New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1856-11-24
soI1rr,ERy cosryrERcTAL CONVENTION.

it contemplates the promotion Of important objects,
and we have hopes that consumlnatons will succeed
the contemplations in this instance at least, nowlt
standing similar conventions in other years, called
together for precisely similar purposes, accomplished
nothing of practical moment-achieved nothing ont
wind-work-and finished nothing but the putting
forth Of stereotyped preambes and resolutions which
were read, laid aside, and then forgotten forever
In regard to previous Southern conventions we
have entertained very friendly sentiments, their
obvious and scarcely disguised intent having been to
devise ways and means to draw trade and commerce
from New Orleans, direct it permanently into new
channels and thus impoverish her at any rate, and
ruin her if possible. Especially this the case in
the conventions which sat at Baltimore and Memphis
In both instances, the ruling motive seemed to ne
among the delegates to see which could agg1andlze
their respective commercial points at the expense Oh
this city. Our interests, claims aud posltiol' "ele
entirely lost sight of in the animated contest to MAKE
the most out of our destructon the MISSISSIPPI
river was ignored its great tributaries laughed al
our unparalleled advantages as commercial elhpo
rum smiled upon in scorntul derislon and any num-
| Der OF railways were projected which we're 10 super
cede the Mississippi and its tributaries, render value
less the natural advantages OF our geographical loca
tv and divert the main bulk OF our trade to Baltl-
|
Confident ofthe futllty Of these neigheory schemes,
| and relying upon the bountcous endowments of ma
ture and their own enterprise, our citizens awaited
the future in patience and hope, and have not been
disappointed. Although our rivals have pushed for
ward numerous railroads with trustworthy energy
although the efforts to divert business from us have
| continued unrelaXel-our commerce and trade have
steadily increased, despite unexamplcd and continu-
n n
the upper rivers and lower tributaries Of the Missis
sppi. And the winding up ofast year transactions
showed an increase of SIS 600 Co., in exports, large
aud lattering increase in imports and general and
lucrative permanent increase in the various depart
ments Of trade aud industry. In the meantime oar
two great lines of railroad, the Northern and Jackson
| aud the Opelousas and Western, have been brayely
struggling EDWARDS, and are now both in compare
lively independent positions In few years one OF
our railroad arms, Or its connections, will reach the
Ohio river, crossing in It's route crery railroad run
ming eascardiy fran the mississippi riucr. Itisnot
beyond the limits of probability that these crossings
will put stop, in great measure, to the contem-
plated diversion Of Western trade from New Orleans
to Eastern and Southeastern Atlantic Cities by means
Of the railroads now finished and in progress
With equal, if not speedier and cheaper tacili-
ties, the bulk of the western trade will seek
its own natural markot-New Orleans. And with
or other great railroad arm, the Opelousas and
Western, we shall be enabled in few years, to reach
Texas and open up its boundlcss and boundlcssy fer
It tile domains to cultivation and market. 4 vast
trade will flow at once if by magic from those re
" gions as soon as the products thereof reach
. market cheaply and eXpedtously. Under such cir
cumstances and with glowing prospects ilraliatlns
the future Our people afford, they do, to rest
n conentcd and to wish their late wouldbe rivals full
measure of success. Nothing but dsunion can
y retard the onward march Of New Orleans until She
reaches pitch of commercial grandeur second only
= if second at ALL to New York. We are now the
largest exporting city in the Union; and may, il
time, divide the imports with overgrown Gotham.
e Rut as we do not think, as we ntiGnatcd at tie
p commencement of this article, that tile Savannah
Convention will be constituted like its predecessors
as we are of opinion that wiser c0unscs will prevail
is that theories will be lisrcgarded which not ss
ceptibe of reduction to practice and that realities
will be substituted for ideals and, above all as tht
Southern, States now occupy position NTH conIcle
raCy owing to the anaca agitation Of our free sol
enemies at the North, dissimilar to any they eve
~ occupied since the formation Of the Constitution
e position aught with insult, obl0qny and daugerW
III are inclined to hope strongly and trust tercny tina
|
-. turning the steps of the Southern people into th
1: one single path that leads to Independence sccurt
at and auence. What that path is, has been so oftc
described in these columns that repetition would bt
It supcrerogatory. We will merely say that it means
1st-We must diversity labor, not keep it confined
: to two or three branches Of agriculture. adv
y must raise enough bread and meat to feed ourselves
III not depend on the North for supplies. 3d--W
IN
II instead of being dependent upon the North an
foreign countries for almost everything We wea
~ 4thWe must foster and encourage home enterprise
lie home industry, home schools and colleges, HON
g. printing offices, home watering places home arts an
:" sciences, and all things else calculated to render
ii. lme-sustlning people, capable of existing pru&pe
ousy if need be, without the cooperation Of domcst
or foreign rivals This is what is wanted and this
- what must he accomplished the years not
~ in the calendar Of time when we will be worse of
We all respects than the original thirteen cooni
when under the sway Of the British crown.
nj We have before circular issued by commit
70, consisting of j. D. B. Dcl}ow, Of Louisiana Ten
to Tilgman Of Maryland Robert Ould, Of the Dstri
my Of Columbia James Lyons, R. X. Meade, j. Il. \
M derson, Myer Myers, +. B. Dean, of Virginia ana
II. Gibhon Of North Carolina, appointed at the Con
mercal Convention held in Richmond Va. in FL
ruary last with instructions to prepare and publ
g., an address to the people Of the Southern States ev
oping and expressing more trtly its views, and
viting general and larger attendance Of delegates
~ the adjourned session. The circular is quite nterc
al ing and we shall make liberal extracts from it. T
historical preliminary shall embrace in syno)~
Nearly quarter Of century ago, says the circul,
OS the Southern people began to he imbucd with the
ley lief that although, in proportion to population. III
owned the wcalthicSt producing region GARTH tn
mt were contributing directly indirectly OF its p
is cceds to the aggrandiZcmGut and commercial %
y leucc mainly Of other sections of the Union, nutw
w. | standing every consideration Of proprirly q
N, patriotism demanded that these clements oI veal
cr should he retained at home. 4 "rcat proportion
MI the commerce o. the nation flows from the )r0lut
Of Southern industry and oar coAnnrrte vi
III Great Britain alone constitutes the half If what
els, given her the commercial control Of the world.
81 CUllOch, her great economist wrote Years 60: 7
49, cotton manufacture FORMS the principal business
Of ricd on in this country, aiiodng an ulynntagct
Njor field for the accumulation and employment ofmj!i,
"" and millions Of capital, and thousands upon tho!sal
OF worklncn. 1t gives strength to Sustain hlrl,
test that would have crushed Our fathers and could utt
i t,,-. ,..,+1,y