The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1854-04-07
ADVICE TO TlIE SOUTH.

York Express, gives the following sensible
advice to the South in view Of the impress
sion that Il strenuous effort will be made in the
Southern Commercial Convention which rs
scmblcs next Monday at Charleston, to en-.
courage foreign impotationsat Southern ports.
A large number of the delegates to that Con-
vcntion are understood to be in favor Of NOR
alizing the Legislature Of Southern States to
impose II heavy tax on the goods imported
through New York or Northern ports, for the
purpose of eiferting This object. But it is
hardly probable that any Legislature will a.
dept so unwise policy. For if adopted and
decided to be legal, it would Immediately be
followed by similar policy ut the North
and the corn, cotton, rice, and other products
of the Southern States which adopted this
Chinese system would in their turn be taxed
in Massachusetts, New York and Pcnnsylva-
mia.
For one, ardently desiring the prosperity of
Southern industry in all its departments, !
hope that no councils like that alluded to,
will prevail in the Charleston Convention
Before the South can build up and import
trade of her own, her internal improvements
must be completed and the resources Of her
interior more fully developed. Then, as Il
matter of course, with Il due degree Of en-.
tcrprise and the judicious investment of cap
ital, she will have ships, commerce and man
ufactures. Savannah and Charleston are nj
ready feeling the beneficial effects Of the rail
, ways of Georgia and South Carolina. Ii
, two years more New York will receive sim
, liar impulse from the roads now in the course
f of construction in Virginia, Tennessee ant
North Carolina. Mobile will resume her for
mer march on the completion of her work.
to the Ohio and Tennessee rivers Baltimore
is already on the high road to commercial
greatness, and even little Alexandria, from TIL,
same cause has awakened from u sleep o
forty years. The towns Of the interior
Lynchburg, Petersburg, Richmnod, Augusta
and Columbus, Ga, are also receiving tliei
proper share Of the renewed prosperity Of TIT
, South.
Richmond, in particular, is increasing NOR,
rapidly than at any former period Of her his
tory, and bids fair to become large and pop
ulous city, notwithstanding her distance from
the sea. Let then our Southern friends wise
ly act in accordance with the old maxim an,
"let well enough alone" They may rest as
surcd that the capitalists and merchants o
the North are not unmndfu of the COLDER
opportunities which will soon be offered IL
the South for cmbarking in foreign trade, anc
that when the time comes they will be eager
ly seized upon. An enterprising citizen Of
Maine has already taken the initiative in thi,
matter, and has built Il ship of 1900 tons at
Norfolk, which he has recently dispatched fol
Livcrpool-bcing the first departure from
Norfolk for that port in many years. lie has
another ship on the stocks, which will doubt
less be followed by many others, and thus q
new branch of industry be added to the bu
sincss of Virginia. IT, instead of laying tax
es upon their own merchants who impor
their goods through New York the Lcgsla
- turc OF the Southern States would Olrr
. bounty for citizens of their own or othc
-, States to embark in ship-building and navi
cation they would exhibit spirit more il
. accordance with the dictates of sound com
mon sense. Let them instruct their repre-
scntativcs in Congress to vote for the distri
button of public lands among the States, ant
apply the proceeds of their own shares il
this way-and in ten years the commerce o
their ports would be increased tcnfold. En-
, graton would pour in upon them from Eu
rope and the North, their wild lands woul
, be eagerly bought up ut high prices, and ihci
coal, iron, lead, granite, marble, &c, &C., b
, no longer allowed to lie immurcd in the bow
, els of the earth. Their "poor white folks
, would then find employment at home, in
r stead of being compelled, us they now arr
to cmigratc to Texas or Arkansas, and ne,
order of things would arse, unparalleled i
any previous stage of the history Of tn
South.
LETTING THE CAT oUT.-Thc New YOr
Herald says that Mr.. Breckenridge, n ncmbc