Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-03-09


sincerely desire it, for the public opinion OF Eu
rome could bv nronouncing itself in time, arrest
| catastrophe which must seriously compromise its
| commercial interests.
IL is scarcely year since the Emperor, with the
J holdness which springs from profound conviction
inaugurated a new commercial policy, by adopting
an Economical system, destined to give agriculture
| and trade an impulse which would place France in
| the trent rank among commercial nations and de
Weldon her maritime relations in ell quarters of the
world Prohibition has ceased. and the commercial
treaty of January g. 1860, opens way calculated
TO reestablish the natural order of things and con
meet France. gradually but infalliby to a reform
the most complete, and above all, the most radical
Everything conduces to lead US thther. Her ma
tuTe her conformation and her features show us
the principle of commercial liberty written in in
delible characters.
These ideas naturally lead US to examine whether
European predictions and interests are not on the
wrong track in abandoning themselves unreseryedIy
TO the doctrines of the Northern States
The Northern section cannot change its CONNER
cial instincts; they are consequence of its very
nature 1t will be after, as well as before the dis
solution of the Union, in future well as it has
been IN the past, country adapted exclusively to
the raising of grain, with a commercial and manu-
featuring populansn, who struggle obstinately to
obtain for their me cha marine the entire OF the
traffic ard transl ortstiol be ween Europe and
the Southern States; her policy would lead her
even to throw their manufactured productions on
the Southern markets, in which she endeavors BY
every means to prevent the productions Of Europ-
can manufactures from entering. In other words.
the North does now. and will heBceforth. more and
more compete with European industry for already
in default of the monopoly of manufactured pro
duets towards which she is tending she becomes Of
necessity an intermediary between European man
facture 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 increae in freight. If then the de-
yelopmen of their trade and agriculture, supported
by the sympathies of Europe, continued to pro-
gress, their prosperity would be very serious dan
ger to u.s. for later, it would lead to the
invasion of our own markets.
The South on the contrary, produces two great
staples which are, to Europe, objebts of the high
est neces ity-cotton and tobacco. She is produ
GER of necessaries and consumer of manufactured
production. Has it ever been seriously contcmpla-
ted the commotlon which the failure of a single
cotton crop-whch supports so many branches of
trade and, directly or indirectly affords employ
ment TO mere than ten million of hands-would pro-
duce? Have we. at the same time, thought of the
disturbance which would be created in the habits
of the working classes By the suppression of that
other article which is to them great source of
comfort? q O.
In regard to tobacco, without mentioning the de-
felt in the State budget which would result from its
humiliation, could our populations so easily forego
product which, more, perhaps, than sugar, coffee
md cotton, constitutes for them imperious ne
cessity. There is need to disguise it, the depri
walton 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 separation of the United States, unless that
event should take place peaceaby, 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 servile would be the |
inevitable consequence of federal war.
Neither must il be forgotten that il is those two
staples which pay almost entirely, for French man.
ufactures sent to America, and which amount in |
value to more than 300, 1000 600 francs.
But let us continue. The South far from having |
like the North rival interests with Europe has, on
the contrary, the same rather coreative inter-
ests Confined in short to the extensive cultivation
of those articles which Europe cannot do without /
the South has been compelled. up tc the present IN
spite of constant protests, TO pay enormous tri-
butte to the North. in the shape of custom house
duties. for no ether reason than to protect the
Northern manufacturing interests without an adj /
vantage to herself-at least unless we choose to
consider it an advantage for the South to aid against
her will government which does not fear to pros
claim openly its sentiments of hostility and aversion
Mr. Lincoln had declared that the time for compro-
mise has passed. The South on her side has suffer-
ed too much to hesitate longer. She has decided to
withdraw, and several of those States are about
forming new confederation. If the North declare
war against her she will defend herself and will be
most certainly drawn into abyss, the effect of
which will be cruelty felt in Europe; for then four
million bales of cotton will be wanting every year
% trade, and the tobacco crop will be annihiated
r. on the other hand, returning to sentiments vor-
hier great nation, the North permits the new
confederation to be mistress of the plenitude
If her rights. then the picture changes at once.
Commercial liberty becomes the fundamental law
If the Southern republic; her ports will be free TO
he commerce of Europe, whose me chant marine
will be quite natuI ally submitted for that of the
North. Europe will double her exports, and the
South, the population Of which exceeds twelve mil
ions, will exchange her products for objects of
European and particularly French workmanship.
10 fact, they have not forgotten that France was
heir mother country; and faithful TO the traditions
If theirs fathers they have preserved their manners
md customs, and are well aware that France alone
an furnish those thousand and one notions which |
rogn her industry with renown.
1t sufices TO call the attention of publicists to
heSe facts, in order that they may endeayor to
Moderate in Europe, the too ardent desire of chang
Dg suddenly the position of one particular class of
he human family. A nation can not, with reason,
esre the realization of its phllOsophc aspiration at
he cost of a sacrifice, the very nature Of which
would at once compromise the individual wellbe {
qg ofits citizens and the commercial prosperity of
he country.
The press which represents European interests
will perhaps hesitate to lavish further its boundiess
uloges and approval policy, the practice Of {
which would but hasten the ruin and destruction
Southern marts, which are, after all, its proper
markets
Let not De cOeIeeQ, NOrIll SO
ashness and au3acity only from the belief taught
by the European press that the Rhabltcnts of the
outh, too weak in numbers to resist its attacks, will
lot find this side of the Atlantic a simple gener
us sentiment, much less q moral support. Will
so far blind European commerce az I
0 make it forgetful of its own interests? We do /
OF think So and already England profoundly moved,
wakes at length to the reality; she begins to meas
re the whole extent of the dsater which menaces
eF manufactures; she longer DISCUSSES the fact
spite Of her abolition tendencies, that her COM
lercial interests depend in great measure on the I
rOsperity of the South which Europe has deep :
interest in seeing preserve at least temporarily, her
lsttutions, attached with so much vehemence. v
The question is plain one; we have previously a
aid that the Soud, far from being the aggressor,
s it seems to be generally supposed was the victim
f Northern pretensions ThOse recent words of e
ne Emperor also find echo in the bottom of orr Il
earts:-'France has desire to NEEDLE in any v
sy where her interests not at stake; in fine, if
he has sympathes for what is great and noble, she
pes not hesitate to condemn everything that vio>
ties justice and the rights of nationsn Public d
Jinlon will appreciate them on both sides of the Il
tantic and will find for the great interests atstake
the American crisis, solution which may be II
Itisfactopy to al-namey, an amicabe separation, G
thout CONFLICT and without war. instead of Sc q
ession by ioence, or Union maintained by force.
what the Correspondents say.
From dispatches to the Cincinnati Enquirer: y