The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-07-24

Of those measures Of restriction, they were deemed
odous and oppressive in Massachusetts, and there
was every disposition to eyade and resist their natu-
raj effects; while the other hand in Virginia the
feelings Of the people strongly sustained them as
hostile retaliaIions; and il was esteemed patriotic
and praise worthy to develop the resources Of the
country, and to meet the depnyatOns Of the times
by encouraging the production and use of domestic
manufactures. Moral influences, therefore, tended
to make the incentives to manufacture, resulting
from the action Of the government a their com
mencement, more potent in Virginia Md the south
generally than in New England. Yet, notwith-
standing, in the latter manufactures were speedily
established and grew apace, while in the former
they advanced not at all, if they did not positively
decline. And now the result relatively is, that
near three-fourths Of the capital and labor employ
ed IN the production Of manufactures in the Union,
are 10 be found in the States nore Of the Potomac.
Now, Mr.. Chairman, for shese gtpking facts so
clearly indicative Of the earlier ejribshmss. ald
more successful prosecution Of manufactures the
north than IN the south, against strong moral
influences, there must have been general and per-
yading causes. There must have been decisive adj
yantages for such productions in the one section
over the other. And what sir, were theyl
know sir, IL has been but too common TO ascribe
them to alleged superiority the par of the peo-
pie Of the north in industry, enterprise and econo-
my. The supposition has been too fdttering to the
pride OF the north not TO receive ready acceptation
there's while at the south, casual observation Of the
superior hustle and outward Manifestations Of in
dustry incident TO vded mdrts and the pursuits
that collect men together, over the ayocAtioDs Of
agriculture and the quiet Of the fields, has given
some plauslblhty TO the idea. So far as the pur-
poses Of the view | now presenting are concern
ed, il would matter te whether the disadvantages
OF the south for manufactures were 10 be found in
such alleged characteristics Of her people, rather
than IN the circumstances Of their situation; for
they would still be general and abiding IL were
as vain TO expect "the Ethiopian To change his
skin or the leopard his spots" as that the attri-
butes Of people, whether for Incidence or indus
try, may be changed, save in long tracts of time,
and under causes Of stringent necessity The gay
ETY. ofthe French, the pride Of the Spaniard, the
phlegm Of the German, and the Incidence Of the
Italian, all exist now, Notwithstanding the muta-
tons Of time and events, they did centuries ago;
and perhaps few things IN the world are more in
eraiicabe and abiding than the characteristics OF
people and races. But, STR, believe the SUPPOSE
tion wholly unfounded, and libel on the people Of
| the south. slave population, the command Of
more domestlcs, and agricultural pursuits, afford
them more facilities for liberal hospitality and So
eIal enJoyments but their indulgences are neither
more numerous nor more wasteful Of time than
those of the north. Speaking particularly of my
own State, | believe its people are industrious
and prudent-as spirited, enterprsing, and ener-
geuc, as any in the north. say this deliberately,
on full conviction after not little travel and OBJ
are variant, and consequently their manifestations
/ OF energy differ; but compare them wherever they
| meet in common field of effort, and Virginia may
pride herself in the result Look 10 your navy and
| your army, where young men selected from every
| State meet in fair competition for distinction and
glory. Vrgnans have certainly not been ex-
celled In the civil service Of the country, open to
the equal aspirations Of all whether in Diplomacy,
IN Legislation, or the craftsmanship required TO
guide the councils and WELD the powers Of the
Union, my native State will boast for her sons no
pre-emnence, but may certainly claim, in the his.
tory of the past al least equsli'y 81 honor and
fulness Consider too, her proud title as the mother
Of States. In the enterprises Of emigration, rcqur-
ing such large sacrifices of comfort and ease, and
the encounter with hardshps in every form, and so
indicative of energy and perseverance, her people
| have ever been promInent and | appeal with conf
dence to the representatives of all those sections
whether Of the south or northw west, wherever her
emgrants have pitched their tents, either in the
wilderness or amid the mars Of business, and en-
tered amid strange people, in fair struggle with
those from all other sections for fortune and honor
If they have not been found, in the intelligence,
industry, and steadfast effort which insure success,
| equal TO any, and surpassed by none. Such in
my lourneylng, | am proud to say, have ever
found the case. In fact, sir, in the rapid subuga-
| ton TO culture of the immense wastes of the west
and southwest, and their increase in wealth, in
production, and in population may be found the re-
sults VI HluuSuy anu enterprise Oh ptOpe
of Virginia, and the other southern Atlantic States,
directed in their natural lines and exhibited in their
| appropriate manifestations. The pursuits of their
people are, and for long future must be, planting
and agrcultural and for evidences Of their industry,
| you must look TO the staple products of these
| branches Here, sir, the statistics Of the country
show reverse of the picture to that presented by
comparison of manufactures and the increase of the
south has been most striking and gratifying will
not wedry with Details but the great southern staple
of cotton raised to such extent by the industry and
capital drawn from my own State, has swollen more
in amount of production and value, political and pc
cunary 10 the nation, than perhaps any other pro-
duct ofthe Union. That Virginia has declined no,
SIR she has not declined but that she has advanced
as rapidly in wealth and population the northern
States--is too easily accounted for to warrant i'm
putatlons of sloth or profuson 10 her people. In
the great field Of industry, agriculture which
ture and circumstances have limited her, she has
been brought in direct competition with the rapidly
developed resources Of the virgin lands OF the south
and west while to the industrial pursuits OF the north
commerce and manufactures, aided, too, the last
have been by partial legislation these very resources,
| in their growth and yield, have impaired aliment
and stimulant. That under such circumstances the
| southern Atlantic States should have maintained
their o,cn, instead of being matter of taun nuri-
reflection, is the best possible proof of the in
| dusrious attributes of their people,
Other satisfactory causes for the greater ad-
growth of manufactures in the NORTH must then ex-
| ist. Many subsidiary ones, of latent operation,
my time will not allow to develop; but the lead
| ing ones, venture to think, Mr. Chairman, are Of
easy detection and explanation. | will briefly state
them. Z. ...
In the first place, owing to the more steril aoil
and bleaker cline of the NORTH its people never
| had az strong inducements great addiction to
| the pursuits of agriculture prevailed under the
more genial sun and amid the greater fecundity of
| the south. From the greater length and severity
Of their winters, large proportion of the year had
necessarily to be given to other avocatons and in
| door employments. These causes operated, both
morally and physically, to wean from rustic EN-
Payments, and to divert to varied pursuits of more
| profit to them, and of more constant employment.
Their effects were, from the earliest periods of
northern settlement, seen in the withdrawal of her
people from the land to the sea-to commerce. navi-
CATION, and the fsheres and subsequently, as the
advance of the country created,a demand, to works
Of handicraft and of manufacture. Here is great
natural cause, to some extent always operative;
| but of course more and more influential, as under
the protective system stronger inducements were,
from time to time, given to manufacturing indus
fru