Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-04-09
From the Washington States

THE TRUE SOUTHERN EQUlLlbkluM.
The energetic practical sense Of the Hon. William
Ballard Preston, has struck the right blow for the
South in his arrangement Tor steam line between
Norfolk and the French port OF Nantes. The mme
date want of the South is direct steam cOmmunica
ton with the beet European markets Of sale and sup
py and this is noble first step. Norfolk aud Nantes
make their own dsstiny by becoming the outlet OF al
immense series of iron rivera. that are concentrating
,her tributes of interior production al these new polnte
The old roads ind water channels which have hitherto
favored old harbors and made great cies WheTe theY
could beat he accommodated must now give way 10
steam and railroads. which " i'll be made where they
will pay bes-tbst il, where there lie the grentest
| amount of valuable productions Humankind Included
to be carried into the shOrtes; and best way Heaven
yays Norfolk q magnificent Earbnr and M Immense
network Of tributary navigation. and the growing
wealth Of the country il rapidly placing her IN rail-
road communication with the fleming valleys OF thh
West. This her the material to support steam
lines as fast a. they can be built and being built,
commerce will there to avail itself ct these Ia
ciities Norfolk has all the elements of hrstclass
commercial city and long before The end OF thlscen
tury it will be- and admitted that she even exces
New York in all the attributes oil national empori'
UNI.
in the increase of her wealth and in her own cell sus
tanning and selfmanaged OF prosperity, that
IN. South s TO look for the restoration OF It's lost
equilibrium of power. There has BEEN hn endless
amount of nonsense expended in The halls OF Bnncomb-
about the necessity Ot sustaining the nuinsfca! equal
ity of Northern add Southern States; and oil the
while these sams advocates al an impossible eqnili-
brum in numbers were opposing and dtieatinG every
measure for the solid ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF the South
The energy and eloquence which me politicians on
small cnlib:e have wasted in qubbiing opposition to
the admission Of Stniss, that The supreme law OF eli
mate and production has written nGn sInyehoidg be-
yond The reversal "f Congress, would, If properly d.
rected have gained for the South accesslons OF such
priceless vnue that the North coud moi poSs IDLY dis
prnss with the partnership mar cnll'.eS Def 10
share in the rich Rvails.
Let the Southern ports become c"Thp'iitOrc 'nstead
of dependents in the race of foreign trade, ana Inc
naughty dominant tone OF aggression VIII Us suo'
iued 10 q spirit of lust, If not cordial appreciation.
The Northern belief has always been that the South
and Weat had no choice but 10 trade through thelr
ports that time and custom had settled Their business
on basis Of capital sGd arrangement winch leit al
possibility Of competition lar behind. Steam is now
the king OF trad. revelations. aud rail roads IRE swif
overtakers and together they make quick oVer'urns
Of trade dynasiies that il REQUIRED centuries 10
create on the old system. Nantes, HI well IA Norfolk,
may become an example Of these shlitlnga oil conf
mrrcsl centrss under new sets OF impulses
Nantes ia the port OF the Orleans Ra load winch
Mr. Preston thinks tha weathest organization III
Europe. He ssya at controls the Southern portion
uf France, bringing Nantes within ten hours ifaVe'
If Paris. II eniracaa III its range lUOnoGU OF tae
inhabitants, aud the nosl favored localities oi l"n
empire. lite shares valued at 500 francs-now Sell
at 400 francs being nearly 200 per cent. above par
The value of ths property under its control he
100000 G0H -! francs. Its directors are men o: IN
Heence in the empire, are noble and wealthy. Nantes
directly fronts Norfolk and ia thirty hours nearer u
by sleam than Liverpool. The ronte between thr
tw hss every advantage over that between Liver
pool and the Chesapeake, The port haa wharf
800 yards in length Of solid stone, and dock caPa
biz OF containing $50 vessels Of 900 tons measure
ment. The Orleans Rail Road runs down to THE
dock, AMI makes the connection with the interior per
feet. The Orleans Rail Road Copfny say that they
are not commencing ha'ne merely Tor the sake OF
making money, but TO divert trade, which had TOW
ed into channels adverse to them well "a to us.