The spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1840-1844, 1842-01-21
MIR. BURKE'S SPEECH


to Mr. Arnold of Tenn, who had assailed New
Hampshire as an Ignorant, benighted plague
spot" II is one of the proudest indications we
have seen, and mos, whitening and cutting mus, it
have been 10 the assailant.
The honorable gentleman from Tennessee in
the, of his remarks, after promising to give
an account of the natural, moral, and social con-
di,ion Of New pshire-which, like all other
Wing promises, failed most grossly in the perior-
mance-spoke thus oflhat State:
81 lie did not intend to discuss the question of
the tariff, at present. lie merely wanted to an
swer the demagogica cant of the gentlement from
New Hampshire, Mr. Atherton.) What was New
Hampshire, that she should furnish lever in poll
tics, that must get up here and dictate to what com-
mlee this reference should be made! What was
New Hampshire most barren and sterile piece
of EARTH lie never could think of New Hampshire
without thinking of black, chilly rocks, of the
screechng owl and prowling wolf Was she ad-
vancing in popnu,on' lie believed not She
was the only State in the Union that had taken
rctrograde movement; or at least, she advanced in
population less than any other State. She was in
favor of free trade! lie would like to know wha,
New Hampshire had to trade on On politics;
that was all it had been her trade for years. lie
was told there vas one manufacturing town in the
State, and that was in the gentlemans district-he
did not know but the very residence Of the gentle
man and that gave large majority against him.
lie would like to know if this was So,
Now, sir, if did not rise up and defend that
gallant little State from the foul aspersions cast
upon her by the gentleman from Tennessee, |
should no longer deserve her confidence, nor be
worthy Of seat upon tins floor. That gentleman,
with all The assurance which ignorance of her con-
dtion natural, moral and social, alone could in
spIre-ignorance, sir, always beges assurance
inquiries. " What is New Hampshire will tell
him, sir, what New Hampshire s-her natural,
moral and social condition-and Gun do it in no
better way than by contrasting her, in these sew
eral spects, with Tennessee, the Stale from which
that gentleman has the honor to come.
New Hampshire is, indeed, throned among the
hills. She is the Switzerland of America; her
mountains point high up among the clouds, where
eagles take their flight, and enjoy unrestraned the
freedom Of the skies She is u land sir,j
"Ofmountain and of flood,
Oisreen heath and OF shaggy wood"
Her cloud-capt hills, even in midsummer, glis-
ten with the Trosts and SHOWS of winter. The ter
rifle avalanche springs from their SUBMITS, and
lhunders down their side. But, sir she is also u
land of crystal streams, of CLASSY lakes, embossomed
among her hiIls-and ofbeaulilul valleys and mead
ows dotted with neat and pretty villages, teeming
with fertility, the hum Of industry, and all the eyi-
dences Of wealth and prosperity. She has more Of
those noble temples Of liberty, common schools,
more village spires pointing to heaven, md more of
the monuments which make high and advanced
state of civilization, ban any other State Of this
Union, with perhaps one or two exceptions IL
there are any exceptions, | am not aware of them
And, Mr. Speaker, if she is indebted to any cause
under heaven for her advancement in prosperity,
wealth and civilization, it is TO her lofty noun
tains and her beautiful and fertile valleys Her
people breath the mountain air, the air of heaven
and of liberty; ard her rugged surface, not barren
and steri. calls forth their mental as well as phys-
cal powers, and make them what they area
hardy, vigorous, intelligent, and energetic people
a people, sir, schooed in industry, morals and vir-
tue-byers of justice and equality, and democratic
because they are the lovers of justice. Such is
the outline of the character Of New Hampshire and
of her people,
| will now, sir. descend to particulars, and show
what New Hampshire is, by contrasting her with
Tennessee, from which State the gentleman has
the honor to come. And here | would apologize
to the colleagues of that gentleman for the notice
am, in defence of my own, obliged to take of that
State if the contrast which shall exhibit will cause
them pain.
| begin with the geographical condition of the
two States. New Hampshire embraces in her ter
rilory 9,i9l square miles. Tennessee has terri
tory Of 45 600. New Hampshire is hilly and noun
linous, and so is Tennessee. New Hampshire is
well watered by rivers and numerous small streams
Such is the chaIactor Of Tennessee. New Hump
shire has population of 2S4 ,574, being about 80
inhabitants To every square mile. Tennessee has
population Of S29,Sl0, being about Is TO every
square mile. The gentleman says New Hampshire
has advanced but very little in population during
the last ten years, if she has not relrograded Now
sir, the fact is shown by the last census To he That
she has advanced in population more rapid, in
proportion TO her census in 1880, than Il majorltv
of the old States, and even more rapidly than the
district represented by the gentleman from Tenn
e.see. New Hampshire, on population of 2si,
57i, having increased 1888, being a ratio Off
per cent; and that genleman's district, on popu
lation of 81, Sl9 having increased only $50 being
a ratio of per cent. Such sir, for the geogra-
phical character and population Of New lIamshirc.
| will now take the agricultural statistics of
the two States, ms furnished by the late census
New Hampshire has population, as before re
marked, of2s4,57i. The aggregate value Of her
agricultural products in the year 1910 was S25.
7O3, 600; being 800 for ench nhabitant Tenn.
essee contains population of $40 $40, black and
white, land produced in 1910, in the aggregate value,
S73, 1870, 900 of agricultural products, being SIS
per head, and two dollars less per head than is pro-
luced by the people of New Hampshire. FIom
This fact, sir, are we 10 infer that Tennessee il
more barren and sterile than New Hampshire, and
that she is land of" black chilly rocks, nhati-
ted by the .screeching owl and the 'prowng
yolfi' 1t would seem so from the aggregate value
IF the agricultural productions Of the two States,
compared with their respective population.
will next contrast the two States in the amount
If capital invested IN four Of the most important
ranch of manufacturers, and their annual pro-
lucion, as exhibited by the census of 1910.
1t appears that in the four descriptions of MANN
actures mentioned, New Hampshire produces in
he aggregate annually S5,775, 500; in value. and
las invested capital of S6,495, 1914; while Tenn.
ssee produces only S756,229 in value, and has -,
apila invested Of only S6I3,3s0. New Uamn.
hire, with population Of but little over one third
s large as Tennessee. produces in value nine times
$ much in the fonr descriptions of manufacturer.
have named, as Tennessee. And here. in iu.1
ce IN the State of New Uampsbirc 7 ,,I,