Newspaper Page Text
supply the absence ot such cu ltority, the powerful
engine of public opinion is used. All the elements id
society are disturbed, public and private right is inva
ded, and the integrity of the Union is threatened by
this destructive agency. Ministers of the gospel, mes
sengers of peace and good will to man, have abandoned
their appropriate functions, and like another Peter the
Hermit, preach a erusnde of b’ood and filly.
Whether we direct our attention to the desperate
struggles of the different sects tor ascendancy, among
anew and unsettled people in the great valley of the
west; or whether we observe the jealous zeal with
which some professors of various denominations, in
stead of rebuking the evil passions of mankind, abase
themselves to court or color public opinion, with an
assiduity which would shame the obsequious courtiers
of Dionysius or Canute ; we are brought to the melan
choly conviction, that there are churchmen still anima
ted by worldly ambition, and that religion, in many of
its teachers, has degenerated into a wild spirit of prose
lytistn. How often have we heard the voice of the
priest, anointed only to bless mankind, swelling the
fanatic outcry, and dilligently employed in the manu
facture of a spurious p *blic opinion, which like the
pestilent simoon, is to overwhelm with indiscriminate
rain domestic tranquility, private right, public faith, and
federal compact ? Upon what principle do the clergy
claim this right ofinterfcrence with the domestic policy
of the land ? Is it under the exploded claim “ jure
rh'nno ?" Or do they take their stand with Dr. C'han
ning upon “ God's moral and eternal law ?” From the
high ground taken by some of the clergy in relation to
slavery, one might suppose that they deem themselves
special messengers—“ one would infer that they had
just decended from a forty days’ communion in the
mount %vith the Deity, beaming with celestial radiance,”
and empowered to revise and correct the domestic and
political establishments of man, “ blasting their oppo
nents with interdicts, and opening sluices and remov
ing mounds for the sweep of devastation.” Verily, they
know not what they do. And it infuses not a little
vexation into the southern feeling on this subject, that
it is impossible to make these northmen comprehend
the true character of southern slavery, the frightful
mischief they promote, ofr the imminent danger of
prompting the undisciplined passions of the dark man.
Slavery was already existing in most of the states at
the time of the first confederation, and was distinctly
recognized and protected under the federal compact,
at the time of the adoption of the present constitution.
In fact, two-fiths of the slaves became an integral por
tion of the basis of federal representation. This being
’the case, by what authority or under what pretence is
it, that other people, incapable of comprehending the
true character of the domestic relations of the south,
and who are parties to this fundamental compact, pre
sume to interfere ? It is a crime. Is it committed,
because a limited jurisdiction enables them to assail the
s juth in ti e most vulnerable point with impunity ? Our
sagacious forefathers, well knowing the oppressions
which spring from the union of religion with civil authori
ty, have in most of the states declared the clergy unfit
to represent the people. They were cnxious to erect
every possible barrier between the church and state;
the union of which had always been fatal to the purity of
each. When was this clerical body, thus disfranchised
made the expounders of constitutional law, or authoriz
ed to declare how much of the federal compact is op
posed to and abrogated by the law of the gospel ? In
deed the civil disabilities of the clergy were intended by
our pious ancestry, not so much for the security of re
publican institutions, as for the preservation of the purity
and simplicity of religion itself. Whenever the high
priest descends from the altar to bedraggle his robes in
the vile mire of an electioneering progress, from that
moment religion falls into contempt with the mass of
the people, and its ministers become the most profligate
and the most contemptible of mankind. Already many
of the northern clergy have shaken, if they have not
entirely lost, the confidence of the southern people ;
and wc pre shocked from day to day with startling
evidences of abatement in that respect, v hich a pious
people always extend to a worthy ministry who com
mand and merit their esteem.
And if the question of slavery fell peculiar}- within j
the province of the clergy, and might be safely agitated,
why should many of then, labor so constantly and so
dismgemously to mingle this question in all its local
incidents, with national politics, ecclesiastical agitations,
and treaties of war and peace with foreign states ?’
Why docs Dr. Clmnning invoke the interpesition of
European powers, and recommend a dissolution of the
Union rather than slave states should be created in
Texas ? In this land we have few time-honored asso
ciations, little reverence for ancient establishments, and
with a clear vision, we are accustomed to judge every
thing by its merits. Our government secures to us
freedom of religious opinion, and under this generous
rule, the different sects are left to repose in security, or
to contend with each other for the ascendancy; but the
moment their ministers mingle in the discussion of
political and social questions, and from priosts becomo
agitators, their doom issea'ed ; and unless wc grut v
mistake the signs of the times, the horns of the altar
have already been severely shaken bv the intempe
rance of some of the priesthood.
It a pure motive impelled the northern and eat ten
agitators, they would sometimes hearken to the rc
remonstrance of the southen people who seem to be
objects of their benevolence, and pause to observe the
result of their past effort,-. After years of agitation,
;livery still exis s. But the machinations of agitators
have already redoubled the rigor of the criminal law and
domestic police in the slave states, against the unhappy
objects ol their mischievous philanthropy ; their super
serviceable efforts in the cause of humanity, have been
setned with the blood of the red and of the black man to
whom they have preached discontent, insubordination
and resistance. Yet are they deaf to the voice of their
suffering victims, and blind to the consequences of their
own action. Is the white man massacred amid the
horrors of insurrection ? these enthusiasts proclaim the
butchery, to be the inevitable result of oppression, and
they vindicate t > themselves the merit of a propheev
7 UC l U ‘ e f have aided to fulfil- Are the rebellious
Slaves subdued and executed under the law which they
have been stimulated to violate ? the cruelty of the
"1 , mna " ho P unishcs . lends fury to the enthusiasm
ot these agitators.
(To he Continued )
CHINESE PROVERBIAL SAYINGS.
The nations ol eastern Europe have a vas*
many proerbia) sayings common to them all.
I he Chinese, in consequence of their distance
and little intercourse with the rest of the civil
ized world, havo a set of proverbial and popu- j
lar expressions by themselves, The following
area sample of the sarcastic kind :
“ A blustering, harmless fellow they call ‘ a
paper tiger.’ When a man values himself over
much they compare him to ‘ a rat falling into a
scale and weighing itself.’ Overdoing a thing
they call a ‘hunchback making a bow.’ A
spendthrift they compare to ‘ a roc ket,’ which
goes off at onco. Those who expend their
charity on remote objects, but neglect their fa
milies, are said to hang a ‘ lanthorn on a pole,
which.is seen afar; but gives no light below.’ -
Beat this /—A gontleman lately, in an ab
sent fit, put his hat on his feet—did not disco
ver his mistake, until in touching hte beaver
to a lady, he pulled his legs from him.
Front the Boston News.
FEMALE EDUCATION.
It is a common complaint and a just one,
that the mind of females are uncultivated and
uninformed. No where is the influence of a
jternicious system of female education more
dreadfully felt than in this country. Drop into
a tea party, or any other party composed of
females, and what do you hear ? Gossip,
scandal, ailments, the last ball or novel, anec
dotes of the nursery and the price of merino
and lustring. Go to the ball or the drawing
room, and look at the accomplished belle.
Converse with her, look over her library and
portfolio, and what do you find ? Her father
lias resolved that his daughter shall be the glass
of fashion and the mould of form, and spared
no pains or expen.se to make her so. Ilappy
has been the result. Her frame has been
squeezed into a trophy and reduced into the
middle to a wine glass by Mrs. Cantello. She
may strum something on the piano which a
nice ear may discern is intended for Auld
Lang Syne or Yankee Doodle. She can
blend lake, bister, gambooge, and Prussian
blue into what her admiring mamma calls a
landscape. She would dance well, if there
were no danger of snapping her waist by exer
tion. She has got her taste and historical
knowledge from the newspapers and Scott’s
and Bulwer’s novels and the theatre. She
knows nothing—she is good for nothing but to
look at—scarcely that.
Look into a little poorer class of society,
and there, perhaps, the young lady may know
how to read and write, acquisitions which she
never applies to any practical use. She under
stands the use of the household stulF, can
mend and sew, and stuff a goose or make a
pudding; but if she should have the good luck
to marry a man of any intellectual culture, she
will be his upper servant and the nurse of his
children, not his friend or companion. After
the first fever of passion caught at the eyes,
is over, any other place will be more attractive
to him than his own home, any tongue more
musical than his own wife’s. What cares he
that codfish is a cent cheaper this year than it
was the last, or whether this or that piece of
stuff stands washing best. There will be no
community, no sympathy, not an idea or a wish
in common between them. They will be
paired, not matched, and any regard that may
subsist between them will be the creation of
habit and duty, not the impulse of the heart.
Either of these characters may find huppi
'ncss in the contact of a genial mind, for there
is no Gill without her Jack, and either of them
may be matched with a superior, for Cupid is
blind and those touched by his arrow see no
defect. In the latter case the roses fade and
fall, and affection withers with them. The
wife may possibly preserve contentment In
die aid of her circle of acquaintances, her
knitting needles or her kitchen fire; the ox is
satisfied with the yoke and the fish with the
water, but without some mental resources the
respect of her husband she never can retain.
It is impossible to be loved without some quali
ties to command affection, and no man can
long love a fool or a grossly ignorant spouse.
The education of females is little understood.
Mother and daughters, and frequently father,
think marriage the sole object of life. To
attain that the maiden must be attractive and
she is taught to win, but not to keep. The
lover likes an air on the piano well enough, he
likes to dance once in a while, he admires good
breeding and accomplishments ; and he hates
not an orderly household ; hut till those things
arc not food Tor the mind. The husband, if
he mentions the Mississippi, does not like to to
asked by his wife whether or not it empties
into Owl Creek, or to be bidden to throw by
his Slmkspeare and listen to the last overture.
God help the wife of forty- who lias no mental
resources!
A great part of the misery of life is owing
to the apathy of young w omen themselves.
They sec that others marry and maintain a
good appearance without education, and sup
pose it a thing not tit all essential. They
undertake the studies which should be plea
sures as tasks, learn as parrots do, and aban
don them as early as possible. A maiden not
fond of reading is a painful sight. Main
hours of ennui and neglect arc in store for her.
She may be maintained, but her chance of be
ing heeded, respected or loved, is small.
DISCERNMENT IN A STATE OF SOMNABULISM.
M. Pigere, physician of Montpelier, is said
to observed in one of his own daughters ex
traordinary powers of discernment while in a
state of somnabulism. The child, who isc'c
ven years old, can make out writing or print
ing with the eyes perfectly shut, and even with
an opaque obstacle interposed, using only her
finger to feel the beginning of each word. This
phenomenon,which can be produced at pleasure
is said to have excited much astonishment at
Montpelier. M. Pigere is coming to Paris to
convince the incredulous, and to claim 3,000
francs offered last year by M. Burdin, mem
ber of the Academy of Medicine, for the som
nabulist who could read without the assistance
of light, sight, or touch; the touch applying
to the whole of the letters read.
GERMAN LITERATURE.
It is curious that the second edition of a
German work is generally much altered from
the first, ; n I admits not orrty of variations of
statements, but often direct contradiction of its
firmer self. Jacobi, no inconsiderable mar,
published a book, turning much oil a distinc
tion, unknown in this country-, between the
reason and tf:9 understanding ; but the second
edition to it this important erra
tum, for the benefit of those readers who might
still wish to make use of their original copies :
“Whereveryou find understanding read rea
son, and for reason read understanding .”
STATE GROLOGIST.
In reply to the interrogatory contained in
the Georgia Pioneer of the 21st ult. “ where
is the State Geologist, and what has become of
him.” We are happy in having a satisfactory
response at hand. He is still in the land of
the living, and is now in Washington county,
engaged in the discharge of his official duties.
We understand he lias examined some fossil
remains recently obtained in this vicinity of
which we hope some interresting account may
. be given next week, as well as ofsome other
matters of a more immediately local character.
SCT The inflowing is an extract from a communica
tion, recently published in the “Georgia Messenger,’
by a Lady. It presents some very just, sensible, and
humane views in relation to Female Education, cred
itable both to the mind and heart of its fair author.—
We hope her suggestions will meet with that attention
from her sex they so well deserve—and her benevolent
feelings and amiab'e views obtain a hearty and con-
Cirrent response. The commencement of the Georgia
Female College, in this city, will be anew era in Fe
male Education in the Plate : and wr commend the
very interesting article in question to the attention of
all—a part of which, only, we can find room for:
Another reason v.-by females should hereaf
ter confine their charitable exertions to those
of their own sex, is that mutual-labor schools
are now provided in almost every state, where
indigent young men can educate themselves ;
but, for females, no such provision is made ;
and, we presume, that no gentleman will be
found to contest the claims of female poverty
upon female bounty, or to divert it to the be
nefit of his own sex. If the ladies of Georgia,
so will every poor girl in the state can be edu
cated. It needs but unanimous effort, and in
order to this, information on the subject is only
necessary. The claims of tiie poor, the vast
benefit arising to the state, and to the country
at large, from their elevation in the scale of in
telligence ; if properly presented to the en
lighted female of this state, and means point
ed out by which it might be accomplished,
they would soon set in motion a scheme of
operations that would be astonishing in its re
sult. Will not some philanthropist arise, and
Peter-like, go through the land on a crusade
against sloth and effeminacy, enlisting all there
is of female patriotism and Christianity in a
war upon the prevailing vices and follies of the
day. We hope some abler pen than ours
will take up this subject, and pursue it till
every mind in the state is roused into action.
For 1 we hold it to be a truth self-evident,’that
until women become sensible of their true na
ture and destination ; until they can be made
to feel that the knowledge and discharge of
domestic duties are perfectly compatible with
the highest intellectual attainments, and the
most refined accomplishments, until then the
moralist may inveigh against vice ; the states
man may legislate against it, the man of God
may weep between the porch and the altar;
stamping his foot, and smiting with his hand,
to show the people their sins— all, all, will he
to a great extent unavailing. Ye who doubt,
go visit the house-holds of your country, there
fathom the depths of human misery, explore
its hidden resources, witness the manner in
which the sons and daughters of this republic
arc trained—bow they are fitted for the dis
charge of the high duties and obligations soon
to devolve upon them. See, to what hands is
soon to be committed the keeping of our sa
cred—our blood bought privileges, and you
will, with us he conducted to the inevitable
conclusion, that to remedy most of the evils,
religious, social, and political needs but the
right education, the right direction of the
powers of the female mind.
There is another difficulty lying in the way
oftiie trustees, which we think the wealthy la
dies of the state would take special pleasure
in removing. Considering the difficulty in
raising funds at the; present time, it has been
suggested that each pupil furnish her own
room: with some, this would be no objection.
But those who wish to send their daughters on
ly a year or two, would prefer entering them in
school already furnished, where only a trifling
tax is demanded for its use, to the trouble and
expense of an outfit of this kind. The result
is obvious. The school would lose many va
luable scholars and a corresponding amount
of influence.
There are fifty rooms in the college, each
designed for four pupils. We believe there are
fifty ladies in the state, that wouid take a just
pride in becoming responsible, each for the
furniture of one room. The necessary arti
cles are comprised in the following list :
2 Bedsteads, $ 8 00
2 Mattrasses, 12 00
2 Wash stands, 4 00
2 Tables, 4 00
4 Chairs, 4 00
Shovel, tongs, andirons, 4 00
4 pr sheets & pillow cases 14 00
4 Pillows, 8 00
2 Counterpanes, 10 00
3 pr. Blankets, 24 00
§92 00x50-4,600
It will be seen by the above estimate, that
the furniture of one room for 4 pupils amounts
tis 92 00 and the whole fifty, to $4,600.
Wc presume this sum cannot, without embar
rassment be spared from the funds of the in
stitution. But by this plan which seems a
very simple and easy one, a great amount of
good may be,done, with very little personal in
convenience. Indeed the individuals sacrifice
will scarcely be remembered by her who
makes it, while the consciousness of having
been instrumental in the promotion of so no
ble an enterprize will be a never failing source
of satisfaction to herself; and her timely as
sistance will serve to strengthen the hands and
encourage the hearts of those so earnestly en
gaged for the best interests of society.
SUN LIGHT AND MOON LIGHT.
v Mrs. Somerville in her Connection of the
Physical Sciences, says that the direct light of
the sun has been estimated to be equal to that
of 5563 wax candles of moderate size, sup
posed to be placed at the distance of one foot
from the object; that of the moon is probably
only equal to the light of one candle at the dis
tance of twelve feet; consequently the light
of the sun is more than three hundred thou
sand times greater than that of the moon ; for
which reason the light of the moon either im
parts no heat, or it is too feeble to penetrate the
glass of the thermometer, ven cwlien brought
to a focus by a mirror—The intensity of the
sun's light diminishes ft om the centre to the
solar disc ; but in the moon the graduation is
reversed.
Most Astonishing Cure. —A blind man, we
are informed, was perfectly cured on .Sunday
last, by reading Brandreth’s “Life and Death”
advertisement in the Picayune. We do not
vouch for this: but, as public journalists, we
conceive it to be our duty to publish all reports
on such subjects.
THE LLAMA.”
The current number of ti»e Foreign Quar
terly Review, puts its seal to the following af
fecting particulars respecting the Llama, which
it describes as nut lieu tic:—“ The Llama is
the only animal associated with man, and tin
debased by the contact. The Llama will
bear neither heating nor ill-treatment. They
go in troops, an Indian walking a long distance
ahead, as guide. If tired they stop, and the
Indian stops also. If the delay is great, the
Indian becoming uneasy towards sunset, after
all sorts of precautions, resolves on supplicat
ing the beasts to resume their journey. He
stands about fifty or sixty paces off, in an atti
tude of humility, waves his hands coaxingly
towards the Llamas, looks at them with ten
derness, and, at the same time in the softest
tone, and with a patience I never failed to ad
mire, reiterates ic-ic-ic-ic. If the Llamas are
disposed to continue their course, they follow
the Indian in good order, at a regular pace,
and very fast for their legs are extremely long;
but when they are in ill-humor, they do not
even turn their heads towards the speaker—
but remain motionless, huddled together, stand
ing or h ing down, and gazing on Heaven with
looks so tender, so melancholy that we might
imagine these singular animals had the con
sciousness of another hie, of a happier ex
istence. The straight neck, and its gen
tie majesty of bearing the long down of
their and glossy skin, their
supple and timid motions, all give them
an air at once noble and sensitive. It
must be so, in fact; for the Llama is the on
ly creature employed In' man that he dares
not strike. If it happens, (which is very Sel
dom) that an Indian wishes to obtain, either by
force or threat, what the Llama will not wil
lingly perform, the instant the animal finds
itself affronted by word or gesture, he raises
his head with dignity, and without attempting
to escape ill-treatment by flight (the Llama is
never tied or fettered,) he lies down turning
his looks towards heaven. Large tears flow
freely from his beautiful eyes, sighs issue from
his breast, and in a half or three quarters of an
hour at most he expires. Ilappy creatures,
who so easily avoid suffering by death!—
Happy creatures, who appear to have accept
ed life on condition of its being happy ? The
respect shown these animals by the Pe
ruvian Indians amounts absolutely to super
stitious reverence. When the Indians load
them, two approach and caress the animal, ,
biding bis head, that he may not see the bur- j
then on his back. If lie did he would fall
down and die. It is the same in unloading.
If the burthen exceeds a certain weight,
he throws himself down and dies. The Indians
of the Cordilleras, alone, possess patience
enough and gentleness to manage the Llama.
It is doubtless from this extraordinary compa- |
nion that he has learned to die when over
tasked.”
SOCIETY OF THE MEXICAN ROBBERS.
The New Orleans Bee of the 21st publishes
a translation of a singular document taken
from a periodical published in Mexico, which
is entitled the “ Constitution of the Robbers of
this Capital.” It was found on the person of a
celebrated robber and murderer named Chato
Lindo, and appears in the judicial proceedings
instituted against him. The constitution con
tuns forty art e’es. The association is de
nominated the Grand Consistory. The quali
fications for membership are, ‘reading, writing
and talent, skill in the use of every kind of
weapon and in the management ofhorses, and
in addition eight years apprenticeship.”
The consistory is divided into squadrons,
with chiefs—branch associations exist in each j
village, the members are required to be “dis
creet, sagacious, valliant and temperate - ’ and
to obey the consistory at the risk of life, Foot
pads and pick pockets are not to be countenan- '
ced. The Bee remarks :—“ The existence of
an organized band of brigands in the heart of
the Mexican Metropolis, setting justice at do
fiance and mocking the impotent sway of the j
laws, offers deplorable evidence of the debased
and degraded morality of that wretched Re- !
public. We have every reason to believe in
the authenticity of the information wc have
received in relation to this subject.”
FEMALE INGENUITY.
Secret Correspondence. —A young lady, j
newly married, being obliged to show her bus
band all thejetters she wrote, sent the follow
ing to an intimate friend :
‘ I cannot be satisfied my Dearest Friend !
blest as I am in the matrimonial state,
unlcs I pour into your friendly bosom,
which has ever been in unison with mine,
the various sensations which swell i
with the liveliest emotion of pleasure, i
my almost bursting heart. I tell you my dear
husband is the most amiable of rncr.
I have now been married seven weeks, and
have never found the least reason to
repent the day that joined us. My husband is
in person and manners far from resembling
ugly, cross, old, disagreeable and jealous
monsters, who think by confining to secure
a wifo, it is his maxim to treat as a
bosom friend and confidant, and not as a
play-thing or menial slave, the woman
chosen to be his companion. Neither party,
he says, should always obey implicitly;
but each yield to the other by turns—
An ancient maiden aunt, near seventy,
a cheerful, venerable and pleasant old lady,
lives in tlie bouse with us—she is the de
light of both young and old; she is ci
vil to all the neighborhood round,
generous and charitable to the poor.
I know my husband loves nothing more
than he does me ; he flatters me more
than a glass, and his intoxication,
(for so I must call the exces of his love,)
often makes me blush for the unworthiness
ot its object, and wish I was more deserving
oi the man whose name I bear. To
say all in one word, my dear—and to
crown the whole, my former gallant lover
is now my indulgent husband, my fondness
is returned, and I might have had
a Prince, without the felicity I find in
him. Adieu! may vou be as blest as lam un
able to wish that I could be more j
happy.’
N. B. The key to the" above letter, is to !
read the first and then every alternate line.
Commercial Correspondence.
From the Charleston Courier
DIRECT IMPORTATIONS.
We have devoted a large portion of this dav’
Courier, to the publication of a number offer*
ters on the subject of Direct Importations f n ’
I oisllwl «w. b > - Col. A. P. Hayne, whose active
and untiring exertions in the cause, descry -
the thanks of the whole Southern and Soutl *
Western People. We would ask for these*
documents, an attentive perusal and wide dis
1 semination, and for this purpose would request
i editors in the Southern and South-Western
j States, favorable to the cause, to gi vc them an
insertion in their respective papers.
Charleston, August 15, 1838.
Gentlemen— Accompanying this commu
mention, you will have placed before you. u
number of letters, addressed to me on the sub
ject of direct importations. The facts tliev
develope arc c heering,and require no comment.
The agricultural and commercial interests both
unite in expressing the belief, that the success
of the scheme would add to the wealth and
prosperity of this portion of the Union, with,
out unjustly interfering with the prosperity of
other sections.
'Phe crisis has produced a revolution in t! e
mode of carrying on our foreign trade, especi.
ally that between England and the United
States. The extent of the derangement is un
exampled in the history of the country. The
fact is, the whole system of exchange is bro
ken up, individual credit destroyed, want of
confidence and distrust, have, in a great mea
sure, suspended all profitable trade between
| Luiopc and the United States ; but especially’
between England and the United States—anil
j England is that power, with whom we have
most at stake.
How will the South and South. West, in fu
ture, procure the facilities necessary for car
rymg on our import and export trade with the
world, but especially with England ? It is clear
that some plan must be devised for its re-esta
j blishment, and the sooner this is done the bet
ter will the South and South-West do the r
own business—or shall they continue their
, state of dependence on the Northern cities,
vnicn have, in a great measure, been built up
by commissions, profits and charges on the
South and South-West? and this too, while
other od:ous distinctions have been kept up to
our prejudice, and most unaccountably sub
mitted to on our part. For example : 1 know
it has been a constant practice for letters of
credit from Northern merchants to be given to
irresponsible persons, often to a clerk, sent to
transact their business, and which have been
accepted by our banking institutions for $50,.
000 to SIOO,OOO, while letters of credit of the
Southern and South-Western merchants, of
equal standing and respectability to responsi
h e houses at the North, would not he taken for
ft’s,oot) by a Northern banking instituiion.
1 he course of trade, unfortunately for the
South and South-\\ est, has been heretofore,
through the Atlantic arid Northern cities, in
consequence ol their established credits iii E
urope, especially in England, by which they
have monopolized nearly the whole negotia
tions of our entire exports, and have thus been
enabled to secure to themselves almost the
whole of the profits of the trade of the South
and South-Western States.
Now, the destruction of the credit of the
Northern merchants in Europe, hut especially
in England, for the first time since the forma
tion of the Government, places the Southern
and South-\\ extern merchant on a better foot
i )g, as it regards credit at home and abroad—
in truth, the crisis places them in a position of
vast power and strength, Horn the fact, that it
is our Cotton, that great and important staple
ot the South, which ha^almost exclusively fur
nished the basis of all remittances and exchan
ges from tiie United States to the rest of the
world. \\ e are comparatively independent of
the use of Banks—the Bank of the Southern
and South-W estern States is our Cotton —a
Bank which has never yet suspended specie
payments.
1 here is, however, another reason, and n
most important one, why this indirect trade,
at present carried on between the Northern and
Southern and South-Western cities, operates
greatly to the prejudice of the latter cities. I
allude to the fact, that in this ruinous trade, we
are constantly doubling our risks in all of our
negotiations through the North, besides doub
ling the charges and commissions. In illus
tration ol this, I will state a fact which occured
in 1837. A highly respectable firm at Mo
bile, had executed orders for a large amount
ol Cotton for English account, instead of ne
gotiating direct, they, as usual, sent their ex
changes to New York to he negotiated thro’
their friends at that place, (which is a great
convenience to the Northern merchant) and
drew on them for their reimbursement. In
the mean time, and before the bills arrived at
maturity, the house in Ncw-York suspends
payment, the control over the Cotton is lost,
the amount at stake being SIOO,OOO they have
still the risk of the sterling bills pending, mak
ing their responsibility $200,000 in the place
of SIOO,OOO, in addition to which, they are
made subject to the cost of protest, to dama
ges at New-\ ork 10 per cent., to damages in
England 15 per cent.
t Lut tnis is not all in our connexion with the
Northern cities—by the abuse and inflation of
the credit system, the South and the South-
West, and the entire West, now find them
selves involved in their liabilities to a very great
extent. Ihe excessive imports and greiat pro
fits of the Northern cities, caused them to pass
their stock ol goods on the South and West,
on very extensive credits, however, duly char-_
ging for the same: but when the payments
heroine due. and the Southern Merchant finds
himself unable to pay punctually, then com
mences that ruinous system of drawing and
re-drawing, technically denominated the “_/((/•
ing of kites, which means nothing more nor
less, than that the transaction lias no real bus
iness foundation whatever, and is a most dan
gerous abuse, growing out of the credit sys
tem when pursued too far. This ruinous sys
tem has the effect not only of multiplying*the
liabilities, but frequently adding 30 per cent,
to the original purchase, before the transaction
is finally brought to a close, and nil this at the
cost and risk of the Southern Merchant.
But even this is not all. In order to show