Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1863-03-25

,asentst;ons are but sad premonitions oil ey 49,
probable destiny. Her precarious anu commer.
ton IA hut too manifest. Her advantage s,n.o
cal mart may be the cniei cauSe pf..od between
;ns;oni6cance in commercial power faceo oet" -
helligerents jealous Of another. and envlous VI as
between conendng capitalists Of both secnons' "nUso
souls are dead to every sound save the cnnAs ~ @
gold that falls into their own Golfers deprived Vi hoe'
now er and right the end of the may ma her oWh
ding and perishipg from prominence and importance
a Hourishing State into poor and weak appenuase VI
the North.
Next to the commerciaE the agricultural status OF
MARYLAND seems to rise impeachment in the way OIL
her connection with the South upon the simple basis oil
the fact that the staples of her so chiefly the pro-
duct Of free white labor, very small portion inueeu
being the product of slave labor. For the proper de-
veopment of her agriculture the advantage oil slave
labor does not exist at all. This is evident from
the significant fact shown by the last census thaI
there has been in all the other of the slavehodns
States more than the usual increase of slaves by pur'
chase aud BIRTH there has been decrease III the soh
nv State of MARYLAND in the ratio OF Se per cent uran
is her principal staple Tobacco holds the proportion Oh
about one tenth the value Of the productions OIL s
s> Grain is the growth of all parts OF the state 10
bacco is grown only in the oWlands and IS found he
neghbor there to many adjoining fields Of wheat eort
rye oats &e Grain is the product OF free white iaoor
tobacco is worked by negroes. The preponderance Of
grain over the production OF tobacco Is so great In tue
aggregate of value to the State as TO render the negro
lAOOr OF the lONlhnuS ntRhIlNc 'hbuS ~HN
tendency seems that negro labor, overshadoWed
by the prepOnderance OF the white, Will soon
cease to be a positive virtue at all M
ryland hence, in addition to her geographl@i
and CONNIE cA positions, they' bear on ths
of Others through her agriculture she may nna
another bar to her connection with the States oil e
COnfederacy.
Independent of the foregoing principal causes ior
fears about Maryland, are many minor reasons wpleh
present themselves only increase those fears mary
land, unlike New England Gulf State, Is neither
wholly agricultural nor wholly manufacturing Her
productive capacities mixed; the pursuits OF her
people various. The professions, mechanics and The
arts commerce. agriculture and manufactures, equally
occupy and divide the attention OF her citizens Ooh-
sequenty the interests of her ope are mixed Interests
Her population toe is mixed the ancient stock having
absorbed much bad blood. Unwedded toa single idea,
unmoved by single interest," like Massachusetts or South
Carolina she must Of course be uncertain. Gould We
bring back the status of Maryland of fifty years ago,
with her merchant princes and her lords OF agriculture,
as she was before peder petty manufacturers and day
laborers polluted her soil with their penurous feet,
then indeed ia spite Of mountains and separating nv
ers in spite of commercial and agricultural hindrances
in spite of euvions and jealous powers might we look
for the patriotism of her native sons united in incps
to assert her rights her sovereignty and independence
or perish in the attempt. Alas we can only witness
the sad spectacle of remnant OF the heroic descen-
dauts of a noble ancestry united and perishng now TO
sustain the principle, but hopeless ever to realize us
blessings" =