The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1819-08-14 00:00:00

WORKINGTON AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.

Weditesaday,Tharsday,and Friday itennight, the Work-
ington Agricultural Society held their Annual Meeting at

Workintnn.
On Wednesday the Society inspected the admirable ma.
■a¢ement of Mr. Ciirwen, the President, at the *boom
farm, and the different experiments that have been made
thereon florin the last year; for the particulars of which

see the President's speech.
On Thursday the ploughing match took...place ; and the
Society viewed the crops on the Schoose farm, and the im-
plements of husbandry, saw the Rock feed with salt, and
viewed the prize cattle.
On Friday there was a sale of cattl • at the School**, and
afterwards the Society dined with the President at Working.
tin Hall. Nearly 400 sat down to dinner.
On the cloth being removed, the following toasts were
drank :
"The King"—" The Prince Regent. and the rest of the
Royal Family"—" Mr. Curwen," three times three.
Mr. Corsica returned thanks.
"The Workington Agricultural Society"—" The Lady
of the Manor, Mrs. Corwen," three limes three—" The
Friends from the Couniies of Northumberland and Dur-
ham, to whom they were so much indebted for the introduc.
lion of the short-horns," three times three.
Mr. Gray, from Northomberland (a native of this county),
returned thanks in no eloquent speech, in the name of the
strangers present from those counties.
" Mr. Henry Cnrwen," three times three.
Mr. H. Curweu returned thanks.
" Mr. Spending, of Mire House"—" The Stewards for the
ensuing year. Colonel Craddock, the Rev. E. Stanley, and
Mr. Charles Parker," three times three.
Mr Stanley reformat thanks in the name of the Stewards.
The Society then adjourned to the asseruhly-room to see
the distrihatiors offing premiums, and the President spoke

nearly as follows:
In calling the attention of the Society to the objects for
which they were associated. he felt it his duty not only to
confine himself In the immediate interests of the agriculture
of the county, bat to bring under their consideration its
state and hearings throtightint the empire. The subject
was one of deep interest to all rank. in the kingdom. In
the present state and temper of the times, he was fully
aware of the dangers of misrepresentation, but he trusted
that he should never he deterred front the honest discharge
of his duty, whatever might be the consequences. The
people of England were enlightened and generous—they
might for a season be misled, but they bail that solid good
sense that they would nut lung continue in error. It was
impossible to contemplate the sufferiogs and privations of
a great proportion of the labouring claws without the
densest commiseration. Greatly did he regret the mea-
sures they hail resorted to fur alleviating their distresses—
mesenres calculated to augment and nut to Icemen the evils
under which they laboured. Whilst be esndenned them,
he could not but pity and compassionate their sufferings.
That there were abuses in the Slate be could not deny, bet
he must confess that on a fair and honest comparison with
any other State in Europe, or elsewhere, who would ex-
change their situation that possessed the means of subsist-
ence in this country? The want of employment might drive
men unto other parts of the globe. This was necessity.
Where free choice remained, who would not be au inhabi-
tant of Great Britain? That the nation was in a most dis-
tressed and calamitous situation, could not be deviled.
That this had arisen from the pressure of taxation was trite.
It was not his intention to enter into any review of past
=nukes; however, he hail (and he heartily rejoiced at it)
differed with those that governed the nation, and been at all
times the friend of pence and economy. It was unavailing
to look bark. Men of all sidee--Whig and Tory, were at
that moment honestly zealous to find a remedy for the evils
under which the country suffered. The difficulty was great,
and they must submit to great and heavy privations. The
good faith of the nation was pledged. Great Fp itaiu maul
never tarnished her character be any want of faith, suit lie
trusted and hoped she never would. To meet the taxes ne-
cessary to discharge the public burdens, it was indispensable
to keep up the price of labour, and of the p►odnetious of
the earth, touch beyond all other countries of Europe. This
ass an evil—doubtless a great and grievous evil, but one
that they had no option, no means of avoiding, but by to-
riming greater distresses and suffering* than even those
under which they at present laboured._ The return of peace
had given security to other nation, and the result of secu-
rity had been the revival of industry. During the war we
manisfactured for Europe; now we were reduced toe share;
and he would ask, couM anyone wish the prosperity even of
his native land to be fouadixl on the misery of oilier coon-
tries? Could we ask that Europe should have it. poisitla.
'Jle and unemployed, in order to zive to us a mono-
poly of trade? With all his prejudices it was weal he
could not bring himself to wish. Ardently be desired that
freedom and happiness might pervade as widely as the
light of heaven, not be the lot 14 all onions He neither
looked for nor hoped that we weld contieue, iu the old
channels at keit, that examinee side of manufacture
we once pueseesed. It behoved us, therefore, to hue-
band our own resources-1w esileneins to improve
every normal means of wealth. Wm. be hoped that
we had great reiouvec., sad that ordh might lie done,
Fortunately the attention tit all loaners of the country was
then called to our situation. The most eislighted inha-
bitants of every kiwi, ise the kingdom were busily employed
in inquiring into the means of giving employment In the
datum, tug classes. The subject was one of iiifinite difficulty.
I.abour was a source of riches infinitely beyond all other.
It hail burn six times more up amount than the whole of the
real property of the empire. The demote!, of labour coedit
be supplied alone by its being merle ;mint's tee. The whole
income of the murky would not feed the working classes

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41 I . autl doe rest averaged alma NI, sorb. .•