Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1852-1852, 1852-03-30
We doubt whether merchants in the interior,

: We doubt whether merchants in the interior,
would :confne their purchases to Southern ports
until they could make them-all things consider.
ed as cheap as in Northern ports. The object Of
a direct trade would be to confne as much trade
at the South as possible. Doubtless, patriotism
would imp.l many, not all Southern merchants
in the outset of this great scheme, to pay little
more for their supplies than they would have to
pay in New York and other Northern cities
It would certainly be good policy to do 80 if the
result in reasonable time would be the substi-
tuition in the South of as good and cheap mar
kets rs could be found in other sections.
The incidental advantages of a direct trade
would be immense. The shipping necessary for
it would be built at the South. Machine shops,
boundaries and ship yards would be established
on large scale at appropriate places and call in,
to reauisition Southern materials and mechanical
skill. The existence of wealth tends to create it
and every dollar kept in our midst by the direct
interchange of our productions for those OF other
countries, would be that much added to our per-
manent wealth. We would be less prosperous
to the amount paid a third party to convey them
between US.
Independent of the ordinary advantages OF q
direct trade under existing circumstances, we
must look to the opening future. That invites
to energy and activity in the business OF direct
expectations and importation. In few years
the trade across the Isthmus, will be of mag
nitude scarcely dreamed of now. Nature seems
to have united the Northern and Southern con
tinents by narrow strip of land as if for the
express purpose Of permitting convenient cross
ing place from ocean to ocean. 1t would be
reproach to Southern cities to permit trade from
the Pacific to pass by them to great distances
for want of suitable and accommodating mar
kets in them.
The South is not altogether dependent upon
Europe for its foreign trade. The whole OF
South America, besides the Pacific trade, is open
to her enterprise. Some Of the countries OF
America are blessed by nature with the most
magnificent rivers, which flow for thousands OF
miles through land whose fertility is not equaled
by that of the Valley of the Nile. Millions OF
acres in Brazil and in other countries Of that sec
tion, not even yet explored, are equal to the
best lands in the Valley Of the Mississippi, and
much of it is far superior. The richest products
of the soil are obtained there with but little Ia
bor, nature having endowed it with fruitfuness
a true account of which seems to border on the
extravagancies of fiction. In many parts within
the tropics, and particularly under the Equato-
rial line, perpetual summer reigns with its ever
producing and genial power. There the leaves
never fall, and fruits grow and ripen upon trees
whose foliage never change its beautiful hues.
1t is better for the South to arouse at late
period than not at all. With the bright pros
poets before her, there is every reason for her 10
act promptly and vigorously on this important
question. We hope the press generally will fa'
vor the proposition to hold Southern CONNER
cial Convention.