The Yazoo Democrat., 1853-06-29
From the Memphis Appeal
SOUTHERN AND WESTERN cow
TERCIAL CONVENTION.
FIRST DAY.

proceedings were oPened Dy an appropriate pray
er from Right Rev. Bishop Otey, at the conclu-
sion of which. on motion of Gov. Foote, of
Mississippi Hon. VIM C. Dawson, of Georgia,
was called to the chair by acclamation.
On taking the chair, Mr.. Dawson enchained
the Convention for some thirty minutes, in a
very forcible speech, explanatory of the objects
and purposes of the Convention. He said:
Gentlemen of the Convention,
Of the South and West
The wants of the South and West, CONNER
cialIy, have long been the subject of converse
tion, and, in some of the States, discussions
hence the call of the convention, held in Balti-
more, in December last, and the Chamber Of
Commerce, of that Monumental City should ever
be remembered, for the spirit aud energy. with
which she has claimed for the West and the
South. their just. equal, and natural distributQn
of the exports and imports of this great and glN-
rious country and here we stand to-day. o.
banks of the Great Father Of Waters, perhaps
on the spQt Nhlchamay become one of the Great
Crossing poipt q. Ms magnificent River, for
that magnifcent IA 1road which shall unite the
waters of the Pacific and Atlantic-an0 which
will harmonic and fraternize the people of this
mighty confederacy. by iron bars, from Ocean to
Ocean-on that spot we are now to hold our
councils to investigate and discuss the impor-
tant interests of Agriculture, Commerce and
Manufactures-much of which has been presen-
ted to the world by the Baltimore Convention,
in that admirable paper submitted by the Cham
ber of Commerce, of that city, and the published
proceedings of that Convention.
This Convention was not called to excite jeal-
ousies, but to rec oncile all differences. He wish
ed and hoped that this Convention would har
monize all apparently conflicting interests by
The iron bars which should unite the Atlantic
and the Pacific. On that great question he felt
confident all would unite as band of brothers.
We claim in urging this great scheme no new
or unjsst right-we ask it as American citizens
we ask 1t as friends of our whole country, and
because we know that the whole country will
grow in wealth, prosperity, happiness and union,
by its success-posterity claims our attention
Shall we pass them by, or shall we consult our
own narrowest, most selfish and short-sighted
interests? We are here to meet this question
we must meet 1t as standing on the bank of the
Mississippi, midway between two oceans-on
he path of Commerce between them-we must
10 our duty-we must act as Americans for the
good of America--we must improve our ways
we must open up our resources-we must
stand by our brethren, for in this, brethren, is
our success.
Agriculture, after all, is our great-our great
,st interest-it is the great question in the inn
provement of that vast valley whose incalcula-
Die wealth, is embraced in wide area Of ,25O,-
100 square miles of the most fertile soil upon
he earth Agriculture is the basis of Southern
orosperitv, as we'll as Of the West. Let us ex
mime them-let us contemplate their control |
ing influences, and we will ever find that from
he teemng bosom of our parent earth, the fruit /
ul mother of Labor and Labor's reward, comes
IN immense surplus for the wants of our fellow
:itizens. The surplus is truly wonderful-where
ire we to dispose of it? As practical and as
Southern men we are here to answer, and unless
we can do So we can not hope materially to adj
vance the interests of the South.
/ am, gentleman, practical man; | do not
hope or wish to interest you by defamation
but | know that Railroads. Plankroads, river
ma vigation and all other means of intercommu-
nicatIon are absolutely essential to the develop
ment of the wealth, the hopes. and the just and
honorable ambition of the South.
We must devote ourselves to the work. The
planter can and ought to be the exporter of his
own produce-why not as well ship his own
cotton as pay s1other for doing il? IApplause
An enlightened and independent view of the
question will teach planters TO be their own
guardians of their own interests. Let US claim
from the National Government for the improve
ment Of the Southern States. a share of the in
come from revenue in southern ports Let US
demand of the National Government national
action In Justice of the South let us at least ask
Of the Government a sum of money sufficient
to improve the mouth of the Mississippi and
improve its navigation at that particular and
most important point.
Again: we must not lose sight of the vast and
importance of the commercial in
lercourse between the vallies of the Mississippi
and the Amazon We ask only for what has
been done for the North we ask nothing that is
notwithstanding that is unfair.
We must, If we wish to make the South what
she ought to be, and what God intended her TO
be. in the scale of the highest civilization. also
encourage and nourish southern manufactures.
AS though passed through crucible the various
minds of this Convention, would. it is hoped,
result in the division of labor and it's proper APP
preciation. The advancement of the South the
welfare Of our own country, is staked on the is
a.--g IL lrre1 snolo,.rsnrr~y-. = -