The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1860-01-25
Non-Intercoprse.

zen and Merchant of this place appeared
in our last issue, suggesting that u eting
OF the citizens of the District be held at
the Court House on Salesday next for the
purpose of uniting in resolutions of nom
intercourse with the Northern States The
feeling which prompted the writer of that
, article, we are glad to know, is extensively
prevalent in our section. 1t is the very
sentiment and policy which the press of the
South has been laborng TO inculcate for
years, and il is the only eXpedent, short of
actual disunion, by which the South can
realize the immense advantage which her
wealth and her products entitle her 10 re-
ceirc. And it is also the only means, short
OF disunion. by which the North can be
made seusible Of the value of the South 20
her in monied point Of view.
But practical non-intercourse with the
North involves extensive and impo rtant
changes in our industrial and commercial
system, which it NAV take more time to cf.
feet than many persons may suppose on II
first view os the subject. The Southern
States are large consumers of Northern
manufactures millions of our money are
expended at ths North for articles of do
nestle neoessty-articles which we cannot
well do without and if We cease to buy
from them, we must adopt one Of two al.
terna,ives-cither manufacture within our
selves what we consume, or import from
some foreign power. Either expedicnt will
require extensive preparation and large out
lay of money. Much of the surplus capi.
tai which the planters of the South devote
to the purchase of negroes, must be direc-
ted to the building of ships, the erection
of manufactures aud the construc ton of
railroads. Self interest should be sacrifi.
ced for a time 10 the general good-to pa
| triotic impulse. These important changes
cannot be effected in Il day, but the South
can accomplish it in good time if she will
but devote her encgies To the work.
The South has infinitely more to hoyc
from system ofintcrnal improvements than
she has from direct importation from Eu
rope. If our imports are increased b,
means ofn diversion of Southern patronage
! from Northern manufactures TO European
manufactures, the Northern States will be
large sharers Of the benefit of this increase,
under our present objectionable system of
taxation. This is especially apparent when
we take into consi.; cation the well known
fact, that Of the sixty millions of dollars
raised upon imports annually for the sup
port OF the Government, the South pays
forty millions and the North twenty mil.
lions. And in the distribution Of this fund,
the odds are also against uS-the North
gets forty millions and the South twenty
millions. Under this view Of the case, iii
rect importation would afford a very in.
complete remedy for our grievances, unless
We could change the present order Of tax.
alton If the South cannot manufacture
her own cloths and wares she haa better
dissolve the Union and open her ports To
the world for the admission of foreign pro.
ducts tree of duty.
II IS being urged that the merchants of
the interior should set the example Of non.
intercourse by purchasing their supplies
only in Sou lhcrn markets. This is doubt
less very good so far as il goes 1t
is our duty to build up Southern cities
our trade has been too long monopoized
by the greedy North to the prejudice Of
Charleston and other Southern cities. Char.
lesion should have our preference, and we
hope tina: the Wholesale dealers Of that ci-
tv will hold out such inducements to the
merchants of the interior as sill secure
their custom from this time hence A more
favorable time for Southern cities to en-,
large their trade could not he conceived,
and it wi | be their own fault if they do
not profit by the public feeling in their ia.
vor. But this remedy, thong h effective 20
n certain extent, does not strike at the root
of the evil. The South is lacking in inter
nal imprOvements-in manufactures, and
i: we must buy cloth that is made in Low.
ell, Massachusetts, it matters very little, 30
far rs the main difficulty is concerned,
whether we buy 1t in New York or Char,
lesion.
If the whole South were animated with
the same feeling which prompted our cor
respondent in last weeks paper, the con-
d'Iion of dependence which now oppresses
us would soon be shaken OF Non-inter.
course necessarily encourages home enter
prise, home institutions, home industry of
every description, and what at first may
seem sacrifice will ultimately inure TO the
advantage and We hope TO the il dependence
of the South,
ALARAMA.-A reso!u ton has been adop.
led by the Senate of Alabama, now 10 Ses.
sion, inatructing the Judiciary committee TO
inn,,i-.- i.... IL