The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1854-11-21
Mi5rRllauRuag.
The American Merchant.

6rdrY Association. Of I<flefS6uTy. Td., Oy EI
President JOHN Tyler, May All, 1854. '-
In our school boy days we have pored over
the stories of Phenician enterprise, and visited
in fancy the colonies they planted. But cen'u
ries elapsed before those bold navigators had
passed the pillars OF Hercules, and the British
channel set limits to the fight of the Roman
eagle until the. latter days of that renowned
Republic. But here is a people who, from
handful of .adventurers, have, in little more
than two centuries, over runa continent and
reduced it to, culture and civilizations Savage
life and barbari>m have been crushed out by
their heavy foot falls. The lahnrs ofthe heroic
age, the accomplishment of which placed the
names Of heroes among the consultations of
the heavens, have been more than performed.
The dragon of superstition and idolatry with
its swarming brood has heen destroyed, and
altars, on which blaze the fires Unconstitutional
liberty, have been erected in places, whe'e,
"snce the great food" no voice of humanity
had ever been heard As type of control in
the affairs of the world, they hold in one hand
the cotton plant, the symbol of peace and com
manding power while with the other they grasp
at and are in the act of clut,hing the tridem of
the seas, in evidence of the supremacy of their
commercial marine. Aud yet great as have
been the results nf the past, hat are they when
compared to that mighty future, which already
impatient of restraint is so near at hand as to
be classed with the present
The moneylemder. commanding his interest
quarterly never added TO his treasure half So
fast rs will this country to its population and
resources within the next quarter of century.
Who can undertake ut this day to estimate the
probable amount of our exports and imports at
the end of that period of twenty five years.
Already trade, breaking through new channels,
begins to empty into our lap the treasures OF
India; and when the great tide which bears
that commerce. upon 1t shall have actually Set
in, as it assuredly viii, y"n may measure the
waters of the ocean, and count th" stars IN the
armament, but arithmetic "iil taIl III the effort
to calculate the extent "f wralii w'nrh "Il
flow into our cities. Ancient Ty'e, bit Il ncie
peninsula. enio owed a .ivulct "i thai trade, aud
she grew into the most mighty II cities. Ven.
ice and Genoa in the cou:>' "t ii!"c ir'>s'Ssr'
it, and their Doges prorIained them the brides
ofthe sea-. But say ye, VIII" tore'e'l The future.
We venerable Seer> if any such ih"re n', no"
on this earth, what dowry shall equal that nl
America when the Atlantic ,ha'l have inl!r
welded the Pacific.
mail this great WAX # I,r"grc~~ the Amer
lean merchant has nnrnr n"h his part. tIe
will conth,ue,tn do )" in what L t" follow. II
was said by au English orator. IN rti""a'':
that "the ledger of the cIchant was his Bible,
may we no, say that the ig''-ni III" A." ercan
merchant is nlleu fli'H wi, rn lies whrt' tel
of noble enterprises and 2ilis "i chart, "ll''i,
in some measure, a>Sinilae il I" hat holy
yolume2 Even nuA there ,u:.y be hl" krd ui'
in Polar seas, vessels provided by "A merchant
of New York, aud despatched on Il mission "i
mercy in search of "a l,nslo>t navigator "' an
other people, while donations If ap'incel, cha
racter, have by others been strcwm broadcast
over The land in aid of every conceivable char
itv. Nor have his charities hren confined to
the American continent When foreign conn
tries, blighed in their harvests "f their people
rendered house and homeless Ivy 'rstIirnce ar
fire. have cried for bread, the American nier.
chant, like the good Samaritan, uniting with
other classes, has contributed with open tand
to their succor and relief Such is the merchant
Of America such his enterprise, aud such his
charities. He has caused the name of his
country, by his fidelity to his engagements, to
be honoTed, and has won ior himself the respect
and confidence OF the world.
His present elevated position gives rise to
reflections intimately associated with the des-
tiny Of the country, whose power and gl"ry ne
has done 50 much to increase. Above all 9th
er men, he should most highly appreciate the
value and Importance of the Union of the States.
When his ship floats on distant seas, 60" far
aeay for the physical force Of his country OH
the instant to reach him, his eye. rests "n the
symbol of its power and glory, which floats at
bis mast head, and he speeds ON his way reJoc'
ing in his security from danger. Whether
melting amid the tropics. or freezing under the
Pole, that symbol encourages, sustalrS ans
protects His ship keeps its way peacefully
and uninterruptedly, amid hostile ar'"ame"ts
and the stars and stripes, typical "t the Union
open to him every port. and secure HIM the nos
pitalities of the people of every kindred ano
every tongue. How idle to him, and more
than absurd, are all distinctions between sec
tions of his own country His dealing with
the world, and he should recognise but one
section of that world, and that is his country
and his whole country. If he could be so lost
not only to his own interests, but to his duty
as to degenerate to mere sectionaist, al
home. he would Justly forfeit all claim to either
wisdom or patriotism. What would he be in
comparison to what he is, if he should no long
er repose under that proud banner which now
floats over him, but sail under some other
repose he could not-which, wherever seen
would only tell of a ruined republic and dis
rupted confederacys What audience should