The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1869-05-30
The Commercial Convention at New
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One of the most hopeful signs of the
practical regeneration of the South COM
mercially and politically, is seen in the
gatherings of the merchants and capital
lists, first ut Memphis, and since at New
Orleans. This latter is, we believe, still
in session, but up to the Oath instant
over 400 delegates had presented their
credentials The action of both the
Memphis and New Orleans Conventions
has been characterized by the utmo
harmony of sentiment and fraternity of
feeling. This becomes the more signifi-
! cant when it is remembered that the dele
gates are nearly equally divided between
the South and the West. Neither
of these sections can find their proper
development without the others aid, and
the Mississippi River traversing the
country of both, becomes common
bond of interest between them When,
ut the approach of war, in 1851, the
South threatened to cut off the West
from the great river, they subsequently
made good their threat, but the West.
feeling the Importance of such q tribu-
tary to their trade, swore they would hew
their way down it to the sea, and they
too made their promise good. The shores
OF the Mississippi WAS the bloody ground
of hundred battles; the sturdest. most
determined enemies the Confederacy
found were the men Of the West; the
most lmplacable foes the West confronted
were those of the South whose homes
and Interests were bounded by that
river: The war is over, capital is plenty,
the West was never SO rich, the South
never so eager to rise out of her ruin,
and to-day the men, or rather the chosen
| representatives of tho men, who fought
so bitterly for the custody of the Mis-
sisslppi, are together, seeking no longer
to destroy commerce, but to rebuild it,
and fraternally consulting together rs to
the means by which they can make the
old stream of discord a stronger bond of
union between them. After all, the
strongest tie between individuals or
States Is that of self-interest, and when
the West and South have firmly estab-
lished that link, their prosperity and
their political faith are likely to become
Identical
Reconstruction, to be of any practical
effect, must emanate from altogether diff
ferent sources than Congressional. Con-
gress may force the horse to the we'll,
but having him there, they cannot make
him drink. He, after all, must still be
master OF the situation when it comes to
the one essential point. They who fancy
that the moment the men of the South
laid down their arms they became lovers
OF their conquerors have not gauged hu-
man nature very deeply. 1t was some
cause Of lasting bitterness to them to see
their cause defeated, especially when it
had been dear to their hearts for wears.
but that was less than the spectacle of
their burned cities, their ruined fields,
their desolated homes, and their begear-
ed wives and children to whom they re-.
turned. These were not exactly the
things calculated to engender love in
their hearts for us of the North and
West. But when the West goes down
to them, carrying in it's hand the capital
with which to rebuild their cities, rc-es-
tabllsh their trade, encourage their hus-
bandry, and reinstate them in comfort
once more, the West does more to bring
about fraternity and good will between
the two sections than hundred recon
strnction Acts could ever do.
This is exactly what the Memphis Con-
vention did, and exactly what the New
Orleans Convention is now doing. The
South wants capital, and the West has it
to spare. Out of this condition of things
will grow that uniformity of interests
between the two that until now never
had chance to exist. Slavery, the cause
OF dissension, is dead. That made the
West and South natural enemies long
before war was talked of, but between a
free South and q free West there can be
no disturbing cause, while the waters of
the same river wash the shores of both.
and becomes the avenue along which the
products of both may be freely ex-
changed.-PAilatlelphia Inquirer.