The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1849-04-25
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From the Columbia Telegraph.
COMPARATIVE PROSPERITY OF
THE NORTH AND SOUTH.

THE NORTH AND SOUTH.
We alluded some days since to The re-
markab!e results obtained by Mr.. Fisher Of
Cincinnati, from a comparative estimate of
the production, population, and prosperity Of
The different sections, drawn from The sla.
lIstics of The respective States. We ap-
pend to day portion only of these proofs
which must work conviction on the minds OF
those hitherto The most despondcnt and des-
pairing as To our actual position.
As The calculations Of Northern man,
no suspicion Of unlalrness can attach TO them
for he is apparently one who, il he loves
his own seston much, loves truth and fair
dealing yet more.
II is high time for The Southern mind to
be disabused of the great error which has
weighed down upon it like night mare so
long.
After alludng TO the universally Of the
false impression North and South, Mr.. FISH
er thus breaks the bubble:
"The first object of civilized life is to ac-
cumulale wealth, as on that depends m-
provement in science and the arts, and the
supply of the multiplied wants of society IN
that state,
"And hence il IS that the South is de
clared to he falling behind the civilization OF
the age, and is advised TO abandon her pc
culiar institution IN o:der to avoid The dis
aslrous condition Of ignorance and barba-
rism that awaits her.
Nov in all age like this, Of pre-emlnenl
intelligence, with the sehoolmas,ers all
abroad--wlth universal diffusion of the press
and The post. and on question like this, oi
the first magnitude. and the least compIexl-
~, and whist the people of the two sections
are continually travelling among each other,
and engaged in discussion with one another
in stages and steamboats,, in cars, in hotels.
on the stump. and in Congress-it is scarce
Iy credible that universal mistake prevails
as to The facts. Yc, in opposition TO the ex-
is'ing opinion on the subject, | maintain that
the South is greatly the superior OF the
North III wealth, in proportion 10 the mum.
Der of citizens respectively; and this will
appear BY comparison and progress oi The
white people Of the respective sectIons;-
The North, aud even many in the South,
have assumed q decline in manufactures
and commerce., to be decline of general
prosperity. This is an error. The policy
of Federal Government, and the dom sstIc
institutions of the Southern States, have IN.
deed been unlavorable to the latter in those
pursuits, but in the agriculture OF The South
has maintained and advanced in prosperity
beyond lha, of any other people.
Let us first examine The condition ol the
white people Of The two sections.
"rhc Slatc Of Massachusetts, for Instance,
is generally regarded as one of the most
successful and Furnishing of the N"r,h; and
is constantly referred 10 by the newspapers
as model for all the others, and very ire-
quenlly as taunl 10 The Southern. II,
however, we compare this favorIle of the
Mort with Maryland. a southern State ol
sl,nllar territorial extent, and of the least ot
the Southern States, we shall find the latter
to be decidedly superior in wealth IN Propor-
ton to the number of citizens. According
to the census of 1910, Maryland had a free
population of 3SO,2S2 and in ls47 her pro.
pcrty was assessed at S202 .272, ,650.-Mas.
sachusetts in 1919 had population If 1877
699, and her property now Is only $780,.
100000. Taking these two assessments as
the basis of comparison, and i, appears that
the average property of free person in
Maryland was S53l, whilst in Massachusetts,
il is now, in the pamIesl days it has ever
seen, only $4O6 per hcad--lhe freeman Of
Maryland being 25 per cent. the richer.
The state OF New York and Vigina are
both of great territorial extent, and not ma
terlaly unequal in that respect. New York
is also regarded habiluaIIy, as one of the
grandest products of free insttulions--and
the present condition of Virginia is contnu.
ally referred to, as striking and melancholy
result of slavery. Her poverty, her ignor
ance. her rldIeness. her decay, and her misery
arc the threadbare topic Of modern polt-
cal philosophy here and abroad. Her free
population III ls4o. according to the census
was 79O,slO, and her property is now about