The southern press., 1851-11-04
Direct Trade.

Direct Trade.
We shall rejoice exceedingly il the movement
in favor of direct trade shall be successful. 1t
the only measure, in our view, that can give in
dependence and power 10 the South. There is
no instance on record Of a nation under the com
mercial control of another, being other than the
servant Of that nation And from being the
servant, she must inevitably become the slave
and dependent if she does not of her own will
look for liberty through her own exertions and
energies.
One OF The tendencies of capital is to bring
others under its control, and to hold them So
and as those possessing capital know only their
interests, it behoves other people or classes to
make the best and fairest bargain for themselves,
lest they be overrun and eaten up.
Let US look for one moment to the exam
Piles of Scotland and Ireland relatively to Eng
land. The first is highly prosperous, independ-
ent and happy, 80 fur as country be under
the laws which prevail in Europe---and she is
accordingly respected by England But the
case of the second is widely different English
enterprise has overrun her. exhausted and ruined
her; and by no country is she so despised as by
her spoi!er.
All this has arisen from the simple fact, that
the Scotchman would allow of no interference
in his affairs, nor permit English capital to OBJ
tain footing in his country, as to control his
industry. And SO jealously did he guard every
avenue to English encroachment, that it was n
matter almost of impossibility for an English
man to get employment there. Not SO in Ire
land. The Englishman took possession, and
used tine country and its people for his own ex
elusive benefit, until they had drained it Of its
wealth, bghted its industry, and made its fer
tility valueless--at the same time that foreign
population, English and Scotch, has been grad
ually driving the Irish out of Ireland by seizng
upon all positions and occupations of profit in it,
The South, in maintaining with energy her
State rights must not latter herself that be-
cause the North has felt it her interest to retreat
from tho attack upon her political and social in
stitutions, she will continue always to respect
them. The North has gained something by the
struggle, and though frightened at the attitude
and resolutions of the State Rights party, will
not fail, knowing her commercial weight and
influence, and urged by the abolition passion
here and in Europe, to return to the charge.
We should be sorry, indeed, to see the beaut
full South--that land of pleniy-howing indeed
with milk and honey-become mere depehden-
cy of the North. Such state of things would
be contrary to the vulgarest principles of human
liberty, and contrary to the very la vs of nature,
which have almost invariably planted the great.
est ard weallhiest nations in sunny climes
Oriental despotism, and oriental bigotry-
those heresies of the oden time-have alone des-
oated Southern Asia and Europe, and driven
West and North into the cold and dreary lands
of Germany, Gau and Britain, the energetic
spirit of freedom. Thence have nlustry and
freedom crossed to this hemisphere, to descend
and occupy those richer countries and climes,
surrounding the Mexican Gulf, which are des-
tined one day to be the centre of the highest
civilization, and Of the greatest commercial
movement and industry that the earth has ever
yet seen.
We can already watch this tide as il advances
The South is already becoming the point of at
traction. The discovery of California has but
hastened the development of this progress and
it would never do for those who possess the
iururani fields and abundant staples of this re-
gion, to allow themselves TO be trodden out by the
enterprise of another section of their own peo-
pie, when they have in their hands the power to
control the markets of the world
it is almost useless here to 90 over the ground
80 ably exposed by many pens late, of the inn
portance to the South of direct trade with Eu-
rope, as means of developing its resources,
and giving it that political influence which it is
entitled to. We shall simply point out here,
that unless the opening now made, be taken ad- |
vantage of, English and New York capital will |
necessarily continue to control the markets for
Southern produce. And two results, appear TO
us TO follow inevitably,-frst, England will
gradually supplant our Southern staples in her
own and the continental markets and secondly,
the trade of the South will get altogether into
Northern hands, and the country generally ap.
proach TO Ireland IA enertness and unproductive-
ness-until the North shall come in really and
fully to possess it, as the Englishman and Scotch
man have in the latter country
This process may be slow, but il will be inevi-
table. If however the South wakens up, and
accepts the openings offered her, she will main
tain and extend the markets for her produce in |
spite Of attempted opposition; and raise herself
rapidly to that eIvied position Of wealth and |
prosperity, which is her destiny sooner or later.
HE- The National Era charges us with fa-
naticism in expressing as we did some days ago,
thu Car tho nrnza..aI a.l a LII 49,