Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1854-04-21
Tur COMMERCIAL CONVENTION.

THE CONsEN lioN.
W. ,nn,ebend the most jealous champion OF Son'herh In
-. .,,n he constrained 10 acknowledge that The Chafles.
-, convention was an abortion, If not something worse
roronrse,ves we have no great confidence in the efficacy
If conventions, as en- instrument for stimulating and direct
ing public sentiment. Experience ]ustihss our distrust. in
the South we havo had scores of Conventions, contemp'a-
ling az many different objects, and in no single instance mas
any practical result been achieved. They are admiraOe u
yen,ions for exhuming defunct politicians; and 'hey aho'u .
convenient theatre for the display OF an eloquence VI ""'n
ambitious young gentlemen hnd no utterance 10 "e "a"' VI
Hesitation or the courts of justice. But they are not much
freouented by men who have other employment, nor 40 'hey
commonly contribute anything to the stock OF human WIS.,
dom. At best they bring forth only preamoles ana pialofms'
and il ia vet TO be demonstrated that there Is any Virtue IN u
"wbereas" or a 'resolve" The Charleston Convention
furnishes no exception 10 the uniform testimony of eSpe.
rience, that the most profuse expenditure OF WORDS anu y
wine, the most eloquent utterauce OF patriotic sentiment ana
desperate design, 90 but a little way towards consummahng
,nv scheme of political or commercial improvement.
We do no, appreciate the necessity OF in'se o''"
Conventions. Ne do not admit that the SCUM ID IN SUE"
deplorable plight that a periodic consultation must Dc heio
over It's PROSTATE body. with a view TO determine the oes'
means for reviving its sinking fortunes. On the contrary Il
seems 10 US that the South il in an eminenilY happy and
prosperous condition. But, if this were not 80, the prohuess
defamation of a Convention would hardly remedy the mat
ter. The relations and conditions OF commerce are govern
ed by the laws Of trade, and il Is impossible TO Illustrate their
operation by any artificial contrivance. II would not be less
irrational for The North to complain that she does not pro-
duce as much cotton as the South, than 1t is for The South
TO complain that. the North has the advantage 10 the facii'
ties of commerce. If II be cheapest and best that Inc SCUM
should transact it's own exchanges, no convention Will Dc ne
cessary to ascertain the fact. Private interest, with unefr-
ing instinct, will soon enough discover the advantage and
turn II 10 account.
II may be said that these Conventions are necessary to as
certain and embody public sentiment. What, then, is the
function of the Press2 And can we suppose that the State
Legislatures are 80 delinquent that a Convention of volunteer
statesmen mus, look after the public interests3 The Charles
ton Convention suggested the e%xpediency OF a direct trade
between the potts Of the South and the foreign market but
this was long since determined by the Legislature OF Virgil
MIA. and we doubt If the movemen, will be at all accelerated
by the most swelling resolution of a body of enthusiastic
but irresponsible gentlemen.
Special and peculiar causes made the Convention at
Charleston a ridiculous bluner. From beginning to end the
thing was managed and controlled by politicians. Little
good could be expected to result from the deliberations of an
assembly in which the chief actors were Leslie Coombs and
Jimmy Jones. These noisy and shallow demagogues were
soicitous only about political effect, and they diverted the
attention of the Convention from the subjects legltimately
before il, to issues of a party character.
In contemplating the action of the Charleston Convention,
but one thing strikes US as deserving CONNIE odalioo.-The
conduct of the Virginia delegation was worthy Of the Stale.
They held fast to principle, and by resisting and defeating
the federal notions of Msury and Jones, they vindicated the
character. of Virginia as the vigllant and faithful cham.
pion of the State Rights cause.
The princely hospitality OF the people of Charleston re.
fleets infinite credit on their taste and their liberality, and
stands in advantageous contrast 10 the barren results and
prosy defamation of the Convention. Our only %appreher-
sion Is, that such delicate attention, and such richly laden
tables may perpetuate the nuisance of "Southern CONNER
cial Conventions"