Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1861-04-13
THE EFFECT OF SECESSION ON THE SEAPORT
CITIES.
NEW YoRK-PAsr AND PRESENT.

Ioon and established themselves into an Independent
Governments with an invitation TO other States 10 join
their fortunes it becomes grave question 10 consider
the probable consequences oil the revolution upon the
great centres of population capital, and trade which
have grown mn on the seabOlri with marvellous rapdty
in the States OF Maryland Pennsylvania, New York. and
Massachusetts, Particularly should consider the bear
ipos of the new political and commercial movement up
on the city of New York. which, under impetus given
ber nv her canals and in belief in socalled "mani-
e.. desnyn which allotted to the United States by
gradual absorption all the territory down to the lshmus
of mid America had grown TO be the commercial centre
and the monetary centre OF grand nation, extending
from ocean 10 ocean, ana 70 eNlehu from Lake oarlo
! to the Caribbean sea.
Tbis croUtb however wonderful as il unaucstouably
ia nevertheless. is more the consequence OF artificial
causes and adyCntitOus circumstance than the result Of
inherent natural advantages or the solution oil tried
system To be sure Broadway is magnificent thorough
fare and the city and bay of New York impress the spec
tator with OF commercial and municipal activity
and eperprise: STILL we could never entirely dvest our
selves of the idea that after aNeS York city Is somehow
A spiendd sham rather than an enduring metropolis -
Its first growth into national consequence was iue TO the
era of canals when her artificial navigation from the
Hudson river to Lake Erie emped into her lap the trade
of the West Its more modern expansion was part owing
TO the loose revenue policy of the General Government
mn der which New York was fast becoming almost the
sole importing city the Atlantic coast and the ocean
carrier for all the cities between the Hudson aud the Mis-
si7,DIl there never any SUFFICIENT ltdSOH WHY
he bulk of the import and export carrying trade should
he concentrated at New York; because every city
South OF New York, even down to N:w Orleans, lad
meantime opened rail routes into the back country,
where they distribute their trade and whence they ce-
rive their breadtu and as each one OF these cites be-
came the centre of the commercial transactions OF the
surrounding territory of larger lesser circumference,
according TO their respective powers TO attract and ac
ties TO carry establishing at the same time reciprocal
Interchange of commodities with negh1orhood5 far in
from the coast and beyond the area o their more eX-
elusive Auenc5 the general trade in the sCrpuses aud
imports OF the whole country was, OF necess ~ divided
among the competing cities along the seacoast. And
whilst New York remqned the focus OF the ocean postal
service whilst under.invoiced imports coul be intro
duced through the New York custom house whis: the
owners OF steamships IendeZvoused III the Hu1'on ana
cation for expectation was cleared at New lork and
goods imported for Southern entered at
New York, why New York was in everybodys ears aud
thoughts and finally, New York became the chief en-.
trepot of American commerce.
But New York always had Sha'toU back country dnd
a dlHcerO,ls back doorl All her artificial lines OF in
provemen lead to the interior ya the lates and these
lakes pour their lters down the St Lawrence through
British territory TO the sea- And steamers shall
be increased in number between Qlebec and Europe ana
Improved carrying ats shall be introduced TO ply be-
tween the Quebec steamers and the lake ports, the larger
will be the per ceaage Q! Western trade that will pass
down the St Lawrence rOate. The natural and the
cheapest outlet from New York ports on lakes Ontario
and Champin and the river St. Lawrence, IS out OF
the back door o. New York; and IN future neihe trade
Of large portion OF the State OF New York will be
with Montreal and Quebec rather than with New York
city.
Besides the British waterway in the St Lawrence,
which heads in Lake Superior, there Is British iron way
along the St Lawrence, with terminus ana Snte' Hir-
Dor at Portland in the State Of A4iac ad with conaec-
tions leading west ~ the rail- lines IN tue influence
OF Eew iork oiiy.
decade or even a generation Is bu. short span OF
time in the life OF ciy State. And hence though
the ST. Lawrence valley Influence TO this day. may not
have GcuIy diverted any very large amount OF trade
which Otherwise would have sought outlet across New
York Safe to New York city nevertheless Il mast be
borne in mind that steamships hive ~ l- beeN run,
ming to lebpC tht the Dsuada uraud Tiulk EulroAd
. A new work and tha, it is only buei period since
Quebec Portland Montreal anj ohrr important points,
have had their commercial tcrtss bouhd together IN
one grand S. Lawrence compact for competition against
Nv York citv for trade with the .ac cities and the
Western States. And hi- competition, Nh cars ard
bC.,s a-s,s New OK civ upon the enure nor'h"c't
boundary Of the Safe Of New York. from tana,. tist
10 Pennsylvania (about iour hundred miles ot lake aud
river nayigaiou along the su6t,a5e SIDE ii that TRAN
gu4r State aid d.p.ie1 with lee for the prsc OF the
New ors por.ion OF lake and Western trade, we may
understand that the ST. LaWr nee outlet Is only IN Tue
iawn Of ts Development, and that hereafter may last
attain consequence and might as trade channel to tue
sea- for az the Lakes empty their waters down the 81
4
pour it, trade down the same stream
Indeed the Rritis' ate.esy uAt a,e ewppng ia' com
rlercial 5.e aud e. ialg iog competition agtas New
| York water line and rail line pid the 81 Lawrence
will possibly compass an UNDERSTANDING II ho posu'e
agreement with interests located IN the Confederate
States and which with tOas the Mississippi aUd IL
branches and rail lines leading north tom the C"f ri
strive interchange traffic AL C-,"ntca'ioh over the
identical route re.Ssen quebec aud Ne" Orleans which
rench foresight maj aiked.out when the land was vii
| 4. ..La taFarv r#, HEfnn ~
| the continent
From New York to Lake Ontario where british com.
petition Is encountered, tue distance tair ne) s only
about two hundred miles. Eastward the Influence OF New
York extends but short distance before the competition
of Boston is felt Due of New York it is bat short
distance to the Delaware river where the trad" .. ha.
jclphil begins the upper New 'o.st ouOgtes doiCg a
part of their tad in tus CITY, whilst from TfoRton south
r.Geh sew Jersey trade is transacted Ii this market
In Pennsylvania New York does not seriously menace
Philadelphia True New York is the natural market Tor
large quantities OF PennsylVania coal for which she Is
a good aud desirable customer y2. rus tNO Oi the
great coal carrier a.l uuGer sew ofk control and
.hes, taV 10 wit the Delaware aud Hudson canal, and
the Delaware Llckawahna aud Western railroad are IN
az isolated corner of e State, and have ess ,,seea-
G.Sa' consequence th'A 'f Sa' carriers down the
Tue productive valleys and strategc rail routes in
Pennsy Vana are so held that, the Stae sroUs and
prospers so also will 4hiladepha grow and prosper
Phadelphl kas gr0SA to power aud opGlenoe 'oihout
much foreign trade and having vast back country to
penetrate with allies instead Oi rivals at bef western
border on the Ohio river aud Lake Erie, spreading her
influence over the interior country through tic opera
| tons of successful rail iaes.
Undoubtedly New .ore c,ty has trade IN fennsylva.
MIA, US, as ahadelpAia has trade in Maryland; and
New ork carries ecross Pennsylvania upon Pniladcl
uha routes Just a. Philadelphia carries Maryland
upon Baltimore routes This is reciprocity in trade aCd
a competition in which there is p Tut,,ai interest II
does not however gsas our assertion, which Is that
the tae 0f &ofk city is sparse trade, scattered
among States Territories and islands, aud that New
York is not dominant in commercial influence N cpy
consolidated area OF large circumference.
| Secession al one swoog a-- .arhed from New York
seven cne.o:e. Common weat hsnow moulded in embryo,
,nla foreign nation. The St Lawrence routes rail and
water will divert from New York and 0, the
lake trade and her own State trade .eo. steamship
communication between Pi.luephia and Europe, which
il "foregose conclusion, to take elect upon the
com mpeton OF the steapower, extension OF the Penn
sylyapa Rsiroad to the Delaware river will ina,gleate
the exportation Of articles and hrGsddas via Phadel
phia and cause the iC,la,ts now made by Philadelphia
through tia Sew York customhouse TO be made through
the Philadelphia cdsom-house.
Hence, from these and for ctA;, reasons which we
have no room to recGPtsate does seem that the time
arrived wuen the inquiry ertineat whether tie ely
of New fork including its adncenries numbering alto
gethey million aud quarter of Inhabitants has not
reached the .,srima limit Of population capable OF
deriving susenance from the trade Of that locality which
trade being largely forega uncertain and uctuang?
Communities rush on without ref ,ction till sole un-
expected obstruction brings them 70 Pause ana since
secession has produced etaSn.tol " the commerce O.
the country il % well enough for the great city the
mouth OF the Hadson to look to tho OF its trade
and 10 examine closely whether its has rot been