The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-07-16


ANOTHER SocrrHRRN COMMERCIAL CoNvEN-
1roN-OLD VIRGINIA WAKING uP--We publish
in this paper, for the OBLIGATION OF our readers,
especially Of the North, the interesting report
and resolutions OF q Commercial Convention re-
Gently held at Buckingham Court House, in
that geographical division Of Virginia familiar
ly known among her citizens as the Ancient
Dominion
The statistics grouped together by Mr.. Bon
darant, (the presiding spirit of the Bucsing
ham meeting,) of the financial and commercial
resources Of the several States, are presented in
an instructive and suggestive form. They will
well repay careful perusaa. They afford an
other illustration of the nestimable value Of the
census returns, and other practical statistics Of
the several States, in obtaining clear and
satisfactory understanding of the comparative
resources and capacitiesef the different sections
of the Union. Mr.. Bondurant thus shows us
that the resources and capacities of Virginia
for Independent commercial operations are large
and inviting, and should no longer beneglected
by her citizens. And in this opinion he is
right; but the modus operandi is quite another
thing.
The resolutions of the Buckingham meeting
recommend the Memphis and Charleston
convention policy of direct imports
that the Virginia retail dealers, upon the
same terms, hereafter give the preference in
their purchases Of goods to their own mer-
chants, who may import them directly from
Europe and other parts Of the earth Tie OBJ
ject is TO draw to Norfolk and Richmond those
imports for Virginia consumption which are
now supplied by the importing houses Of Balti-
more, Philadelphia and New York. This is a
legitimate object; but like the Memphis and
Charleston conventions, the cnterprising meet
ing at buckingham Court House begins at the
wrong end of the engine. The boiler must first
be supplied with water, and the furnace with
combustibles and FIRE, before the machinery can
be made to work. The proper policy for the
Virginians and for the South generally, is to
build their railroads and their ocean steamers
clippers and merchantmen, deyelope Their in
ternal resources and to invite population by
opening up new channels of industry and pro.
itable investments Then, if they can compete
with New York successfully in supplying their
own citizens with imported goods, so be it.
Competition is the life of business, and we
should like to see Virginia and all the South
entering heartily and practically into active
competition with Northern commercial and
manufacturing enterprise, for the result would
be great benefit to all parts Of the Union.
OF late years, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee,
South Carolina Virginia, and even steady, o,d
fashioned North Carolina-so long known as OH
Rip Van Winkle-and most Of the other South
ern States, have been making rapid strides
in al the progressive business movements of
the age. We are glad Of it; for the material
advances Of every State contribute to the pow
cr, the glory and the grandeur of the United
States, and to the increased diffusion of the
means Of high happiness and the refining ele-
ments Of civilization throughout the Union.
But we must admonish the Virginians and
Soatherners generally that conventions, and
reports, and resolutions, are not the thing
they are well enough in their way; but it is
work work. practical work, which cleaves
passage through the mountains for the locomo-
tive, and makes the highways of the ocean
smooth and practicable, and regular as clock J
work-it is work, genius, capital, enterprise, !
which make cheap goods and profitable mar
kets, which line the seaboard with cities and |
the interior with busy towns and villages
Resolutions by virginians to buy goods d
Virginia direct importers, when they can be
had Of them as cheaply as from New York, will
amount to nothing unless the Virginia i'm
porters are provided with the facilities for i'm
porting as cheaply as New Workers. Until
such facilities are provided, all Southern CON-
mercial conventions must end in smoke STILL
we are gratifed that Old Virginia is waking
up and We hope she will .never tire