The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1860-01-17
COMMUNICATIONS.
Non-Intercoursc and tho Country
Merchants,

Merchants.
Jiessrs Editors:-There has recently appeared in
the papers throughout the State number of articles
on the subject of nou-ntercourse, at the time
appealing to the country merchants to confne them
selves 10 purchasing goods in Charleston.
This s'as it should be- fpropcrly carried out. But
it appears to me that many of the writers this
subject do not thoroughly understand the nature of it.
When any contends that merchants in the interior
do as well in Charleston as they can in New York,
lie is simply talking You might as well say
that Columbia, with three wholesale houses, could COM
pete with Charleston; the comparison would be about
the same 1t does not require very intelligent mind
to know tlct the larger the market the greater the
facilities and New York being the greatest Emporium
of this Continent it stands to reason that TO other
city in the country can begin to compete with her in
nearly all the branches of trade. 1t docs rot occur to
these writers on nontercourse that the largest In
porters of Dry Goods doing Jobbing trade in that
city do not import anything like tile quantity they SELL
but rely upon goods thrown upon the New York market
by European manufacturers. Every large dealer has
one more buyers attending the auction sales every
day during the business season. No firm can depend
upon their mportatons alone for just the exact guam
tity Of goods they may dispose of in the course Of
season; and, therefore, they obliged daily 10 re.
p!enish their stocks, whenever the importations fall
short, at auction or by private purchases. And, in
addition to this it is well known fact that as gene
raj thing, merchants can purchase cheaper in the home
market than they can import on their own account
Now, in view Of this, would ask where are the
Charleston Jobbing merchants to procure single ar
Gle whc! they may happen to run ont Of but by
sending to New York for it. This they will be obliged
to do as there are no agents of European houses nor
any houses doing strictly dry goods commission bus
ness, in the city.
Another difficulty the country merchant abors under
is this: There is not single Silk house, doing whole
sale business in Charleston, and consequently, they
will have to purchase in King Street at slight dis
upon retail prices whilc it is but too true that
planter can purchase common domestcs, very fire.
quenty, at cheaper rate than the country merchant
can at wholesale.
These difficulties Mcssrs. Editors may be remeticd
in time but my object is to show that as circumstances
exist the wholesale merchants in Charleston will
not only be dependent upon the North for nearly all
these domcstics but Also for very consi lcrabc pro-
portion Of their fancy gools. Now, the intention of
this movement is to make the Northern people feel the
effects Of their mpertnent interference with our insti-
tutons and would simply ask is this the best mode
Of doing so?
The Jobbcrs Of Charleston arc to be allowed to pro-
cure such supplies they cannot get elsewhere from
the North especially from the New England States,
until the South can manufacture for hersclf-which
will he half century hence at least. Rather slow
process, in my opinion by which to bring people to
their senses The result of tho whole movement will
be this: 1t will affect and probably ruin two or three
hundred Jobbing merchants of New York City, doing
business with the South and there the matte: cns-
The Northern Factories will keep as busy as ever man
ufacturng for the Charleston market prospcrng and
increasing, and ready to send their emssaries
throughout the country and their Black Republicans
to Congress. will make difference to the Yankees
whether Charleston singchanded takes all they can
make whether they scatter them through the South
as they do now.
We have seen the card of the Wholesale Jobbcrs of
Charleston but not word from the Retail men, Is
all the patriotism Of the Queen City to be found en-.
bodied in he wholesale houses or arc the retailers to
be privilf aa,sr as to be allowed to go< ,oi and
purchaseaaz sks as usual, sendstisssN - and
dssse fhs hsFetAfits eolns n corr
petition with both Charleston -and Columbia. If the
merchants of these two cities can purchase where they
please, and those of Camden are to be confined to the
former city, the result will be- that Camqe will become
mere appcndAnge of Charleston. To prevent this,
would suggest that whenever the retail merchants Of
Charleston and Columbia will agree to procure their
supplies at home by direct importation, then is
Camden ready to join them. This is not asking too
much certainly because both Of these are larger cities
and more important places Of business than our good
old town. and they assucdly ought to take the lead in
any enterprise Of this kind. y.