Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1857-02-27


or North CarolI"a,
On the Presidents Message delivered in the House
of Representatives, Dec. IS, 1856.
The House having under consideration the ques
ton of referring the Presidents Message TO the Com
mittee of the Whole on the state of the Union and
the printing of ten thousand copies thereof
Mr.. Branch said
Mr. Speaker Il feel 10 hesitation in engaging in
this debate because do not think il either unproft
abe or waste of time. do not think we would be
badly occupied If we were only gathering up and ar
ranging the materials for the history of the past
and probably we could rot be better employed than
in defining clearly what issues have been settled by
the people, in order that parties and individuals may
conform their conduct TO the popular verdict do
not think it worth while to inquire why the people
decided as they did decide but ] propose to state
what in my opinion the people did decide, and what
ought to be considered hereafter settled by the
contest
Before proceeding to do so, however, wish to
advert to or two remarks which fell from the
gentleman frCm Indiana, Mr.. Cumback] who ad-
dressed the House yesterday.
AS proof of the deeterious effects Of slavery where
it prevails the gentleman cited the fact, which he
says appears from the census of 1850, that the State
of Georgia has improved and under cultivation but
six millions of acres of land, whilst it has sixteen mil
lions of unimproved. Nature has been bounti-
full to the southern States in many respects, and has
given 10 them much fertile soil but if the State of
Georgia possesses the proportion OF good arabic soil
such as would tempt cultivation, whilst so much
unappopriated land of great fertility is offered by
the Government at no great distance off-as this
statement would seem to indicate, she has a far
greater proportion of good land than any other south
ern or western State with which ] am acquainted.
Much less than one-fourth of land is desirable
for cultivation, and hence population is sparse
This sparseness may entail upon US some dsadvan-
tages but if it has tended TO preserve us from the
crimes tho asms. and the furores which constantly
af1ct the thicky. settled northern States are am
ply compensated for every disadvantage.
| must say also to the gentleman, that if with
slave labor Geolg cultivaes six millions of acres
without slave labor it would not cultivate one mil
lion. Our soil and climate render it certain that
without slave labor entire crops of sugar and rice
and two and half of the three million bales of cot
ton make, would be anniblated And when
they are annihated, VIVA: would remain of the com.
merce, trade, and prosperity of the North We
have the satisfaction to know that when our northern
assailans shall destroy us, they cannot themselves
escape rom the ruins.
The gentleman alleges also that the saveholding
States are behind the non-sRveholding IN railroad
building and other improvements. | have read such
assertions IN newspapers and elsewhere, and seen
them go forth uncontrsdcted; but they shall not go
out from this Hall without being exposed. I hold in
my hand table, prepared by myself from data fur.
nished by the American Almanac, published in Bos-
ton, showing the miles of railroad, the number of
population, and the proportion between the two, in
the Atlantic States 1t does not embrace the north
western States, because their railroads were TO a
large extent, built by the Federal Government out OF
the common property Of The Union, and furnish no
indication OF the wealth enterprise of those States
take those States embraced within the limits of the
original thirteen