Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1861-03-07


Will the revelation of the dangers which
would accrue to Europe from break up on the
other side of the ocean be powerful enough to
modify the too hastily and generally expressed
impression in favor Of the Northern States2-
Without much hoping II, we simply desire IL;
for the public opinion Of Europe could, by pro-
nouncing Itself in time, arrest a catastrophe
which must seriously compromise its CONNER
cial interests.
1t is scarcely year since the Emperor, with
the boldness which springs from profound con-
viction, inaugurated q new commercial policy,
by adopting an economical system, destined to
give agriculture and trade an impulse which
would place France in the front rank among
commercial nations and develope her maritime
relations in all quarters of the world. Prohi-
bition has ceased, and the commercial treaty of
January %, 1860, opens way calculated to re
establish the natural order of things and con-
duct France, gradually but infallibly, to a re-
form the most conplete, and above all, the most
radical. Everything conduces to lead us thith.
er. Her nature, her conformation and her fea.
lures show US the principle of commercial lib
erty written in indelible characters. -
These ideas naturally lead us to examine
whether European predictions aud interests
are not on the wrong track in abandoning them.
selves upreservedly TO the doctrines of the North
ern States.
The Northern section cannot change It's CON-
mercial instincts; they are consequence of It's
very nature. IL will be after, as well ss before
the dissolution Of the Union, in the future as it
has been in the past, country adapted exclu-
sively to the raising Of grain, with CONNER
cial and manufacturing population, who strug-
gle obstinately to obtain for their merchant ma
rine the entire Of the traffic and transportation
between Europe and the Southern States; her
policy would lead her even to throw her msnu-
factured productions on the Southern markets.,
into which she endeavors BY every means TO pre-
vent the productions of European manufactures
from entering. In other words, the North does
now, and will henceforth more and more, COM
pete with European industry, for already in de-
fault of the monopoly of manufactured products
towards which she is tending, she becomes of
necessity an intermediary between European
manufacture and the Southern consumers
In 1856 and '57, years Of dearth In Europe,
the Northern States were able to supply our
markets with grain for two years at relatively
low prices, In spite of the increase In freight
If, then, the development of their trade and ag
riculture, supported by the sympathies of Eu-
rope, continued to progress, their prosperity
would be very serious danger TO us, for sooner
or later it would lead to the invasion of our own
markets. '- i
D The South, on the contrary, produces two
great staples which are, to Europe, objects of
the highest necessity cotton and tobacco. She
Is producer Of necessaries and O consumer of
manufactured productions. Has Il ever been
seriously contemplated the commotion which
the failure Of single cotton crop-whlch
supports 60 many branches Of trade, and, di-
rectly or indirectly affords employment to more
than ten millions of hands-would produce?
Have we, OF the same time, thought Of the dis
turbance which would be created In the habits
Of the working classes by the suppression of
That other article which is to them SO great q
source Of comfort2 p0 - 'I' q
Inregard to tobacco, without mentioning the
deficit in the State buget which would result
from Its humiliation, could our populations 40
easily forego product which, more, perhaps,
than, sugar, coffee and cotton, constitutes for
them an imperious necessity. There is no need
to disguise it, the deprivation Of those two
staples would assume amongst US the character
OF public calamity. And yet, such would be
the inevitable and speedy result of the sepafa-
tion Of the United States, unless that event
should take place peaoeably, and not under the
menace and blows Of Northern aggression, ap-
proved, with too much levity, by writers who
do not appear to understand that a seryile
would be the inevitable consequence Of feder.
al war. - cFis1 &
Neither must It be forgotten that 1t is those
two staples which pay, almost entirely, for
French manufactures sent to America, and
whicbsamount invalue 10 more than 300 ,000, 900
francs. sa Ell g3rai sap edW ,anci '7ig 1884
But let us continue The South, far from
having, like the North, rival interests with
Europe, has, onthe contrary, the same or rath-
er eo-relstive interests. Confined, 10 short,
to the extensive cultivation Of those articles
which Europe cannot do without, the South las
been compelled, up to the present. In spite Of
constant protests, 10 pay an enormous tribute 20
the North, in the shape Of Custom House du-
ties, for no other reason than to protect North.
ern manufacturing interests without any ads
vantage to herself--at least, unless we choose
TO consider IL an advantage for the South to aid
against her will government which does not
fear TO proclaim openly its sentiments of hostil.
ity and aversion. Mr.. Lincoln has declared
that the time for compromise has passed. The
South, on her side, has suffered too much 10
hesitate longer. She has decided to withdraw.
and several Of those States are about form
ing q new confederation. II the North ds-
clare war against her, she will defend hefself.
and will be most certainly drawn into An
abyss, the effect of which will be cruelty felt
inn Europe; for then four million bales
Of cotton will be wanting every year to trade,
and the tobacco crop will be annihilated. II. on
the other hand, returning to sentiments wor-
thier q great nation, the North permits the new
confederation to be mistress of the pIentltude Of
her rights, then the picture changes at once.
Commercial liberty becomes the fundam sntal
law Of the Southern republic; her ports viii be
! free to the commerce Of Europe, wbose nsr-