New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-02-23
FROM GEORGIA.
DIRECT TRADE.
From Our Byeoial CoTesps ndent

From Our Bpeoial Couespendent
SAVANNAH, Feb. Is, 1861.
Among the delusoos which have served to
mislead some of the Gulf States, and especially
Georgia, into tho vortex Of Secession, IL that OF
Direct Trade. Ii can hardly be said 70 have
FASTENED step 10 embarrassing IN the prevent
and 90 fatal m the future; but it has upd"uet-
edly ,erved ss a consolation or naturalization
70 some who halted in the Secession march.
Direct Trade has been pronounced by ia warm
est ffisDes % an impos.iblhty, except uneer
dpnpuistoa-i. O., In case Of forced non-inter-
eour,e with the North; and It's promoters in
Georgia we're too sagscious not 10 perceive that
the precipitats measures Of the South were not
at all in its favor, but tended rather TO run the
scheme in its very Inception. To d'aw down
upon it in tho beginning the active hostility
of the Federal Government, and subject
it to the rsk Of being no trade ut
all, or at least, one attended with serious
loss to all concerned, was not desired by it,
wisest advocates. Under the most favorable cir
cumstances, both theory and experience argued
for it but q saw and uncertain progress. IL
admit, as has been done, that the project could
succeed only under coupulsion, was sufficient
commentary upon its renl character. The fact
Vac patest to oil that, uud.r the Union, no OBJ
stacss existed 10 oil the direct trade that could
be- proftably obtained. Commerce Was jast as
free to come 10 Savannah or Brlnswisk az 10
New-York. If Nature bad put in tie way of it
certain obstacles, such as climate and uncertain
barbors, these must remain perpetual aud must
be struggled against Mt less to those cOncs rnrd
IN the unnatural traffic for which they would in
the long run, fail to the necessity.
This fact aud its result aro approved by the
trial Of the fret experiment. The recent Direct
Trade Fair Was, on all poin.s, cOpf-ssedly
failure. IL served II chow the general utirlend.
liners Of the South ~ intercourse Sth the North;
but it indicated, with equal plsiapess, that, for
the advantages Of that Intercourse, Direct Trade
wac no compensation. TIE goods brought were
neither so good nor so cheap as wAs expected.
The Maconians quietly elevated Their eyebrows
ut the display Of Belgian fabrics, designed es
pecally for tho Southern market" - IL to say:
1--WE can beat that right here, MylL4er. Aud
IL you can't give us better boots then these in
the way of trade, Aynheer, you had betsear Aeep
your bigh-heeled. aub-toed, clumsy and iA.oler-
able foot gear at home!"
so much for Direct Trade 10 the UaiAn.
City and Southern enterprise togettar
can do better for the South than can the Bel
gans or any other foreigners
Now o. to direct trade Under cOmpulsion Of
II il plain IN the outset that this
sompulsion has begun in too harsh form, and
,ntSSely too soon. To advance this enterprise, it
x b,~n deemed necessary to build up CONNER.
iai int,yests not now in existence. and TO con.
truct new channels of intercourse. Now it i'
vidsnt that .tbe aGtations and uncertainties in.
idspt 70 10 IN. Nnentous crisis as the present,
70 sninsntly unl.Norable to tho advancement Of !