Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1849-03-30
Century And !. 4 remarkable, that Brazil

Q century. And il is remarkable, that Brazil
and the United States the only two nations
on this continent where African slavery pre-
walls, are the only two which have succeeded
in the establishment Of stable and fourishing
social and political institutions. In all the.
Spanish American States, where the attempt
has been made 10 introduce political equality
among distinct and dissimilar races, it has been
followed by incessant instruction, anarchy,
poverty, vice, and barhaFism.
When the Union between the North and
South, under our present Constitution, was
formed, the social, political, and economical
operation OF the institutions, peculiar 10 each,
were matters of theory and conjecture. We
have now had the experience of half centu-
ry. and the result IS before US in the facts
have presented-facts against which neither
speculative philosophy nor sectional prejudice,
egotism. or fanaticsm, can prevail.
II will be observed, do not compare the
whole people of the North with the whole
population of the South am noU compa-
ring the whites only of both sections; it being
the first object to ascertain the effects OF their
respective institutions on the whites of the
two sections. do not compare Northern ci-
lies with Southern, hut the white people, ru-
raj and urban, together, of one section. with
those of the other. have referred more par
ticularly 10 Northern cities. because they COLI
tain so large. if not the largest portion of
Northern population, and are the boast and
characteristic of the Northern system. have
also preferred TO compare the old States of the
sections, not only because they are similar in
climate and productions, but, because in them
the effects OF the two systems are more devel-
oped, and as has been commended, 10 the great
disadvantage of the South.
7 There is class of topics of more imam
gible nature, but not the less important, and
which are much insisted on in this controver-
sy, that now remains 10 be briefly considered
1t is urged that religion and education are
more prevalent and fourishing in the North
than in the South. 1t is true that the form of
religion existing in New England, and by law
established, was extremely strict and self de-
nving, as that of Virginia, the Episcopal, was
then one of the most indulgent of Protestant
sects. But it is well known that the Puritan
character has beel. rapidly degenerating and
passing away. Indeed, the forms OF that faith
are no longer dominant in Boston, the ancient
seat of its power, and in their place the Uni
tarians have prevailed, and they are gaining
ground rapidly in New England change
has occurred in Virginia, but change in the
opposite direction. Instead of the Episcopa
lians, the Baptists are predominant in Virginia
Thus, under the operation of their respective
institutions, the religion of Massachusetts has
receded from one of the most strict to one of
the most relaxed systems of the Protestant
faith, while Virginia has advanced from one
of the most induigent to one of the stricter
forms of religious discipline. There are no
means of ascertaining the number of members
in all the churches in the several States Viz
ginia has about $4,000 Of Baptists alone, she
has 80, 900 Methodists,' and a larger proper
ton yet of Epscopalians than any other State
Altogether she must have her fnll proportion.
But it is in education that the North claims
the great pre- emnence over the South. In
Massachusetts, according to the census OF
1910, there were but 4,448 white persons a
hove the age of twenty, W o could not read
and write, and in Virginia there were 58,787;
In Ohio, there were 35,364; in Kentucky,
4O,0l6; in Illinois, 27,5O2; in Mississippi,
$3.50. Thus ii appears, that whilst there are
more than twelve times as many ilhterate
persons in the oldest Southern as in the old
est Northern States, the proportion changes
as we advance westward, until we find grea-
Ter proportion of them in a new State OF the
North, than in one of the South And thus
it seems that in the new States, where chill
dren are not educated at public expense, and
where, therefore their parents must provide
for them, the children of the South are better
educated. or rather, perhaps, it would seem,
that the emigration from the North, is much
more ignorant than the South. Still, howev-
er, the odds of school instruction are decided
ly with the North This results from obvi-
Gus causes. The territorial area of Virginia
is probably nine times as great as that OF
Massachusetts. If, therefore, Virginia were
disposed to adopt the common school system.
it would require nine times the schoolhouses
and teachers, to afford the same conVeniences
fo- attending school that exists in Massachu-
sets. Virginia is a thinly settled, agriculture
al State, intersected by several ranges of noun
tains. In many places there could not be
found ten scholars i'll Ten miles square. In
live comfortably, but not to establish school,
or send their children abroad to boarding
schools Hence, there must be a considera-
BILE number without schools. In commercial
and manufacturing States, or those OF small
farms and dense agricultural population, this
evil is not SO much felt.
But Virginia has system of oral instruc-
ton which compensates for the want of
schools, and that is her social intercourse
The social intercourse of the South is pToba-
bly, much greater than that of any people that
ever existed. There is certainly nothing like
the number of visits among the families of a
city, or even the same square in a city, as
prevails in the country of the South. And
these visits are not fashionable calls. but last
for days and weeks, and they are the great
resource of the South for instruction and a.
musement. 1t is true that persons are not
taught at such places to read or write, but
they are taught to think and converse. They
are the occasions of interchanging opinions
and diffusing intelgence and to perform the
duties, TO enjoy the pleasures OF such inter-
course, to please, TO shine, and 10 captivate,
requires degree of mental culture which no
custom of the North so much demands. Ac-
cordngly, the South exhibits the remarkable
phenomenon of an agricultural people, dis
tinguished above all others OF the present day,
by the elegance of thei: manners, and the in
tellectual tone of their society.
The North excels in books In History
she has Bancroft and Prescott; in Poetry.
Bryant, Halleck, and Whittier; in Criticism,
Everett and Claiming. In sculpture she has
produced Powers Her Franklin has drawn
the lightning from Heaven, and taught ii TO
play harmlessly around our very hearths-
her Morse has even given letters to lightning.
and lightning to letters The North excels
in the arts and the physical sciences, in H.
L.. IL,