Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1860-04-07
For THE VINO.
SOUTHERN WRONGS AND REMEDIES.
To THE PEOPLE OE VIRGINIA.

VpOIIIIT1lVIII
OF the General Assembly to concur in any scheme ior
terminating the unsatisfactory relations now subss'S Dc
tween the States of the Union, your determination L
trust to insist early and adequate correctye'
has undergone no change. You cannotandt you "oWu'
your associates of the South will not consent 10 remain
for wears to come exposed to ourages daily repeated Tor
wears and years past with constantly increasing aggra
vlons until at length they have broken out into actu-
a invasion and boodshed. You have still at your com
uand abundant means of redress without Withdrawing
the State Legislature from the engrossing PURSUITS oil p
y.te local or party objects You will instruct your rep
resenayes in Congress; the rghuu poSsessors OF
all power take your affairs into your own hands ana
in your primary assemblies special conventions carve
out some remedy for wrongs you have proclaimed III the
face OF the world you will no longer endure.
In this hope permit recall your attention to the
different plans submitted to the General Assembly
And FIRST let Us recur for moment 10 the bill design
cd 70 tangrats the new system OF commercial lndepen-
dence-by nonntercourse with the North and direct
trade with Europe.
~ BIZ making regulations concerning Special Ii
cenves"
This scheme was thought to have been finally con-
signed to the grave some weeks ago lis vital spirit
however not extinct, and it speedily passed by
Iuetempsychosis into the body of the tax bill.
IL again however received its qiets, but as may rise
again aud again in the same some new form, it may
be well briefly 10 consider its merits sha! not at
tempt to discuss these at large Such discussion would
require deeper insight into the future workings OF an
lutEeu experiment. vi pulltiNd'
economy aud especially of the laws of trade, than shall
ever affect to possess shall content myself with sim
DIV stating the conclusions to which my own mind has
come aided by the arguments and opinions OF others
who have fully examined and better understand the
subject.
Judging from the lights before me, the APP
pears TO be one of doubtful constutioNGlity to say the
least and of more doubtful erpedsncg The objections
to it on this last score, are,
/ That while it would fail to establish State commerce.
or manufactures, on and profitable basis, 1t
would indirectly impose new burthens agriculture
the great interest OF the Commonweath-by enhancing
the cost OF articles imported from the North rs well as
from abroad; the necessary result of attempted prohibit
lion aud m0nopoly-while at the same time It would d.
minsh agricultural by Withdrawing, TO some
extent its already too scanty labor, and narrowing the
markets for its products.
. That instead of fostering our commercial lndepen-
lerce it would most probably defea; by overaSng the
capital employed in trade with the North; driving It into
new channels or expeing 1t from the Commonwealth.
g. That through means Of the proposed 50HUS on the
expectation of imported articles, our consumers
would be subjected to higher prices than consumers in
other States.
L. That these results would generate both in the COM
mercis and agrcurOl class, feelings towards their own
government adverse TO the objects contemplated, and
ubyersye indeed of the great ends Of all free Institutions
D. That /. would keep alive and aggayate the dssen-
sous between US and the Northern people, without les
scnuc their disposition or means OF annoyance.
e. The want Of cordial support the probability indeed
of decided opposition, not only from our people, but
from our sister States OF the South.
2. Aud, finally what appears to me absolutely fatal,
the probable Interference OF the Northern States aud OF
the General Government.
The ui,y Of anat,empt by a single State to inaugu-
rate new system of commercial restriction unsupport-
ed bv large portion Of its citizens, well as by
those of other States having similar grievances TO resist
against the wishes and interests II not the constitutional
claims OF eighteen inimical States having power to dc
tate the cioep5licg' of the Federal government is too
manifest to require argument
Let US suppose tde new system carried out and III the
"fa tide of successful experiment" Manufactures, say,
O. other ueedfu articles Of consumption imported d.
rect from Europe cheaper and better than heretofore
fom the North The North controls the House OF Rep
reseuatves and the Senate and may at all times elect
t,e President How long would il be before I Tariff TO
protect American industry which always means North
EN- industry would be adopted operating the entire e1-
cl,ion OF competing manufactures from abroad, and
Wreckng utterly the fortunes of all embarked IN this d.
rect trides Prohibition Of Northern imports would be
net by prohibition Of Foreign imports Jree trade with
the North would be auuihIted by our laws and direct
trade With Europe by theirs If the scheme, owing to
IL, own Inherent df,cts should fail, these would be
chance that serious loss might be avoided by a timely
hdrawa Of the capital employed; but 1t should s"c-
cse{the Adventures might De- suddenly and rretreyaby
ruined bv a "jlijs'o,t TuiT' Tue system, in word,
would be at the mercy of those whom it leye d.
For these reasons tftj.s the measure IN question
m ght be- by way liberalization against States which hab
it,aly disregard the Federal compact it seems viewing
it as il effects interests, an iuatory step
towards AN adjustment, every way excepuonable.
H. THE SOUTHERN CONFERENCE.
The advantages indeed the necessity Of this measure
are too apparent to have escaped your attention. will
not attempt to discuss them. No argument would Of
fer would be more than a feeble REPETITION Of the views
recently and deliberately presented by the commits
soner from South Carolina and Ohers,and the impocy
OF It's rejection by the General Assembly is demonstrated
bv the qualification OF adyersaries by the dis
satisfaction Of our friends
THE MISSION TO THE NORTHERN STATS.
Both the late and present Governor recommended
that demand should be made the Northern States,
20 repeal their statutes obsructing the Fugitive Slave
law Governor Lcchcr considered that the object ust
fed special mission Not only the object import
ant but after the rejection Of theSouthern Conference,
aud upon the OF the Northern elections the time
was peculiarly propidous. temperate renonstrance
might have led tie misguided of the North to see the
hnessness aud injustice Of their conduct towards U.s.
might haze paved the way to an amica5e adjustment;
or fnot would have strengthened position by put
ting our adversatcs more IN the wrong.
All these Executive recommendations, however, aud
one vastly more important yet TO be noticed, heard
unhcedyd In the anxiety bring into the world the IA
voric system of commercial independence. Blu: this
scheme Las proved abortion; the General Assembly,
after brolding over for mouths in House divided
AGAINST itself have finally closed their deliberations by
overlaving interests of the Commonwealth more impor
tau than any which claimed their attention and DO
thng-nothing mean, defatedig settling or tending 10
settle them on a satisfactory basis" The decisi'e
measures" which the joint resolutions the Southern
Conference recognize as necessary in reference TO our
relations with the uou-savehoJing States" ndef-
n,ely postponed Gin vieD of The Developments Of app
Droa.hiug erept," What in the name OF heaven is APP
proa,hiug which will give TO the South security against
Northern factonI2 Do the General Assembly look to
the Northern elections the approaching election of
Pre-, dent? OF what avail will either be to or prc-
vent the evils Of which complain. Suppose the South
should be permitted elect the President Of their choice,
what restraints could he impose upon the multiplying
States ruled 10y Slack Republicans? Or whatmeasure OF
relief obtain from the Federal Government with dead
minority Of Northern representatives, in both Houses of
Congress against him? On the other hand suppose that
the Renuh'icgas Who Senator Seward tells Us,
ot; nc the North should carry their elections State and
Federal; will their representatives set about TO mar their
wishes aud undo tie,r work. VIII the General Assem-
ly want for further dcvelOpmcuts-and if our our adj
yerslres should prove to their principles what
then? What new outrage can they intict worse than
than those to which now submit? II we may
not resist now, why may not submit to all future time:
J.R
FROM WASHINGTON.
WASHINGTON, Aprj! 4,h.-The committee have decided
against the magnetic telegraph bill, which passed the SEN
ate the other day unless the Senate agrees TO provide
chcs for .lerrauAc dispatches between ST. Louis and