The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-04-14
THE SOUTHERN cow NTioN.
Meeting OF t. Great Souther Commercial
Convention mt Charleston.

NunvSnthOu w ShAAicsto"'
CURsTC AL coRREsP NDs>tE.
CHARLFsTo 4, April Q, 1854
Prepdrdttons for the Conreati9n What IL Wa Do
Grand Cdrnita, Weef IN harieson, dc
The city o. har eston is a v with excitement IN anti
cipaton OF the Getting Of the great Southern oohe
cia Conveuton which is TO be held here next wees me
hotels crowded to cir utmost capacity anu inc nus
ptality OF the private residents taxed 10 no s eA
tent 10 accommodate the delegates who are hourly
pouring into the city from all parts oil the south and
West II is generally expected that, in regard to the
r,her rlo win be present and the mpor OF its
proceedin.s this convention win surpass any that has
vet been convened for the purposes The subjects
which will be brought before it will be substantially the
same those that engaged the consideration of the last
at Memphis but it is elievcd that its action will be
definite and decisive One Of the most fayorite projects
so far have been able to ascertain, is the establish
of line of steamers between this port and Europe.
AS this would require cap of al least Eve millions of
dollars, and it must be started BY individual enter
prise it depends entirely upon the liberality of the
Southern themselves Whether they will be
willing to embark their capital in undertak.
ing the of which is TO say the least doubtful
remains to be There appears to be great deal of
uncertainty ard apprehension in the minds OF large
number in regard 10 it and if it would be fair to take
their feelings true indication OF the opinions of the
South upon the subject the day is very far distant
that will line of steamers plying between this any
other Southern ro and the Old World That some prac
teal benefit however win result to the South from this
movement there be doubt, if it be nothing
than the interchange Of opinions AMI sentiments which
must take place in assembage of where nearly
all sections of the South and West represented The
delegates appear to under this themselves and they
determined that their meeting shall be recalled here
after with the most pleasing "reminiscences. The
vention has fact the of general jubilee
and for one whole week there will be grand carn
val in the city of Charleston II is estimated that not
less than fifteen thou,and dollars will cover the ex.
pense of these festivities which will, understand be
borne by the city delegates and the Common Council
Everything will be got up on a splendid SCALE for the
people here seem determined to preserve the high char
acter which the South has always enjoyed for the gen
erous and hospitable nature OF its The con
vention will hold its sessions AZ the theatre in Meeting
street and will be called TO order by the Mayor Mr. T.
L. Hutchinson. Ample accommodations have been
provided for the delegates Of whom about two thousand
it is said will be in atte ndanee Among these observe
the names of Governor Jones Of Tennessee Lieutenant
Maury Hon. W G. Dawson, General Leslie Coombs, ex
Governor Truesdale Hon b. f. Perry. and DIR, Gibbons
The first day will probably be consumed in the organ
cation and the appointment of committees and it is al
ready proposed to form business committee consisting
of three from each State whose duty it shall be TO deter
mine upon The subjects to be brought betor the conyen
ton general desire appears TO prevail tbs. all po
cal questions should be excluded from its consideration
and that no subjects but such affect tho commercial
agricultural educational and general material interests
Of the South, should be introduced From the letter
which l herewith send you will be better enabled,
however 10 judge of the topics which will be brought
before the convention.
That you may form some idea of the merrymaking
which win eke place will give you brief sketch Of the
programme OF arrangements. In the first place, then
there viii be grand concert on Tuesday evening;
be dazpng array Of southern beautcs there will be
banquet on Thursday in the Mills House at the close OF
the convention on Friday excurson and the
whole will conclude with display OF fireworks So there
will be no lack Of amusement. M.
OBJECTS OF THE CONVENTION.
WASHINGTON, April s. 1854,
DEAR SIK-I cannot but regret that the pressing re
quirements of public officer will prevsst my attendance
at the approaching convention in Charleston which,
the name of the committee you have kindly invited
me- The regret is heightened by the reflection that
city under circumstances the most uspicous and of
mingng in agreeable and instructive intercourse with in
teigen citizens every section of the south and
West who see by the papers TO be present.
and with whom have had the honor of serving in several
of the great conventions that have been held beginning
with that of Memphis, in lSl5, memorable from the
presence and action of Mr.. Calhoun.
1t difficult to resist the evidence that these
lions originating from the interference of other sections
in the policy and institutions OF the South though
venng afterwards upon purely industr grounds, have
contributed largely to that great deyelopement which
has been exhibited everywhere 10 the last eight years
Throughout the South extending her railroads enlrgng
and diversying her commerce and manufactures, smu
iang her agriculture, inviting and concentrating popu
laton leading 10 new combinations and to still higher
hopes and fixing upon all minds the conviction growing
each day stronger that in these great yet long neglected
elements OF power, more than in political agitation and
party platforms is the South 10 yndcae, IL vindicate
the Union.
Nor have these been The only influences. They have
torn the veil from tie Of the South and brought
her to see and to feel in the humiliation which such
knowledge must bring, that with all of the population
and wealth she has been in matters not Of mate
rial character, the willing vassals Of other sections
reading and learning and admiring only what may be
found in their books periodicals and newspapers in their
schools colleges in the routes of their railroads in
their thriving cities their crowded watering places
which, to the exclusion OF every thing of the kind at
home abe has fostered and supported This too, with
out reciprocity and in the fact that the power she
thus bolsterng up growing wanton ana arrogant has
n tinns nd
Offering through its "provisos," in exchange for ina
ienate birthrphts. the merest mess of pottage
In all the modes in which the South has been paying
tribute-n her commerce and manufacturers her
ryng rade-in her education and her travels it would
be fair to that 500 600 annually have been
distracted from the capital which otherwise would have
accumulated in her midst. What country would she
ships and possessed What dense metropolitan
and magnificent cities. What manufacturing establish
ments making every hill and valley vocal with the whr
of machinery What railroads radiatng TO every village
and town. like the arteries from the human heart What
watering places crowded with wealth and fashion and
beauty What schools and colleges in which her
reared 10 fidelity TO their native hearths What
dense population what wealth and what power,
have not referred, though ought to have done to
those earlier conventions of 1889 converting at Charles
ton, and Augusta, and Macon rendered iustrious by
the and cooperating action of the Harpers and
Hay mes, McDufies ana Hmores, whose ashes the
best tears of the south have been shed When do
cuments Ter put forth TO the world more mastery than
the reports OF those conventions; when the true
policy OF the South indicated the great principles
Of political science SO established and confirmed wbcn
Lie at the foundaton of all national honor and develope
ments Could those noble patriots return from their
graves and visit us today how would their hearts swell
with pride at the spectacle which is exhibited Well in
these particulars could their precepts be altogether fol
lowed, and their bright example initiated
will not attempt in the brief space allotted in this
letter TO indicate any Of the important subjects which
have occurred to from time to time proper for the
action Of the convention. There two three mat
ters however, TO which will barely aude, Of vital
interest in the present condition of the South and West
and upon which had prepared and intended some re
marks had been possible for to be present refer
80 the deepening of the passes of the mouth of the Mis-
sisspIi-he reduction for period of time the entire
sbrogaton of duties upon railroad IRON and the adoption
of the policy by the federal (by the cesson
of alternate sections advocated at time by Mr.. Cal
houn Of returning railroad companies of portion
the whole Of the additional value impaired by them to
tire public domain which they ntersect, upon the
principle that private andholders voluntarily tax them
selves.
Time space admit Of an argument upon either of