The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, June 13, 1849, Image 1
I - VOL. 10. CAMDEN, SOUTH CAROLINA, JU^E 13, 1S49. . . . NUMBER 24
THE CAMDEN JOURNAL. I
ITBLISIIED WEEKLY, BY
T. W. PEG I KS.
* ~
HIDE'THEM AWAY.
BV ANN rACE.
* Hide them, O hide them all away?
iiis cap, his little frock,
And take from out my aching sight
' Yon curling, golden lock;
Ah, once il waived upon his brow!
Ye torture mo anew,?
Lea not no dear a token hero?
i Ye know not what yc do!
!Last night the moon cainc in my room,
And on my bed did lie:
fc c. I woke, and in the silver light
1 thought I beard him cry,
I |r mod toward* the little crib.
The cuit'i'.u dri w aside
r Before, half sleeping, I bethought
Me, that my boy had died!
T-kc them away! I cannot look
On aught that breathe* of him!
Oh, take nwav the silver cup,
tljis lips have touched its brim;
Take tlio straw hat from off the wall,
Tis wreathed with withered flowers
The rustling leaves do whisper ine,
Of all the loved lost hours.
"lucrative, wuii us music onus?
Oh! d<? not let them sound!
The dimpled hand that grasped them once
Is cold beneath the "round,
The willow- wogon on the lawn
Through a!! my tears I see,
K>ll it away. Oh, gently roll,
It is an agony!
Ills shoes arc in the corner, nurse,
His little feet no more
w Will patter like the falling lain
Fust up and down the floor.
And turn that picture to the wall ?
His lovi g. mournful eye
Is piercing through my very heart,
Agaiu I see him die!
Oh. anguish! how he gazed on me
When pan'cd out hi? breath!
1 never, never knew before
llow terrible was death.
My boy?my own?my only one ?
Art thou lorevor gope?
O God! help ine to hear the stroke
Thai leaves me- all alone.
1 SPEECH OF LOT DOOM ITLE. ON* THE i
HILL FOR THE PROTECTION OF
HEN ROOSTS.
Mi.slur Spanker?I've s<>l here in my scat
and hecrodthe opponents of this groat nashniia!
tnt asure expectorate agin it, til! I'm purty nigh j
1*?r *ted with indignant commotions of my inc.
crated sensibilities. .Mr. Speaker are it possi
W^thnt ncn can be so infatuated as to vole |
agin this iiili? Mister Speaker, allow me to
picture to yonr excited and denuded imagination
mure of tin! heart rending evils which
arise from tho want of purtertion to lien roosts,
in mv vicinity, among my constituents. .Mis
lur Speaker, we will suppose it to lie the <
awful and melancholy hour of midnight?all ,
Inter Is hashed in soft repose?the solemn wind
softly moans through the trees, and nought is (
heard to break the solemncholy stillness, save
an occasional grunt from the hog pen! I will
now carry you in iimnagination to that devoted f
hen house. Heboid its peaceful and happy in- .
mates gently declining in balmy slumbers on ,
their elevated and majestic roo?ts! Look at
thsaged and venerable and highly respectable
rooster, as he keeps his silent vigils with pa
tience and unmitigated watchfulness over those
innocent, helpless and virtuous hens and pel
Irts! Just let your eyes gmiur ?; > mu ??u i
behold that dignified and matronal lien, \vh ? I (
watches with tender solicitude and paternal (
congnulalion nf those little juvenile chickens,
who crowd around their respectful projenitor. ,
and nestle under her circumambient wings.
Now I n*k, Mister Speaker, -on there to b"
found a wretch so lost and abandoned as will
enter that peaceful abode ami tear those intereating
little biddies from their agonized and
heart-broken parents? MMtir Speaker I an
R\ver in thunder tones there am! Are there
anything so mean and sneaking us such u rob
beryl No, there are not! You may search
the wide universe, from the natives who repose
in solitary grandeur mid superlative majesty
tinder the shade of the tall ceders that grow
upon the tops of the flirnmaleli mountains in
the valley of Josoj.liat down to the degraded
and barbarous savages who repose in obscurity
irt their miserable wigwams on the rock of
Gibraltcr in the Gulf of Mexico, and then you
wiil be to puzzled to find anything so mean, as
you would to see the arth revolve around the
tun once in twenty four hours without the aid
of a telescope.
Mistur Speaker, I feel that I have said
enough on this subject to convince the most
obstinate member of the unapproachable necessity
of a law which shall forever and everlastingly
put a stop to these fowl proceedings,
and 1 propose that every convicted offender
thall suff-r the penalty of the law as follows:
For the fiist offence he shall be obliged to
fcii'dc twelve rotten eggs with no salt on 'em.
' |?\ r the second offence, he shall he obliged
to set on twenty rotten eggs until he hatches
'em.
Mbtur Speaker, all I want is for every member
to act on this subject according to his con
scieutiousness. Let him do this, and he will
be remembered by a grateful posterity. Mistur
Speaker, I've done. Where's my hat?
.'{"he eloquent gentleman, according to the
{fusion Post's report, here donned his seal-cap,
and sat down apparently much exhausted.
? * kit r-nr i prvr
UUl)l>l.\U A Alllil 1IA ri.sri.
BY TUB YOU.NR V\.
In day* pone by, when the objectionable
militia laws were in force in old Massachusetts
the customary draft was made in the county
town a few miles from Boston and a notice to
'appear, armrd and equipped, according to law,'
was left at the boarding-house of a wag who
possessed very little martial "music," in his
soul. Determined tbat he would neither 'train'
por pay a fin?, and entertaining, witb&l, a very
indifferent opinion of the utility of tho system,
ho took no notion of the summons. Having
lieon duly "warned," however, as ho anticipated,
at tho expiration of a few weeks the sergeant
waited upon him with a hill of nine shillings
for non.attendance at tho muster.
"You're fined, sir?nine shillings?non-ap.
pearanco."
"What is it?" nskeJ the wag, protending to
misunderstand the collector.
"Fine for not training!" hawlcd tho other.
"Shan't pay it, fellow!"
?lf is* 111 Iia I li en n /lullnre nntf tiinn T r?n11
Hut llie wag couldn't hear a word he said,
and in the course of another mouth lie received
a peremptory summons to appear forthwith at a
court martial in the district instituted for the
purpose of trying delinquents and getting sueh
fines as could he scared out of the non-pci formers
of duly. Having fixed upon a final plan to
dodge the issue, he waited upon the court to
*how cause, if any lie had why he shouldn't
willingly have toted a musket and knapsack
ahou! lite town for twelve mortal hours ami
oiheiwisp perform the legal duties of a live
'patiiot."
He was mherod into the court room immediately?which
was held in an old country
house?where he discovered some three or
four persons seated, attired in flashy regimentals
and whose awful 'yaller epolells.' alone
were sufficient to enrnniand the attention and
roctitifl of Im-nfiitiiidf1 st lieholdpr. 'i'liolieh
."I ' " I
somewhat r.iscnncertrd at tliis rather unexpect"(1
t*\lii 1>itI< r?;>f spurs and buttons, he put a hold
face on tl.?? (natter and responding to the ditec
lions of the junior member of the august court,
be advanced to the table and the chief fcnctiona.
y commenced the examination.
' Your name, sir?"
The offender placed his hand quickly to the
side of his head without uttering a word or
moving a muscle in his face.
' What is your name," repeated the que tinner,
in a loud tone.
"A little louder," said the wag without repit
in;!.
"Nam? ?" shouted the Judge.
Taunton, llri-tu! county."
' What business do \<>ti fidloa.?"
".Main street," said the delinquent.
"Your business?" yelled the officer.
' liiglit hand side a* you go up."
"How Ion" have you been there?"
"AIn til two miles and a half."
"Mow rdd are you, fellow?" continued the
Judge nervously.
"!>.?ss carpenter."
What the devil's the matter with vour
ears?"
"Dr. Searpie'soi! sometimes."
' Sometimes Cu-e'eni's ointment."
"Why don't you answer trie?"
"Nearly five years."
"lie's deaf as an adler," retnatked the
Judge, tinning round to his subordinate ear
ii'i-l'v. * lln" lubber < till I '
* \ i??i are lint liable b> perform military duly
the secretary with his in >ulh close In tin*
.vng'; r ?r. ,
' i know tii it!" Slid t!i.? fellow coolly.
"iiis hearing iuipioves," ventured the sor
*eant."
"U hat <l.i you suppose wo set hero for?"
ish.'d tin' Jo Ige in a Ion.] voice, at least.
"A do!'ar and a half a day," said the p:itoner*
lie may go, Mr. Sergean'."
' You can g i," said the under ofii :or point
tie to the door.
' You tiny go!" yelled tl:e Judge. ' Good
God! is it possible a man can he so deaf as ail !
hat?"
"I can't say cnntinund tlie drlinqnont pre j
feuding not to unlersland yet "but I should <
hi:.!;."?
"Go?t:o!" screamed the Judge: "there's j
nothing to pay. The l.ord pity the genera!
vho ha-l a regiment like you to command!
S!t nv iii.ii the door tnajoi!"' and our hero
(bund himself at liberty.
Ho was never again summoned to train durng
his residence in Taunton!?[Flag of our
Union.
Profits of a Good Cow.?The Summert
t (\*. J ) Mesvonger contains a mnrnuniea
ioif. om.l. W. Van Ars !a!e, stating the profits
o' a ! a f hWle.l Durham cow owned liy him
for 10 months from the first of \;>rii to the first
f February last. He sold in that time to the
retailer 3,'122 quarts at 2 and 2 1-2 cents a
quart, aim.anting to ?70,31, besides reserving
t su.Tici Tit quantity f.rtiic use of bis fi i?i!y of
11 pi r-ons, and about two messes of mil; twice
\ week for baking purposes.?The 3,022 quarts
wore s..!.l by the retailor at doable tlie |iiice ho
\*t* for it, t!;:it is $ 112,02 He calculates
i!:at (his amount of milk would have made (502
pounds of butter, which at 2') cents n pound,
amount t<? $00.-11). The cow has not had extraordiuarv
rare, having had 2 quarts of oat and
corn in-'nl per ?l:ivt'tnin<; the drought |a>t sum.
mor, an I 2 quarts last spring before gra^s and
this winter. The produce of cows may be very
materially increased by good treatment?it is
<afe to say doubled, at least in most cases, by
better attention to their food, wants and condition.
A farmer in litis comity has realized
dining the past 12 months a nell profit oI SlfifJ,.
09 froti tinea ordinary cmvs?animals of the
common breed of the country?that in most
other hands, would not probably much more
than have paid for th-ir keeping. As it is, they
have supplied the fitnily with all their milk and
cream, paid for their keeping in full, as appears
from a minute daily account, and yielded the
above r.a.ned profit o! -SluG, 09. Let who will
do better.?JNViracA A ir.
The question of admitting negro congregations
into fellowship with wh'to congregations
in the Conventions of the Kpiscnpal Church,
have been raised again in the Convention for
the Diocese of Pennsylvania, w hich is now in
session at Philadelphia. The petition ol certain
gentlemen, elected as lay delegates hy the corporaiion
of the Ch irch of the Crucifixion, (the
congregation of which i? composed of colored
persons.) has been presented and referred to a
committee. The members are divided in opinion,
and have presented a majority ri port recom
mending that they he admitted, wh'Iu the minority
say that the firmer action of the Convention
admitting this Church in connection was illegal,
and should he declared null and void.?
The matter is little complicated, because the
delegates are white persons, as well ns minister
and wardens; hut a great portion of the Convention
express the fear that their admission
will cause the colored churches to press the admission
of their clerical and lay delegates. The
question will probably cause a warm debate.
g?gf vag -j=r.~r:x.=-i=^. v . -?_
jjpMir&tliL ,1
LECTURE ON [J!
T33 WORTH AND THE SOUTH, a?
Delivered before the Young Men's Met can- 11
t.lc Library Association, of Cincinnati, 0:
; Ohio, by Elwood Fisr.'Eft, Jan. 10, 181'J.
I The progress and prospects of ilie North- w
ern and Southern sections of this Union in- m
volvcs some ofilic greatest and grmcsi qu?s- I a.
I,A,U' fit** 'WTA lirji? > (ni'lll ?f Olt'lll. I ^ '
| IM III? IM ll?U U^V, UUl.ll IIU.1 (ft IVI mi wi vm m.
zation peculiar to itself, and to modern times.
The confederacy which has been finned hy
their Union has astonished the world hy its s'
success: hi:t the world, as well as the two a'
sections themselves, diil'cr very widely as to
;!ie causes of this success, and the agency of m
the two respective systems of society in pro- ',r
during it.
Tliis controversy has long hecn advancing l!'
. * . th
on the e?? ;ntrv, and in w, nt coi:sc(jmc.i:co '\ ,
t r r
recent cvenls it has Itcwnnc general. in i J
tins part of the comstry, however, we have | .'
ha I tail one side; and as the subject is ore :
of the first magnitude, I have thought it high- j ^
ly important that it should he well examined..
in a Commercial institution like this, it is pr- | jj'
cuharly proper that the causes of the wealth < ] 1
and the sources of the commerce of lite coiiii- j
try should he well understood. I
When the Constitution <>f the U. Stales j
was adopted, the nomilalion of the two sec-! '' '
ii-tii< :>f the United Slates wns nearly equal; *s"
cicli lieinj: nut quite twn millions of iithubi- u
I ant?, the youth iiirliifliuix more than half a , (
m I.ion of slaves. The l< rritory then orcu- j "
pied l>y the two was, perhaps, also nearly c- |
qua! in extent ami fertility. Thdr rouimeict
was also about t!:?: same; the N nth export- ;
iiiij about .SO.fSOO.fj-lt) in 1700, and the South
Si),201)0.501).* Even the properly held !>y 1 *,1
the two sections was almost exactly the ; ^
same In amount, beini; about 400.000 mil- ^
lions iu value each, according to an assess-1 .
ment for direct taxes in 1700.'" For the [
first quarter of a century of the present (?'ov- j >',1
eminent, up liSlO, the South look the had : f'"
of the North in commerce; as at tin; end of j
that period the exports of the Southern ! 1'
States amounted to ahowt iliirty millions of |
dollars, which was five millions more than;;'
lite Northern. At this time, in 131(5, South) 1,1
Carolina ami .New York were tin* t\v?? *r;c-.:I- !
n r C \ '
est exposing States in the Union. .S'.iufu
^ i r* I nit
Carolina exporting timrc th.an 810,000,050, I
ami New York over 81-1,000.000.* !
According to the assessments made by I
authority of the I'ederal Government in ;
1815 I"!- d ret t taxes, the value t?f prnpert\ (
in the Southern States bad risen t?? SSn').- I ~
57-1.007, the white ji??| ukiton being then
according In an aveiago ?d tlie census of i
1810 and that of 1S.0, "about 2,719,795, or aV
i!i' >::t* .'] 12 | r lea!, whilst the property <>: . ,
th" North r:i States nmoumcd to 81.0*2. ; j
782.2(51,* for 4,32(5,550 population, or otilv i
8210 per bond. I jj'j
liven tn .Manufactures t c South, at tbis .
peri'id, excelled the the North, in proporli ?n . '
! ? tlin number of their population In.
IS 10, according to lit.; returns of the Mar
dials of the United Slates, the fabneks of | ""
wool, cotton, and linen, manut.ictured hi the : .
.\ rllicrn Slates, noiounted to 49.311.274 1,1
yards, at 821.0(51,525, whilst the S->:itii lali-1 y'
rieateil .'J 1.7 (5,407 yards, estimated at SKI.- , '
771.721. Tims alter tin; lapse <*f I lie first
.. , <Tri
quarter of a century, under our present ( . ^
form of G n eminent, the South bad surpass- 1
r ? I |'p ?
(I tiic; N Mill in Commerce, in Manufactures j
and in the accumulation of wealth, in proportion
j.) the number of est'/. us of the re- '*
I ni;
s;-e."ii\e STiMiifi. I
' .. . . . , , in
onio: that period :i threat cnanip: lias ???:-! >(
curred. The harbors of Norfolk, of Richmond,
of Charleston, and Savannah, have
been deserted fur those ol Ficladel, li a. :\v
York, and \) cstou; an I New Orleans is th | ^
on'y Southern city that pretends to rival its i '
N>i t hern competitors. * The trrass is grow- ' **
?|d)
inn ill tllC streets of ill ?se cities of the Soiilfi,'
which originally monopolized our colon a! j
oinneree, arid tnaint.inic I t!i -ir a seen Ian- I
. w
cy in the early years of the Union. Mannfaeturcs
and the arts have als ? g >ne to take j .
up their a!)ode in the N nth. Cities have i "*1
been expanded and rnu'bplied in the same j
favored region. Railroads and canals have j
been const: neteil, an i ednealion lias delight- j ^
ed there to build her colleges and scinina ;
" Wi
r,cf; ( I ;\j
Those phi noinena Invc made a profound I ^
impression on ivlleelinn minds throughout ^
l!ie Union, and particularly in toe South.? ! jj >
J'y her leading statesmen, these results have j
been a scribed to tin: policy pnrstral by tli j t>
Federal ( 'ovcrnm-Mit siuee lSlfi. It wo<;
at this period that the system ol direct tax t-j j
lion was finally abandoned, and tho whole '
interest of tin: public debt, then m> mac!) augill
n i i 1 bii
iii.Mitiwi ne tin. w-ir a< well as tin: mcivaseu
expend.lures of i!?? (J ivernuvnt. were mad ' j j'
chargeable on ilic foreijri cu utneree ol th? .
O t J J]
country, except the slight income from
I lie public lands. Ami as at the close of the j-'
war,tliss |>i'iiici|iai articles ofoxpoit, ui ex- j
change fir which, \\e obtained our foreign
^ooils. c.ous stud of coil iii, tobacco, and rice, ,J
it was lie!:I that the new policy was a pecu- j
liar burden on the Slates that, pr idueed ! ,
those staples. In ail ft ion to this, the es- j
tablishnient of a l>-iuk of the United States
located at the North with laim: deposilics of.
Government money, and enabled by tlie run-; ~
lidenee ol the Government In maintain a j
largo circulation, which would naturally j#j
be devoted to the promotion of Northern
commerce, it was Ibought was also adverse "
to Southern commercial Jrivalv. These
two measures were the work ol a Itepubli- j '
can Administration of the Government, but j
they were strenuously opposed liv the Slate.-.' ^
K'?!it parly. On their passage mi 0?uii?r?;s<t c.
it was declared l?v John Randolph, one ol ^
ilie most profound ami sagacious statesmen
Virginia, or any ntlier country ever producuil,
tliat a revolution in our CJovcrninenl r<
had occurred, whose consequences no man
could calculate. The result verified this
prediction. Our population is now twenty
_____ ? I p
1 Pitkin. I s!
lillions, and vcl is thought bv all parties I
iat twenty-five millions of dollars per an- :
urn is enough for the support of Govern- .
rent in time of peace. Vet sixteen years
"i when our population was hut little more
inn half of what is now, this Government
snetcd 932.000,000 as duties on our f ireign
ripnrts, and that ton, when,in consequence
"this heavy burden on our foreign trade,
e onlv imported G 1,000,000. The Governent
took Imlf the value of the imports, as
tax on foreign trade. This mil rage was
c cause nf South Carolina nullifieation.
Now the power of the Federal Govern
orit over foreign commerce, is by llic Con
itution precisely the same as over that
nong thehStales. It is a power to regulate
?lv. And the South contended thai in as
null as the imports 'rom abroad were the
ooecds chief] v of her staple exports, and
ere therefore, to all intents and purposes,
e product of her industry and capital, that
ere was no more envs! tin tinned i iglit to tax j
e:n 'm rsnvi"; in our wits, t'inri to tux j
e products of the r-.'/it[i, when slipped to J
n iS.?iit!i.
When, therefore, the statesmen of the
int'i reflect on the great eorinuereinl and
anufaeturiuff prosperity of their country in
c days of direct taxation, and behold now
r dilapidated eities and deserted haibors
idei the change of system, is it wonderful
at they have made the halls of Congress
iiquent with ruin and wrong thev have
flered? Or it is wonderful that the North,
hilsl it cannot believe tiiat what has been
- !-- ... !,! ,.eunivlv clinilld I
c'UMiurivu i'? us
i detr.mcntal In others, should yet lake
c Smith at its {void as to its decline, and
I; (iir other causes of such a result. 'I his
is been done, and negro slavery has with
traordinnrv unanimity been fixed upon as
c irroat and su.Tieient cause of Southern
clmc. And it is now assumed that the
nth, patlicularlv-lhe older Slates, is tin ii:?r
the process of impoverishment,
population, and decay. At the North I
a is C 'titiiiually sp k?Ui of by almost all I
isses, i.u terms of mingled emideMinainin i
! flit v. She is accused of idleness, igno- J
nee, cruelly, and pride. Site is advised j
cmaneiral her slaves, and emulate the !
>rth in cuteiprise, industry, and civi'izahi.
'1 lie first ol.jcct of civilizmi life is to aemu'ate
wealth, as on that depends improverot
in science and the arts, and the supply j
.....N I * in ti:at !
ItiKi likjm > i u?iiw ?/ 4 u t
Am:! hence it is thai tho South is declared j
he laliina behind the civilization of the
e. an.'l is advised to abandon her peculiar i
caution in ord-r to avoid the disastrous i
n l tioij of ignorance ami barbarism that
raits her.
Now in an r.L'o like this, of pre-eminent
' _*\vi:! 1 the schoolmasters a!! ae.d?with
the liiiiv; r.-a! delusion ol tin:
;ss, a.i;l the post, and on a question like
j, of the hist niautjitiidc, and the least
1.1! complexity, .and whilst the people of
o sections are c miiiinaliy travelling
lonjjst c-tc'i oilier, and engaged in discusns
with one another in stages ami steam
ais, in ears, in h >lcls, 0:1 the stump, and
Congress?it is scarcely credible tiiat a
ivcrs.d mistake prevails ns to the facts,
jl in opposition to the existing opinion on
-! subject, 1 maintain that tho South is
J , ,
ai!y the superior of the North in wealth,
proportion to the mi diemf tlfir ci/iuns
![>ect;velv; and t!i? will appear hy a comrisoii
an ! progress of the wiiite people ol
j lesnoeiive see.tive. 'l he North and even
my in l!ie S >u:h have assumed a decline ;
manufactures am! commerce, to lie ado* |
;ie of eeiiera! prosperity, Tins is an crr.
T.ie policy of t!ie Federal Govern |
lit, and the d enest'a: iiistilution of the j
iiithern S'eies, h ive ind ie 1 b -on unfavor- j
le to ilie latter in tl> ?se pursuits, but the :
neu'itire of the South has maintained j
d a tva.oeed in prosperity beyond that of j
y oilier people.
h i us first examine tho condition of the ;
i to people ol the two sections.
The Slate of .Massachusetts, for instance,
U *!i rally regarded asone of the most see- !
<-fn and ll of tin N irth: a:i I is j
ii.nI.im'v r. ferret 1 ( > !>v t!:t? n??ws|?:ij??ts as '
aM.i :! | ?r a'l the olheis, aail wit frequents :
as a tauui l ? ihc ?S' tnheni. Ii", Ihiv.vvit,
; eo nip.ire Mi s favorite <if I lit: North, with
.irylau !, a Southern Slain ??!" -miliar t< rriial
extent, ;>11< 1 one ?>l Mi.- least <>1 the
iiMmrn Slates, we >!ta!I li.ni the latter I"
M' im!-?d:v superior it wealth in [>r??p??ixi??n j
the inimher of her eil!/. mis Aeeordino to j
a reams uf IS Id, M trvlai <i has a tree i
of :js ate I in IS 18 her pro- I
rtv was assr-s.-il at )*J, 'JTtJ.tiaO.* Mas
i-ii:is.-t;s ia Hit) !i i i a population <?l I'M.' |
l?), aii'I h r pr >periy tow is only >??);)(),-I
a.'ia 'J'.akaij these two assessments as I
e In>is of com ans >n, ami it appears tiial i
avt'i'i^'i' pr??p ity ol a lure person in .Ma- !
laiifl wa. *031, wliilst in Mas aeieiseits it !
II ?\v, i:i itic palmiest days slie has ever '
en, onlv $ I'lfi per head?the freeman o| j
- *... :..i. i
:irvl;?ii ' belli'' lb till per cent. mi; IK iiZf
I
Tin; Slates ef Now York an I Virginia an;
ill of ureal territorial e\lent, ami not marin'Iv
tiii?'(|!i:iS in liiui respect. New \ oik
also regarded liahituallv. as oik; of !in;
-antics! pr< xlnots eil Ireo msl ii in ions?ami
if present condition of \ iriiinia is eonlina
11 v rd'errcd In. as a sinking ami ntelani<?!|y
result of slavery. Ilrr f??verly. In*r
:m?ranci.\ her idleness, lier decay, ami li? r
lisi-ry an; tin; threadbare topics ??l modern :
ditic.il pluiosopliv here ami abroad. I/a !
i now consider I lie* lads. Mm; free pop- j
lalion in la 10, amonlinj to die census, was ;
DO,-10, and her property is now nlioiil
000.000,000. f The population ol New
* American Aiinanar.
f l'lin p'ipiilation ol Massachusetts is slated, ac
iriliiiff to recent estimates in her papers. That
Virjjiaia was computed at the amount now aslined
m 1SI51 by I'ro!. Dew. I have seen no ollial
statement. Hul il' she taxes other property
Ii:_j!i .is negroes, tlm total must now fir exceed
tat estimate, as in 1817 she taxed tifi'J.Ml? adult
i.-nf C;*s!? ~ 11 ? ho arp worth about ?5100,(H't',*
York iii 1810, was 2,133.92!, and in 1817
!icr property is assessed at 5032,009.093.?
'{lie average property of a free while per.
son in Virginia is 8750 ; in New York it is
onlv 8260, or a little more than one-third.
Virginia, instead of being poor and in need
of the pilv of the much poorer population of
the North, is pei haps the richest community
in the world. The average wealth of the
people of Great Britain may be about the
same, but it is not near so productive, and I
think it demonstrable that no people on earth
live 111 n condition of greater comfort and
enjoyment than those of Virginia. N<?r is
there any reason to fear a decline in her
wealth. According to she census returns of
1840, Virginia, with a free population of less
than one-third o that of New York, and a
capital something less, produced from the
various blanches of her industry, ncm than
hall the product of New York : and as the
total population of Virginia, slave and free,
is only about half that of New York, it is
clear that, alter deducting She annual eon
sumption of both, Virginia will have a large
proportional surplus remaining to augment ,
the stock of her permanent property.
It now we examine the relative eon htiori
of the new Slat, s the same results are appa- j
rent. The States of Kentucky and Ohio lie
side liv side, and arc of similar climate. Icr. i
tilitv at d cxlcni?llio proportion of rich I ind
being however, less in A'ciitucky Their
r.iri; is also near'y the same, Kentucky li:ivm<r
been admitted as a Stale about eleven years
before Ohio. Ohio is considered the most
prosperous State i:i the West, and is continually
contrasted with Kentucky for the pur- ;
pose ofillustraling the blighting effects of,1
slavery on lite latter, Let us see with what
reason.
In 1840, Kentucky had a free population
of O97.570, and her property amounts, according
to her lax assessment of 1843, to :
about 272,847,(597.* Ohio, in 1810, had a
population of 1.619,15^. and her assessment i
last year was -121,067.931.f The average
value of property belonging to each free per- j
s hi i:i Kentucky is $156?in Oiiio it is only i
$27(5. or more than one-third less;and as i
tin: population of Ohio is still greater in pto :
portion to that of Kentucky than it; 18-10, '
the difference in favor of the latter is still j
in no.
T\ ?lhi:iir is more common than the opinion
hat tiie price of land in Kentucky is, in con
sequence of slavery, much lower than in
Ohio. I have examine/1 the Auditor's reports
of h'.tli States, which | resent in detail
the valuation of ai! (heir lands. In Kentucky
the average value is about seven dollars per
acre, in, Ohio it is about eleven, and I am
very confident that the quality of Ohio land ,
tst that extent superior?as in Kentucky
there is a large mountain region for which
Ohio has nothing equivalent. Tlius, then,
it is manifested that the free people of the
s!avi'i?oi/Ii:ir?. .States-."-.4" these .States which
are uniform.ly regarded as the victims of poverty
and ruin ?are all richer, much richer
than those of the noii-slavel?/i!<liug States ,
which have been usually considered as tlie
mos11| itirisiiitig members of ihisconfederacy
and the most piosperous connnu. ity the
world ever saw. Such at least is the testimony
of official documents on the subjection
highest authority that exists. For I j
have taken nearly ail these statemen's of
lite property of the Several States a luded
to, iVuni tlte assessments made by public
officers, for the collection ol taxes. O! the ;
accuracy of the valuations, it is of course
no. nss.loe to s;?ca; from personal know!
edge; liul those of Ohio and Kentucky are,
ace >rJing to my oportuuities of observation,
as nearly correct as need be des red. And
as t the other Sia:cs the chance of error
are perhaps ;:s great on one side as the
other.
In the slaveholder Stales, skives are of
course included in the property. This question
i wiiir.ii is the most profitable investment
oi capita1?in land and slaves?as is j
nsua' in the slaveliolding .Slates; or in land !
alone, or commerce and manu'ae.tures, as in i
the Northern States? And this question is
almost universally decided in favor />f the
latter. In the .eolith, accord.ng to its laws,
the slave is as available to his owiicr for the j
purposes of property, as anv other property.
The North lias held, however, that this peculiar
species of property, instead of being
profitable to ihe own r, has been impoverish- j
mo and mason*. And in contiadiction to (
tins 1 have sliown that m every community
where it exists there wealth abounds to a
far greater extent than in 'lie Stales jrom
which i. is excluded, whatever may be their
eluin.te, s >;l, or territorv. But even if the
assessed value of all the slaves in Kentu-ky.
\ irgu.ia, and Man land, were leit out ofihe
schedule of their propeity. the v.hite people
ol those States would remain wealthier, on
an average, than tiiose of Ohio, New York,
ami .Massachusetts.
By others again it is contended, that in
estimating the average wealth of md.vidn i's
in a community, the slaves might to he mchided
as persons, and left out as properly.
Tins, i think, i< also an error, f<r the reas ?u
heloi'o .stated. Where it is c ?11J? 11! d that
Ii 10 white man ou^hl to abandon slave pr? pertv
liceati.se it makes him poor, or prevents
ium Irom gcltim; rich, a is nhsnrd to assert
that he not o.,lv has no property in his slave,
hut that other pro;n rtv belongs equally to
him. But, if |'ir any other purpose or view
o| political eeonomy, the slave he included
with the Ireeman in nveraum^ the pr??;.ei ty
o( a State, it will even 1 In n appear that t.o
the Mates 1 have considered the Son.Iiern
are still wealthier than the Xoithern, counting
the slaves persons a;::! il.aliictin-i lliem
Irom the property. Solicit in no aspect < I
the question whatever, is there any Inundation
in fact lor the popular delusion, that
the Southern states, or any of them, arc et(h)0,
ami I tews Iier other properly, roil and por.-Mii.'*>.'#51,ItiI.
exclusive n|? Merchants'stork, ami
the Governor's message states tlvrc his lieeii an
increase ut 3 per cent, in every item of taxation
I.is! ve ir.
? J
*Kv. Auditor's Report I- K
' iufno Auditor's liop'-rt.
tl.er now or heretofore, or likely to be tore*
after, inferior to their Northern neighbors in
wealth, hut the reverse.
The triumph of Southern enterprise and
capital in the accumulation of wealth being
established as a fact, demands of us an investigation
of its causes?and this, I think,
will materially elucidate the character of
modern civilization, and particularly thai
which has been developed in the United
States.
The original methods of acquiring wealth,
adopted by men on their organization into
communities, was by conquest or commerce.
Hence the the almost exclusive military
fSnr icir r of one preat class of the ancienl
States, whirl) resulted in the universal empire
successively of the Assy ran, Persian,
Creek, and Roman governments; and hence
the rise of Tyre and Carthage. Jlence, also
i:i the middle ages, the empire of Charlemagne,
and the long protracted efforts of
Fiance to conquer England, and England
to conqu *r France?and the wealth ofVe- ?
nice, Conoa, and Holland. At later periods
when the arts had made more progress,
manufactures were included in the means
of creating wealth. The policy of England .
lias combined the three?conquest, commerce,
and manu actures-and by these she
has succeeded in the construction of an em.
pire which, for extent ot territory and
wealth, has never had a parallel. The policy
of England has been dictated by her insular
position. This rendered it necessary
for her to acquire the empire of the set to
be secure from invasion by great continental
powers ; and with the dominion of the sea, it
was easy to establish a great continental em.
pire. The growth of such a great power
m commerce, was the strongest possible
oimuhn to nroorrcss in the arts and manu
faetures; hence her success in them. But
an extraordinary development of commerce
and manufactures has always resulted in .
the concent rat ion <?f large masses of people
in cities, which causes inequality of condition r
great depravity of morals, great increase of
want, and of crime ; consequences that are
fat.*f in the first place to liberty and govcrnmeins,
and finally to independence in nations-.
This tendency has been so obvious
and universal among the great States of all
ag<\i, as to have caused the belief that conjr
munilics, like individuals, contain within
themselves the seeds of dissolution which
must ultimatelv* bring them to the dust.
But whether we considei a State as a.
moral being, wiiose essence consists hi the
principles on which it is constructed, and
therefore not necessarily mortal, or vv'heffler"
we regard it as a mere creature ot tne race
or persons that founded or inhabit it, and
therefore transient, there can be no doubt
that its prosperity is seriously impaired by V
t!io cviis referred to, that generillv attend
the progress of civilization.
Rural life has always been celebrated by
ii?o poets for its innocence. *
"G >rl made (he country and man made
lite town," hut it is a kind of life that has seldom
been thought favorable to lite accumulation
i>f wealth?the first want of civilization.
h is also usually associated with rudeness
< f manners. Hence the votaries of
fortu: i ami society have preferred the city,
ae ! i,'to these we add the vast multitude
\vh ? seek ihe iminediate^gratifioation of their'
appetites ati.l passions, which cities afford,
at the hazard of f>rtunc and want, we have a
clear solution of the undue tendency to city
at i lie expense of country life. This great
evil sufficient of itself to cast a singula on
civilization and even ultimately to destroy it,
was for ihe first lime su cess fully encountered
and conquered by the institution of the*
Soiilh; and in the great achievement. Vir-1.
ginia led the wav. Amongst the early-^
?f #1,0. .
white settlers ot Virginia were many u? ma Cavaliers
who had been driven into exile4>jr
the triumph of the roundheads and of Cromwell.
The Cavaliers were of the country ,
in Eng'aud. the cities and towns were more
generally devoted to the Roundheads.* TheC'ava'icrs
of Virginia seem to have brohght
over with them fiom England a hostility
even to the modes of the enemies they left
behind them, as (ho settlors o! New England,,
on lite tnlier hand, from the Roundheads,
became highly commercial. These pecu-I
unties were exhibited in a striking manner
in the progress of the two colonics. Bancrolt
tells u?c
" But the greatest safeguard of liberty in
\ irgiitia was ttie individual freedom of mind <
whi'h firmed the necessity, the character
of independent land holders living apart on
their plantations. In the age of commercial
monojily, Virginia had not one market town
not one place of trade. As to all outward
appearance it looked all like a wild desert,
am! the mercantile world, founding its judgment
on the absence of cities, regarded it as
"tie of the poorest, miscrablest, and worst
countries in America' It did not seek to
share activity in the profits of commerce ;
it had htilc of the precious metals, and still
l?'<-: oj credit?it was satisfied with agriculo?r..
i':ix(>s were oaid in tobacco, remit
tanct's to Europe were made in tobacco; the
revenue of the clergy, and the magistrates
; id the colony, was collected in the same curremtv;
the colonial tradesman received his
pay in straggling parcels of it; and slops
from abroad were obliged to tie whole
months in the rivers, before hosts visiting
tiie sevt r il plantations on their hanks could
pick up n cargo. In the season of a com;
mercial i'e\onli<?n. the commercial element
d.d not enter into the character of the Cohmv.
Its iuliahiiants daily grew more and more
averse to cohabitation.'
| tMjrli was the character of Virginia in 1700
ninety two years after the colony was founded,
a;. I so unity six before her independence?
such she lias remained. 1 have seen a law
passed by her Legi-laturc during the revolutionary
war, prohibiting merchants from serving
r
.is llf|iiesontativos in tne luiiuuviki.i
g'C 8.
I l!uf this primitive character of Virginia could
not have been preserved to the extent we now
j behold, hut lor peculiar circumstance*. The
; <oil of Virginia was found tola; adapted to tlio
' cultivation of tobacco, and African sW.o LVn