New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-11-22
Newly 0rk and the Union.

To the Editors OF Inc Ir1oHne:
The Dignity and power of the Metropolis-its
independence Of extraneus dictation, and the
permanence and security Of its resources of great
ness-seems to. be very imperfectly appreciated
by that portion of the commercial men Of the city
who have lately been led by the Herald and the
Journal Of Commerce, to degrade themselves and
disgrace the community. This they have done by
declarations and action founded on the ayowed
assumption that New-York maintains its COM
mercal eminence and power only by suherance
OF some of its Southern customers, OF some OF the
iobbers in the First and Second Wards, that its
supremacy is dependent on the supposed opinions
of its inhabitants in regard to certain Acts OF Con-
gress, and is at the! mercy of the country mer-
chants in seven or of the poorest States in the
Union States by which thisScity has lost more
money than it has by allthe rest otthe world.
1t is not worth while TO inquire how seriously
or extensively this opinion is entertained here
1t is enough TO know that the just sefrespect Of
the community repels the idea with disdain. The
deliberate sense OF those Of our citizens who are
not occupied with drumming for customers
from South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama and Mis-
sissippi is not to be stunned by these ridiculous
and insulting Clamors, into the reception of q no
ton so injurious to the character Of their city.
For fifteen years, at least the bullying organs
of the slave holding interest have been threaten
lug New York with total withdrawals Southern
patronage, because there Were some people in the
city or State in the habit OF expressing opinions
decidedly hostile to Slavery and Southern az
gression Why have they never evidence Of one
particle OF ability to do the mischief they have
menaced Pity It's that they did not substantiate
their threats in 1885, and thereby save New York
the hundreds of millions of dollars irretrievahly
lost to it by the wholesale unredeemed bankrupt
CIV OF the entire South IN ls37 All that New
York has lost by insolvency in the Northern
States is a mere flea bite but III every twenty
years it invariably loses more in the South by
general bankruptcy than it makes in the same
period The Southern business is in the long
run losing business. \ few lucky ones may
become rich by it, but 1t Is only by luck. The
great majority are ruined by it. 1t is gambling
sort OF business at best. New-Iork could well
spare it. But then there is no other city IN the
Union able to take the burden. There IS no
other that could survive the losses which It en-
trains Southern custom must therefore be
considered a misfortune incident to the position
of New-York as the commercial capital OF the
Union. New-York would gain by the transfer OF
this business to Philadelphia and Baltimore. But
here il is fixed and here it must remain, IN spite
of the staggering menace OF the South, and IN
spite Of the gradually enlightened Judgment and
multiplied painful experience OF New, YORK
The only imaginable way in which the CONNER
cial supremacy and metropolitan influence of the
City can be in the least impaired, is by such de-
1nonstratons as have been recently made Of fears
real or pretended that New-York can be de.
prived Of it's position by the action of any sci Of
men who can be combined for that purpose any
where The suggestion that the City is IN dan
ger from any amount OF such buster that ever mas
West, is an insult TO the community; and all fu-
ture conspiraors, for the accomplishment OF pri
vate purposes by ike public outrage, ought to
be made to feel the public contempt
The great truth TO which the puoHc Inlild IS pc
ginning to awake, in this connection, is-that
NEw-YoRK IS QU1rg AS NECESSARY TO The
UNION As rHE USIoS IS TO NV YoRK, What
ever benefits New.York has derived from the
Union, it owes to the taror of no section OF the
Union. Its greatness has not been conferred up
on it as gift OF fond affection from South or
North-nor yet as pledge temporary deposit