The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-10-20
COMPARATIVE WEALTH OF THE NORTH AMI
SOUTH

1t is something less than five years since MIR
Elwood Fisher delivered an address in Cincln :
natl, in which he attempted to prove that tho
high road to wealth is simple agriculture, I'M
sustained by domestic manufactures the me-
chanic arts, and commerce; and, since Slavery
supernduces this state of things that institu-
ton was to be regarded as the solution of the
great problem of political economy, about
which philosophers have puzzled their brains
for century. He proceeded, accordingly, to
show that the slaveholding States of this Union
are far richer than the free, and appealed to
various public documents as his authority for
the facts adduced in support of his propositions
Unfortunately, the authorities referred to were
in almost every instance found, upon examina
ton, to be in fault, and to exhibit state OF
things the reverse of that assumed but sol
much the worse for the documents. The pos /
tons advanced, and the facts assumed to sup
port them were too flattering to the friends Of
Slavery, in the moment Of their imaginary tn
umph to be doubted or questioned. Mr. Fisher
was for the time regarded as new hght-anI
eighth Wise Man contributed by the western !
world to the Seven recognised by the ancients !
He was taken at once into the councils OF Mr.
Calhoun and other Pro-Slavery hierarchs; and,
notwithstanding that he was bred Quaker,
and was whilom an Aboltionist, he was al
once admitted into their holy of holes. Ho|
was invited to Virginia, where he was feted
and toasted until the worthy Quaker was like
ly to forget the simple and abstemious habAf
of his order.
But the wheels Of time are constantly in mo
| ton The South needed more railroads and
other improvements with factories, workshop
of various kinds, ct cctera and, utterly forget
full of Mr. Fishers demonstrations, appca
were often made to Northern capitalists"
invest their surplus funds in them. Then cam
the census, with crash upon the astoundeS
senses, showing Massachusetts, to be wort
| 1913, 342 286 while Virginia, the scene of Ou4
Quaker's banquets-with eight times as lared
a territory--was worth only $3.50, 70l ,0S2 in
Guiding slaves, with other extravagaut CON
trasts of Freedom with Slavery Facts arc
stubborn things. They may be disregarded by
visionary theorists for time, but they caancs
/ fail to impress themselves upon the common
sense of the people. The assumptions Of MrI
! Fisher, Of the superior wealth of the South oved
that of the North might be maintained byl
! politicians for reasons of StatcN but they
could never pass into the everyday Language
of life, or be carried home to peoples business
and bosoms' Hence it is that we have constant1
ly seen the appeals to "Northern capitalists
for building railroads. opening mines and othe
purposes and hence the occasional-in taci
frequent-etforts to rouse the energies OF South |
ern people, by contrasting the South with the
North. AT length, even the most ultra OF Mr
Calhoun 's,disciples, the Richmond Eram'ner--I
which is recognised as the ablest journal IN
the slaveholding States, of the school to whc"
it belongs-acknowledges the great SUPERIORITY
of the North over the South in wealth. anu
withdrawing power. But the admission
made by what the lawyers call demur"'
that is to say, by admitting the fact, but deny
ing the inferenee---by allowing the North 70 I"
weather. and more prosperous, but ns's''rs |
with the moralists Of all ages, from Solomon
DR.. Johnson, upon the dangers and temPtau'"'
which beeet those who are surrounded win I
superabundance Of the good things Of TINS HE
with suitable exhortations to cheerfulness NJ
dressed TO the Southern people, who are hu1
monished Of the duty of contentment, ana WI
ain Of repining at fortune. There y an au"
rable vein of wisdom in sll this, which
greatly admire. But still the fact is clear tb'
the South is at length awaking to conscious
ness of its poverty, and tracing it to its uu1
source-Slavery.
II is quite possible, on reflection, that O1]
! Quaker friend, MIR. Fisher, in estimating tn1
relative wealth Of the North and South, may
like the editor of the Examiner, have looke1
higher than to the perishable dust of this ear''7
and have merely adopted the nomenclature \
dollars and cents, of facts and figures in orae]
to convey to the common apprehension mo
tangible idea Of that hidden wealth Of '"I
soul-virtue and happines-in which 'h'}
maintain that slayeholding communities sA''|