The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-04-29


in what was once the fairest portion of the con-
tinent--stands confessed by the most eminent
writer's of the South. These descriptions of
the decay and desolation of some of the fairest
portions of the sunny South remind us of the
desolsting effects of Slavery upon the rich fields
of classic Italy, in the days of Tberius Grac-
chus, as described by the brilliant and philo-
sophie pen of our Bancroft, in his mastery
article on Roman Slavery.
Turning, Mr.. President, from this contem-
plation of the desolations of Slavery, to the
rugged soil and still more rugged cline of the
free North, we shall see that the farms titled
by free educated men are annually blooming
with fresher and richer verdure; that they
annually wave with larger harvests of the varied
products which find markets in the cities and
villages, which commerce, manufactures, and
the mechanic arts, create, beautify, and adorn.
While the plantations of the South echo the
sound of the lash by which unpaid toll is i'm.
PEELED on in the bfghting process of exhausting
the richest soils, the farms of the free States
are increasing in value, fertility, and beauty ;
they are nursing race of noble and independ
emit men where
1.-THE lowiest farmhouse hearth is graced
With manly hearts, in piety sincere;
Faithful in love, in bonor'stern and ehaste
In friendship warm and lrue, in danger brave
beloved IN HE, and salnted IN the grave.0
There were, Mr.. President, in the year 1850
in the free States, 877, 900 farms, containing
los, 100000 acres, valued at $2,I43, 0O0, 900
being about $50 per acre. The products OF
these farms amounted to more than $3.50, 900 900.
There were, in the slave States, 564, 900 farms,
containing lS0,0O0,000 acres, valued at
$l,ll7,000, 900, being about Sc per acre and
the products of these plantations amounted to
about $500, 100000. The farms of the free
States averaged about l20 acres; the slave
State plantations averaged more than 300
acres. The "a, 600 farms of cold, sterile Mas
sschusetts, averaging 80 acres each, embrace
3,500,000 acres, valued at $3.50 per acre,
amounting to SIP, 100000; the 10000 planta.
tons of South Carolina, averaging $40 acres
each, embrace 100000 of acres, valued at
$5.08 per acre, amounting to $82, 600, 600. The
farms of the free States are cultivated by
$500 900 persons, and yield production of near
ly So per acre, and more than $500 per head to
each person; the plantations of the slave States
are titled by more than 1880, 900 persons and
they yield production of less than 81 per acre,
and less than 5000 per head to each person.
Turning, Mr.. President, from the agriculture
of the two sections, let MS glance at the manu-.
features. Here the superiority of the North
stands confessed. In 1850, the North had
"a 900 establishments $3.50, 100000 of capital
invested $465, 200, 900 of raw material were
used; 780, 900 persons employed; $l96, 900, coo
were paid for labor; and $842,0O0, 900 were
produced. The South had only $4,000 es-
Establishments, $95,000,000 of capital; used
$50 600, 900 of raw material; employed l6 900
persons; paid $33 ,000,0 for labor; and pro-
duced $l65, 100000. Massachusetts had $500
$83,0O0,00O of capital; used
$50, 700, 900 of raw material; employed l65, 900
persons Iaid $4,000, 900 for labor and pro.
duced $l5l, 10000 South Carolina had only
l 400 establishments 1000, 900 capital; used
81 100000 of raw material employed $4,000
persons; paid $2,300,000 for labor and pro.
duced $9, 100000. The wages of women are
higher in the cotton-mills of Massachusetts than
the wages of men in the iron works of South
Carolina. The productive industry of Massa
chusetts, in manufactures and the mechanic
arts, have increased immensely since 1850. 1t
now averages $3.50 per head the productive
industry of South Carolina, according to De
Bow, is $62 per head.
De Bow estimates, Mr.. President, that one.
half of the agricultural products, and all of the
are subjects of commerce. If
this be SO, the value of the products which en-
ter into the commerce of the North is about
81 10000 900; value of products Of the South,
$3.50, 900. The value of the domestic com.
merce of the country is estimated to be six times
larger than the value of the foreign commerce.
The imports and exports of the North amounted
in 1856 to $500, 000,000 the exports and i'm.
ports of the South to $3.50 900. The i'm
ports and exports of the city of New York
amounted to $278,000, 000-more than twice
the value of the imports and exports of the South.
Massachusetts exported and imported in 1855,
$13, 900, 900; South Carolina, Sl4 ,000, 900. The
North had, in 1850, $4,000 persons engaged in
commerce; the South, 10000.
CHANGING at the means of transportation, we
find that the North had, in 1856, 4, $50, 900 tons
of shipping, valued at 1912 200 900; the South,
1885, 900 tons of shipping, valued at $42, 00O, 900.
The North built $4,000 tons in 1855 the
South built $4,000. Massachusetts, had, in that
year, $4,000 tons of shipping, valued at
$48,000,0 00 South Carolina had 60. 600 tons.
valued at So, 00O0 O0 Massachusetts, built 80, 900
tons, valued at 81, 000, 900; South Carolina built
60 tons, valued at $4,000. The North has
IL 600 miles of railroads, costing $500, ZOO, 900
the South 1000, costing $685. 100000. Poor
Massachusetts,, that produces no rice, makes up
no part of King" Cotton, has $55 900, 900 in
vested in railroads within her own borders. to
say nothing of the many millions she has in
vested in other States. She has $50 600 600
of bank capital, and her poor "white slaves
her mud-sils," have $35 OOO, 900 deposited in
her savings banks. Rich South Carolina, with
her rice and her cotton, has invested Sl2 600 600
in railroads; she has $l7, 100000 of bank cap
ital; but, unhappily, we have no statements of
how many millions her well compensated"
unaspiring" laborers have on deposit. Per
haps the Senator from South Carolina can fur.
nish US with those statistics.
From this contrast of the productive industry
and material resources of the two sections which
the Senator from South Carolina put face to
lace" L pass to brief consideration of their
institutions and means of intellectual culture
In the slave States, laws forbid the education of
nearly four millions of her people; in the free
States, laws encourage the education of the
people, and public opinion upholds and enforces
those laws. In 1850, there were 62, 900 schools,
$4,000 teachers, $500, 900 scholars, in the pub
lie schools of the free States; in the slave
States, there were $4,000 schools, Is, 900 teach.
ers, and $50 900 scholars. Massachusetts has
nearly 200 900 scholars in her public schools. at
a cost of 81 100000; South Carolina has 7 900
scholars in her public schools; $4,000 is paid
by the State, and the Governor, in 1853. said
that under the present mode of applying it. it
was the profusion of the prodigal rather than
the Judicious generosity which confers real
benefits" New York has more scholars in
her public schools than all the slave States to.
gether. Ohio has 502,0 scholars in her pub.
schools, supported at an of 81 25O, 600.
Kentucky has 10000 scholars, supported at an
expense of $l46,0OO.
The free States had, in 1850. more than
$4,000 libraries, containing 1000 900 volumes !;
the slave States had 700 libraries, containing
$4,000 volumes. Massachusetts, the land Of
hireling operatives" has 800 libraries, which
contain not less than 100000 volumes-more
Libraries and volumes than all the slave States
combined. The little State of Rhode Island,