Pointe Coupee Democrat. [volume] (False River [i.e. New Roads], Parish of Pointe Coupee [La.]) 1858-1862, 1860-02-04
THE DEMOCRAT.
P. A. roy, Editor.
Elects Of the n--ntercourse Movement

The effects of the non -intcrcours,
n measures recent y adopted or iniatcd b,
Virginia, and 10 Il certain extent by som,
other Southern States, though not yc
apparent To the Northern, community Il,
large, are nevertheless felt by many o
"nr merchants, mechanics, and manu-
facturers. We have heard Of frequent
complaint OF the diminution Of Southern
orders, not so muc', i'll this city, perhaps
as III New Enysaml--the abatement in
some cases being severely felt. Like
instances have come under onr personal
knowled ye. 1t wonld be ne;thc, proper
nor prudent TO specify cases Of this sort,
and indeed, since diverse causes contri-
hrtc to I. staglatlon in trade, it might he
denied that the depression was in any
hlihner attributable to the action Of the
South; yet, If individual testimony is
worth anything, or the statements of the
press be true, the ftcts are as stated
The relations OF business are considera-
bly, disturbed Southern orders have
been countermaudcd or discontinued: ::
agents ot Northern houses find little en-
enlargement at the South, and verr
mary have returned ; wurkmen have
been discharged from some establish,
ments tor lack of work to do. Some de
scriptions Of business have sntf,.l ed more
than others, especially the clothing, shoe,
carriage and jrwclry manufacture The
voice from the South is, I'VE wish no
more Northern goods" and great effort
Is being made there to do without them.
Whether discrimination in withdrawing
orders is invariably made to apply to
Abolition and Republican firms, we are
unable to say; though it is the protested
design, we believe, of the enol,-illtercoursc
movers, to affect only such, aud to con-
tIInc their business relations with con-
servatlvc men as heretofore, except
when goods can be bought at equal or
better advantage at the South How
ever this may be, and aside from the de-
engagements of business resulting from
tue present attitude Of the South the
existing feeling OF scctioncl bitterness
cannot be too deeply dcp!orcd, ,nor;hc eau
ses that have contributed to it, too Sc
verely rei,rehended.
We have thus briefly alluded to the ef-
tccts OF the no.l=.ttercourse movement
as they are manifest here. At the South,
1t has stimulated, to an unprecedented
degree, Il determination to encourage,
ty all means possible, IL seifsustai,iiny
policy, III business, commerce and man
utactuFes, and to develop the abundant
resources and capabilities which she has
at her command. This Is what the South
has long sought; and though diverse
schemes oi direct trade and home nla,
n1'c,urc have been projected from
time to time they have generally
fallca in their ineipieucy, from
or illcreduIity Oh the part
ut capitalists, as ta Their ultimate SUCCESS
Now, however, additional Incentives to
act'ol seem To have fully awakened the
South from It's apathy, and from every
quarter we hear of numerous entcrpris
rs projected or already put in operation.
The pioneer vessels of two different
ocean lines to Europe, are ANNOUNCED
to SAL from Southern ports; III nu!acto-
res of shoes, cloths, carriages, firearms,
&c., &c, some Of them already cotnmcn
ced, are expected to be in fnI operation
by the ensuing Spring; and projects are
on foot III Virginia Tor axe and paper :
and Understanding
shop. How many of these will he sue.
carried out, remains to be seen.
Doubtless many will fail. as they often ,
do, there and elsewhere. 4,
The South has been making gradual I
progress in the mechanic arts for MANY [
years past, and factories for the cuarser
cotton aud WOODEN fabrics have been put ,
NJ operation III many States; so that
This movement is ''o new thing, but has
simply received ;ln unusual and marked
impetus, for reasons already given. The
chief difficulty Ut the SontI, in extcndin. I
her Efforts to successful practical results,
has been her lack of mechanics and me. {
;laaical skill. She has been almost
wholly al agricultural producer. Her /
aborers (sIaves) are chiefly farmers; .
Ihe whites, merchants and professional
nen-. She now looks for operatives to
al her III carrying on her mcchlnicaI ,
aud already has she cl, {
gagged the services "f msny srcl, from ,
HE North. NuFtlieriI mechanics and all !,
who are willing 10 engage in II legiti. !
mate and honorable occupation, are most {
desirable acquisitions to the SoHtn and {
are cordially welcomed. We learn that |
never beiure WAS ST. large IN migratipn !
yf this class To the Sn,:th known. The :
to gp South are nn'Isnal; {
or not only are the wages considerably 4,
arger th;l,r are paid here, and the TX {
oenscs Of living somewhat less, but in .
many parts Of the North cpinp'nints Of ,
lard times have tcgrn to be heard j
Some are ont of employ, as is always ,
-llc case Ill the winter season; aud 9th
arg are work mo .tt r..ann,.l ,,.,r,, IT. !