The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-04-15
SPEECH OF THE HON. W. O. DAWSON.

oThbOn or THE HON. W. o. DAWSON
We gave in yesterdays HERALD the frst days pro-
ceedpgs OF the Southern Commercial Convention now
being held at Charleston, s. c. We have received from
our special reporters full report Of the Presidents
speech, delivered on Monday.
After the report Of the Nominating Committee had
been accepted, the President Hon. W. c. DAWSON. Of
Georgia, came forward and said
accept the nomination, but cannot do so without
taking advantage of the occasion make some
IN relation to the great objects for which are assem-
bied In undertaking again the discharge of the duties
ofPresdent OF the Southern and Western Convention
assure you do so with didence. The labors belonging
10 TINS once are not thoroughly appreciated for there
responsibility connected with 1t Of the most onerous
nature consider the convention convened as re-
presenting the great interests of immense section of
this country-nterests which should not conflict with
hoe OF any other portion, do array ourselves
in ar agonism to any part of the Union in seeking the
commercial elevation of the South. The great object
which we all have in view is to unite, to harmonze to
consere and interchange friendly sentiments and opin
ions with each other then to turn eyes to the go
roug country We now nhabt to consider its vast re-
sources, and their limited deyelopement and then as
patriots to ask ourselves: Does this great section
require o. US to unite energetieally all the powers
have to develope them. We OF the South and Of the
Sers 9ovs 1ssa or Ingsd In
happy and glorious career had left the
sa ard abandoned the commerce, of which this
proud city once had her share and turned capital in
to agricultural pursutsthe raising of rice cotton and
baoec- and hence the carrying trade of our mer-
chandife had gone out our hands into the hands of
others But the period has arrived when Increased
lalor in this section and growing popuuon demand
diversity Of employment and our capital diversity of
investments We who have been raising the
OF life and the material for clothing the world find that
we have discharged the obligations so far incumbent up
on as towards Others and that should in order TO
protect our interests and control prosperity
neglect no means whereby may be enabled retain
the proceeds of our labor amongst ourselves. We
should now export our products from ports
and moi have them be shipped from beyond the limits of
our own section Applause) We should find here, To-
Gated by interest feeling and other considerations our
exporters, and should here also fnd importers,
and not let the taxation rising of present CON
dton ofthngs settle itself upon our
teress thereby reducing annual profits 1t is you
gentlemen to consider how this to be DONE
certain whether ports be such
exports whatever the cities from Baltimore round to
the Rio Grande not blessed with harbors sufficiently
deep to the necessary of this section
Of the Union. And IT. after due investigation you find
they are not 1t becomes the duty OF patriotism to
search for the means which will the distractions
your way to prospertyat least to ascertain whether
all your efforts in that way would be beneficial ncon
sistent with the laws which govern trade and here,
gentlemen, would have you to remember that can
not go against the laws of trade maintain that the
fault is with ourselves. God who made this world and
these Shores never intended to be dependent upon
any other portion of the country for the means of
munication with foreign lands. Appause) And If VIC
failed to discharge those duties it Is that Gre
aor has given much of the goods of this world as
to make us indoent and careless To conquer that in
dolence and carelessness of the great objects
which had in view in proposing these conventions
called the Yankee State of the Souh-to become general
among u.s. Look at what industry, what perseverance,,
has done for the Ncrth Suppose we had the
energy, the determination which they pos
sess, would rot our country be q flower garden
in prosperity They are prosperous, and glory
to prosper applause But still Il IS our duy to
consider and ascertain whether it Is right that
should SO far forget interests to deprive
ourselves of the enjoyment Of the fruits of Ia
bor Nearly the whole burden of the taxes fall upon
shoulders for matter whether they paid by the
costs of all imports to this part OF the country IT. how
ever your ports as have said do not such ac
ties as commerce requires look TO your naura streams
and you find they want improvement you must improve
them and If your natural highways not sufficiently
abundant turn your attention to artificial meansto rail-
roads and canan order to converge your exports to
particular point We have not opened railroads
for the purpose of transporting ourselves with
and comfort from portion our country-not So
gentlemen; in doing this have pursued statesman
like to devclope the OF the South and
give to population the of contentment at home
Ito prevent them from destroying the land upon which
they live and emigrang to remote regions But for this
course o. policy in Georgia population would be like
that Of our sister tates butt has been her good fortune
to commence this system of internal Improvements an
to ntersect her whole country with railroads We hav
State would not be II is at pre-
sent Our people have turned to the improvement of their
lands because they have facilities for the transportation
of their products. These are briefly my views upon
these points The next questions intimately connect
ed with our commerce. The great Pacific Railroad which
is to unite the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans by bands iron
that in all probability may bind people firmly
together But whether that be true not the great in
teTess of mankind require the construction Of this high
way. How II should be done will not undertake here
to decidea viii ray that the interests people
demand that must be built whether by individuals
adedsby corpora IONS is to be hereafter determined
consider that legitimate subject for investigation
and discussion The next subject is the project of rail
the utmost importance, and trust it will be discussed
it was at the last convention and examined. Then
there the great question connected with South America
which my distinguished friend and early associate
in these Southern and Western conventions first ably
presented to our vew mean the opening of the great
rivers OF that continent ask whether Western
n men nriv
which have been granted to the Northern States support
from the general government in the establishment of
line Of steamers and beg you to ascertain whether it
shall be duty to throw judgment into the scale
OF thought upon that subject. Where is there
government, plying between any Southern port and
Europe? Why is this We contribute for the support
Of this as much as the North in proportion
to our means; and ask you whether you ought not to
consider this question: and make application to Con-
gress in relation to IT, Some Of sand straight and
lace go tight that we are afraid to ask for appropra
ton lest shou be unconstitutional but until 1t is de-
carcd 10 be so am willing to take my share Another
important subject which should claim our serious con-
will hereafter take place, II is but right that they
should learn fully the nature Of The position in which
be required to perform. We have been planted
here by destiny we have institutions over the
establishment of which had control; have them
from ancestors and like the trees of the forest they
rooted into very SOIL that they cannot 10
up without involving thom in destruction. Although
ea nothing upon this great question: and do moi raise it
for POLITICAL sectional any other purpose yet II Is well
that children Should be instructed in the duties which
will be nseparabe from their position. Our manufac
turing interests will elso claim attention. and 10
frends who have been reared have been in the idea
of the last forty fifty years. that others should manu-
facture for beg leave to say that my experience of
late years has changed my mind upon this subject We
exhaustng soil and burning our timber, leaving
little resources for the future To avert the calamity
that threatens we must divide labor; must
go 10 mountains, and develope their hidden wealth
must after iron gold and copper must go
to the place where the Creator of the world has plan
the wealth that requires only labor to develop it, and put
labor there. We must build factories where
they can be worked by water power, and manlfac
ture material, and not upon pride of
thought, say will be the carriers of the raw ma
teral, put it into the pack, and send it four
thousand miles the Atlantic to have it
manufactured and then brought back to period
has arrived in the history Of the cotton growing States
when division of labor has become necessary; po
pulation will be increased by It, How is England sus-
tanned but by the density Of her population the charac
ter Of her institutions and the mode in which her labor
is employed 1t is in this way that from few acres
tions and her liberties know, gentlemen that these