The Press. — London, England, 1856-10-04 00:00:00

OCTOBER 4, 1856. One or two things which f observed today struck me as likel greatly to advance the interests of this country, and to lead to considerable beneficial results to the community of which we are all members. One of them was that show of live stock which has to-day for the first time come b e fore our notice. I t is impossible to criticise what we have seen to-day, but, being the first, we ought to look upon it as successful and important. We shall, no doubt, find thst every year the exhibition will increase in interest, value, and importance. The next point which I think this county ought to be congratulated upon is the new law which is now to prevail, by which the annual meetings of the society are to be held at different towns in the county every year. I know no proposition which could have been made which was more likely to bring the county together, and to advance the great objects which the society has determined to achieve. I think I may fairly say—espe cially after the observations of the noble duke—that we have great grounds of congratulation among ourselves in regard to the present position of the society. Twenty four years—nearly a quarter of a century of time—is a great test of the merits both of individuals and of institutions, and there are very few individuals or institutions that for twenty•four years can exist without their conduct being subjected to cavil and criticism, and perhaps justly subject to cavil and criticism ; but the test of excellence, the test of having principles which deserve and demand the syms pathy and respect of mankind, is that at the end of that interval the institution should he found to exist. We see it now not only existing but flourishing, and more than lavishing, because it has a future of great and singular promise. We feel after this interval the county to be in a state of renovation and second birth. Under these cir cumstances it is impossible not to recur in thought and feeling to the individual who has been most intimately connected with the association from its commencement, who was indeed its regenerator, and who presided over it under various fortunes, even after it was generally supposed to be in state almost of decrepitude. I cannot but recol lect being the guest of the noble duke seventeen or eighteen years ago, when the meetings of the society were held at Aylesbury, at a great and important meeting called toge• ther at a period when, in addition to the general feelings on subjects of interest that might have banded us together, there were many other causes which rendered a public life at that time one of considerable interest. After the many years which have elapsed since, it is a source of satisfaction to me to attend a meeting in the Townhall of Buckingham as intelligent, as influential, and far more numerous than that to which I have referred. After a few further remarks in reference to the exer tions which had been made to establish the society, Mr. Disraeli concluded by proposing " The Health of the Chairman." After the health of the noble duke had been drunk, Mr. LOWNDES proposed the healths of " The County Members," • coupling with the toast the name of Mr Disraeli. Mr DISRAELI, after regretting the absence of the lion. Mr. Cavendish and Mr. Dupre, the other county members, said : I will not detain you by expressing, upon the present occasion, any hope that the farmers of England will not cease in that course of energy and of enterprise which has already accomplished such considerable results, and upon the exercise of which alone depends their future prosperity. It is not for me to flatter you with respect to the amount of ability you may possess ; it is not for me to read you lectures on the best mode of cultivating the soil, because many here present know very well that when questions of that kind arise on which public affairs depend, itlis for me to consu't you, and not to instruct you, as to what must necessarily happen. But although I know, OR many of you may know from experience, that the state of agriculture is one that redounds to the honour of this country, and, in my opinion, places the. cultivators of the soil in England beyond those of any other country, still, though this I believe to be a present, and I hope may be a permanent, truth, we should be blind to all the maxims of prudence if we reposed upon the present posi- tion of affairs, and did not feel conscious that it is indi vidual exertion and aggregate enterprise to which we can alone look forward for the maintenance of English supre- macy in this respect. We cannot conceal from ourselves that our soil is now subject to unrestricted competition. The time has passed when we car► enter upon any discus. sion as to the policy or impolicy of such a state of affairs ; but we should be madmen if we shut our eyes to it, and did not resolve to meet it by the only means by which it can be successfully encountered and triumphantly van finished, namely, by a continuance of the energy and enterprise which for years have distinguished the efforts of the farmers of this country. The British cultivator is favoured with a soil which, on the whole, is a fair soil— with a climate which, on the whole, is a favorable climate—and, in addition, he has the blessing to live in a laud where there is a just administration of the law, and the enjoyment of a free constitution. Whatever may be the difficulties he may have to encounter—whatever may ba the burdens he may have to bear—with those advan tiges and with the spirit which they animate and sustain, lie has a right to hope and believe that he can maintain the proud position which he at present occupies. It is, however, only by being conscious not only of the advan tages he possesses, but of the difficulties which he has to meet, that he will prove that he is equal to the occa sion and to the age in which he lives. I am sure that the farmers of the county of Buckingham will not go backward. I am convinced that societies of this kind, administered in such a spirt of wide impartiality, free from any of the mameuvres of party and faction, as in this society, it admirably conducive to such a result. I therefore believe that Buckinghamshire will maintain its character ; I believe that the farmers of Buckinghgtublaro by the el' THE PRESS. ercise of their skill—by the ardour with which they pursue their efforts—by the resolution to have recourse to all legitimate means to stimulate and improve the cultivation of the soil—will remain, as they have long remained, fore- most in their class ; and if that be the case, and if these be my hopes, you may judge of the pride which I feel, and of the spirit which, under all circumstances, animates me when I remember that I have the honour to repre sent you. Several other toasts were proposed and drunk be fore the meeting separated. The CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER attended the RADNORSHIRE AGRICULTURAL MEETING On Wed nesday at Knighton. The right hon. baronet, in re plying to his health, alluded to the report that her Majesty's Government had employed 5,000,0001. to secure the return of Colonel Fremont, as President of the United States. He had only to say that, if the return of that gentleman depended upon the application of such a sum from the Government, he need not be very sanguine about his election. Later in the evening Sir G. C. Lewis proposed " Prosperity to the Association," and, in the course of his speech, alluded to the different position of the country be • tween this year and last. He thought the Treaty of Peace accomplished every object for which the war had been undertaken : This is a matter of fact upon which scarcely any dis- pute can arise, because the objects of the war were authen tically stated at its commencement, and any person may take that statement and the treaty of peace, when he will see that the objects which were announced were accomplished—that more, indeed, than those objects was accomplished. The late war was terminated by a peace in which the terms of the treaty were—l will not say dictated, but at all events prescribed by England and France, acting in concert with Austria. It is a matter of fact that the treaty was founded upon a draught which was prepared by France and England, which was tendered by Austria to Russia in the form of an ultima• tum, and to which Russia assented. We may, therefore, say with truth that the terms of that pacification were prescribed by France and England and accepted by Russia. I think, therefore, we must be satisfied that the Government of this oountry pursued a wise, as I am sure it pursued a humane course, because every man of humanity, every man animated by philanthropic and reli gions feelings, must approve the termination of a fierce and sanguinary contest. No man, I think, will willingly and openly profess the doctrine that war is to be con tinued upon some mere speculative and gambling princi ples, or for the mere chance of gaining some uncertain advantages or the acquisition of military glory. The right hon. baronet proceeded to glance at the prospects of agriculture, congratulating the farmers upon the late bountiful harvest, and expressed his opinion that moderately high prices are better calcu lated than excessive prices to secure the permanent prosperity of agriculture and the other interests of the nation. He enforced the principle of the old Saxon maxim, " Live and let live," not only in its application to this country, but in its larger applies. tion to the world at large, contending that we ought to learn with satisfaction of the prosperity and pro gress of other nations, as thereby they became more likely to be purchasers from England. He then referred at some length to the subject of agricultural statistics, and combated the objections which have been raised to their collection. The Right Hon. VERNON SMITH, M.P., and Mr. A. STAFFORD, M.l'., attended the agricultural meeting at Northampton last week. Mr. VERNON SMITH, in proposing "The Army and Navy," paid high compliments to both services. With respect to the prospects of peace, the right hon. gentleman observed : Ten years ago, if I had had to speak of peace, I should have spoken of it as something likely to be permanent ; but now, as I am afraid, recent events show that that is not likely to be the case. To be forewarned is to be forearmed, and, although we ought not to keep up a war establishment, we ought to maintain &force such as will be capable of securing our position and gratifying our dignity. I hope that no such occasion may arrive. lam not here to suppose any approaching danger or calamity, but to say that it would toe most unwise in this country to disarm herself through fear of an unjust expenditure of the public money. A cautious Chancellor of the Exchequer and a vigilant House of Commons will guard against that, and it will be better for US to have provided such an army and nary than run the risk of being unprotected. Mr. AUGUSTUS STAFFORD, M.P., spoke principally upon the question of agricultural statistics. He said : Let Government bring forward some bill, not inquisi- torial and not compulsory, and there can be no doubt the tenant farmers of this country will give it their hearty ap proval. We do not wise to have to tell when and where any particular lien lays an egg, but we are willing to afford to the country and to Parliament all useful information with regard to the agriculture of the country. In resisting inquisitorial inquiry we are charged with bucolic jealousy by the public press. We can never, I admit, have those nimble wits upon our side on this question, for every person would refuse to make a return cf his private affairs to be given in a blue-book. If we are t 3 be celled jealous for refusing such returns, what man of business, let me ask, would not be jealous? But with regard to the press which has charged us with b.ucolio jealousy, it dues not 945 itself come into court with clean hands. Returns used to be published of the different circulation of the various newspapers, but they have been suppressed because the press solicited that they should be so. Therefore I think that those who have objections to this publicity on their own part are the last who should blame the tenant farmers for not making those returns, which they will reffise to do until the days of the Inquisition return to us. We feel this the more strongly, because it has been urged against us that every pound of cotton that is brought into the country is made known to the public in a return. That is quite true ; but does every manufacturer of cotton make a return to Government of every ound of the material he may buy himself orsupply to ano ther? There is no analogy between the imports of cotton and the returns which that bill required the farmers to make. Agricultural statistics may or may not be useful, but they are no more good to agriculture in Ireland than are the Georgics of Virgil, orthe treatises of Columella, although the farmers may calculate on them the value of their crops and the range of time for bringing them to the market. What would influence us is that we should be enabled to ascertain the quantity of corn brought from all parts of the country, and not have to rely on vague rumours and fallacious returns. What we feel is this—we are not, as a class, to benefit by the returns ; but if the principle be compulsory, and press inquisitorially upon us, we are likely to be harassed, and, therefore, against it we will protest, and desire our representatives to oppose it in Parliament. Before concluding he alluded to an opinion lately ex pressed by Count Montalembert on the peasantry of England : It is no small boast and pride to us, as agriculturists to find that the most intelligent foreigner who has lately visited this country—l mean Count Montalembert, a gentleman separated from us both by country and by creed, states that in the agricultural community of this country is to be found the safest barrier against convul sions and invasion. We may also boast of sending for ward the finest, the strongest—l will not say the bravest— soldiers in the army for the preservation and maintenance of those institutions which we have inherited from our an cestors, and which we will transmit unimpaired to our posterity. The Womorum SOCIETY held its meeting last week at the Town-hall. Sir Edward Conroy in the chair, with Mr. Palmer, M.P., and Lord Barringtor l M.P., present. Lord Barrington was obliged to leavd early. Mr. Palmer responded to " The County Members." He said : The public mind had been so thoroughly absorbed in the recent war that it seemed to feel no interest in any other subject. They had most providentially escaped out of that war, and come to a happy conclusion—he hoped a lasting and an honourable peace. He had no doubt next session a variety of subjects might arise, very likely some of them affecting the agricultural interest. If such should arise, he should consider it his duty to pay every attention to them, and endeavour to take that course which he thought most conducive to the interests of those whom he represented. The LUDLOW AGRICULTURAL ASSOCIATION had its banquet on Saturday. The Hon. It. W. Clive, M.P., and Colonel Percy Herbert, M.P., attended. Speak ing of agricultural statistics, Mr. Clive said : NOG' I am not prepared to say that I do not admit the principle. The prine9le may be good ; the difficulty is in carrying it out so as not to be offensive nor inquisitorial. There is the difficulty. If the machinery could be set to work so as to be satisfactory to all, I believe great good might result from it. But, as I said before, the difficulty is in collecting these statistics, so as not to interfere in a ny way with private affairs- The VALE OF EVESHAX SOCIETY also held its meeting last week, Mr. E. Holland, M.P., Sir Henry Willoughby, M.P., Hon. Colonel Rushout, M.P., and Mr. H. Foley, M.P., attending. The health of the county members being given, the Hon. Colonel Rush out replied briefly, observing that Parliament had done so little during the late session that he was at a loss for a subject on which to address them. Sir H. Willoughby, in responding to the toast of "The Members for the Borough," briefly alluded to the position of the farmer in the present day, exposed to the competition of the world, and which rendered it imperatively necessary that he should use all his energies in the cultivation of the soil, so as success• fully to meet that competition. The proceettings were prolonged for some hours, and practical dis cussions on several agricultural topics took place. The STOWIN THE-WOLD AND CHIPPING NORTON AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY had their show and diluter a few days ago. Colonel North, \I. L'., presided, and Mr. Henley, M.P., spoke. He said : People were very apt to decry the farmers, and to regard them as a class that had made no progress; but any one who remembered what the land formerly produced, what number of sheep was kept and corn grown upon it, would admit that such was not the case, for much had been done by them, and he should like to know of any trade which had developed itself to the same extent. It was true that the manufacturer was enabled to double or treble his City of goods by increasing his number of mills and . but the firmer was confined to the same farm—to the extent of hind—and yet by his energy, enterprise, am he succeeded in increasing to a considerable ext supply of corn, mutton, and other food. The re LI UC UM% his clump d hands, the same Ind skill, ,tent his •F !I was ftlo Al4l