Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-03-19


ropean producers and Southern consumers.
During the dearth of 1856 and 1857, the
Northern States were able to supply our mar
kets with grain for two years, at prices COM
paratiyely cheap, and, Notwithstanding the IN
crease in the rate Of freights If then the cx-
panson of their agriculture and industry, sup.
norted by European sympathy, was to keep on
progressing, that prosperity would constitute
a danger Of the most serious kind for uS-lor,
sooner or later, it must lead to the invasion OF
our own markets.
The South alone, to the contrary, produces
the two great staples which are for Europe,
objects Of first necessity-namcly, cotton and
tobacco. She produces raw materials and con-
sumes manufactured products.
Has any one thought seriously of the CON-
motion which would be felt in Europe for the
want Of single crop of cotton, by means Of
which are led so many channels of our industry,
and which, either directly or indirectly, affords
work and living to upwards Of ten millions of
| hands?
Has any one thought also, Of the perturba
ton that would ensue in the habits OF our
working classes, by the suppression Of the
manufactured cotton itself, which is for them,
| on account Of its very moderate price, the
source OF SO much comfort?
As for tobacco, we will leave aside the deficit
| in the budget Of the incomes of the State,
| which its disappearance would entail; but
could any one assert, that in those days OF ours
our populations could easily do without pro-
duct which has become for them an impcrlous
want perhaps, even TO higher degree than
sugar coffee and cotton? We must confess,
without mincing it, that The pripatlon OF those
two staples would soon assume among us the
proportion and character of public calamity.
Yet such must be the unavoidable consequence
| of the disruption Of the American Union, un-
less secession is permitted to take place peace
ably, and be protected against the threats and
agsrrssions of The North, which some of our
writes have approved Of so inconsiderately-
unwilling. rs it werc to understand that ser
| vile war must result from Federal war.
1t must be kept in mind, also, that it is the
cash paid for these two staples that pays, IN its
turn, for the French fabrics that are shipped to
North America, to the amount OF three hum
drel million francs
1t is fact, that, wholly engaged in the
raising Of those two great staples which Eu-
rope cannot do without, the South has been
forced unto this day, and in spite Of constant
protests, to pay to the North an enormous tri-
butte under the shape Of custom duties for
which there is no other reason than that OF
giving protection 10 Northern. industry, with
out any subsequent benefit for herself; unless
you wish to consider rs q personal benefit for
the South the very fact Of helping with her
money Government which shrinks not from
openly avow'ing its hostile and averse feelings
towards her
Mr. Lincoln has decla. ell, that the time for
compromising is past The South, on the
other hand, has suffered too much to hesitate
any longer; she is resolved upon seeding and
forming a new Conlcderacy; she has also made
up her mind to fight for selfdetence, il the
North means TO declare war against her. But
then the consequences OF such 4 warfare would
be SO caamtous that We must needs feel 1t
snartly ourselves here in Europe. Our indus.
try would miss four millions of bales of cotton
and there would be no tobacco crop. But were
the North to act according to the dictates Of
sentiments more worthy Of great nation,
| were she to leave the new Confederacy in the
enjoyment OF all her rights, then how the scene
would be changed.
The principles of iree trade having become
| the fundamental law Of the Southern Republic,
| her ports are or will soon be opened free Of
duties to European trade, whose merchant
navy will naturally take the place Of that of the
Northern Republic. Europe will increase her
exports, and the South, with population Of
more than twelve millions, will make direct
exchange of her products for European, and
especially for French fubrics. Those South
ern States have not lost all remembrance
OF France who once was their In0ther.country.
Much has bcen retained there OF French man
uers srd habits; the traditions OF their fathers
have thus been preserved, ana They all know
| that it is from France alone that they can get
those thousands Of tribes which civilization has
raised to the rank Of the necessaFies Of lilc and
on the fabrication Of which FRANCE has built
up her industrial renown.
1t is only necessary 10 point out
those bearings Of the American crisis
| to the attention OF the European PUB
| icists, for them to endeavor to enllght-
en- public opinion and to check the hasty de-
sire which has been evinccd for changing all at
once the condition of 4 particular class OF the
great human family. A nation cannot reason
| ably wish to carry into effect its philosophical
| aspirations, when to do so would imply such
sacrifices that both the personal welfare OF its
citizens and the commercial prosperity of the
! country would bc endangered
The press which represents European lnte-
rests will very likely hesitate before Avishlng
its praises and unrestricted approval OF a poll
| cy, the working out Of which would preclpltate
the ruin and destruction OF Southern ware
houses, which are nothing after all but ware
| houses Of European goods
Let us not he dcceycd-the North only dc.
| rivcs SO much audaclty and wantonness from
the belief countenanced by the European press
that the Southerncrs, too few in numbers TO re.
| slst their attacks, will not meet on this side Of
the Atlantic with single generous feeling, still
less with any moral support
Will European trade lie blind-iolded by phi
anthropy to the point Of forgetting its own
iuterestsy We hardly believe it, since We al
| ready see England deeply moved to wake mp
at last at the aspect OF stern reality. She be-
gins to measure the magnitude OF the disaster
impending over her manufactures; she comics
! Ses, notwithstanding her abolitonlst propensi.
ties. that her commercial existence rests most
ly on the prosperity of the South, and that
Europe has paramount interest to see that
the South should preserve, at least temporari-
", her peculiar institutions so violently attack
ed.
So the question, after all, begins to appear
in its true light. We have already said, that
the South, SO far from being the aggressor, &C
cording to the general belief, is, on the con-
trary, u victim OF Northern pretensions; there.
lvre it is with gladness Of heart that We dwell
upon those words recently spoken by the Fin
pcror France does not pretend to interfere
in any quarter where she has 20 interests OF
her own; she entertans sympathy for every
thing that is noble and grand; but she is not
slow to condemn all that violates the law OF
nations and justice" Public opinion on the
other side OF the Atlantic will duly apprec.
etc these words, and no doubt solution will
be arrived at by means Of which the great in
terests which are now at stake will be guaran-
teed and this will he done if the separation
takes place amicably, without conflict Or war,
instead of a disruption operated by violence or
Of Union maintained by force.
Ia the Paris "Le Pays" OF the alsL Of Feb