The Impending Crisis of the South: How to Meet ItHelper, Hinton Rowan
History
The Impending Crisis of the South: How to Meet It
Helper, Hinton Rowan
Slavery -- United States
Any observant American, from whatever point of the compass he may hail,
who will take the trouble to pass through the Southern markets, both great
and small, as we have done, and inquire where this article, that and the
other came from, will be utterly astonished at the variety and quantity of
Northern agricultural productions kept for sale. And this state of things
is growing worse and worse every year. Exclusively agricultural as the
South is in her industrial pursuits, she is barely able to support her
sparse and degenerate population. Her men and her domestic animals, both
dwarfed into shabby objects of commiseration under the blighting effects
of slavery, are constantly feeding on the multifarious products of
Northern soil. And if the whole truth must be told, we may here add, that
these products, like all other articles of merchandize purchased at the
North, are generally bought on a credit, and, in a great number of
instances, by far too many, never paid for--not, as a general rule,
because the purchasers are dishonest or unwilling to pay, but because they
are impoverished and depressed by the retrogressive and deadening
operations of slavery, that most unprofitable and pernicious institution
under which they live.
To show how well we are sustained in our remarks upon hay and other
special products of the soil, as well as to give circulation to other
facts of equal significance, we quote a single passage from an address by
Paul C. Cameron, before the Agricultural Society of Orange County, North
Carolina. This production is, in the main, so powerfully conceived, so
correct and plausible in its statements and conclusions, and so well
calculated, though, perhaps, not intended, to arouse the old North State
to a sense of her natural greatness and acquired shame, that we could wish
to see it published in pamphlet form, and circulated throughout the length
and breadth of that unfortunate and degraded heritage of slavery. Mr.
Cameron says:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account