The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1849-04-21
SOUTHERN ENTERPRISE.


Nessrs. EditorsOn lock- over Baltimore paper the
other day, the following, which copied from speech de-
ivered in Tuscaloosa Ala by d. Woodruff Esq., now of
this city struck containing such sound and pertinent
hints in regard to Southern Enterprise determined to ask
to repeat them. Ii would be gratifying specta-
Gle to see our towns and villages in the South and South
west, carry out these wholesome suggestions and see
them filled with the hum of manufacturing industry and
wealth. Tuscaloosa indeed have done So and has
large cotton factory, mill. iron works. etc.
successful operation The occasion of these remarks
to have been turning of the citizens of Tuscaloosa
compliment to the builders, the launch of the first and
only steamboat ever built there her at their
wharf. X.
Southern Enterprise and Resources.
We most cordially recommend careful reading
of the following article, from journal published
in Tuscaloosa, Ala, entitled "The Flag of the
Union" to our southern subscribers. 1t contains
a world of sound doctrine.l
LAUNCH OF THE New STEAMER Louisa The
steamboat 8 Louisa % was launched on Friday last
and was hoated TO our wharf. A large concourse
of citizens were in waiting TO see the novel oecta-
Gle of boat, built in our midst, brought = ger the
falls. Preparations had been made to re We her
enterprising owners with hearty welcor,e and
when the boat moored alongside the wharf, Mr.
David Woodruff addressed those on bead as
follows:-
Captain Cummings, officers, and owners of the
behalf of the citizens of Tuscaloosa, upon this in
terestng occasion, of your first appearance at their
wharf, TO bid you hearty ,celconae, TO congratulate
you upon this christening of your first born-to
extend to you the right hand of fellowship; to bid
you, in their name, God speed | am also authori-
sed to say, that you have their undivided good
wishes for your complete success in this laudabe
enterprise an enterprise which may, for aught we
know, be pregnant with consequences towards the
permanent prosperity of our beloved city; TO say
the least, it will dissipate the idea, that are
obliged TO go two or three thousand miles, and
spend our money among strangers, TO build steam
boats and reminds us, that we have mechanics
among ourselves, as deserving of patronage is
the stranger; who, in turn, give their earnings
back TO us. | am not familiar with the history
of this commendable enterprise as some Others
but, if am not misinformed, this boat is emphati-
caHy domestic manufacture: if You please, of
Tuscaloosa manufacture. Its material, both
wood and iron, believe, are the product of this
county; and what is the wonder, if it is! Who
does not know that this county abounds with iron
ore, with beds of sonecoal sufficient to supply the
world and with the best of building materials
generally
said, this enterprise, small as it may seem,
might be pregnant with consequences towards the
future prosperity of this city; trust that it may,
not only in dispelling the idea that are depend
ent upon strangers for our steamboats,, but for
thousand other articles of American manufacture.
fore, given citizens abroad too much cause TO be-
lieve that they have neither the ability. energy,
enterprise do any thing but make cotton and corn.
| trust, gentlemen, that the time is not distant,
when We shall oppose or adopt, as the case may be,
the :" tariff policy" of the North, with more potent
weapons than the pen or the tongue, to wit, with
their own weapons, the spindle and the loom, the
hammer and the axe of the artisan. You, Mr..
Captain, officers and owners of this boat, have
a noble example to orr more wealthy citizens, of
what enterprise, unaided, as | understand, by ex-
tensive means, may accomplish, when it is deter
mined, energetic and perseUer'ng. Gentlemen, per-
nit me to turn for moment from the object which
is the immediate cause of our congratulations, and
say word which concerns more Immediately the
citizens of this town and county. The time and
the occasion seem oppOrtune. On account OF the
lateness of the hour, however, | can only hint at
what should be glad to dwell upon. The removal
of the seat of government from us had caused, in
the minds of some, feelings of dependency, per-
haps of heart burning towards those who have
been Instrumental in consummating that measure.
would take this occasion, if might be permitted,
to admonish citizens not to entertain feelings of
hostility towards our eastern brethren on account
of their agency in this matter; but to extend to
them the same feelings of kindness we have ever
entertained, and to believe that they have only
done what we should probably have been anxious
to do, under like circumstances. Such feeling is
Incompatible with the opinion all entertain,
that the public good will not be promoted by the
removal of the seat of government now. If we
are sUtse, and act with the spirit which becomes
men, we may turn this removal to good account.
Suppose that we should follow the example of these
young boatmen, and turn attention from the
manufacture of laws TO the manufacture of soaie-
thing which enters into the daily consumption of
our families, and winch would give employment
and support to the poor who occupy these hills
our borders. Suppose we consent TO give them the
money for spinning and weaving our bags of cotton,
that we are now giving to laborers three thousand
miles off; they will not only thank us for doing SO,
but will pay the money back to us in turn.
What sort of policy is this we have been pnrsu-
ing all our ives One of our citizens for instance,
makes $1,000 worth of cotton, sends it 5000 miles
away, pays for transportation two ways, besides
other expenses, has it manufactured into fabrics,
worth, perhaps, $4,000, and We buy it back. In
the name of common sense can not SO manage
this thing that The S45 900 paid for the labor in
manufacturing the article can be reserved to our
own citizens, and saved to the county! But here
we are met with the knock down argument, as
old as time We have no money, or not enough to
enable us TO establish factories Is this true 1t
is not many dayssince Iheard conversation be-
tween man from the country and one of car citi-
ZeIs, to this effect: p
&c You complain of hard times, and the scarcity
of money! said the former where do you live @
g In Blount county, in this state,'' replied the
countryman. $50
Have You not one of the heaIthiest climates in
the world -
Yes" e
Excellent water power ~ -
eyes,
why don't you go to manufacturing cotton 20
" The old repiy-We haven't got the money"
g Can't you start ttgenty men in your county who
can raise $500 eaclf9''
: Oh yes, we can start thirty or forty who can
do that
Well suppose you go home and call your twenty
or forty men together as the may be, and put
your five hundred dollars each together and go to
manufacturing cotton, and say no more about it's
After rejecting moment he replied, 10 use his
own very emphatic, though it must be confessed,
not very classical language,
:" Ill be id if DON'T
Let the citizens of this town and county come to
the same determination, and we can raise $l00, 900
or $4,000 without any difficulty. The sum in
vested in manufacturing establishment would be
worth to us half a dozen state-houses.
The question is often asked, How is it that Mas
sachusetts, with her rugged soil and inauspicions
climate, can grow rich, while we, with the advan-
tage of rich soil and mild climate remain station
airy ! The answer, to every refe citing mind, arst