The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1857-08-04
THE SOUTHERN TRANSATLANTIC STEAMSHIP
SCHEME

THE SOUTHERN TRANSATLANTIC STEAMSHIP
SCHEME
Brief mention was made in our Geographic column
last week Of the proceedings of convention held at
Old Point Comfort Virginia. for the purpose of fur
thering the enterprise of establishing line of
moth steamships between Chesapeake bay and Mil
ford Haven, England. Among the letters read to the
convention were the following
Letter Of General Cas-, Secretary Of STATE
wAsnISeros CRY, July 81 1857.
GENTLEMEN Though consider the establishment of
line OF steamers, proposed by the Hon, A. Dudley
Mann, an object of national Importance and look upon
that gentleman entitled to high public consideration
for his welldeced efforts in relation to this subject yet
is out of power TO attend the meeting proposed to
be held on the 10th instant at Old Point Comfort by the
friends of the My public duties will necessarily
deain me here and must ask your indulgence for de-
Ginning to accept your invitation
am, gentlemen very respectfully your obedient ser
want LEWIS CASS.
WV BouLwARE Esq, and others, Committee &c.
Letter Of Hon. Isaac T5uoey, Secretary Of tie Nary
Navy DEpARr,rESr July 20, 1857.
GENTIEMES / have the honor to acknowledge the
ceipt of your communication of the 18th inst inviting
my presence at Old Point Comfort the 29th instant to
meet the friends of the Commercial independence of the
South to consider the general subject of the estab
shment of line Of steamers between Europe and the
Chesapeake bay and to state in reply that my official
engagements will deprive of the pleasure of meeting
yourselves and other gentlemen the occasion referred
to.
am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
l. TOUCEY.
Messrs VIM Bouware, Joseph R. Anderson, and others,
Old Point Comfort, Va.
Letter Of Hon. aaron " Broom, Postmaster General
WASHINGTON CRY, July a. 1857.
oot, Nv
duty the publicservice which endeavoring faithful
to discharge ords my absence at the present moment
regret it very much for have watched and sympa-
thzed, and sometimes personally participated in every
movement intended to give New Orleans, Mobile Charles
ton and Norfolk that just proportion of the
of the country to which they fairly entitled.
wished to give them than they were entitled
to- but have ceased to hope that should yet
them regain their long lost and neglected rights of
porting and importing directly to the full extent demand
ed by the products and wants of the countries connected
with them and dependent upon them
Thanks to the liberay and public spirit of Virginia,
that have contributed largely to her canal and railroad
connexions with the southwestern and northwestern
to the spirit that has prompted Ten
nessoe Ohio and Kentucky to reach out their Briarean
to embrace the parent empre--thanks, might
add to those individuals or association of individuals
who propose at early day the contamination of the
grand enterprise which has called you together Grand
indeed win Virginia, Tennessee, northern Alabama Ken
lucky, and Ohio call it, when they shall see the great
ships of and Of CALAMITY riding into the
port of Norfolk they now do the harboB of Boston
and New York
It is but to refer every step like the
which you are now taking to and sectional
jealousy. i felt such sentiment. The South
felt it, Her sons proper OCCASION would bat
tie long and vantly for the just rights Of Boston,
New York, and Philadelphia for those of New Or
leans, Charleston, and Norfolk All the South seeks in
the movement which you making, and in her
commercial conyentionsone of which shortly to
sembe Mt Knoxville lis perfect equality of commercial
rights in exact proportion to her productions her caac
ty for consumption and the facilities furnished by her
harbors rivers and railroads Our southern cities and
communities only seeking to preserve and save to
themselves that amount of the export and import trade
which naturally and geographically belongs to them If
Norfolk shall desire to obtain portion of the vast pro-
auctions of the West has not Boston expended her mil
lions and New York her tens of millions for the
purpose SO has Pennsylvania poured out her means in
rich abundance to accomplish the same object need
not speak Of Baltimore God forbid that anything but
the most aeral sentiments should ever exist between
Baltimore and Norfolk Situated the at the foot
and the other at the head of the nobst bay In the world
each contribute largely to the wealth and prosperity
Of the other.
In the commercial movements now going on in the
South the northern States and their great cities should
nothing but attempt to follow their example,
not for the purpose of nurng Others but solely with the
view of advancing their interest and welfare. They
only desire that whatever of foreign articles intended
for southern western consumption shall go direct to the
South and West for which it intended and that
productions shall De conveyed directly from our own
ports to the countries furnishing the best markets.
So important is it to furnish every facility of inter
change of productions that most governments have given
every incidental aid to commercial enterprises like yours
which they able to give. 1t for this purpose
that government instituted the Collins the Bremen,
and Havre lines paying considerable bonus extra
compensation for carrying the mails of the United States
On the expiration of the two latter contracts policy
has, however been nauguated of paying them only the
hostages (sea and inland) for conveying mails to
France and Germany Whatever patronage shall be
given by Congress- in its future legislation to any Of the
steam lines should of course be extended to the
contemplated one between Norfolk and Milford Haven,
and indeed to all other similar projects whether North
South If your line should be started in advance Of
such Legislation, the greatest amount of patronage al
lowed by existing law shall be freely bestowed upon it,
In this acknowledgment of the honor of your invitation
conne myself to the precise object purpose of your
contemplated meeting. Were to go outside and beyond
that might have many things to add in relation to pub
lie affairs Especially might advert to how often and
how grevously just equality of rights has been denied
to the South. But choose in this acknowledgment Of
your Kindness to leave the past with the past and to in
dulge the hope that the future may to crowned
with all the blessings that commercial political and
social equality can confer.
Very respectfully, your obedicnt servant
AARON v. BROWN.
Messrs VIM Boulwarc, l. Chandler, and others.
Letter of Hon. Jacob Thompson Secretary Of The Interior.
DEPARTMENT THE INTERIOR,
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