The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1857-07-13


Whenever the time comes round for the usual
Southern Commercial Convention, the New York
Herald and other newspapers Of tho same political
kidney endeavor to entertain themselves and thor
readers by some wofl faeetiousness At the expense
of that useful eouvoeaton. They profess 10 believe
that secret treason turks under these commercial
reunions, yet complain Of their exclusive char
aoter thus clearly showing that If treason ia atoot
they want 10 have hand In H. II "a plain too,
from the Heralds talk. that it is enyious Of the fine
fun which the delegates will have upon this festive
and patriotic occasion: else It would not sneer 40
at the hne 'region Of country which, according TO
the Circular of the Convention, surrounds what the
Herald calls the Tennessee Paradise" 1t vould
not with such rueful attempts at pleasantly refer
10 tho "balls, and the "lovely girls" and the Gen
toysble rides - and, in the same breath with its
spasmodc eror, to crack smile, wrathfnliy ex
claim we have se0n good many Of these Soh'h-
Conventions, and more trashy, milk and w''ery
nffsirs we do not know where 10 find. The speeches
are .rnere frnth; tho schemes utterly impossible;
the burden of the members sing the same old non
sense about tho North, of which every real South
ernor was long since sick. Never from the first
DroposaI for q southern Convention 10 the present
cali has any one good thing come ont Of the prac-
lice OF holding them. They have never suggested
one single method by which either the industry or
the agriculture, the educational systems of the
South could be improved A time is coming when
Il will be Of no to pirate in fine language about
the rights Of the South if the Southern States can
not support line of steamers 20 Europe, If they
cannot feed and clothe their people; better think
Of this rapidly approaching future than DO the tools
of designing politicians, and waste time in idle at
tendance upon nonseasical Conventions"
We should like to authority for the
clothe It's people when it not only feeds itself but
helps 20 feed others, and clothes the world As TO
the Inability of the South 10 support line Of steam
ers to Europe, tho North, with all its commercial
advantages, ii In the Same unhappy fix, and with
out the aid Of the federal government Is compelled
TO permit the Cunarder- 10 walk over the course
without opposition. Southern staples form the
principal articles Of export from the United States
10 foreign countries, and is not very extraordina
~ that the South should imagine that, with cotton,
tobacco, rice, naval stores, railroads, naygahle
streams and fine harbors she ought 10 have direct
trade with Europe. Commercial Conventions mas
not he able 10 effect this result: they may become
mere manufacturers Of paper resolutions, and
rhetorical fourishor, but direct trade il Of
tina ineyitables which all tho Jokes cracked AZ the
expense Of the Commercial Convention will not be
able to prevent.
The seusitiyeness unaffected by the New York
at press the efforts othe south for commercial drvel
opment il unatC0untahle upon the hypothesis that
those efforts and expectations are as ridiculous and
impracticable as the organs Of New York commerce
would have u4 believe. We do not imagine that
New York, the Qucsn OF Atlantic cities, fears the
removal other sceptre but ii certainly evinces most
grssplng and monopolizng spirit not to permit ant
body else even to talk about commerce without
raising an uproar, and trying to laugh them down
and pat Thorn out. If the Southern Conventions
perfectly nonsonSicul and ridiculous. mere
annual trOliCs, festivals aud oolerics why not per
nut them to pass with silent contempt; or an out
ssde show Of p0teness, such gentlemen able
TO extend even to things and persons they do not
altogether approve.