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

The document concludes as follows :

All which the defendant, submitting respectfully to the
consideration of the court, has now only further to say—
That it is not in his power to make the revocation re•
quired of him by the court.
THE REMAINS OF LORD HARDINGE were buried on
Wednesday in the churchyard of the little village of
Fordcomb, near South-park. The foundation stone
of the district church there was laid by Lord Har-
dinge on his return from India, and he was the main
contributor to its building fund. The funeral was
strictly private, its would best accord with the simple
tastes and habits of tho deceased. The usual
heraldic escutcheons were dispensed with, and the
only emblems borne on the pall to mark his rank
were the field-marshal's baton and hat, and the sword
given to him by the Duke of Wellington after the
Peace of Paris in 1815. The body was followed from
the house at South park by some of his nearest rela-
tives, and was met at the church by many gentle.
men of the neighbourhood. and by a few of his most
attached and distinguished friends.

SATURDAY,

AGRICULTURAL MEETINGS.

SEVERAL agricultural meetings have been held within
the last few days. Politics bavo generally been but
slightly alluded to,

THE ANNUAL BUCKS AGRICULTURAL MEEEuro took
place at Buckingham on Tuesday. The leading gentle-
men, having inspected the stock, assembled at the
Town-hall. His Grace the Duke of Buckingham
presided, and, after the usual loyal toasts, proposed
"Prosperity to the Association." His grace paid a high
compliment to the Bucks farmers for their steady and
scientific advance in agriculture :
A glance at the farms themselves was quite sufficient to
enable the most casual observer to see the progress which
had been made and was still making in agriculture. New
machines were daily pressing themselves on their notice,
which enabled them to clear the fields of weeds, to culti.
vete the land, and produce much larger crops than it bad
heretofore borne. In fact, the introduction of farm
machinery had introduced a revolution the ultimate result
of which it was impossible at the present time to prognos-
ticate. Already they saw steam superseding, to some
extent, the labour of horses, and he hoped that before
many years they would see the smoke of the steam plough
issuing from every farmstead in the country. As he bad
before said, the occupation of the farmer was not so en-
grossingly selfish as many people would have them to
suppose. By benefiting himself, be benefited his country
at large, and as pure a patriotism reigned in his heart as
in that of the manufacturer or the merchant. But socie.
ties of this kind were most useful in bringing together
the landlord, the tenant-farmer, and the labourer, and
uniting them in bonds, not by the links of interest, but
affection. He rejoiced that these societies rewarded faith-
ful honest labourers, not only by the small prizes, which
of itself was perhaps of the least consequence, but by the
public recognition of the value of the servant to his em-
ployer. They thus showed the world that there was no
contest between them and the labourer, but that they bore
willing witness to their worth and integrity. God forbid
that they should ever see the day when the labourers of
the country should be forgotten by the tillers of the soil.
It was not his province to enlarge upon these topics, but
this he might say with respect to the farmers themselves,
viz., that he was confident that, by evincing energy, per
and industry, the English farmer would over-
come all his difficulties. At the same time, to enable him
to accomplish this, he must follow the example of others,
taking advantage of every new aid which was placed before
him.

Mr. DISRAELI, in rising to propose the next toast,
was received with loud cheers. He said :
Gentlemen, your noble chairman has just introduced to
you the most important toast of the evening, and there is
this remarkable characteristic in offering such a toast to
your notice—that, though there is no one present who feels
justified in rising to return thanks for the honour con-
ferred upon the society, all of us, being members of the
society, ought to rise to acknowledge the justice of the
observations which our noble chairman has made. I
ought, perhaps, more especially to come forward because
I have the happy recollection that I was one of the original
members of the society twenty four years ago ; but it is
not in that capacity that I venture to obtrude myself upon
your notice. It is to me, and lam sure that it must be to
all of you, a source of great satisfaction that at a moment
of considerable difficulty in the fortunes of this associa-
tion it was steered through a difficult and stormy period
with so much wisdom and discretion that we have at length
arrived at a haven where we can all congratulate ourselves
upon the prosperous and tranquil future which awaits us.
It has been said that nothing is so difficult in lite as a
commencement, and no doubt there is great truth in the
observation ; but, in my mind, there is something much
more difficult in life than to commence, and that is to re-
commence. We had a commencement, and passed through
many years of great prosperity and success, and at length
we were subjected to great cavil, difficulty, and criticism ;
and the time had arrived when we must have coasted to
exist or have recommenced. All who were interested in
the spirit of the age in which we lived could not doubt
that, from a variety of novel circumstances surrounding
us, we were suddenly called upon to reform our constitu-
tion. lam happy to say that the reformation of our
constitution has been successful, and it has been suc-
cessful because we have adopted the only principle
upon which a successful and secure reformation
can be conducted—namely, the principle of carefully
regarding the original principles of the foundation.
Whatever objects we may have at. present—whatever may
be the purposes which we now propose to ourselves, though
some may tauntingly remind us that we have adapted our-
selves too late to the purposes of the present day, and to
objects now recognised as permanent in the institutions of
this country, the fact is, that there is not an object which
we now wish to accomplish—not a purpose which we now
propose to ourselves to achieve, which was not projected
and proposed at the time of our original institution.
In point of fact the Royal Agricultural Association of
Buckinghamshire, instead of being behind the age, was
rather too much in advance of it, and if some critical
observations have in more recent years been made on our
conduct, showing that we were deficient in many require-
ments, the truth is, that we were obliged to relinquish the
objects which we originally proposed to ourselves, because
there was not then that feeling of public necessity which
now fortunately prevails in this country.
I have thought right to make these observations in vindi-
cation of the original purposes of the projectors of this so •
ciety, and there are many persons now present who can bear
witness to the accuracy of my statement. lam myself de-
lighted that by recurring to the prinoiple of our original con-
stitution we have largely increased the sphere of the society.

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
before 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'