The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-04-14
ANOTHER SOUTHERN COMMERCIAL CONVENTION.

Official Call-PleparatlOnsH Tor DlsunAOn--Vhe
south Tn be made IOdepenCient AZ orthern
Ships and Factories In View OF a Southern
COs.fttIes.cy.
TO THE PEOPLE OF THE SOUTHERN AND SOUTH
WESTERN STATES
At meeting OF the Southern Convention, in
Knoxville, the undersigned were appointed COM
mttee to address you in anticipation of the Conven-
ton which is to be held in Montgomery in the State
of Alabama on the 10th day of May next.
The object of the address, as we understand it, is
to remind you of the approaching session of the Con-
vention and to urge you to appoint delegates
to it, and we proceed now to perform that duty.
The motive which prompted the organization of q
Southern Commercial Convention was the desire to
ascertain the causes of the decline of the foreign
commerce of the Southern States and to devise some
plan for its revival and restoration. The people of
the Southern States saw and felt the anomalous fact
that the country which produces threefths in value
of the exports of the nation had not only lost its
commercial supremacy but had become commercial
ly dependent upen and yet tributary to that por
ton Of the country which produces much the smallest
portion of those exports. This was not only an
unnatural, but an exhausting and depressing pro-
retarding necessarily the growth and prosperity
of the South, and it natural to desire, as it
necessary to provide, remedy for it. This desire
and necessity suggested the idea OF assembling
in every year the people of the South, by deputies
in a convention, for the purpose OF gathering infor
nation from the most reliable witnesses as to the
of the evil, with the hope of obtaining from
the wisest and most devoted sons of the South the
suggestion of plan or system OF measures which
should correct it.
We regret to say that thus far our hopes have not
been realized while the predictions of our opponents
have been to some extent verified, although much
good has been accomplished. Our disappointment
has not been however, the fault entirely OF the Con-
vention; for although we have been too much d.
vded among ourselves as to the remedies proper to
be adopted and thereby have impaired our efficiency,
still much good has been done, and much more
would have been accomplished If we could have
carried our suggestions into execution without Deepen
dence upon the will of Congress and the State Le
- nv.oz H.. xlzrO .k
resulted from the sessions of the Convention has
been the increased knowledge of and sympathy
for each other with better understanding Of our
wants. resulting from these annual assemblies
Southern men heve been made more extensively &C
quainted with each other and through that acguain
lance have learned the cheering and delightful fact
that however we may differ about men, about party
politics, or particular remedies among ourselves,
there is in the South but heart and will for
traducers and assailants, and that when the
time for blow at them shall arrive, if unhappy it
ever shall. all the energy patriotism and courage
of united nation will be felt in that bowEby those
who shall unhappily provoke it; that however we
may differ among ourselves as to the means of attack
or the mode of defence, there is difference of OPT
Mon as to the great conclusion that the South must
be defended and all her rights protected, cost what
il may. This were cause and COM ensatOn enough
for any trouble and expense in holding assemblies.
But rapidly occurring events furnish additional and
conclusive incentives to the continuance Of the work
which we have commemorative commercial indie
pendence of the South--by bringing more closely
and distinctly to our view the probability that we
shall at no distant day be compelled to assert our
political independence, without the means of regu-
lating and controlling commerce; for, with
out that power, nation be free. If the South
is wise then and would be provident she will lose
no time in providing the best means, and all the
means within her power, to restore her com
mcrce to her own ports and people. For. whether
she is to be permitted to remain in the Union.
Joying in honorable peace all her constitutional
rights or is to be compelled by continued and pro-
gressive assaults upon her rights, her interests and
her feeings-the most unprecedented and fagitious
which cupdity and ambition ever promptedto AZ
sert her right to withdraw from an association
which no longer recognizes the original CON-
pact as the rule OF its government, or long.
er TO yield submission 20 an oppressive and
iniquitous majority. IL is Of the highest i'm
portance to her. If not of absolute necessity tina she
should seriously and earnestly address herself to the
restoration Of her foreign commerce, and to the en-
couragement within her limits, by her own means,
OF the manufacture of those articles which are ne
cessary TO her comfort.
The candid lover Of the union of the States must
be satisfied a. il seems To the undersigned that il
not already abrogated in spirit, by the deliberate VII
olations OF the compact to the injury and for the in
jury of the South, by many of the Northern and
Eastern States there j. not only little ground TO hope
for the preservation of it, upon the basis and under
the guarantees Of the constitution OF 7S7 but there
L. the most imminent danger Of its entire destruction
before many years shall have rolled by. For nun.
Der OF years not only the most offensive denuncia.
tons have been poured out upon the South. but the
most wanton aggressions upon her constitutional
rights have been committed. commencing with that
most absurd and unfounded claim, of right to con.
vert the halls Of the National Council into an arena
upon which to discuss the tenure by which we hold
our slaves under the pretence of petitioning for a
redress Of grievances.
Not Only has our right 10 reclaim our slaves when
they escape into Northern State been denied. but
the law passed by Congress for our protection has
been resisted by people who claim still TO be in the
Union; and recently the State of Massachusetts, has
perpetrated an act such never committed be-
fore by any constitutional government-to wit: the
removal Of a Judge CLoring) without Impeachment
for any crime, simply because he has honestly and
faithfully enforced that law.
II the Southern States were 10 pass laws prohibit
ing any citizen of Massachusetts, from recovering
any debt or other property within their limits
or without such law should remove from Of
fee every Judge who should render judgment in
suit In favor Of citizen Of Massachusetts, Massachu
sets could not complain, but the union with Massa
chusetts would be dissolved. Is IL not dissolved
already, IL the Southern States choose 10 regard
IL But this is not although this is enough 20
pose the dangcr-and the true question is shall the
South wait until the danger overtakcs her UMPIRE
pared then TO meet II fully and ward of its evilsg
Again.
You are painfully sensible Of the protracted and
excited strugge which has for several years been
in progress in relation TO the settlement and govern
ment Of the Territory Of Kansas. Finally the strug
gle seemed TO have been terminated by the adoption
Of constitution for the Territory, 10 constitute II
State as soon as admitted into the Union. With the
details Of the controversy do not propose TO deal
We shall speak only Of results When chat consitu-
ton adopted transmitted 20 tire President.
and with a noble patriotism, coming he does
from the North and with faithful adherence to the
constitutional opinions Of the State rights party he
submitted it TO Congress, with the recommendation
that il should he received by IL, and the State of
Kansas left to correct the errors IL any were com
mttcd, redress the wrongs II any were perpetra-
ted of the Territory of Kansas and thus remove the
agitation of slavery from Congress TO whom IL in no
wise belongs TO deal with the question Of slavery in
any form, and who can NEEDLE with IL only for mis-
chievous purposes and in violation of its constitu-
tional duty.
The consequence Of this act has been the reopen.
ing not only of all the sluces OF abuse and detrac.
ton Of the South, from than one quarter and
especially from the representative Of the great State
OF New York, in the Senate. by whom IL has been |
proclaimed. without rebuke from any Northern
Senator that we, the slave owners Of the South are
70 he pur med from Maryland to Mexico. and ir need
be. in order TO strip MS Of homo and shelter across