Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-08-17
Correspondence Union and American.

and His Share in the Project.
Correspondence Union and American.
PARIS, July 30, 1S75.-In my last
letter 1 gave a general history of the
origin Of the International Ge0graph-
ical Congress, and an outline of the
work 1t has before It. At present 1
wish TO enter into a few particulars
concerning the part thatls taken IN it
by the State Of Tennessee and the
Chambers of Commerce Of the cities Of
Memphis and Nashville.
Monsieur Edmond Farrenc, a native
of France and a citizen Of Paris, but
for sometime past resident Of Mem
phis, Tennessee, is a member of the
French Geographical Society, an editor
of L'EEDlOrGteIT-a well known ParI-
sian journal, devoted TO the interests of
Geography, and a jealous advocate of
free and direct trade between his coun-
try and foreign lands, was the first to
propose that Tennessee should be repre-
scented at the international Congress Of
1875. 1t was already early in thepres-
ent year that he mentioned the
subject at a meeting Of the
Memphis Chamber of Commerce,
and at the same time began vigorously
to push forward the scheme by means
Of able articles from his pen, which
were published In the Memphis appeal,
wherein he stated that of all things l.
would be desirable that a State as full
of valuable resources as Tennessee
should not hide It's light under bushel,
but, on the contrary, should show to
the scientific world what treasures 1t
contains d, and should strive to reap a
few Of the rewards that would undoubt-
edlY be scattered abroad through the
medium Of the Congress. The Cham
Der of Commerce Of the city Of Men,
phis recognized the opportunity and
seized it; accordingly Mr.. Bronson
Bayliss, a well known and energetic
merchant Of that city, was selected to
act n conjunction with III. Earrenc IN
the matter Gov. Porter, being in
pOrtuned, readily acceded to the views
of the Memphis Chamber Of Commerce
as represented by Messrs. Bayliss and
Farrenc, and appointed to represent
the State Of Tennessee at the Irterna-
tiOnal Geographical Congress the fol-
lowing named gentlemen: III. Edmond
Farrenc, Mr.. bronson Bayliss, Col.
Nathan Adams, Col. VS.. Stevenson and
Mai. Albert Akers, who have been In
Paris during the present month, but
business compelled them to leave; those
remaining are n. FarTene, Col. Adams,
Of Memphis. and Col. Stevenson, of
Nashville. By these delegates Tennes-
see will be upheld IN the Congress.
Now, the principal object aimed at
by Tennessee and the two Chambers
Of Commerce Is TO obtain direct and
free trade. Direct trade Is Just now
needed alike by the producers Of the
Mississippi Valley and the consumers
Of Southern and Middle France. For
MANY wears the French have been
perfectly content that England should
be the worlds broker; perfectly con-
tent to sell goods to that nation that
came after them; perfectly content to
lose a little on every shipment IN order
to save the worry of doing the work
themselves. We N Tennessee have grad
uallY allowed New York to do our trade
and to make money where we could
have done SO ourselves. True, France
has been more sleepy-headed' in this
affair than we in the South. still the
principle is the same and the interest
coiucldent. 1t is the middle
men arrangement tnat has so
much retarded the growth of
French commerce, and the same ar
rangement has placed us IN the shade
of our Northern cOmpatriots. May be
we have not had the wherewithal to do
the proper thing; probably our mer-
chants have never turned their atten-
ton IN this direction; but now is the
time that Southern lethargy should be
shaken OF and a change for the better
made, since France has awakened to
the necessities of the case. The OppOr-
tUnity does not come often, and / am
happy to state that Tennessee, of all
the Southern States, has been the first
to take 4 step IN the right direction.
This step has been to attempt to con-
meet together the business centers Of
the so countries by means Of their
various Chambers Of Commerce and
Svndicates Of Trade, which attempt
has, SO far, perfectly succeeded, and
everywhere has been most hatteringly
welcomed, as the following statement
published by L'UHiOR Rationale, the
organ Uf the Chambres Syndicates Of
Paris, will show:
TOur correspondent here gives the
verbatim report Of the sitting held on
July 10, as translated and published
by US Sunday last from Union Ma
tiOnaJe. He concludes as follows:
In all this we see that we have much
for which to thank NJ. Farrenc, and l
am glad to have thisoccasion to make
known the exertions he has put forth IN
behalf OF our State.
The International Geographical
Congress opens on the Ist of August;
I shall be present and viii hope to be
able 10 present a most exact report OF
the proceedings Il. Z.