New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1859-03-24
TEXAS AND NEW ORLEANS.

The editor of the Marshall Harrison county,
Texas Flag, recently paid protracted visit to New
Orleans, and was evidently satisfied with the treat
ment he received at the hands of our citizens and
with what he saw and heard. 10 his issue Of the
llth inst, very able, practical and just article
| headed New Orleans appeared, upon which we
propose to comment freely, and extract from libe
rally.
| Our friend Barrett starts out 10 this wise New
Orleans, above all other great commercial cities, has
ever been favorite with Us, and the kind welcome
and generous hospitality given and extended to US
on our recent trip have the more endeared us to her
liberal and enterprising citizens" Further along,
after reciting sundry facts, the Flag says: "And
another fact. equally palpable, is. that she has not
attained to the one-tenth Of the commerce, wealth
and greatness that she will within the present CEN
tury provided she receives the patronage of those
whose interests would be greatly promoted by thus
bestowing it."
All very trne. Our city, although the first export
ing city on the western hemisphere has hardly yet
fairly started ON the way to the point Of unquestioned
commercial and financial supremacy she is destined
to attain. Yet we have made considerable progress
lin fact much progress, all the circumstances taken
into dispassionate consideration. Our railroads are
all prospering, slowly but surely, we beeve and the
day is not far distant indeed it is near at hand when
We will be connected with the North and great
West, and with our mighty Texan sister, by iron
lnkssof communication over which the steam pro.
PEELED cars Of trade will ply their rapid and unending
fight This will help US and them and if it is their
interest to deal with US now, how much greater the
mutual interest when the locomotive places far dis
tant sections in intermediate conguity, as it were?
Hence the pertinence Of the suggestion of the Mar
shall Flag that should receive the patronage of
those whose interests would be greatly promoted by
thus bestowing it" All will tend to help US along
to strengthen armsand to assist us in carrying
forward to successful completion at an earlier day,
the great works of internal improvement on which
our city and State have already expended SO much
capital and so much labor. Our city and State have
both been liberal. Look at the immense sums sub.
scribed to great lines of railroad and no one can
fairly accuse us of parsimoniousness.
We now quote significant and important para.
graph from the Marshall Flag:
There are now in New Orleans houses in the vari.
Gus departments which import direct from foreign
markets every article Of commerce. unless equally
good or superior quality of domestic manufacture is
to be found at home. Notwithstanding this assertion
is undeniably true, many of our merchant friends,
cnging to the deusion that distance lends enchant
meat persist in going to the Northern and Eastern
means the same thing, make money by extending
their trips some thousands of miles, and the necessary
delays and accruing expenses? Torepeat, our recent
examination will, trust, prove sufficient and sat-
isfactory answer to this question.
And here let 1t be borne in mind, that we made it
APPOINT to examine the New Orleans market in almost
every department and that the result of our nvesti
cation warrants the assertion that with the exception
OF books and stationery, any bills made in the East
will, when desired, be duplicated in New Orleans, at
corresponding fIures and further, that the differ
ence in the prices If the exceptions mentioned is not
50 great as to make it an object with purchasers when
the consequent delays are considered. We speak
knowingly, upon this subject. While there, one of
the shrewdest and most thrifty merchants of Eastern
Texas arrived, with the view OF going to New York
to purchase his spring and summer stock. He was
politely requested to examine the New Orleans mar
ket before proceeding, which he did, and which re.
suited in his purchasing. And we had it from his
own lips that he had made the cheapest and best pur
chases he had ever made in almost every article, al
though he had heretofore traded at New York Bos.
ton and Philadelphia.
We could never account for the practice of South.
ern and Western merchants going to the North,
passing New Orleans by without investigation, to
purchase their goods, when better bargains offered
themselves here the whole year round except on the
ground that as it commenced that way it should
always be kept up that way This practice, we are
happy to say, is diminishing year by year. The
increased imports tell the tale in stronger language
than we know how to employ. We know of many
exceptions to the too general rule, like unto the one
spoken Of by our Marshall friend, however, and all
tell the same story. They will tell it to all their
friends, and thus an important fact will gradually
obtain practical circulation among the traders of
the interior. The sooner this is done the better for
u.s. and all the parties directly concerned. But until
our merchants and business men conclude upon
establishing lines of propellers-a policy we have
urged for years-to two or more leading continental
ports, and thus establish direct trade with Europe
which would be sure to pay well when fairly under
way, we need not hope to be able to compete fully
with Northern cities in the sale of great number of
imported articles. They have the monopoly now,
have had it from the dawn of commerce on the |
Western Continent, and will continue to enjoy it |
until their competitors of the South do as they do
import directly.
That direct importation would give our merchants |
positive pecuniary advantage over Northern import.
srs there is no room for question. 1t costs as much
10 import goods to Boston, New York and Phadel
phia, it would to New Orleans and when our Job.
pers buy in those quarters they not only have to
shoulder the expenses Of importation, the profits
which Northern jobbers must make on their ventures
% live, but the additional expenses of transporting
he same goods South, which are almost as great as
them from Europe in the first instance.
Hence it follows natural consequence, that direct
rade would give our importers commanding advan.
age over the importers of the Northern Cities at least
With the dealers of the Mississippi Valley and of the
fruitful and teeming South and Southwest.
But we will pursue this subject no further. Texas
s now profitable customer, and is destined to be
ur largest. customer. She is an empire within her.
ellis rapidly filling UPS increasing in wealth and
population with unexamped strides-is friendly to
IS to the very core of her heart--and only asks to
e allowed to come to us. Shall we meet her ad.
ances as they ought to be met, and thereby secure
be undivided support of her powerful arm! If yea,
It us finish railroads, and, above ALL let us open
direct trade with the main ports of the continent.
FIRE-PRooF COURTHOUSE.
We publish, elsewhere. q law Of the last Lecisla.