The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1858-11-02

found to be IN state OF decay, large proportion
Of its inhabitants had disappeared, and wild beasts
roained over what had once been among its best
cultivated districts. Certain anti-slavery writer's
in Europe, seconded by some in this country, have
eontended that this remarkable change to be
attributed to the existence of slavery in the empire
They strangely overlook the fact that this institu
ton existed in all the great States of antiquity so
that such writer's as Aristotle regarded it as
necessary element in every stable, political and
social system. For centuries during the best days
Of the Roman Republic the number of slaves was
computed at three times that of the freemen, while
the manumssions under the later emperors, and af-
ter the times of Constantine, the liberation of all
such slaves as mi ght become christians greatly
diminished their numbers. lfthe question, there
fore, should be narrowed down to this issue, he
would seem to have the advantage who should at
tribute the decay of the Roman empire to the
emancipation OF its slaves. s.@
\ far more Potent cause can be found for this
remarkable change. The provinces of the Repub-
lie were governed by proconsols, praetors, and 9th
er officers, who were seldom held accountable for
their conduct towards those subjected to their
troll 1t was the object Of the Governor to amass
as much wealth as possible, and esteemed great
merit to return with such riches as might enable
him to cxpcnd at Rome large sums for the amuse-
nlent and support of the porulace This was the
high road to favor and political prcferment. The
and more oppressive and grinding, until their
wealth was exhausted. After their ruin was com
plcte Italy itself rcsorted to, and the ngcnui-
ty of the emper5rs was exercised in ir' cntlng
schemes of taxation and modes of cxtortion. As
the system became more and more oppressive, in
dustry was discouraged and idleness rewarded.
Who would labor when the product of his exer-
tons was to be seized and given to the indolcnt
and lazy? The people abandoned the fields, and
A,,ol l-ol o.,l
live on the bounties of the government. The pop
ulation of Rome continued enormously large, on
account of the exl endtures made there, while the
rural districts were wasted and deserted. The
condition Of the Empire rescmbled that Of dying
man, when the diminished vital energies cease to
send the blood to the cxtremties and it returns to-
and is collected about the heart. -
In own day we have similar example pre-
sented by the Ottoman empire, that ''sck man
whose effects hold out such strong temptations to
the avidty Of the greedy and ambitious. It's pro-
vnccs, naturally so fertile, and once prosperous.
have been so long pluRderel by the various func
tionares that have Immediate control of them,
that they are in wasted and dying condition,
while Consantnople is the point Of attraction and
expenditure. t-.-
The immense British corporation which has so
long controlled India and its population of one hun
dred and seventy Millions is draining that country I
petenesS which throws entirely into the shade the
clumsy methods Of plundcr practced hitherto BY
barbarians. The rebellion still prevailing there,
seems to be struggle, it may he on ly death I
struggle, to shake off the gigantic VAMPIRE which
will otherwise draw the last drops Of blood from
the heart of its victim. ..' .a.. .-. ..r.. ~ I'd
The great princi pie, which would deduee from
ali these examples is. that while feeble States may
be ruined by powerful neighbors, who are hostile |
great empires have always been destroyed by their
own governments. a small State is safe from ex-
ternal violence, watch over, and restrain within
due bounds, itsown rulers, but in large ones the
central power great, and its territories SO ex
tensve and remote, that there cannot usually be
sufficient understanding, and concert of action
among the sufferers, to enable them to make cf-
fective opposition In fact where resistance begins
in any section the other portions oft the empire can
generally be used for its suppression, before any
extended organization be Effected It thus has
usually happened, that the oppression Of the gov
ernment has continued and increased until it has /
weakened and destroyed, in great measure, the
country subject to its domination. &c.,. .
Having some years ago attempted to present this |
view | hope now to be excused for repeating it, be-
cause lthink it can be shown that the great danger
to us in the future, is Of this kind TO a !
prosperous system Of Agriculture, then, it may be
assumed that there should exist territory of /
suliciet fertility, with congenal climate, an :
intelligent and energetic race of men, and such /
political and social system will afford security
to industry, and stimulate, rather than repress its
activity. 100. ,.--.. .r.... -.. 81 81. ID. IL
North Carolina has fifty thousand square miles !
Of territory--just about the area of England. But
while England exclusive of Scotland and Wales, !
has population of seventeen millions, North +
Carolina has barely one million. If this differ /
ence is not to continue car ever equal, or even
approximate, the population of England When !.
at Washington, persons paratively strangers to
our State, often have said to me, $50 you are I
from the piney region Of North Carolina" They
sometimes seemed surprised when told them that |
the section from which came was. more remote
from that district covered with pines than WASH
ington City itself, and even less like it in its ex
ternal features. The fact that the principal lines
of travel through our State have been along that I
comparatively narrow belt of level pine forest has
made most persons from abroad suppose that the 4
whole State is of that character. 7a sz2 seag :
1t was in the month of July, 1884, that the
first Europeans who ever touched the shores of
any of the old thirteen States, approached the
coast of North Carolina, under the command of !
Amandas and Barlowe. In the report of Sir
Walter Raleigh, drawn up by the latter, it is said
that two days before they came in sight of the /
land, I'VE snelled so sweet and strong /
smell, as if We had been in the midst of some deli
cate garden, abounding with all kinds of oaorfer-
Gus fowers."s On reaching the land it was' found