The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-12-14

He Southern ConventA0a.
We see that our Southern friends have been
amusing their leisure by holding another con-
vention, and chatting over their SORROWS and
their prospects, One Mr.. De Bow. who is con-
nected with the Census Department at Washing
ton and also, we believe presides over monthly
magazine of heavy commercial matter, proposed
a series of resolutions about the South which
were adopted unanimously. One Of these was
in favor Of steamship line from Southern port
to Great Britain. Another was for the encou-
ragement Of books, newspapers, and we presume
of magazines also. of Southern extraction. And
the others were generally appeals to the Southern
people, begging them to encourage and support
Southern productions of every kind.
We are very glad that this Mr. De Bow pro-
| posed these resolutions Of his, and that they
were passed though we hope be did not draw
| he long bow in his speech in their support.
| Steamers aud books, and newspapers and monthly
| magazines too, are excellent things, wherever
they come from; and if the Southern people
| can get them up, all the better for them
| and for us. But for our part, We are i'm
| PEELED to think that If Mr.. De Bow had moved
| a resolution 10 declare that il was the
| sense Of the Convention that it should hence
forth be warm in January, ard cosl in
August, and that there should be no more yellow
fever at New Orleans, and no more asses at
Charleston, be would not have been guilty of any
inconsistency, and these latter resolutions would
have harmonized admirably with the others.
Our Southern friends are excellent people, very
sound politicians in many respects, great think
ers, sensible takers, well bred men, and gentle
men; but as for political economy, bless them,
they don't know the A of its alphabet
They fancy that the establishment of steamship
lines from New York instead of Norfolk is the
fruit of devilish plot laid to injure the South
ly the Yankees; and they believe that the pros
pority Of the book and newspaper trade at the
North, while the South have never printed book
or got Up decent paper, is also the result of a
deep laid and wicked malignity against their in
situations. What can be said to such people?
IT'S waste Of time to tell them that nature and
the laws of trade and intercourse govern such
things as the establishment of steamship lines,
and that were the planters of the South to club
together, raise million, build and equip line
Of steamships from Norfolk, and set it agoing in
twelve months their ships would of necessity be
transferred to New York The tendency Of all
these things is toward centralization to re-
sist the concentration of capital, enterprise
ard trade toward a focus is to court loss and
disappointment. At the present moment Boston
ard Philadelphia, which are much better situated
for transatlantic intercourse than Norfolk are re-
lactantly resigning the steam traffic of the
ocean TO New York: not because their people
are not Industrious, wealthy and entcrprising, but
because nature has pointed out this city as the
outlet OF the continent and they cannot reverse the
decree.
60 Of books. Where there is demand, there
viii be supply; if the Southern people want
homemade books, let them read more than they
do. At the present time, the sale Of no book at
ftc South is one twentieth Of ifs sale ut the
North. As for newspapers, they have a number
Of them, Of one kind or aEother but shcy will
never bave really good leading journal till
hey have city 10 print it in Till they have
city like New York, they must be content with
contemplate party sheets like the Richmond In