The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1853-06-13
The Memphis Csnvsntion-Its RoheaeAi
Objects.

MS oO0y, AFTER having aoVP'ou SoieS Vi
, resolutions expressive of the great social and
sectional interests which it represented, ad-
iourned to meet again in Charleston in April
next.
We think that an organization 30 systematic
in its action and so commendable in its pur-
poses will exert an invaluable influence, not
merely in developing the capacities of the
South, but in tesahing the great truth that the
prosperity and independence of every people de-
pend upon themselves.
Living under the protection of powerful
Confederacy, and deriving liberal income
from the profitable staples of fertile soil, the
Southern States for long time disregarded
those measures of material development which
their brethren of the North had been CON-
PEELED to employ for the purpose of counterfeit
ing the rgor of climate or the sterilty of their
SOIL
The immense and sudden preponderance of
political power, as we'll as commercial con-
troll which resulted to the northern section in
consequence of its wise and energetic action,
occasloned much discomfort amongst the politi
clans OF the South The coincident demon
STATIONS OF party hostile to the institution of
slavery, and their obvious design to check its
extension, and even to secure it's extinction,
stimulated this discomfort and resulted in
feeling of indignation against the pernicious
intermeddling Of the Abolitionists. This soon
extended TO all who inhabited the same section.
The social and political relations between the
North and South were fast becoming incom-
patiole with the form of government which
they had mutually adopted.
The political oppression of the North assumed
to be fixed fact, a Southern movement was
organized for the purpose OF retaliating upon
all those who inhabited the same country with
the miscreant who stole the slave, and stigma
tieed the master. II was proposed to forbid the
introduction of goods manufactured in the
Northern States, or imported by the Northern
cities, and direct trade with European States
was recommended to relieve the Southern
planter from any intercourse with, or depend
ence upon, his fellow-citizen of the North.
A system involving so much self-denal and
expense could only be sustained by a high de-
gree of popular excitement Resolutions and
speeches of the most nflammatory character I'LL
ed the Southern States with hostility against the
Union and the North. 4 convention was called
to assemble at Nashville. Its purpose was I'M
derstood to be the organizing of Southern ipde
pendence upon the basis of nOn-intercourse, retail
alton, and direct communication with European
nations, understood to he more favoEably disposed
ONT he
Southern States than the Northern States of the
Union. With very great effort upon the part
of patriots who happily regarded the country
more than party or section, compromise of the
immediate causes of dispute was effected. The
public apprehension Of the probable results of
preeipitate or extreme action, had rendered The
Nashville Convention unpopular, and the re-
turning calm left the Southern people indisposed
60 carry out the system recommended by its
patrons.
The physical relations however between the
North and the South continued. The one grew
with rapidity. An unexampled prosperity drew
an immense population and capital to its cities.
A steady stream of foreign Immigrants poured
along its highways-spread through the cheap
and fertile lands of the contiguous wilderness,
and sent the products of their labor, as they
gave the weight of their political influence, to
the mother States, to whose liberal enterprise
they owed all their blessings. More than this. |
Having tasted the fruits OF an interior trade, |
the Northern cities boldly contended for that |
trade, which had been the sole aliment of their
Southern rivals. The trade current of the |
Ohio and Mississippi was arrested. The lakes,
covered with an inmense shipping interest,
conducted the trade to the various outlets of
canal and railroad and then delivered upon the |
wharyes of New York, Boston, and Phiiaael- |
phia those products which would otherwise |
have pursued their apparent destiny, and
sought mart either upon the Levee or by the
Balize.
The commercial interests OF tas South took
the alarm. The statesmen who loves the
Union, and knew that it's permanency could
only be secured by the equality and indepen-
dence of the States which com posed it, pre-
sented another system of sectional protection,
They proposed the adoption of that system in
the South to which the growing preponderance
of the North was so obviously due. They
advocated popular education. They recon-
meaded an extension Of railroad organization,
the means of cheap and rapid transportation so
much needed in country whose navlgaole
streams were shallow, uncertain and devious.
They were satisfied that this system would
give the means of increased Intercourse with
the Northern States and with the world. They
knew that the superior advantages of their CHI
mate, soil, staples, provisions, and their con-
sumption Of manufactures would tempt the
Northern manufacturer with his capital and
Operatives, and the Northern farmer with his
industry and skill, to bring to the Southern
States all the materials for organizing the great
industrial interests upon which national econo-
my and independence so greatly depends; and
they knew that in the intimate knowledge
which such immigrants would acquire-in the
natural attachment to the country Of their adop-
sioa-they would mediate between the ex-
trenists of both sections, and disabuse their
minds of prejudice and error Such was the