New-York daily tribune., 1855-08-28

'lreHsi OUT 10 make them accessible and sye;,
able for purposes of commerce, New.York A..
been obliged to construct her State Canal. a.
Other public works at vast ouslsy, while Viz.
ginia had, east OF the Blue Ridge and either ma,
etrated b. nsyigable tide-waters or within e,.v
reach Of them, an extent Of territory very ltd
short OF the whole area of New-Yosk; mar !,
there any part OF Virginia 20 Ii tile inviting IA
settlers, or which remains to this day 90 de.s.
tute of inhabitants as the great northern #" vii.
"deruess" Of Neg. YOrs, forming no incoasider.
able proportion Of its entire surfics. Bat IL tas
unsettled parts of New-York were on the whola
somewhat more fertile, Virginia had and has
a vast ADVANTAGE in coal, minerals aud water.
power. if her peculiar institution had oaly
allowed her to avail herself Of them.
II cur correspondent does not like to compare
the ensre States, he csunot object as we see. to
the comparison OF Long Island, for instance,
with the Northern Neck, or the counties on the
Hudson with those on James River. Suppose
be collects the figures and favors us vita the
results.
He prefers, however, TO compare New York
with Georgia, which increased in the sixty years
preceding 1850 from 81, 900 to 5000, eleven
fold. while NewYork in the same time increased
from $40, GOO TO 3,097, 900, or Only ninefsld.
But "Fair Play" will please to recollect tws
things: first that SIS 81, 900 doubles itself great
deal easier than 340, 600, new State increases,
under our emigrsting system, with far greater
ease from So, 600 to 100000 than il does from
9C6, 900 10 3,OJ7 OOO; and secondly, that Georgia
has an area considerably larger shsn that Of Neg
York, SO that, after all the rate Of increase PER
square mile has been far greater in NeE-York
than in Georgia.
The same consideration applies with vastly
greater force to the proposed comparison of
Virginia with Massachusetts. Massachusetts,
has an area nine or ten times smaller than that
Of Virginia, which (taken 10 connection with
the fact that in the sixty years preceding 1859
she has increased her population 23O per ceAt,
while Virginia has increased only 200 per cent?
shows the operation in Massachusetts, Of some
powerful means of attracting, retaining and sus-
tanning popu alton which Virginia does not pos.
sess. Bot in what singe particular has Msssa-
chusetts any advantage over Virginia, except 10
the freedom of her population and the natural
results of that freedom' Two hundred years
ego Virginia writer, in contrasting the soil,
climate, products and prospects of Virginia and
Massac chusetts, compared the one to fertile Eu-
gland and the other TO barren Scotland. Tho ex-
istipg state Of things does not bear out that
writer's snticipatiOns, who failed, indeed, ia
looking into the future, to take into account the
drawback of Slavery.
The last comparison which "Fair Play" pro-
poses is that of South Carolina with Connecti-
cut. In sixty years, fro 1870 to 1850, Con-
necticut failed to double its population, whereas
in the same period South Carolina nearly tripled
hers. But, then, South Carolina has an area
more than six times that Of Connecticut Sixty
years age a large part Of South Carolina had
never been occupied, whereas Connecticut has
not had for all that period single township
open to new settlers. But in order fully to un-
derstand the social forces respectively at werk
in Connecticut and South Carolina, let US look
little closer into the matter. Connecticut, in
common with the whole OF New England, is at
this moment increasing in wealth snd popula-
ton more rapidly than ever before. Her in
crease from lei0 to 1850 was much greater than
in any previous ten years, aud the same causes
that produced that increase still operate. Her
manufactures, in the variety, ingenuity ead
finish of which she surpasses every State in the
Union, are constantly extending and improving,
while her sgri culture, though that is far from
being her main resource, improves at the same
time. How is it in South Carolina We cut
the following answer from an exchange paper
that happens to be lying on our table;
"Ihe Agricultural Convention of South Carolina,
recently in session at Columbs in ts address presents
dshe atening picture of the Agricultural interests OF
the State. The Committee who originated the report
says: 'YOar Committee would earnestly bring to tne
attention Of the Convention the mournful fact that
the ierest heretofore taken by citizens in Agr-
cultural Improvement has become stationary tnat
our old fields are enlsrgiDg, our homesends ha'e
been decreasing fearuly In numbers, and our ener-
getic sone are annually seeking the nch and iertLe
lends of the Southwest, upon which they imagina
that treble the amount OF prOats cal be made upon
caeita than upon our own soil. Nor is this oil. we
are net only losing some OF our most energetic and
usefu citizens, to supply the bone and SINE oil o,ner
S.aes but Ue losing our Stare P2pHi6t'oH, r'cN
is the true veGlh ofhhe State Our stocks Of hogs;
horses mules and cattle are diminishing IN SIZE end
decreasing in lumber and our purses are Dehg
strained for the last cent to supply er places i1
TIE North western States The ChdrLesoa Standur@
admits the existence Of all the evils enumerated, out
thinks that the nferioriiy of the State is much more
apparent than real and far as it has had any exist.
e1ce resulted from causes hitherto and at present De
yond coutre The elements of solid end controlling
prosperity II claims still remain 10 the state, unae-
stro5ed, and powerful for future Advancement
We fully agree with The Charleston S'drsa'a
that South Carolina has sill the elements OF
:" solid and controlling prosperity Let her gee
rid of the incubus of Slavery and no doubt $40
.La D. ga abe