their agricultural operations in winter as cer-
tainly, though not as profitably, as in sum-
mer. In addition to all this. oar State has
the advantage of the Chesapeake Bay, the Po-
tomac and other large rivers, which may be
used profitably for travelling and .commercial
purposes. The Susquehanna river flows into
the bead of our great bay, and on its surface
are borne all the wealth and products of Cen-
tral Pennsylvania.
[The hour having expired, the hammer fell.]
Mr. PURNELL. I move that the gentleman
be allowed to proceed for fifteen minutes.
Mr. SCOTT. I do not wish to appear want-
ing in courtesy to the gentleman; but I wish
to say that we passed an order limiting the
debate to an hour. Immediately after the
adoption of that rule, we commenced extend-
ing it, and having begun on the fourth arti-
cle we could not well avoid dicing so. But I
rise to make my protest to extending the time
on this twenty-third article. I think the
speakers should be limited strictly by the
rule. There will be a great many speeches
made; and if we go on extending the time
the debate will he almost interminable.
Mr. PUGH. The reason why I shall vote
for this motion is this: The gentleman from
Talbot county (Mr. Valliant) has not been
one of those members who have occupied
much time in the Convention; and I shall
certainly favor extending the time in this in-
stance, while I shall oppose extending the
time hereafter excepting under similar cir-
cumstances. The gentleman has not hereto-
fore expressed his views at length upon any
subject before us, and I think the Convention
owe him this courtesy.
Mr. SCOTT. If the gentleman would modify
his motion, so as to allow the gentleman to
put a speech, already, prepared, upon the
printed debates, I should have no objection to
it.
The motion of Mr. Purnell was agreed to.
Mr. VALLIANT proceeded:
Now, sir, with all these advantages of cli-
mate, soil, water resources for trade, travel-
ling or manufacturing purposes, coal mines,
copper mines, &c., &c., and though our State
was settled about as early as Massachusetts
and under auspices, quite as favorable, we find
the State of Maryland supporting a popula-
tion, in 1860, of only 515,918 whites, 83,942
free negroes and 87,189 slaves; total 687,049.
Perhaps less than three-fourths of the same
territory in Massachusetts supports a popula-
tion of 1,221,464 whites and 9,602 free ne-
groes; total 1,231,066. In addition to this,
it is to he remembered that the: wealth of
Massachusetts is about two and a half times
the wealth of our State, though in the aggre-
gate of Maryland wealth in 1860 was included
the then estimated value of our negro slaves.
In addition to all this it must be remembered
that the people of Massachusetts, either as a
mass or otherwise, are far more intelligent |
than the people of Maryland, more strenuous
efforts have been made, and successfully made,
for the education of the poor man's child.
The morals of the people of that State are and
have been in a better condition than the morals
of hour people. To sum up—the people
of Massachusetts ere wealthier, more active,
more progressive, more intelligent, more mo-
ral, and in all essential .particulars, a happier
people than we are.
Now, let us compare Kentucky with Ohio.
The former State is considerably older than
the. latter. Her climate and soil are vastly
superior, and in no respect has Ohio any nat-
ural advantages over Kentucky; yet Ohio is
so far in advance of Kentucky, that the
latter State could not, at her present rate of
progress, attain to that same degree of pros-
perity which the former State can boast of, in
the course of the next forty or fifty years, A
man might travel blindfolded down the Ohio
river, and having the bandage suddenly re-
moved from his eyes, without knowing
whether the boat was going up or down the
river, he could tell at a glance which was the
free State and which was the slave State. On
the one side he would see immense tracts of
country called farms or plantations, with lit-
tle shackly old tenements on them called
barns and residences. The residences are
sometimes elegant, but the traveller will too
frequently see a very small farm house on a
very, large farm, and the products of the farm
may be contained in a very small barn. On
the other side of the river, the reverse of this
is true. The products of small farms can only
be contained in large hares. On the one side,
the very aspect of the country indicates le-
thargy, the want of energy, and the presence of
poverty. On the other, the country is not
only most beautifully diversified with hill and
dale, but with small tracts or farms in the
highest state of agricultural improvement;
elegant country seats and villas; beautiful
and thriving towns and cities.
Compare, sir, the South generally with the
North generally, and you will discover even
greater disparities than those which I have
described as existing between the two free
and the two slave States which I have men-
tioned. The soil of Virginia is valued at $8
per acre—that of the States further South at
a less figure. The soil of Rhode island and
Connecticut at from $60 to $100 per acre.
Smaller States in the North support a much
larger population than much larger States in
the South. The people of the North are bet-
ter educated. In Northern States are to be
found. in larger number and better high
schools and colleges', , Churches are more
numerous and better attended. The agricul-
tural condition of the North is as far in. ad-
vance of the South as the South is in advance
of the savage wilds of Patagonia or Kamskatka.
The exports are vastly larger than those
of the South, notwithstanding in the North |
