Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1854-05-24
DAILY IIRGINIAN.
The North and South

The North and South
The New York Evening Post makes eomml
nication in this Journal, dcploring the low condi
ton of manufacturing enterprise and mechani
arts in Virginia, its theme for sanetimono1
hemilv against the institution of slavery. Th
language of our correspondent was high-wrough
and fiCurative, but the Post chooses to oonstru'
ii literally, and by theory born Of prejudice an'
ignorance ascribes to what il regards the be
numbing and blighting influence Of negro servi
tude. the absence of thase distinctive elem
ents of wealth. from which the north has derived
its greatest prosperity. II isfrue that the Nor
thern states, from the denseness Of their popnla-
tons, have been compelled to apply portion OF
their labor 60 manufactures. 1t is also true that
out of this necessity. always and everywhere the
stern mother Of invention, the toling artisans OF
those States have acquired manual skili-a ia
eilitv in mechanism, unknown to the South. 1t
i true likewise that, fed by the bountes OF the
Federal Government and crowded by the influx of
immi Grants from oil nations of the earhshey have
nnon a mere calculation of numbers and the out
ward of political wealth, the advantage OF
,bo Soutb. hut Il hy no means follows that, con.
sidered in their individual and domestic condi-
lions. the people of the South are less prosper
Gus and happy than those ofihe North II the
South choose 10 indulge itself in the leKorieus
delusion of having its work shops at The Worth
il only proves that she has resources OF her own
which enable her to support a style oil h'ihg
that would beggar the North, in n 'asily short
err space of time than she has employed ~ nc
curing het numerical and political ascendency.
II is n misconception of the true re.ation OF par
ties TO suppose that because the people of tho
North are the shopmen and hueksters and
artisans of those of the south-they are also
their masters. What the South has not IN those
respects she can easily supply When necessity
caprice or policy urge her to substitute the mo
ohanic arts for agrieuiture-or, which would BE
better, 80 apportion her labor between the twoshe
can do so without difficulty; aud thus shake oil
without any inconvenience all connection with
the North. She has within her limits abundant
means of self-support. How lsit with the North
I. OF the South cease 10 be her patroness and em-
ployer; cease to use her wares and fabrics; with
hola that annual shower of gold which she scat
tiers among thom,like a Prince among the lanzza-
roni in carnival time--and what will become of
heri Stop her mills and factories-her looms
and anvls-oose her ware houses and stores.and
turn her shipping to the harbors OF the south
nil ,rhich things The South can do mhen she wiIs
il, and, as if some sudden Judgment had come
from offended heaven upon her, she will stand
nalsied stricken, shriyeed and starving thing
to move the pity of the world II is the insoencc
of fool for the North to taunt the south with IL
dependence. The South is dependent for moth
ng that il cannot supply The North, by every
law of nature, and every rule of reason, IS the
true dependant. What could she do without the
great staples of the South, her cotton, sugar,
rice. tobacco, &ol If the South were TO with
draw her trade from the North, she can do at
any time, by manufacturing and importing for
herself and compel the North to come to her for
those great necessaries OF life and trade which
she would be obliged to have, and could not pro
cure elsewhere-instantly the apparent relation
of the parties would be changed, and the North
W ould stand before the South cap in hand as
humble and obsequious as any slave $50 much
affected by the Post) before master, It would
be we'll enough for our New York contemporary
and commentator 10 think more Of these things,
and less of the imaginary evils of slavery. The
Post might also,if fond of figures entertain itself
with a calculation of how much richer Virginia
would be, If, like New York, she were to sell all
her slaves aud convert them into capital! Another
theme for the meditation of the Post we would
suggestive: whether if the negro be as mtelli-
gent, apt and industrious Us his northern euiog
list represent, he may not be employed
in manufacturing and mechanics, aud thus
supply the place of northern and European ar
tisans, whom it supposes unwilling to come among
us, because it falsely thinks that here, "hands
hard with toll are the badge of degraded class"
The New York National Democrat seems To
regard the daily execraton of the powers at
Washington the only atonement it can make for
its agency in bringing them into existence
There is vigor and purgenoy and emphasis about
"a. uoaoo+;ons unon the admin stration TINT lcnye