The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1852-12-23
HN1OND, VA:
THE BALTIMORE CONVENTION.

e. ;,can have no other character IN history.
L. is cratfy ing to Us 10 believe that 1t repre-
scented verv few constituents, that is to say II
ve,ro 10 Judge FROM what we know OF this
ci,v. A Bakers dozen composed the meeting
., the Reading Room, so we learn, and of them
two were opposed to the whole affair, and one
ortwo spoke against II.
The address Of Mr.. Brantz Meyer is the
most curious specimen oil arrogance and mis-
representation it has ever been our fortune 10
meet with. He talks about baltimore natu-
raj supremacy in the interna! affair of North
America" as though any body outside ofiBaIu-
more. and not enlisted in the cause Of Balt-
more. ever heard or dreamed OF such supre-
macy. Situated at the head oil guilt t"o nun
dred and fifty miles long, and indebted to the
folly ofVnginia and Pennsylvania for the pow
er ofextending her lines beyond the Point Of
Rock. she already assumes an air OF superior
~. We are reminded Of Christopher Sly when
ne awoke and found himself dressed in purple
and fine linen, instead of the filthy rags which
had hung about his person when he fell asleep
on the floor of a rascally Change House. We
wonder what has become of Philadelphia, Of
New York, Of Boston.
In the same address we are told that Balti-
more was, long before the revolutionary war;
the centre of the tobacco trade =! We sup
pose, of course, the information OF the lecturer
does not extend TO Virginia yet we have
heard that before the revolutionary war, Virgil
MIA exported some tobacco, and even that her
currency was formed out Of that staple article.
We have heard of inspections al the Rocky
Ridge, (Manchcster,) at Richmond, at Peters
burg, and at sundry other points, and we hum
blv advise the lecturer to look somewhat into
their pretensiens before he publishes his next
lecture on the tobacco trade.
We subjoin the following curious pieces Of
information for the edifCation of all such as
may be disposed to doubt the "supremacy" of
which so much is said :
Baltimore is nearest the North, nearest the
South, nearest the West-so central, in fact,
as TO be nearest ALL II is the nearest maui
tacturer of the North the producer of the
South and West; the speculator Of Europe,
aud purchasers everywhere.
II certainly is news to US that Baltimore is
nearer the South than Norfolk, Richmond,
Charleston, or Savannah, nearer the North
than Philadelphia, New York or Boston, and
nearer Europe than any OF them and we
are fond of geographical demonstrations, we
should like TO know how the lecturer has con-
triyed to prove it. We should like further to
hnow by what process the North IS to be
forced to regard Baltimore as the best ex-
change for the disposal Of its manufactures"
in preference to Philadelphia and New YORK..
The very existence OF Virginia, save
contributor to the "suprcmacy" of Baltimore,
is ignored by this Convention which some
twelve or thirteen of our merchants were so
eager TO pat on the back. A MIR. Bowie told
that body that "Virg inia had once had itin her
power to have commanded the trade now
sought" but that she chad let the opportunity
pass We would to Heaven that the lobby
members sent here by Baltimore winter after
winter, to persuade Virginia to give up her
brth-rght, had been equally candid. We al
WAYS knew perfectly well what the object of
Baltimore was; but we hardly expected to
see insult added to injury so shortly after the
coHsumm0tion Of the scheme. Whet COM
rnentary upon the foresight Of those who
threw away the rights Of Virginia How must
they feel under the nficlion of this undis.
guised taunt Ifany further proof of the in
feror position occupied by Virginia in this So
called "Southern and Western Commercial
Convention" were wanting, it might readily be
found in the following incident William Nj.
Burwel, one fthe most distng uished citizens
OF this State, and probably the man of all 9th
ers best acquainted with lis resources its in
ternai improvements, and its history, political,
statistical, and commercial, being present, was
invited u address the meeting. He did SO
bat having ventured TO say that he believed
NOrolk better entrepOt for the Western and
Southern trade than Baltimore, he was asked
by Mr.. Meyer, who doubtless regarded such
direct calling into question "the supremacy of
Baltimore species Of treason, ''what con
sttuency he represenied!' What scr; of
Southern and Western Conventio ihat could
be- IN which q man So dislinguis i living in
Tue midst ofso large a tobacco growing county
as bedford, could be asked such question,
we. leave 1t TO our readers TO determine. The
TACT is it was u Baltimore Conventional Con
ventiou to build up Baltimore at the expense
OF all other competing cities-and nothing
more or less can be made oft.
We have no objection to see Baltimore
prosper; bat do object to sacrificing the inlc-
rest and prosperity of our own State at the
shrine of her inordina,e ambition. We do OBJ
Ject 10 standing towards her in the relation of
colonial vassals. The very scheme which we
have been endeavoring, with all our might, to
carry lhrough-the direct line with Europe by
stenners-forms one grand object with the
baltimore Convention. One Of the arguments
OF Mr Butler is thus scattered to the winds
at single breath. Baltimore does wan, +,
sieam'llne TO Europe, and Bali uore will
nave 1T. What will the men of figures saw
no"7 What will the writer in the Enouirer
VINO seems TO think that nnlhina mnra