atlanta
all the projected routes strike the Mississippi or its
tributaries or extending into Texas had common ter
minus. This, of ITSELF exhibited the futlity of all local
iealousies and exhibited spirit of enterprise in these
regions beyond all parallel He was opposed to the
but advocated its action i'll repeating the duty on rail-
road iron and granting of alternate sections through
which roads might pass. This would be a bounty
granted to internal improvements, to which none could
object He considered the Mississippi as great inter-
nal sea, and loudly calling for deences and torti-
cations the part of the general government as the
Atlantic frontier. He trusted and believed the Con
vention would 90 on tremendously and was happy to
recognize as of its principles that nothing was to
be mooted, the consttutionaity of which might be
questioned by any party"
The convention finally adjourned on the 10Th ult-
correspondent of the N Y. Tribune, after noticing
some of its proceedings, writes thus;
| "The session was one of immense labor and much
thought The number and variety of schemes of inter-
nal improvements which have received the sanction of
this large body of the first of both parties, will
soon be laid officially before the public. There was
no mncing matters it seemed if Mr.. Calhouns pres
ence had mesmerzed the stouest democrats into per-
feet agreement with himself n
To rail road iron the slidng-scae is to be recon-
mended-hat is, when the home price is over $50 per-
ton then the duty is to be Free Your manufacturers
will have no occasion for anxiety regards the ware
housing system at present.. Much pains is taken how
ever to enlghten the people, and the aid of the small
Noountry merchants will by and by, be asked, that N
TOreans may become greater importer Of foreign
GOODS. MT OullouH has, Ill HIS CIOSllB uuulcoo III
reply to vote of thanks, uttered some memorable
things "The whole country" he says, will tell the
members of this convention that they have been the
thors of era that it will not rest satisfied till the
measures recommended to the government shall have
been accomplished" On the whole, it is no exagge-
ration to say that the southern wings have gone over to
Calhoun or vice versa and that the democrats nei
ther sullen, silent, nor disconnected. Mr.. Buchanan
and Mr. Wright, when senators in 10 both bolted on
the tariff; and did not believe Mr. Calhoun incapable
of revenge, should say he had given them at this
convention, /" a Roland for an Oliver" The whole
country will have laid before it the proceedings of this
body, and the llyng words of "Cahoun and internal
improvement" will fall strangely the ears ofthe peo-
pie"
This convention we believe to be the beginning of a
revolution at the south which will not until the
slave shall become man. The calling of such con-
vention and the proceedings thereof seem to imply
/. An awakening sense of the weak and defenceless
condition of the south in case of war; and also its tar
dy or reograde progress in business thrift and
industry, when compared with the free States. But
like madmen fools, las they must see themselves to
be, in the end they call upon government to throw a
round them walls of Defence and make railways and
roads to bring life and prosperity into their midst