New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1858-04-14
SOUTHERN COMMERCIAL coNvEN-


We publish, elsewhere, the address "To the People
Of the Southern and Southwestern States put forth
by the committee appointed by the Knoxville Con
vention Of last year The object Of the creation Of
the committee as we understand IT, was to superin.
duce publication In advance OF the Convention,
which Is to be held in Montgomery, Alabama, on the
second Monday Of May next in order that the people
interested might be properly advised in the premises
The committee, as will be seen by the signatures
appended to the report. consists Of Messrs. james
Lyons Of Virginia. 7. B. Bethea of Alabama. w. N.
Churchill Of Tennessee, and W. W. Boyce Of South
Carolina -aIl gentlemen Of commanding influence in
their respective States, and of undoubted especta
biIity.
The manner in which the committee have dis
charged the responsible duties of their position will
be best ascertained by careful reading Of the ad-
dress and trust it viii be duly perused aud con-
sdered by all our readers. In matters OF this kind
which ouchupon questions of the utmost importance
and Che greatest magnitude the larger the reflection
the greater the safety, and the more judcious the
decision which may be arrived at The truth Of this
latter proposition will, we opine be universally &C
knowledged.
The address proclaims that the original motive
which prompted the organization of a Southern Com
mercial Convention, the desire to ascertain the
causes Of the decline Of the foreign commerce Of the
Southern States, and TO devise plan for its re-
vival and restoration" more laudable motive
could not well be conceived and If the coming Con-
sention can work out practical realization of It, it
will accomplish an immensely Of good, and be en-
titled to the gratitude Of the people of the South 1t
sthen shown that although the Southern States pro.
duce threeths in value Of the exports Of the ma
ton" that they had not only lost their commercial
supremacy, but had become commercially, depend
ent upon and yet tributary to that portion of coun
try which produces much the smallest portion Of
those EXPORTS This is well described as an exhaust
ing, unnatural and depressing process retarding the
growth and prosperity of the South and hence, it is
repeated, the idea of assembling annually for the
purpose Of collatng reliable information as to the
cause Of the evil with the nope of obtaining from
the wisest and most devoted sons of the South the
suggestion Of plan or system Of measures which
should correctit n
1t is then admitted that previous Conventions have
not accomplished the objects hoped for at the outset
although much good has been done. We have been
too much divided among ourselves and the main
benefit which has resulted from the sessions of the
Conventions has been the increased knowledge of and
sympathy for each other with better understanding
Of wants resulting from these annual assemblies
A genial acquaintance has been made which will
strengthen us, should the time ever unhappy arrive
when shall be compelled to strike manfuly for the
preservation of our hottest rights aad franchises
The Southern question is then discussed with much
vigor and ability the committee feeling evidently
that although the subject was not one exactly con
templated by the power which appointed them, that
recent portentous and alarming events justified them
f,,s