Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1859-10-28
Direc. Trade-The Means 10 DO EMPLOYED.


Direct Trade-The Means TO be Employed.
Anterior to the period when Virginia entered
into this closer copartnership with the North
srn republics, this more perfect union she
possessed a larger foreign trade than the ag-
gregated trade of all the other States. But
soon after that eTent occurred, as soon indeed
as the new federal agencies had wrought out
their consequences, her commercial fabric was
Frustrated to the earth. This predicted result,
predicted in SIS" was produced by the sec
tional and an,i.democratic policy that guided
the federal councils. Mr.. Calhoun has fortified
this conclusion by a demonstrative reasoning
which Mr.. Webster on the Senate floor could
not deny.
There are those who believe that the COM
mcrcial independence Of the South cannot be
recovered except by first trcading the paths Of
political independence. Such consider that the
commercial and political independence of the
Southern people as united by cords which cam
not be severed, and as in truth but limbs Of
the same body.
This appears to have been the opinion Of
Mr.. Webster himself, an authority great enough
TO shelter from ridicule those among our fellow
citizens who partake Of that belief. That dis
tinguishcd Northern Senator, AT a public din.
ner given him on the 10th of March, 1881,
after his memorable conflict with flayne, thus
speaks to the merchants OF New York touching
the commercial Importance of the Union to
that city. 1t will be remembered by those
who delight to peruse the admirable specimen
Of eloquence which Mr.. Webster had but re-
Gently exhibited in the celebrated debate, that
he had turned away in horror from those
who had profanely calculated 1.-The value of
the Union to the South. We charitablv
believe that he was horror-struck at the propo-
%sition, not fox the splendid reason of patriotism,
which he uttered, but for the more homely and
commonplace reason, which in the month of
March, eighteen hundred and thirty.one, he
rendered at the City Hotel. His hcroical mood
had subsidized, and on that occasion he did that
which, but just before. he had SO loudly and
so emphatically condemned in others; he cal
cGhtei the ralne Of tic Lnioni
Mr.. Webster always spoke well; and when
reused at the prospect Of the desolation Of New
York city, and he might have included his own
Boston, he spoke remarkably well. Here are
his own words; the reader will readily forgive
us, if the extract is copious: .
AT the moment Of the adoption Of the Con-
s~titution, New York was the capital of one
State, and contained thirty-two or three thou
sand people. 1t now contains more than two
hundred thousand people, and is justly regarded
as the commercial capital, not only of the United
States, but Of the whole continent also, from the
pole to the South Sea. Esery pags other las.
tory, for the lust .Torty gears, bears high and
irresistible testimony 10 tie Je"cfts and
blessings Of the General Government. Her as
toaishihg gr0Uh is referred 10 and quoted. oH
TIE tcorM 0cer, as one q the most striking
PROOFS Of the effects Of our Federal Lnioh. To
suppose her now to be easy and indifferent,
uhen nations are adranced tending TO its disco
luton, would be to suppose her equally forget
ful Of the past and blind TO the prescnt-alikc
Ignorant Of her w history and her own inter.
est, mctamorphoSed from all that she has been,
into a being tired of its prosperity, sick Of its
own growth and greatness, and infatuated for
us own destruction. Every blow aimed at the
Union of the States strikes at the tcndercst
nerve OF her interest and happiness. TO bring
the Union into debate is to bring her own iu-
ture prosperity into debate also. To speak Of
arrcStinS the laws Of the Union, Of interposing
State power IN matters of ommerc and revenue
of weakening the full and Just authority of
the general govcrnmcnt-would be in regard
to this city, but another mode Of speaking OF
commercial ruin, Of abandoned wharyes. of va.
Gated houses, of diminished and dispensing popu-
lation, OF bankrupt merchants, OF mechanics with.
out employment and laborerS without food. The
gr0uM Of this City and tile Constitution Of
the United States are c0erQL anil cotempora-
ries. They began together; they hare .~iourish-
sd together, and il rashneS ana. toAy destroy
one, the other uiU Joltop IL to tile tomb"
Here we have a lovc-feaSt in yankec-land, at
which one shrcwd yankee unboSoms himself to
other shrewd yankees. The political arithme.
TIC which had been treason in Washington,
by some devlish ~can.rip,"
was transformed into patriotism and virtue in
New York. Perhaps, it was the reign of BAG.
chus; then certcs it is true, IN siao est reritas.
1t was not within the scope of the orator
design to give the reverse Of the magnificent
picture, which he portrayed with wondrous
power, of New York pampered by the Federal
Government, and swelling out like some ,rcan
queen in her princely home, and dclincatc the
shrunken and emaciated form of Norfolk If
Alexandria lying PROSTATE in rags on the
banks of the deep and broad Potomac, of Ere,
dcricksburg crumbling beneath the silent and
Unsuitable tooth Of decay, bewailing their 'con,
mercial ruin, abandoned wharfs, diminished
and diminishing population, bankrupt mer
chants, mechanics without employment anG
laborers without bread" In his silent and un
uttered thoughts, perhaps, he quoted them, too,
in sad plight, 'as one of the most striking eff
fects Of our Federal Union"
Ar. Webster, as we have already observed
thought that nothing short of political revolu,