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THE WESTERN GEORGIAN.
Vol. I.
PUBLISHED EV EEV TUESDAY MO iNING
BY
" SJIAUEIj S' JACK-
Terins.
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a,.,,., . ■ I .111 I I .
From the Florida (T.illahueßee) Watchman. <
AUGUSTA. April 9, 1838. p
To the Hon- A. D. Shehee, Chairman, &c.: ■<
g TP) —Py the rrsehittons passed nt the p
meeting of our fellow.citizen in Jefferson <
county, hold in Monticello on the 17th ultimo, ’ I
trt which you presided, and by which wc <
were appointed delegates to represent them i
$n the Commercial Convention, lately held in
this city, we are required to report to you, and
through you, to the people of this county,
the degree of success which has thus far at
tended the efforts of this Convention, to ac
eomplish the important objects proposed by
it and also our own views and opinions of the
practicability of those objects. Deeply im
pressed witli the sense of the responsible duty
thus required, wo have bestowed upon the
subject all the attention which the circumstan
ccs of our situation would permit. Wo re
gnrd the objects of the Convention ns invol
ving n question of the greatest importance;
a question which, if carried out into success
ful operation, will effect, most deeply and rad.
ically effect, the trade and commerce of the
entire country —must become most pervading
in its influence upon the financial interests of
the South, and produce, sooner or later, the
most extensive and salutary effects upon the
property, the domestic institutions, and the
character of the Southern people. We may
well regret, therefore, that older, abler, and
more experienced men than ourselves, had
not been delegated to perform the duty thus
devolved upon ua.
The Commercial Convention proposes for
its object to achieve the commercial indepen
dence of the South by opening a direct trade
between the Southern seaports and foreign
countries. The design originated with a few
patriotic and enlightened citizens of an inland
town of this State. Its first session was held
in this place in October, 1837. It was com
posed of about eighty delegates from the ad,
joining States of South Carolina and Georgia
—Florida had one member. At the recent
session near two hundred delegates were
present, representing Virginia, North Carolina
and South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama and
Florida.
During the recess much legislation had been
enacted by those States, highly auspicious to
the objects of the Convention. In the mean
while arrangements are tn progress to with
draw the largo amounts of Southern capital'
now invested in Northern stocks, and contfi
bute it to this enterprise; while at the same
time also, efforts are being made to organize
a system of correspondence and direct inter
course with the capitalists and monetary in.
stitutions of Europe. Superadded to alt
which, it may be farther remarked, that the
extensive schemes of interna! improvement,
project<Kl by the Southern States, ar® in a
course of advancement. The Charleston,
Louisville and Cincinnati Rail Road Company,
have become the owners of the Augusta and
Charleston Rail Road, while the road exten-
ding from this city in the direction of thel
Tennessee line, is in a progress of rapid com
pletion. The former, the greatest underta
king of the kind in modern times, is under the
superiniendence of a patriot and statesman,
in whose long and distinguished career of
public usefulness, the South has an ample
guaranty that the work will be prosecuted
with vigor and energy.—The influence of
the Convention has already extended to those
works and given them an impetus which must
insure their final success. They are consid
ered as presenting opportunities of safe and
profitable investments, at the same time that
they encourage domestic industry.
The above brief retrospect will enable you
to form some conception of the degree of
success which has thus far attended the efforts
of the Convention.-—But will those efforts be
ultimately successful ? It is not to be disgtii.
sed that we have fearful odds to contend'
against; immense disadvantages to overcome;
’most insuperable obstacles to surmount.
” e admission of doubt, however, has tlev-
.*’ v cause been the precursor of sue
er i r tfi • •
' < •he'most certain mode to obviate
\ neCtjL In order to understand
difficulty «to . regard to tins matter,
our correct posit," » .
let us resort, for n «° » ’»«•"<’}
ysis of the trade and of the United
States. , x r
Taking the imports exports o ic
year 1836 ns a criterion, P. er '
haps admit that it is a good one) t " e ‘°" oWin L r
extraordinary facts are disclosed. .
The imports of the whole of th< G
States amounted in that year to about Si- o>-
000,000 —Those of New York alone amCUG
ted to more than 100,000,000, while the whoi 0 1
of the Southern Atlantic and Gulf States did
not import an amount exceeding 20,000,000. ]
1 During the same year the domestic exports
amounted to $107,000,000, of which New 1
York exported only $19,000,000, while the
States of the South and South West exported 1
$78,000,000. I
Frorn all this it is apparent that though the
widespread and increasing commerce of this
country owes its entire existence to the staples i
of the Southern and South Western States,
they nevertheless derive no corresponding i
advantage from the fact. The people of the ;
South and South West, pay annually, in the <
ehepw of commissions, agencies, per centagCS, i
&c. &c. not less than ten millions for the ex- ’
traordinary privilege of having their products i
carried in vessels belonging to the people of '
the North, through New York to Europe, i
This slate of things has not been altogether •
the result of the imputed neglect of commerce
and trade by the Southern people, nor their i
supposed aversion to mercantile pursuits.
Nor has it been the result of their alleged
exclusive devotion to agricultural occupation*?;
nor yet of their want of shipping and seamen.
Prior to 181 G, n different state of affairs exis-'
ted. A large trade was then carried on di
rectly between the Southern seaports and
Europe; and at a still earlier period ot our
history, this disparity was entirely in our fa
vor.—ln the year 1774, the trade of South
Carolina was quadruple that of New York,
though the latter is now the Emporium of
the continent. So long ns the two sections
competed upon the resources of their respec
tive natural advantages, the same or a cor
responding proportion would have been preset
ved.
But at an early period, after the organiza
tion of the present Genera! Government, n
system of finance and revenue w’as adopted,
which has had the effect of making the com
merce and trade of the South dependent upon,
and tributary to, the North. This system
had the tendency, nt first gradual and gentle,
but certain, and often becoming accelerated
and rapid, to converge all the commercial re
sources of the country to the cities of the
North, and to centraling at those places the
whole patronage, power and influence of the
Government. The merchants at the North
relying and encouraged to rely upon the rev
enue, capital and credit of others, thus founded
and accumulated, have extended their busi
ness, improved their resources, built up cities,
and floated whole fleets of merchant ships;
paying no interest upon this capital, they
; have been led into the wildest speculations—
a crash ehsues, as has lately occurred, and
the country becomes involved in universal
bankruptcy, ruin and distress, from which it
will require years of labor and toil to extricate
it. At this stage of the question it may be,
not uninteresting to inquire, who were the ac-1
> tual sufferers in the convulsion thus produced!
The staples of the South pay all the debts,
i and when lately no other medium of exchange
11 was relied upon, cotton became the currency
of the world. The plantation States have
paid our European debts; but the question
I recurs, upon whom has the losses fallen?
r Who are the sufferers ? Upon that mentori
, ous class who work all and pay ail. They
t are the sufferers. The entire crop of the
, planter may be lost to him, but the speculator,
, the factor, the dealer, generally escapes, and
I not unfrequently unscathed.
This sytem is, however, fast yielding to the
W isdom, Justice, and Moderation.
ROME, FLOYD COUNTY, GEORGIA, JUNE 20, 1838.
incessant and powerful opposition of Southern
statesmen, and the silent but sure operation
of public sentiment. Already, indeed, have
some of its most formidable branches been
overthrown. Thetariff, which drew its mill
ions fiom the South, and concentrated in the
North, has been virtually abrogated. The
scheme of internal improvement by the Gen
eral Government, upon the objects of which
this immense revenue was to have been ex
pended, has been effectually checked : and
the United States Bank which was the depos
itory of this revenue, and the disbursing agent
of the Government, the recipient of the great
est portion of these favors, the great benefi
ciary of all this partial legislation, has ceased
to exist, by the limitation of its charter, and
we trust that the principle upon which this in
stitution was founded, at best, but an interpo
lation upon the Constitution, is forever fully
and perfectly repudiated from our system of
government. The late derangement in the
moneyed affairs of the country, will tend
greatly to facilitate this result: we confidently
look forward to the time as being not far dis
tant, when the money and political power of
the Government, effectually separated from
erch other, and the commerce trade and in
dustry of the South, no longer affected by
the restrictions and impositions of partial le
gislation, and left to their own natural chan
nels, will be permitted to enjoy that freedom, ,
which is the peculiar element of the South; I
the element in which she lives and moves,
and has her being; without which there can j
be neither commercial nor political indepen- ■
dcnce.
But though the Constitution may be restored
to its original purity, justice and equity, all
is .not yet achieved, which must be accom
plished, before our objects are affected.
The South has no maritime population, no
ma riff G interest, no ship-builders, no seamen.
AH this lamentably true. But why is such
the case? Upon investigation, it will be
found that the same causes above alluded to,
have produced this state of things also.
The Gulf of Mexico floats the richest com
merce of any sea, r.ear the same size, in the
world.; and yet the Federal Government have
made but one naval establishment upon it,
and throughout the entire maritime frontier
of the planting States of the Atlantic, there
is but one Otiie'i WWW W W";
wondered at, then, that the South has no mil
itary marine? The almost entire disbursements
of the Treasury on objects of this kind, be
ing made at the North, is it to be wondered
at, that we have no ship builders at the South? :
The marine interests of the North thus nur
tured by the patronage of the Government,
is it to be wondered at, that we have no mar- i
itime population? No seamen? Nay, fur
ther, the Government has adopted the gen
erous though unequal policy, of bestowing
bounties upon the fisheries of tho North. .
But when has one dollar been bestowed upon
the maritime interest at the South ? The
coast of Florida abounds in fish of the greatest
variety and value, and yet it would seem
that the officers of the Government do not
know the fact. Mad wc also enjoyed this
bounty of the Government to the same extent
to which it has been in this instance, bestow. ;
ed upon our Northern brethren, it is probable
that the Indian war which has been so afflicting
and ruinous to Florida, and, as we taink,
indelibly disgraceful to the national arms,
would perhaps never have occurred. Had our
seacoast been the seat of a maritime ■
population, it is probable that all foreign influ-1
encas would have been excluded from the In
dians, if any indeed had ever been permitted
to have reached them, and their subjugation
would have been greatly facilitated otherwise.
Under whatever aspect this important ques
tion can be anticipated, it is one of the deep
est, most pervading, and most intense interest
the people of Florida. Presenting a maritime
frontier of more than a thousand miles, it be
hooves us to co-operate in every effort which ,
may have for its object, or be attended with j
tho consequence of affording us protection j
against foreign aggressions, to which, in time
of war, we must necessarily be subject. I
That protection must consist rather io the
stout heartsand strong arms of our citizens,
than any artificial means of defence which >
may be constructed. Our coast should, as
heretofore rema'ked, become tho seat of a
maritime population. We have, in rich and
rare abundance, all the resources, means and
capabilities of establishing, nurturing and
< building up such a population. The live oak
i and pine timber of Florida, have long been in
request by the ship builder; whilst cur agri
' cultural products, more rich, more rare and
. various than those of any other section, will
, contribute immensely to the mass of general
I> commerce.
The prospect now presented to the South,
is bright and cheering. The struggle may
’! still be arduous and protracted, but wo will,
sjwe must triumph. The cause is holy and
, just and must succeed. In the language em
I ployed on a similar occasion by that able
! statesman and eloquent son of the South, who
} unawed by power, unintimidated by tho cor-
rupt combinations, unaffected by the denun
ciations of personal or political rivalry, has
stood by his country, through good report
and through evil report, the same vigilant
sentinel upon the Watch tower of public liber
ty, the same fast friend to the South, the same
idevoied patriot—-"It is the cause of truth, of
justice, liberty, civilisation and moral and in
tellectual excellence ; and must prevail.”
One of your delegates has been appointed
' a member of the general committee of cor
respondence.—So soon as he may be required
to enter upon the functions of that appoint
ment, he will request you and his fellow citi
zens of Jefferson, to meet him at Monticello,
where ho will explain more in detail, than in
the limits of this report we have been able to
do, all the various subjects here touched upon.
He trusts that he will be more fully prepared
in the statistics of the question, than we could
I possibly be in this report.
We have the honor to be
"Your fellow citizens,
LEIGH READ.
WM. H. WARE.
BANK CONVENTION.
The committee to whom it was referred to
consider and report as to the proper time for
the Banks of Georgia and South Carolina to
resume specie payment.
Respectfully report, that in considering this
question they have directed their inquiries ex
clusively to tWo points, viz: the ability of the
banks to begin and sustain such payments,
‘ and the effects on the community, which a
{ resumption on any given day may produce.
In looking to the cause of the suspension,
it will be found that the exigences of the com-’
j munity, rather than the inability of the banks
induced that measure. The performance of
. their legal duties on the part of the latter, de
pend so certainly on a corresponding perfor
mance on the part of the former, that the in
capacity of the debtors of the banks to meet
their engagements, deprived these institutions
of the means of redeeming their circulation
at the moment. In a short time they might
have collected their funds, so as to have ful
fileflkall their obligations, but in doing this,
they must have exacted with great rigor the
payment of the debts owing them, and have
granted no new accommodations, however ur
rgeiit7lTe caTTforffiern 'might have been. So
conscious was the great mass Qf the commu.
nity, that the suspension was indispensibly ne
cessary to protect the best interest, that it
received every where, the countenance and
support of our citizens. It has now been
borne one year, and it is proper to inquire,
how much longer it should continue. As far
as the banks are concerned your committee
have no hesitation in deciding that no advan
tage to them, however great, ought to induce
them to continue the suspension a moment,
after they possess the ability to resume, and
that they ought to make any sacrifice, to en
able them to begin and sustain such resump
tion. An adequate and justifiable motive for
a longer suspension cannot be found in any
supposed profit which the banks may expect
to derive from it; but if tolerated any longer,
it must be on the plea of absolute public ne
| cessity, pnd from a due regard to the public
'good.
Your committee have examined die condi
tion of the several banks of the two States,
as exhibited in the returns furnished them,
from which the subjoined abstracts arc for
med and they have no hesitation in saying,
that if no other interest were involved in the i
question than their’s they ought to resume at'
once. If they do so they must sustain them- i
selves in it; they must not risque a failure; i
and to enable them to take this high ground, '
there must be produced a high pressure on the ,
community. Solvent as all the banks are,
were a general resumption to take place in
the two States at any time before our other
crops shall have come to market, and before
the banks in the adjoining States shall have re
sumed there must be much pecuniary distress
and embarrassment produced by the demands
for payments and by withholding further ac
commodations, which this measure would com
pel the banks to adopt. They, therefore, are
of opinion, that an immediate resumption is
i forbidden by a due regard to the public inter
est: and three other periods have been men
tioned as likely to meet public expectation,
and to be advantageous to the community, viz: ‘
Ist July, Ist November, and Ist January next. ■
and your committee have no doubt that either |
the earliest or the latest of these days should •
be adopted. A more unpropitious period than '
I November could not be selected. The next ■
crop of cotton will begin to come to market j
in October, and the means to purchase it, must'
to a great extent be furnished by the banks. I
In the accustomed course of business, the
I money must be raised on the bills of the mer
chant' drawn against the cotton at 60 or 90
days. Before these come to maturity, the
bank notes paid for them, will have gone into
circulation, and have Jound their way back to
the bank to draw out their specie. If they
should be required to do so at this season of
the vest, the banks have but one alternative
which can promise them safety.—They must
retain their present means, do nothing for the
country during the summer, and when the
cotton crop.cornes to market in the autumn,
they must leave the merchants with what
funds they can obtain elsewhere to purchase
it. Whatever pressure such a course may
bring upon the community the banks must
adopt it, if they are required to resume in
November. The price of our great staple
must thus be most materially effected, and
great embarrassments must attend both the
planter and the merchant.
But by adopting a period as.late as the Ist
of January, a very different state of things
will be produced. The money paid to the
planter for his crop, in the preceeding three
months, will in part have found its way into
the banks in payment of debts owing there,
whilst the bills of exchaf*e and notes given
to procure it, will have been paid, or will bo
daily maturing, and put the banks , in funds to
make new advances, or to procure specie,
should the demand for it exceed the supply on
hand. Resumption in November will leave
the planter without a market—resumption in
January, will find him with half his crop sold,
his debts to a large amount paid, and the mer
chant prepared to purchase the. other half .at
a fair price. Your committee cannot hesitate
in deciding between the two periods.
But it may be asked why not resume at
once in July? It must be recollected that the
Bank Convention which met in New York
last month, have decided in favor of first Jan
uary; and we would ask whether it would bp
prudent for the Banks of Georgia and South
Carolina to open their vaults for-six months to
replenish those of all the other banks of the
Union except those of New York, while not
a dollar can Ife drawn in exchange from them.
Should this course be insisted on, the conse
quence must be, that our banks must restrain
the circulation, curtail their discounts, and
urge payments from their debtors whore they
are least able to pay. t The planter can pay
but once a year, and January suits him best.
The mercantile part of the community are
better able to meet their engagements at all
periods. But it must be recollected that that
community has in the late fire at Charleston,
received one of the severest shocks ever felt
by the South. Its immediate violence has
fallen on the city, which has Veen the scene
of this awful calamity; but its- effects are
gradually but general by extending, and*n
some degree it must be felt by the whole com
mercial community of the South. In this
state of things, would it be prudent for the
banks of South Carolina and Georgia, by an
ticipating the resumption, by our neighboring
States, to deprive themselves of the power of
granting to the sufferers indulgences on the
debts they now owe, or of giving accommo
dations to save them from the pressure of the
unexpected calamity? ,
Your committee therefore unanimously
agree tc recommend to this Convention the
adoption of the following resolution:
Resolved, That the banks represented in
this Convention will resume the payment of
their notes in specie, on or before the first
day of January next.
Being put to the vote, it was unanimously
adopted. •
Moved by Colofiel Blanding and seconded,
that the whole proceedings of this Convention
together with the abstract of the condition of
the Banks, be published in pamphlet form, and
in the newspapers. Unanimously adopied.
Moved by Mr. Cogdell, and unanimously
adopted, that the thanks of the meeting bo
returned to the President of this Convention,
and to the committee of fifteen for the faith*
lul manner in which their respective duties
have been discharged.
Adjourned sine die.
New Invention—An ingenious Yankee,
by the name of Floy, has invented a machine
to rock the cradle and keep cross babies from
erving and squaling.—lt is attached to the
bottom of the cradle, and has to be wound up
every fifty minutes. There is no end to tho
ingenuities o( brother Jonathan.
Worth trying.—lt is said on the author
ity of a paper read before the Entomological
Society of London, that a net of fine black
thread, with the mesbefl an inch square, placed
against an open window, will effectually ex
; elude flies, owing to an optical illusion produ
• red by the net m the eyes of the insect. If
I this be true, tidy housewives and watchful
‘ nurses will find it a discovery, of much im
i poriance.
>
The learned Bede was laboi iously engaged
■ in his study, when a servant, breathless with
! fear, ran in and told him that the house was
on fire. “Well,” replied he angerly “why
don’t you tell your mistress ? you know I
never meddle with household affairs.
Specie Payments.— Among us great cry
and little wool.
Congress.—A leg station for par party
purposes.
NO 23-