Year: 1869




larry fer Norfolk and Memphis.


From the Liverpool Mere,fry of the
% of August, we extract the follow
ing report of Mr. Morehead's re,
marks before the Liverpool Cham
Der of Commerce, on the 2Ist inst.


Mr.. Morehead having been intro
duced, proceeded to read a statement
be had prepared. He said that on
the 18th of May last a convention
assembled in the city Of Memphis,
Tennessee, having for its object to
consider various projects for the inter
nal improvement of the Southern
States and promoting their foreign
commerce, and there were present
delegates from various districts of the
South and many from the Northern
States. He wished to communicate
TO the council and the public Of Liver
/ pool some of the resolutions of that
| convention, and he believed those
resolutions expressed the general feel
ing of the Southern people on the
subjects to which they referred. He
then called attention to the subject of
promoting direct trade, more es-
pecially by line of steamers between
| this country and the ports of the
Southern States. The import trade Of
the South took circuitOus route
through the Northern ports, especially
New York; and it was clear that the
| unavoidable expenses, the serious
burden Of the carriage, and the inter
mediate profits of a circuitous routs,
must enhance the cost of goods to the
consumer in the South. He then
alluded to the capabilities of some of
the leading ports in the South. Gal
weston commanded the resources of a
State larger than France, and he
called attention to the products of
that State and to the climate and to
the price at which land could be pur-
chased there, and said that the land
was superior in fertility to that in the
Northern States. The city of New
Orleans CON! !manded 20,000 miles of
internal navigable waters; and to the
Northwestern States, to which emil
grants made their way, New. Orleans
was by far the best route. There Was
also another consideration, Under
the present system Of taking the New





arrived at the far West In the sum-
mer, too late for that season and with
a rigorous winter before him; but by
way OF New Orleans he might reach
his destination early in the spring.
Having referred TO the ports of Mobile
and Savannah, he remarked that
Norfolk especially attracted the atten-
ton of the Memphis convention.
Norfolk might be considered the
natural seaport of the great middle
States of the Union, and its central
position and admirable haFbOr gave
it in many respects superiority over
any Of the ports of the Union. 1t
had the advantage of New York in
point of distance as regards by far the
greater part OF the Onion, and he
pointed to the advantage it POSSESSED
for vessels over other places, inelud-
ing New York, the depth of water at
Hampton Roads, Norfolk, being no
less than 80 feet. There WAS a strong
desire in the South that direct tfade
should be opened with Europe
through the port of Norfolk by the
establishment of an efficient line Of
steamers from Liverpool, and he was
prepared to state that there We're rail
road companies now desirOus of pro-
noting such an enterprise by taking
stock in it, and that, if required, a
subsidy in aid of pioneer line would
probably be granted by the State
more Immediately inteTested, 1t
might be said that if the Southern
people had so strong a desire for
direct communication by this route
they should themselves establish such
a line; but ocean steamers were not
naturally sought the cooperation of
those who built and managed such
steamships with the success so con-
spicuous in Liverpool. He also
pointed out that it was to the interest
of the British manufacturers to en-
courage such an undertaking, and
thus aid in reducing the charges on
the goods in which they dealt. The
inhabitants of the Southern States
desired to send the products at their
disposal to the people of this country
by the shortest route, and to receive
British manufactures by such route
and at the least additional charge.
Referring to the fiscal system of the
United States, he remarked that most
excessive duties were now imposed on
all imports which entered into CON-
petition with Northern manufactures.
The evil arising from such a system
had grown so patent to thoughtful
men even in the Northern States, that
free-trade party was at the present
time organized. He invited co-Opera-
ton in establishing quick and
direct communication, so o. to lessen
the hindranees which in addition to
custom houses, time and distance
imposed on their commerce, The
Convention also considered another
question. OF the great stream of emf
grafton now flowing into the Union,
very little was directed to the South.
The great majority went Northwest;
and what was at present going on was
not the transfer of labor to points
where it was needed, hut a movement
to populate regions that are vacant.
Emigration to the South would return
an unquestiOnahle advantage to
Europe. If the emigrant himself did
not grow cotton he would add to the
supply of the labor market. Having
remarked that in connection with
mercantile affairs the question of the
day was how to increase the growth of
cotton, he said that the Southern
States possessed advantages SO great
that practically no limit existed 70
their power of production, save one,
and that was labor. The present sup
ply of labor of the black population
was not only satisfactory, but it might
be expected to diminish; and hence
ne thoughtful man would anticipate
progress in production in the South in
reliance on the present source Of labor.
Speaking of measures now taken for
the introduction of Chinese labOreFs,
he said that the Chinese had done
useful work in California, and pos
sessed indomnitable industry, but
there were many persons who looked
with regret on the importing Of
population so discordant in thought,
race, and creed, and who regarded the
future results with anxiety. Apart nom
the laborer or ordinary emigrant, the
Souih contained field for men of some
means. or of special knowledge, that