Civilian & telegraph. [volume] (Cumberland, Md.) 1859-1875, 1859-03-31

erary advantages enjoyed by them Of HOME
PRODUCTION. Witness the Jews in the time
Of their Prophets and SeefAwitness GFeoe
and Rome in the time Of their Senators and
Philosophers, Historians and Poets-witness
the modern nations of Europe, abounding in
authors on every subject-7and, lastly, witness
our own country, proud of its untrammelled
PRESS and multiplied publications, but COM
PEELED to obtain its literary and scientific
works from abroad, at an adrdnced price
Whereas it is to the interest of every nation
to make education, as well as the necessaries
of life, cheap, so as to be within the reach of
all.
2. Again, the nationality and independ-
ence of the Southern States, demand a well
regulated Authorship of our own. To be
truly independent, we must have resources
within ourselves and they fully developed.
Dependence upon others, cripples our ener-
gies, checks our progress, and rctards the de-
| velopment Of cur own resources. The lite
rature of one country, conduces no more to
the independence of another, than the wealth
of one man tothe independence Of his neigh
Dor. AS the resources of the South are as
great as those of any other country, we re-
quire an equal amount of intellect, learning,
and science TO draw them out and none can
do this so efficiently as those who are ac-
quainted with the nature, magnitude, and
peculiarities Of Southern want and Southern
resources, who stand on Southern soil, iden-
tilted with Southern interests, and enjoy the
full confidence Of the Southern People.
9. But this subject may he viewed in still
another aspect. The full development of our
intellectual resources is absolutely necessary
to the maintenance of tho "balance of pow
er" between the Northern and Southern por-
tions of this Confederacy. The peace and
prosperity of Europe absolutely depend upon
the proper balance of the political power Of
her contending Sovereigns. Storms, hurri-
canes, and earthquakes, are but efforts oI
nature to restore equilibrium. The whole
universe itself, is kept in equipoise, hy the
equal operation of countervailing forces
Star balances star One system guards an
other and holds it in its place. Destroy the
equilibrium of nature, and the universe itscl
would become n grand wreck. SO let the
North and South be uaequally balanced in
their literary power and Accomplishments,
and the best interests of both will be leopard
ed. An unequa! weight of political strengths
would be no more hazardous to the best in
terest of our country, than the same undue
lpreponderance of literary power 1t is only
through the press that she can resist North
ern encroacbments, and roll back that snrg-
ing tide of fanatcism and political fury which
| threatens to overwhelm us. We must have
cur own authors, for there is no other way
for us to develope our resources, maintain our
independence, secure our just rights, and pre-
serve unsullied, and hand down to posterity
the rich inheritance bequeathed us by our
fore-fathers
4. Southern respectability constitutes an
other element, which enters largely into this
subject. The same reasons which urge upon
us Southean Authorship, in order to promote
our own interest, and own independence, and
TO prevent an undue accumulation of sec
tional power, also bear with still greater
force upon this point. Nations, like indi-
viduals, possess distinctive name and cha
racter, which must be, eat all hazards, re-
spected and maintained. When, a nations
name is disgraced, her glory i tssQishedy har
power crippled, and herinffsfee' 't6sf" pAs
no one can be truly independent who receives
his living from another, SO no one can be
truly respected, who has neither dignity nor
independence of his own. As this is a lite
rary age, no respectability can exist apart
from literature. The most literary nations
are the ones most respected. Those who are
sunken in the depths of Pagan ignorance, no
matter how richly soever arrayed, in the gor-
geous splendors of barbarian magnifcencc,
are scarcely recognized in the catalogue of
nations. Once, the s,cord was the arbitcr of
justice, and determined the claims of natiopal
superiority but now the PEN has usurpcd
its place, and decides the question Of pre-
eminence. If intelligence is to take the lead,
we must have it. If knowledge is power"
we must possess it. If other portions of the
earth have scientific and literary men, wri-
ters and authors, so must we, or lose our re-
spectability and standing, and cringe and bow
before the North, or else knock as miserable
suppliants at the gates of other nations.
| 5. This view of the subject, will be very
! much enhanced, when we remember that
there exists an individuality of national taste,
as well as character, whose demands must be
respected. As there are different tempcra-
lures in different latitudes, and different pro-
ductions in different zones, so there are DIFF
ferent notifications Of literary taste, in geo.
graphical sections. The unseen isothcrrnal
lines, traced both upon sea and land, by the
hand of nature, which marks the habitaton
Of the lower tribes, also marks the mental
taste of man. As the Fauna and Flora of
the South, would not thrive in Northern
clines, so Southern minds cannot be wholly
satisfied with the productions Of Northern
pens. To require. this, would be equally as
| Unreasonable as the exoticism of Southern
plants Northern manners are too cold for
Southern feelings-their notions too specua-
tive-their theories too visionary and fanati-
cal, for the deliberative and cool calculating
genius of the South and withal, there is an
indefnable dissimilarity, which can neither
be corrected nor described. Nature always
provides the best nourishment for all her
creatures, at home, and thus sets an example
for the imitation of man, As every country
| has its own wants peculiar to Itself. which