Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-06-28
Recent European views Of the south.

From the Little hOcE (Ark) True IelOcr2t.
Europeans are at length correctly experimenting
the real character and claims OF the Southern peo-
pie, and the true causes of the political disturb
ances that have resulted in the dismemberment of
the Union. They begin TO understand the relations
of the Confederate States 10 modern civilization.
They have been IL the habit of looking at America
only by the light of the Northern press. They saw
only the great North in the foreground and nothing
OF the South but the negro in the dark. dim and
distant perspective. They nothing OF this
great region except from the repusive view of the
abolitionists They had faint idea of the fact
that it furnished cotton, but they COMPOUNDED it
some how with Northern wealth and enterprise;
they purchased Southern cotton of the North. and
settled with thai section for it.
The war is making a great disclosure to the Eu-
rOpean mind. Il reveals TO that people that the
true sources of American power and prosperity
are Southwark. Ii unveils the fact that one half
the American States the natural allies of COM
mercal Europe, and that only the northern half are
rivals and competitors. 1t shows that the shipping
which met that of European in every port Of the
habitab!e globe belongs only to the North that the
American goods which competed with their own IN
all the open markets Of The world, even the mar
kets of Europe, come altogether from Northern fac
tories. Nay more, II teaches them that the mOnOp-
oily which the North possessed of the Southern
markets and of the Southern coasting trade, built
up, enriched and strengthened the NOrthernmanu-
features TO the degree which enabled that section
TO wage so successfully with Europe dangerous
rivalry and competition in the branches OF enter
prise.
The merchants and manufactures of Europe are
beginning to see il the South not merely a source
Tor the supply of cotton and other leading staples
but a new market for European goods, heretofore
closed against all the world but the North They
are awakening to the fact that in the cOastng trade
OF this great section, new field for the enterprise
of European shipping IS now opened from which
1t has heretofore been driven of by our jealous
navigation laws
Il no of no IN. leo
the European mind against our section, and by
every artIfce to deprecIate US III European estma
ton 1t has been It's study TO conceal the resources
of the South, aud to envelope its concerns IN cloud
of obscurity and prejudice. As a fortunate pros
pccter in California conceas the discovery OF rich
placer from all around, and tolls IN secrecy and 81
lence by day and night, in extracting its precious
nuggets of gold, that the North with Jealous eye
kept guard upon the South, while enrlcnlng itself
from her eXhRustless treasures. The inter
rupts this most profitable game of averiCe and
plumber. 1t brings the South forth prominently 10
the eyes Of Europe, from the cloud OF defamation
and ignorance which has CnvelOped her; and il dis
closes to Europe that in all matters OF commerce,
while the North is her natural rival, the South Is
her natural alley. The spell 10y which the North
held our section IN commercial vassalage has been
broken; the machinery by which she turned all
our commerce into her own ports. anI and empticd
all our treas IRE into her own Golfers has been De
stroyeG. TIE obstacles and barriers by which she
had shut out the rest of the world from trade
has been at last thrown down. The very jealousy
with which she will now enforce the blOckde will
teach Europe the value of the jewel thus guarded,
and while disclosing the existence and value of the
Jewels, will also prove that the tenure by which
they have been held is lost forever.
But the material wealth of the South is not all
that the war will disclose to the world It will de-
monstrate that we are not the barbarians that we
have been represented TO be by the Summers, the
Slows and the Garrisons. Europe will learn that
there is moral wealth at the South superior to any
that can be found elsewhere on this continent and
equal to any that exists that. twill find some
thing more than community of slave traders and
slave dryers-a community alive TO the sentiments
of honor to the obligations of religion, and to the
tenets of honesty and good faith. As its acquaint
ance with the South grows so will its respect for
her grow, and its distrust and prejudice will rapid.
" give way to confidence and esteem.