Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1855-11-14
Judge Rufin's Address-Extracts.

d1 tue ldCo IdlI, euCITe, We nave OliPPOu
from it several extracts which will be found !"
worthy of an attentive perusal. The first Il
portion presents faithful and pleasing por- = !,
traiture Of the advantages of soil and eli =
mate which the people of our State enjoy !: :,
sThe profits and the comforts of agricul- y =
ture depend mainly on climate, soil, J. labor, /
and the facilities.for dispcs.ng of surplnses |.
of production. The two first, climate and !;
i soil, should be congenial to products re
quisite for the sustenance Of the hhsband-
man himself, and in demand for others who ,
cannot produce for themselves In both .
points North Carolina is highly blessed
In her position on the globe she occupies
that temperate and happy mean, which is
conducive to health and the vigorous exer
ton of the faculties and energies of body
and mind, in employments tending more
than all others to the hospitalities and
charities of life and the other virtues Of
the heart, and which constitutes climate
that, in unison with her fertile soil, yields /
abundantly to the diligent tiller nearly all
the necessaries and many of the iuxuries
required by man. We do not work barely
to maintain life but, beyond that to realise
gains that may be employed in the addition
of other things productive Of the elevation
and refinement of civilized man. Our win
ters, by their duration and rigor, do not
con6ne US long within doors, nor cause us
to consume the productions of our labor
during the other parts of the year but we
are able to prosecute our field operations
and comfortably pursue our productive en-
ployments, throughout the four seasons
Though not Of such extent of latitude as
thereby to create much variety of climate,
and consequently Of production yet, the
dimensions of North Carolina cast and west
supply that deficiency in remarkable de-
gree. The proximity to the ocean of her
eastern coast, and the difference in elevation
between that and the mountains of the
west, with the gradations in the intermedi-
ate regions, produce diversity of genial
climate which gives to North Carolina, in
herself, the advantages Of many countries
conformity. By nature, too, her soil was
as diversified and as excellent as her climate.
The rich alluvial of the east, the extended
and extremely fertile vallies of the many
long streams-the Roanoke, the Tar, the
Neuse, the Cape Fear, the Yadkin and Pee
dee, the Catawba, and other rivers, which
appear upon the map, besides those fsmal
ler streams, almost numberless all, at {
moderate expense of care and labor, return
large yields of nearly every grain and othel
production fit for food. Rice, maize
wheat, rye, barley, oats, the pea, the pota
to of each kind, besides an endless variety
e of other sorts, vegetables, and fruits, ar,
Y found abundantly therein; while highe
o up the country, in addition, the grasse
\ grow SO readily and luxuriantly as to affort
not little plots on the moist bottoms o
brooks, but extensive pastures and magni
d fcent meadows to the mountain tops Their
there are the great articles Of cotton an
10 tobacco, so extensively used and in sue
great and increasing demand-to one Q
- the other of which the greater part of th
State is eminontly suited. OF fruits, me
- ons Of every kind and Of the best qualitie
;. apples, peaches, pears, cherries, nectarint
70 and apricots flourish almost everywhere, F.;
~ ;, do also the smaller, but most valuable kind
: as the strawberry, the raspberry, goosebe
~ ry, currants, and, above all, our natl,
y grapes, the sweet and prolific Scuppernor
Il and the rich Catawba, which mature wei
- besides some of foreign origin. When
~ these are added the fish, with which OF
eastern waters abound through the yea
but alive in the spring-our naval stor
and lumber, our marls, our minerals, gol
silver, copper, and especially the extensi
and rich deposits of iron ore, and the coal
one may confidently ask, is there any 9th
81 country which contains or produces me
or greater diversity of things to susta
,p- life or to bring money? And then let I
enquire Of you, North Carolinians, VIII
na better country do you want than your Owl
al cd holG it is good enough-too good, 9
for tempted to say, for sinful man. It requil
in only to be dressed and titled to give ne
i've ly all we want ON earth, and much for Q
fellow man less happily situated. The
ma ma may at some time be. a stint below our
10y ual abundance; but We need never fear
,n,- famine here while we work. Indeed, tt
em. calamity can hardly befall country whe
and maize-which we call Indian corn-gro
the to perfection. There is no record of
use dearth, approaching famine, where
Ihe m principal crop was maize, as it is here.
NJ VI Our climate and soil are so congenial
ont the other cereals, that failure of that G.
pre- from an unpropitious season is necessal
ties. perceived In time to pro vide the others,
8 of some of them, as a substitute.
-f,, for Judge R. next proceeds to discuss
of character of the labor we employ, and
in course, incidentally, of the relation of n
ter and slave, and its bearing upon socie
and We commend his calm, Judicial, and tr
1rea h philosophical as well as Christian treatm
= a0N of the subject to the notice and initial
of others:
anu Moderation in the punishment of
TIE pendents is founded in nature; and uni
ISL excessive, and barbaroUs cruelty is not
be presumed, but quite the contrary.
). meek man who led the Israelites thro
the wilderness, and legislated for then
of a inspiration, understood this better
t be- those who paint US SO frightfully, witt
ance knowing much about US. In treatin;
leep. the different degrees of homicide, he
ed to regard to the known motives ofthe hu
eve. heart, and thereon founded the presu
o not ton, that the Staying of slave by the
rest; ter, is by misadventure, 'because he
tened money unless it should be rebuked by
orget excess in the degree OF duration of th
fiction as to make him die under his b