Weekly national intelligencer., 1850-11-02

We are satisfied that no small share of Southern
discomfort comes from undertaking the advanta-
ges derivable from the skill, industry, manufac-
lures, and means Of rapid transport and ready ex-
change possessed by the North. In the history OF
the progress of every nation the non-agricultural
portion OF the community have uniformly continued
far to exceed the rest. This condition appears in
dispensable. ALI, then, that is needed is that the
interest OF each in the other be well understood.
The manufacturer, wherever he stations himself,
adds to human power by economizing time and
giving the highest atainabe value to raw products.
The more skill he acquires the more able is he, il
competition render it necessary, to furnish the ma
nufactured fabric at cheaper rates, and SO to in
crease the demand. To decide what proportion OF
profit should be allowed for the use of the capital,
and what for the skill and labor applied to it, is
impossible by mere abstract reasoning. 1t is ne
cessary, however, that in the profits the producer
should have a direct interest. This must be SO
direct that when there is gut in the market, or
from any other cause failure in demand, the ma
nufacturer shall call into exercise new skill to les
sen the cost Of the fabric instead Of meeting the
exigency by affording a less remuneration to the
producer; and that when otherwise the original
producer shall be disposed to tax every energy in
facilitating the production. And this is not enough.
The mutual difficulties and distresses of each must
be mutually understood, so that both parties may
unite for the overcoming of common difficulties.
Whilst disposed to encourage to the widest possi-
BILE extent the establishment of manufactures at
the South, and of new steam lines for the more
pid transportation of its commodities to Europe,
we must yet not exclude from our prudential calcu-
ations the advantage possessed by the North in its
extended division of labor, habits of organization,
its present knowledge, and progressive improve
ments. Were present knowledge only to be taken
into account, we might say that this the South
could acquire. But progressive improvements con-
stitute an item quite as important. The chance is,
as the history of all industrial nations exhibits,
that those with whom improvements first began
originated all new improvements. In the exami-
nation Of British manufacturers before committee
of the House of Commons, it was satisfactorily at
tested that one who had absented himself for only
few years from the chief manufacturing seats of
industry could not on his return possibly keep
pace with the progressive improvements mean
while attained. What, then, do we propose Not
merely the temporary assemblage of merchants in
our great maritime cities for the purpose Of giving
their testimony in favor of the Union, but gigantic
association to be formed between the producers of
the South and the manufacturers of the North, to
meet in convention twice year, for the purpose OF
afording mutual information, stimulating mutual
activity, and producing mutually more successful
results. The period Of repose between these Pc
riodical assemblings would be advantageous to the
process Of reasonings and of experiments In no
long time we should see the Southern producer
transferring portion Of his capital to the manufac
tories Of the North, and the Northern manufacu.
rer reciprocatng the operation. Its results would
be made evident too, the superior goodness of the
raw material and lessening of cost in the produc.
ton, as well as in more extended enterprise. G.