The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-08-17
Vhs kroxvstAs ComnngCanx ConvSntaoss- t'rsc
tscal Views " souahsfn s1ss.

Chs Kroxvsals Commorcsa1 Oonvsntios-s 'rsc
tsoal Views ~ souaAsfn Slss.
We publish today . full report OF the two
first sittinU Of the Southern Commercial Conven-
ton assensbaed at Knoxville, Tennessee, With =
reply by Soothernsr to the Structures reoestiy
rdssod ~ us On tho proceedings Of tue Old Point
Convention Whatever rcseutgd feeling may be
excited ca the part Of the members of these con-
vntions by the commentaries we have INDUCED
In regarding them, they cannot complain that we
have not Afforded them the fullest opportunities
of making themselves heard No o;her Northern,
or even Southern paper, has devoted 30 much of
its space to reports Of their proceedings and
statements of their Individual views. We deserve
the more credit for this, as we place but little
faith in the practcsbliity of toe schemes pro
pounded at there conventions and we have not
in general TO thank them for mach courtesy in
their relations with ua Witness the efforts made
by Mr.. Pryor, and certain other rabid secession
lists at the present convention, to exclude the re
porters of the Northern prsss--eforts understood
to be specially directed against the New YORK
HERALD for it's endeavcre to protect the people
of the South from the delusioos attempted to oe
prsctised upon them.
Passing by q matter which only affords us
amusement, and which besides, has been set
right by the common sense of the majority of the
delegates, We lave again to repeat that no jour
nal in the Union is more disposed than ourselves
to further any project promising to advance the
interests Of the South, always provided that it
be lot obnoxious to The welfare Of the country
generally. We invite the members of these con-
ventions TO show us any one measure suggested
by them which can be eaid to bear that character.
or which indeed has been attended with any
practical result in connection with the interests
spective glance at the schemes brought forward
at their Southern commercial diets, they viii, we
think, be forced to arrive with Us at the conclu-
sion that never was 30 much deIlberative and ora
tOrical energy expended with so little real advan-
tege.
Out of seven or eight OF these conventions held at
Richmond, Nashville, Memphis Charleston, New
Orleans ard Savannah, what have been the actual
fruits? Plenty of novel and ingenious theories,
such as Maury's idea of the Amazon and Mssis-
sippi, ard Calhouns famous idea giving to the
rivers and lakes of the South the designation of
stantiI or practical results. Of the multitude OF
projects for the multiplication of railways and
canals the establishment of direct lines of trans
atlantic communication the extension Of Southern
trade in South America and hoss of other such
schemes, not single one has been realized. The
first step of really practical nature that has
been taken by any Of these conventions was that
adopted at the Bristol meeting this year. The
delegates actually decided to send Mr.. W.
Ballard Preston to England, to induce the
projectors of the Great Eastern to let her make
her fret trip to Norfolk. We will say nothing
moro of the other effort made ct the Old Point
Convention to give a helping hand to
Dudley Mann's transatlantic steamship scheme
by the magnificent subvention of $4,000, the
calculated cost Of the four steamers necessary for
this service being s7,O00,O00. II will be seen by
the letter appended to the Knoxville proceedings
that the subject is a sore one with our Old Point
friends, and therefore, out Of consideration for
'nch We WIZ uo
alludon to it.
In regard to the other complaints advanced
against us in that letter. have only to refer the
writer TO Mr.. Blunt's speech, reported elsewhere,
for a full confirmation Of the opinions that we
have advanced in reference to this scheme.
Whether the Knoxville Southern Convention
is resolved to turn over new leaf In the history
Of these bodies and 10 establish for itself cha
racter for practical good sense and energy Of
action, We arc not as yet in position to deter
mine. So far as their deliberations have trans
pired we are sorry to say they do not impress us
very favorably. Discussions on a motion for the
exclusion Of press without whose aid these con-
ventions would never have been heard Of and on
a proposition for renewal Of the slave trade
analogous In its practlcability to a project for
peopling the moon-are but sorry evidences of
the business like objects and ideas of this body
That there are a few individuals in IL like Mr.
Blunt and Mr. McCrea, who have their heads
screwed rightly on their shoulders, il fortu-
nate circumstance for the convention Were il
not for common sense men like these, their pro.
oecdings would be likely to degenerate into broad
farce instead Of being confined to the domain Of
prosaic absurditios
The STEAMBOAT COLLISION o. THE SOUND
The Loss or LTE.-Anoiher Of those appalling
disasters which she'd n rloou oyor an MANY