The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1852-05-25
From the Camden formal.
EHatcrIR;,l Escaossrces. Of South,
Gr.s.dtsEI,-s

EEscrIR;,l EscassSsYces. Of South
Love of country. rp'al4 p'al4 4iotism, and
pubic spirit, so comncndable and
manly, are but other tums for that
divine Injunction, .s low thy neigh
Dor as thyself." And though SO lib.
orally proicsscd i'll every day life,
among men as right, md proper, is
not practiscd yet moro'.han thought
to be. And while it st0rds an cx-
cusc for so many Of our actions that
mere superficial Observer might
suppose its influence amost univer-
sal, candor compels us ITO admit that
there are occasional ,'ilistanccs Of
naked, undisguised seif;,incss; and
yet VIC must believe i!j charity, that
the majority of men alb; with more
or less carnestncss, at the common
good. All those Who devote their
time to religion, politics, literature or
professional callings obviously tend
that way. t@ a ,ar.y.a
At the public good WE aim, is so
frequent an expression, that we may
consider it almost every mans motto.
Therefore, when We speak out our
reflections, and call uponall concern
cd for hearing, respectful attention,
at least, is due. Ideas and opinions
arc as much and as naturally the
torernnners Of express$Sa, rs seed
time Of harvest, and hu.nblc as the
prctentions OF the author may be,
some thought might escape hin, that
others Of more ability than himself
could take up, unfold ana improve
upon, resulting finally, in great Bcne-
fit to mankind.
Beginnings arc usually Small; in.
deed, we may sa" i'll everything that
is or has been, there was a leeblcncss
in its beginning which shoald teach
us to examine closely any new pro
jcct before we reject OF condemn it.
Every good citizen jP o measure,
'ssesl-l III his rriatiO /, society to
exercise lis mind in locking ont for
tho ways and means Of bGttering him.
self, his family, and his follow men.
Though his tribute be but mite. let
him throw it into the common stock
of a progressive age. When chance
offers great things to attempt, VIC
should not let them pass, but lay hold
Of them vigorously but they are
fare, willie less things are often seen
and as much required as the greater,
to make up the whole.
With this preface, and with . sin
cerc desire to be useful, | submit
it what follows to my tclIow.citizens,
asking them to discuss the matter for
themselves, and consider it kindly
towards me.
Oms is 9 snall State compared
with other S1o.frr :;a'as, but our
hoM;l5 are ir2G, .nd, q. WAS once OBJ.
served IL Congress by a member
from this State. We occupy a
surface prodisiously large compared
with our numbers"
The AGRA Of South Carolina in
round numbers is nineteen millions Of
acres, and the population under six
hnndicl Thousand, givmg over thirty
acres Of land to every Individual, old
and young, black aud White. and l
think We may safely say there is one
hundred acres Of land for every en-
gagged i'll It's tliiage. II then, We cs.
innate that by any means one half Of
thc LAND, or line and a half millions
Of acres is capable Of culture. there
is room enough in our borders yet to
plant ten times as much more as we
now plant.
Admitting then, that We have nine
AMI a half millions Of acres Of ti!Iablo
land Of which allow one half for arain
and pasturagc ana plant only the
balance, four and three quarter nil.
lions OF acres or one forth Of all our
surface, and were to make no more
than half Il bale OF cotton to the acre,
it would give us crop Of nearly
twenty four hundred thousand bales
equal to the present whole crop OF
the United States. This is startling.
and some Of my readers may throw
back thci: heads and raise uD their
hands in a,naZcment. At first, it
does not look incredible, that so small
a territory and but one fourth of it
| employed making only half crop
should turn out so much; but here arc
the figures, AMI competent calcula.
tors say We have the land. | feel
that this is y sort Of new idea, and
some one may say ii South Carolina
can do 50 much the other cotton
States can do it too, or that Soutl,
Carolina is looking ahead to making
all the cotton wanted. But observe
| am not telling what We are trying
to do, but what we could do If VIC
would, and what duty to ourselves
requires that we shoulaa boldly at
tempt for our sake Of those who arc