The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1857-09-10
From the, Southern Monitor.
MR.. DUDLEY-MANNs TRANSATLANTIC
STEAMSHIP PROJECT.

been attended with many evils in this coun-
try, it has served, in our opinion, at least,
one good end. 1t has aroused the people
the Southern section Of the Union to
,nsider, in a spirit of wise furccastc, the
exrediency Of making powerful and sus-
.ained effort to establish, somewhat Within
Southern latitudcs, and for the especial
strength and prosperity of the Southern
States, some great depot Of foreign trade
with the leading nations of Europe. Thus,
in this matter, the old Spanish provcrb
seems verified, alt is IN i'll wind that blows
nobody good." We do not mean to de-
clare, or SO to nsinuate-far from it--tl,at
Mr.. Mann's enterprise is founded in the
conception of the people of Virginia, or Of
any other Southern State, in Il sentiment of
hostility towards Northern commercial de-
velopment but, nevertheless, We believe it
will be sustained and consumnatcd with
the fixed and comprehensive purpose Of Sc
curing to the South the safest position for
the future. Our Northern friends may Z
assured that there is neither unfricndIncss
nor foolish jealousy in this business, but
only good deal Of wholesome energy and
prudence. 1t is even ossiLe, as all must
admit, (though we trust not proLaLe) that
there may be, one Of these days, another
Freesoil or Abolition raid against the Con-
stitution and the just and equal principles
OF the another programme of
Fremont and the IIig' or Law"-anothcr
spasmodic movement of the agraran mas
scs of the North and East-when the fierce
aud lawless genius of Disorganization may
not only come near success, as recently, but
be actually successful and in that evcrt,
New York might not continue to be, what
It now is, the commercial metropolis of an
American Union. And in any event, the
producing classes of the Southern States,
who are compelled by the present system
to expend millions every year in commits
sions, freiglts and exchanges, while dispos.
ing of the products Of their skill and labor,
receiving nothing hy way Of cquivalcn:
from the Northern merchants or sl,p-own-
ers, should endeavor to free themselves from
this enormous tax, which cannot bc done
except by opening and main,aing avenues
OF direct trans and inter oceanic communi-
cation with Europe and Soutl, America, en-
porting their own industrial products in
their own marine, and importing goods in
return for their domestic ccnsumrtion.-
We are absolutely convinced that there is
no other way under the sun for the South
ern people to obtain relief from the com
puIslve and absorbing currents Of Northern
capital, tending with an increasing impetus
and enlarged influence, as eacl, day passes,
to sweep the wealth Of the cotton, sugar. to.
bacco and rice planting States into one vast
stream of tribute TO the riches and mower
Of the North.
The Convention Of Merchants and Plan
teSs recently assembled a, Old Point Com
tort, Virginia, over which our able and re-
spected Ex-Prcsident John Tyler presided.
seems TO have inaugurated the scheme of
Southern commercial independence under
inost suspicious circumstances. Although.
with tile view Of preventing speculation in
the stocks of the Company, subscriber
was only permitted TO take a single share,
more than $4,000 were contributed on the
spot y:the members Of the Convention
and few of the citizens of one small
county. There can be, VIC think, but little
doubt that Virginia, N. Carolina, and Ten.
pessee, not to mention other States, will sub
scrite and pay all tile money needed for "A
j., fine ocean ferry between Norfolk and Mil
ford. 1t is true that we can hardly con-
template the realization of Mr.. Mann's idea
sofa great South Atlautic seaport unless we
can count on some other commercial clc-
lneats Besides that. Of sufficient capital to
build and equip few sca.going steamers.
Batsmay not Norfolk justly claim to possess
advantages in which are embraced all the
first:ratS elenshts of commercial success,
aad which have only to be appreciated aud
PsoPaN directed to attract the mercantile
eal4st and busini IS .enterprise-not Of the
South alone rbpt .-,he entire country. No
one an e"se il7s eye. on the map. Of the
gnfted States without being struck wiartthe
Thought that Norfolk should he, from its
.natufal situation, the chief seaport of alf
A,e popu!ous aud wealth producing States
of the Mississippi Valley. When the Virs
gsaia Central and Covington railway, at
present, we presume, in a fair way of COM
plesion, shallsoh'.set Cincinnati by direc:
aud ezneditisas steam route, with the wa
ters sf the Chesapeake at or near Norfolk,
the cities of-tle Ohio and Missouri, aud all
the mighty West, and great part of the
North west, will be much nearer to Norfolk
than to New York or Boston. Cincinnati;