The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1855-05-01
The West and the south.

We owe the occupancy OF our western ler-
ritory, its redemption from the savage, AMI ili-
PRODUCTION into the area of productive and fruit
full life, in a great degree, to the heroism Of
Southern mind. The men Of mark in its early
history--Boone, Finley, Simon Kenton, Logan,
Hubbell, Ridley-were all men Of Southern
blood and traising.. They had the instructive
fearlessness, the cheerful selfreiance the indom-
table energy and the passion for romantic achieve
ments, which have always characterized the
South. And hence, they displayed a dauntless-
ness that knighthood never surpassed; courage
sometimes rash enough to BATTLE with fate itself
a1lisregard Of ease and comfort a wild and
exuberant 10Y even in the endurance Of severest
hardships: an inventiveness of means that sci.
ence could scarcely rival ready intelligence
that originated new system Of military tactics
| as well rs novel modes of domestic life.
? Peculiar qualities are necessary to form the
Pioneer and without arrogance, we may declare
that those qualities are native ia the SoutheIrner.
Our Northern brother, devoted to trade, is sup
! plier Of wants. If tire frontiers need cotton
cloth, shoes, hardware, he puts Linn, Lawrence.
Lowell into his wagon and trots to the door OF
the forest cottage. The difference between the
two is, that the Northerner follows the track OF
the Southerner, but the Southerner, follows the
trail of the Indian. :.
About one fourth of our citizens leave the
States of their birth, and settle in other sections
of the Union. Virginia has sent out $4,000 /;
South Carolina, l6s,oOO; North Carolina, 26l,-
900. Among the Northern States Connecticut
and Vermont have contributed the largest share
of their population to inter-emigratioS; their
loss has been about 25 per cent {; South Carolina
has lost SO per cent; North Carolina s.! Per
cent; Virginia 2e per cent. Virgi ginia alone has
sent s5, 1852 to Ohio; 4l,sl9 to Indiana, and
lO,3s7 to Alabama.
We see, then, how Southern mind has been
occupied. For the last fifty years, considerable
proportion of its best energy has been expended
in opening highways in the wilderness, in level
ling vast forests, in furnishing nducement, to
the progress of civilization, in stimulating the
busy workshops of the North, in preaching the
Gospel to the hunter and trapper. What has
been the result! Our .home.forccs are distribu-
ted over so wide a surface ani engaged in the
preparatory forms Of civilization, have been en-
ployed in specific work. 1t is not work to
be computed by arithmetic. 1t is not work
that strikes the eye by its spendor or the i'm
agination by its magnifcence. 1t is not aP
preciated because it is not understood. But
in anv fair estimate of the growth Of country,
place in the forem;st rank Of mighty agencies
ought to be given to the pioneer spirit Of the
Southern States. 1t is this spirit that has re-
produced the history of jamestown and Fly
mouth Rock. 1t has multiplied Elliots, Brain.
ards, Smiths. 1t has impaired new meaning
to Il pluriGus Unnm; and ifthe earlier valor
Of our Revolutionary Fathers gave the stars that
are pictured npon our banners, let itnot be
forgotten, that to Southern patriotism we own
the spreading frrnau, mt in which they now
shine.
Nor must one other thing be forgottoen. The
Northwestern free States, ranging from the great
Lakes and the upper Misspp to the mouth ofthe
Ohio were settled principally by foreigners. They
form about one-third Of the population Of Wis
cousin and Minnesota. A fair estimate would
put persons of foreign birth, who now reside in
Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Ohio and Min
nesota at 100000. But the South has no such
assistance. The FIVE original slave States
Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Car.
olina and Georgia have hav. to reclaim the
Southwest and convertit into fruitful land.
AS a natural result, these States have been
constantly drained. Money and muscle, families
and neighborhoods, have been throwing mighty
tide Of strength, industry apd capital into the
new cotton aud sugar regions. HIS the North
anything to show superior to this transforma-
ton of the wilderness into vast garden!
Southern Times,
Arrcnnrrs or Topn NopTu This GOOD