Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1865-02-25
EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENTS.

Maryland The lack of due Diversifica.
tlon Of Labor on the Eastern Shore-The
Navigation interest on s'The Shore'-
The Effect of Slavery upon popular
Education there-The effect OF Eman.
cipation upon the local business OF "The
Shore," &C., &c.
ON THE CHoPTANR,
Dorchester County, Nd, Feb. 10, 1865.
Perhaps there is no region of the United
States OF similar extent wherein there is so little
diyersification OF labor as in the section OF the
Eastern Shore of Maryland. Of which have
written in this series of letters. The entire
county Of Dorchester, with a population of
eighteen thousand souls, does not contain
single mandatory OF any description, above
the grade OF road side wheelwright shop,
though 1t possesses quite as many different
productions that might be manufactured or
otherwise prepared for neighborhood con-
sumption or profitable expectation as any
other section of the Union OF equal extent
This state OF things exists in the counties of
Caroline, Somerset, and Worcester also. So
too, are there fewer mechanics employed in
these four counties than anywhere else within
my knowledge among population as numer-
ous. This is the result of various causes:--of
the influence Of slavery since the settlement of
the country, of the facilities for cheap business
communication with Baltimore and PhiladeI-
phia, and OF the exclusive devotion OF the mass
OF the population to raising corn and wheat
timber getting and schooner building Large
numbers Of schooners were, until recently,
built here; nearly all plying between BaIti-
more and any point on the waters OF the Ohesa.
peake. Though this business of vessel build.
ing is still prosecuted here, the fact that there
are NO riggers, sail makers, ship smiths, &c.
on 1.-The Shore,'' is gradually transferring it to
Baltimore.
Our blacksmithS can shoe horses, sharpen
plows, make bolts and do everything required
ameng population prosecuting agriculture
only, and, that, but after the fashion in which
their grandfathers carried on the same busi.
ness. So, too, are our carpenters for the most
part only capable of executing the toughest
description OF farm and building work There
are, besides, q few shoemakers, tailors, wheel
wrights, tinsmiths and watch repairers on
"The ShoTe.' There the list OF Its mechanics
stops l believe that but single stationary
engine works in Dorchester county (at a saw
milD, while we have no such institution as a
foundry, even, among us. UP to this time
"The Shore' has been great place to emigrate
from. That is to say, very large portion OF
the most enterprising and successful business
men OF Baltimore, including nearly all her
steamboat men, pilots, the produce and wood
dealers located along that city's wharYes, and
those who navigate and man its very large
heet OF coasting vessels are natives Of "The
Shore;' proving that 1t is but necessary for Its
people to rub against the outside world to
become as active and quick at trade and as
successful as the sharpest of those who coming
from the East and elsewhere, make up the
balance Of the business population of Mary
lands commercial emporium, which in enter
prise is not second to any other city in this
ohnr,
farmers of "The Shore" are persons who having
accumulated competencies by "following the
water" have returned to their old homes
and "settled down. Nearly all of them
still own vessels engaged in the Balti.
more trade and continue to prosecute va
oas baaas pDon DnIsness ness operations speculations
tton interest OF the section in which they re-
side. They are emphatically the improvers
here, few others besides having so far come to
comprehend the philosophy Of attempting to
do anything differently from the manner In
which it was done "on The Shore" thirty
years ago. ! state the above facts as illustra-
tive OF the opening that exists in this quarter
for skilled and educated labor in any mechan-
ical calling pursued in any agricultural Sec
tion OF the United States. / believe that any
such business can be followed here sas profit
ably and at less cost for living than any
where else in my knowledge, more especially
where the workman or owner of the small fac
tory combines farming in a small way on his
own account, with his other business; which
is so universally done at the North. Notwith-
standing the facilities for obtaining anything
wanted here from Baltimore or Philadelphia
the delays eccasioned by having to send so
great distance (by mail or otherwise) for al
most everything one on 1.-THE Shore" requires
in the way of mechanical and factory work is
great annoyance and hindrance, only to be
cured by the diversification Of THE Shores'
labor that must soon be q concomit ant of the
northern and eastern emigration that has been
setting hitherward since the adoption of the
States new constitution.
The proportion OF the population of the East
ern Shore unable to read and write is quite as
large as in any other section OF any Southern
State. This deplorable fact is of course the re-
suit Of the influence OF slavery, which, wher-
ever it has prevailed in this country, has op
Grated toprevent the spread of knowledge from
books and letters among those living by the
sweat of their brows, whether white or black.
The late slaveholdera here, as elsewhere, Were
in the habit of buy ing nearly all their supplies
OF every kind in the cities to which they
shipped the products of their estates, buying
almost nothing from country stores surround.
ing them, and as little from country mechanics
So, too have their children been educated either
by private teachers at home, or at academies
located afar off. Though owning most of the
property, they did comparatively nothing for
popular education around them, and the chill
dren OF the white laborers have consequently
been far too frequently left to grow up with
as little education as the children of the slaves.
to educate whom has been regarded here as a
positive crime against the interest and well
being Of society. Turn as one will upon "Ths
Shore" the deplorable effect OF this universal
attribute of the existence of slavery in com.
munity meets the eye Of the observing man.
That is: in the enormous absolute waste one
sees Of sinews and brains, which if stimuIa
ted and trained as wherever thorough pop.
ular education by books and workshops
prevails, would long since have made the