The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-03-07
LcoNrINuEp IRON FOURTH rAeEl

came from MIR. Polk, and my colleague Mr
ScHKNoKl dressed il up in plain English, that our
hardy boatmen who navigate the Western rivers,
and the sailors on our lakes might readily per-
ceive its tremendous force!
now proceed briefly, MIR. Chairman to exam
iue the other proposition Of the gentleman from
North Carolina Mr.. CLINGMAN as to the rela-
tive degree of civilization and human happiness in
the slave and free States. The gentleman has
instituted a comparison which, ifleft unanswered,
may iniure the interests Of the State which have
the honor in part to represent. Ii may deter some
of his prosperous and wealthy people from emigra-
ting thither, and we find, when they get to Ohio
they are the unhinching advocates of the princi-
pie of the Ordinance Of 'S7 which has produced a
prosperity of which we do not boast, but of which
we are not ashamed
Upon the question as TO what is true happiness
and comfort there may be some difference of opin.
ion. IL is very comfortable thing, no doubt to
have negro to rub you down when you get up
in the morning, after having been off on bust
the night before Ito pour out your sherry at
dinner-to bring you light when you wish to
to take your evening smoke-or to keep off the
flies as you take your afternoons snooze! This
is mere animal comfort. In the Northwest we be-
lieve that the cultivation of the intellect-the ad
vancement of public morals--6re the true sources
of public happiness. Hence, we build churches
and school-houses-found colleges and academies
establish literary associations and Sunday schools
take up the gauntlet thrown down so vauntiDgly
by the honorable gentleman, and it is by THU
standard that bring up Ohio, my native State
the frst-bornn under the Ordinance of ST, anC
proudly place her by the side of the Southern
States, to meet her examination, and an unbiased
verdict
take my statistics from the census tables re-
turned in lS40. Ohio has about one half only OF
the white population of Virginia, North Carolina
South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana
Arkansas, and Mississippi, eigM Of the prosper
GUS and happy" slave States; yet she sends tC
school foYtt -tipo thousand more children than the
whole Of them together.
Ohio has about the same white population a:
North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Ala.
bama, and Mississippi, united and she has EIGH
TEEN HUNDRED AND FIFTEEN more colleges, acad
emies, and schools than the whole i've together
and sends to school ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY
ONE THOUSAND more children
In order to briog this test nearer to our imme.
date homes propose bringing the district ! have
the honor to answer for here, into COMPARISON
with the honorable members happy constitu-
eNts l do not hoast Of the intelligence OF my
constituents-they are about on an equahty with
the balance of the State There IS one county IN
the oeutip1nant5 district whose people, ! s1e297"
he had in his minds eye, when he was depicting
the prosperous and happy condition Of the South
II ought TO be the most intelligent county south OF
Mason and Dixon, if we may judge from the vast
number of speeches which have been made for its
special improvement. 1t is the county Of BDn-
comb! Laughter The statistics show that my
district, composed Of three counties has hro hun
dleI anil IOnV-thTCe colleges amt schools, and sends
to them upwards of ffsn howoud scholars. Bun
conbe has one college, and the startling number
of one irh0L ScLO0t laughter precisely the same
number that you find sustained in several Of our
villages by the free negroes! do not know that
it should be counted as a nhOly school either, be-
cause. by reference to the other column, see it
contains only Ten scholars!
Bupcombe gives one school to every 4 600 Of her
white probationary district, one to every 275.
My district sends one out Of five of her white
population to school Buncombe sends one Of $50!
A VolcE. You take no account Of our private
schools not returned by the census.
MIR. CAMPBELL. Nor do take any account
of our private schools. Every log cabin in my
district is private schoOl-house You can find
those there who seldom get to public schools In
the long winter evenings you will find collected
by the fre-sde, the evidences Of that increase Of
population complained Of circle offiaxen haired
hearty boys and girls. The Oldest has perhaps
advanced az school TO the rule Of three aud has
class of younger ones in simple addition at
home-calculating, not the value Of the Union,
but probably the number of bushels of corn taken
to market during the day, In this way many Of
brought up find their way, in the course Of time,
TO seats in this House. have n constituent, now
in my mind, who was born in Kentucky, and came
10 nv district which is now his home, who re-
ceiyed his education in Of these private schools
of ours! At the age of sixteen he drove baggage
wagons with supplies for the army which defended
our frontier On his return he was crippled in
his wagoning operations Being confined for a
wear he betook himself to study, and at the end of
that time had without the aid of teacher, become
master of the Latin and Greek languages! The
"crack of his whip has been heard in both
branches Of Congress and II the Union is not dis
solved 100 SO0H we would like TO see how he could
manage the great team of State!
But have heard of these private schools Of the
South before. | will apply another test which
may be more satisfactory and more Just
In the FIVE slave States above named. there are
Of whites, over twenty years OF age, who cannot
read or ,rr1e, $4,000 In Ohio, with the same
white population) there are of those who cannot
read or write, 80 0O0 Showing in the same slave
States with the same white population of Ohio,
one hl,ldred and thrce thousand more white adults
who cannot read OF write than we do Your pri-
gate schools therefore, are not quite so tbfciem
ours. will not say that our scholars not as
apt as ours, as that might be regarded as Gag
gressive."
How is it in Buncombe? Her white popula-
ton over twenty years old is 3,3I5. or these,
every three adults who can read or write, she has
two who cannot
Taking her whole white population there is one
to six who cannot read or write. In my district
we have one to thirty-two. In the five slave
States above named, Of this class there is one 10
fourteen In Ohio only one 10 t0yty-trO!
In giving these statistics their proper force, two
things must be borne in mind 1st That the SlQre
population of the South, few of whom are edu-
Gated, is not included. ID. That they have slaves
to perform their labor, whilst they may go to
school, and in Ohio we labor for ourselves
refer the gentlemen who have pressed this in
" stigaton upon me- TO a table which is the result
of some labor. 1t will be convenient thing for
them. They can at any time by reference TO it,
ascertain hon happy they are, compared with the
people of my State, with much precision as
they can ascertain the day of the month by refer
ring TO the counting house calendar or how cold
it is by looking at the thermometer ] give the
proportion of the whole white population who,
being over twenty years old, cannot read or mras
Buncombe county, North Carolina 10
rur'h Caroline Is
Georgia lI3
Virginia l-I3
South Carolina
Alabama la
Mississippi ll3
Ohio "
II will be observed that North Carolina stands
highest in the scale Of human happiness, ciyilizl-
ton, and refinement and that the good people of
Buncombe are particularly blest Laughter
If their distinguished Representative here is not
satisfied with this exhibition of his constituents
in future he may remember the old adage that
those who live in glass houses should not throw
stones !" Laughter
Mr. ASIIE Win the gentleman favor uswith
comparison of the statistics of crime
Mr.. CAMPBELL. My time is 80 nearly out,