The Feliciana Democrat. (Clinton, La.) 1855-186?, 1857-01-03

Of lightning among the Blue Mountains, and
has not been heard Of from that day to this.
TIE SOUTHERN COMMERCIAL CON
vENTION.
They who thrive by the commercial dcpcn-
dence of the South will not resign their su.
prcmacy without q struggle. The factors and
iobbcrs Of New York snbSist upon the monop-
oily Of the Southern trade, and they are not
going to lose their precious privileges for want
of vigilance and energy in opposing every mas
cent scheme Of commercial competition 1t is
not surprising, therefore, that the debates and
resolutions Of the Savannah Convention should
provoke the contcmptuous criticism of the Nor
thern journals The ErcHiug Post UrraM,
Tribune, Times, and other papers Of the same
sort, are only engaged in the service of the
mercantile interest Of New York when they
unite in dccrying the enterprise and industrial
capabilities Of the South Every abortiyc at
tempt to raise the slave States to the dignity
of an independent and sclfSustainiug commu-
nifty, only results in tightening the bonds of
their suhicciion. If this last effort can he
bahlcd, perhaps the capital Of the North will
be secure Of its asccndcncy. Hence the stimuli
tancous and acrimonious assault upon the Sa-
of New York
While the press of the South has ever been
distinguished for its extreme Solicitudc for the
moral and political interests Of its section, it
has bestowed very inadequate proportion of
care upon schemes of industrial and CONNER.
cial development This is characteristic of the
unscllsh and lofty impulses of our people, who
esteem the rcfncmcuts Of social life and the
q a.. .;,,I "A. ~
vulgar prizes of commerce With more than
the Spartan pride Of power they have less
than the Spartan desire of gain. There is
something very attractive in this generous con
tempt of Sordd interests, and this exclusive
devotion TO the higher pursuits OF ambition
But we seem to have forgot that commercial
Independence is essential TO political power.
At last the popular mind of the South is
impressed with the necessity of relieving lis in.
dnStra interests from theeXtortonatc tyranny
of Northern capital; and, ut last, we begin to
feel about for some way of escape from the
oppressive bondage. 1t is natural that the
spirit OF the South, impatient of the burden
aud eager for delivcrancc, should be betrayed
into some extravaganza: bnt it is very unnatu-
raj in the Southern press to make such folly
the subject Of llibcral comment We observe
with equal surprise and regret, that certain of
our contemporaries in the slaycholding States,
are repeating the hippant criticisms of the
Northern press on the action of the Savannah
Convention Such ccnsurc mny crafty q
splcnctic hnmor or n taste for cynical display,
bnt it will contribute very little to the success
OF the movement towards the commercial indie
pendence of the South The aim of the enter
prise should atone for any incidental blunders
IN its prosecution, at least in the opinion Of
those who sympathzc in the effort to plant the
institution of slavery upon stable and self
supporting basis When we consider the oh
jcct of the gentlemen who compose these South
crn Conventions, their conduct should be eX-
empt from all captions and uncharitabe con-
Structlon; and to whatever of zeal and wisdom
they display in the good work, we should cx-
tend generous appreciation and the most
hearty applause. lie must be very morosc
person who can find nothing to approve in the
proceedings OF body, which, whatever its
errors, is at least animated by patriotic pur-
pose, and which will certainly rcsu in impart-
ing unity of aim and consistency of effort to
the awakened energies of the South. II these
Commercial Conventions were utterly barren
OF useful suggestions, yet by stimulating the
impulse out OF which they spring. and develop
ing the thought to which they owe their exis-
tence--by impressing the popular mind with
the necessity of selfsubsstng independence,
and encouraging individual enterprise in the
pursuit of this object--if they did nothing more,
their efforts would deserve grateful return
from the people of the South TO magnify
their mistakes with malignant pleasure i'm
plies very imperfect sense of justice, or
very small regard for the interests of the slave
holding community. OF their blunders We
may be sure the enemies of the South will
make the most, and SO spare us the nvidous
work
But even by the confession of the. North
ern press, the Savannah Convention is less
obnoxious to censure than any of its predeces-
sors. Its deliberations were conducted with
perfect decorum, and its suggestions were char
acterized by remarkably moderate and con-
Servatyc spirit. The propostion to revive the