New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-11-09
DIRECT TRADE.


The Richmond Enquirer has started new pro-
ect for the revival of that direct trade, which is
such hobby with Virginia politicians. Accord
ing to that Journal the great production OF
Virginia at present is wheat, of which the prin-
cipal consumption is in Brazil, the West In
dies. and Europe, mainly in Europe. But
the wheat intended for European consumption,
instead of being shipped thither directly from Vlr-
pinia is carried first to New-York andother North
ern cities. The imports received in exchange Tor
this wheat are returned to Virginia through the
same circuitous channel, subjecting the Virginia
producers and consumers to heavy commercial
tribute TO the cites of the North amounting as The
ENQUIRER alleges. "to many millions of dollars an
/" nualy."
One would suppose from this statement that the
Virginians received back the produce OF their
wheat and other agricultural products entirely in
English goods. But this is very far from being the
case. The consumption of Northern manufactures
of various kinds is far greater in Virginia than oil
Europeap manufactures. Take the article shoes,
for instance. All Virginia would go barefoot but
for the supplies received from the North. IL Is
mainly in payment for these Northern articles that
the agricultural products of Virginia are sent 10
the Northern cities, whence such of thann "a ara
suited for foreign markets Ind their way thther III
all the agricultural products Of Virginia were sent
directly to the countries in which they are con-
sumed, and the returns all came back to Virginia
in the shape Of the products of those countries
which seems to be the point at which The Enquirer
h. from tho North IN ha
paid for7 Bent, however, upon this idea OF saving
great many millions of dollars to the Virginia
farmers by causing Virginia wheat to be shipped
directly to Europe, The Enquirer proposes scheme
of its own for bringing that result about. She can
not resort to discriminating duties since she has,
Sin moment of madness and folly" to wit, by her
adoption of the Federal Constitution, Invested her
self of that important prerogative. She has
surrendered up to Congress the exclusive control Of
her foreign and Interstate commerce, but 1t is sug-
gested that she can still effect the object In view by
means of the jurisdiction which she retains
over her int arual domestic trade. 1t is proposed,
then, by means Of law requiring merchants and
traders to take out and pay for license, to dis
criminate between those who deal in merchandise
imported into Virginia from Northern cities whether
the produce of the North or of foreign countries
aud those who import their goods direct from
Europe. The idea is that when the course of trade
"a so far changed by this means that all the Euro
pean products consumed in Virginia are imported
thither direct then as if in offset to this direct i'm
portation, the exportable produce of Virginia will
be carried back direct to fine places of consump-
ton. At present it costs, according to The En-
qnrer twice as much to send abarrel of flour direct
from Alexandria OF Richmond to Europe, as it does
TO send it from New-York; but this, we are told Is
all owing to the want of any return cargo to VIZ
ginia subecting the vessels to the expense OF re-
turning in ballast The scheme brought forward
by The Enquirer is intended to secure cargoes both
ways. and thus to enable Virginia to carry on the
export trade as cheaply as New-York.
We are, however, inclined to the opinion that
this fancied connection between direct expectation
and direct importation has no existence. At pres
ent the Virginia -four shipped to Rio generally goes
direct from Richmond But the coffee and other
Brazilian produce obtained in return do not go back
there. They 90 to New-York or Boston, and the
yirgnians resort thither to buy their coffee. The
the places of consumption from Charleston, Sayan-
nah, and Mobile. The goods purchased with that
cotton do not come back to the places of shipment.
They go to New-York and Boston, and only very
small portion of them reach the States whence
the cotton came. AS to the alleged tribute paid by
the Virginia farmers in sending their wheat tC
Europe and getting their English goods via New
York. that route, by the confession of The Enquire,
itself, is employed because it is, on the whole, the
cheapest. The merchants Of the North pay tn
Virginians higher price for their produce thar
anybody else will, and they supply them with Euro
pean goods at cheaper rate. The Virginisns car
get trusted at the North, but they cannot ge
trusted in Europe. This is the whole story. The,
are always in debt to the North, and as long as thu
continues to be the case, the produce of yirgini
will mainly go North in order to pay that debt.
The Herald Of Yesterday contained a base an