The Sun.
London, England, 1855-09-29 00:00:00

On Wednesday the annual meeting of the Royal Bu
Agricultural Association was held at Aylesbury. Thilir
proceedings of the day commenced with a ploughing --
match at Crown Leys, in the immediate vicinity of the
town, on the property of Messrs. Parrott. Fourteen
teams were entered for general competition, in addition
to two lads' teams for the prize given by Mr. Dupre,
one of the members for the county. The ploughing was
pronounced by the judges to be highly creditable to the
competitors, and the exhibition was witnessed by a
large number of the gentry and yeomanry of the county.
In the afternoon prizes to the amount of nearly 501.,
including three given by Mr. Disraeli, M.P., were
awarded to agricultural labourers and farm servants for
having brought up large families without parochial relief,
for length of service, and for general iadustry, sobriety,
and good conduct.
The society's coat and buttons, of the value of 21.,
were awarded to four farm servants who had served their
masters with fidelity for the greatest number of years.
The members and their friends afterwards dined toge-
ther at the George Inn, under the presidency of Mr.
William Lowndes, of the Bury, Chesham, supported by
the Right Hon. Mr. Disraeli, Sir Harry Verney, Mr.
T. T. Barnard, and other gentlemen of the county.
After the usual loyal toasts had been given and re-
sponded to'
The Rev. E. N. YOUNG, Deputy-Lieutenant of the
County, on returning thanks for " The Bishop and
Clergy of the Diocese,', expressed his regret that there
was no other clergyman present to reply to the toast.
Living as the clergy for the most part did among the
people, it was impossible for them not to feel and recog-
nise the salutary influences of such societies. It had
been said that agricultural associations, or rather the
giving away prizes, had, if not a demoralising, a de-
grading effect upon the labourers. He, for one, did not,.
hold that opinion, and he could not see anything either
in the distribution of the prizes or in the annual dinner
afterwards which could prevent either the clergy or
country gentlemen from taking part in those demon-
strations. It was true that the excitement of politics
had passed away, and that there was no inducement of
that kind to draw a better attendance ; but he must
say he felt disappointed to find that the chairman had
only Hobson's choice when he called upon him to return
thanks for the clergy of the diocese. (Cheers.)
Mr. BERNARD proposed "The Health of the Members
of the County," and stated the pleasure he felt at the
presence of their distinguished representative, Mr. Dis-
raeli, on that occasion. (Cheers.) He (Mr. Bernard) was
intimately acquainted with all the members for the
county, but for Mr. Disraeli he might say the right hon.
gintlemati had already shown a deep interest in the sno.
cess of the society, and had felt it a duty to be present
at all its anniversaries, except on occasions when public:
business demanded his presence elsewhere. (Cheers.)
Mr. DISRAELI, on rising to respond to the compli-
ment, wis enthusiastically cheered. The right hon.
gentleman said:—Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen,—l beg
to return you, upon the part of my colleagues, Mr.
Dupre and Mr. Cavendish, as well as of myself, what I
am sure must be their feelings when they are told of
the kind and handsome manner in which you have re-
ceived the toast, their cordial and grateful thanks for
the sentiment which you have exhibited this day on their
names &ling mentioned. (Hear.) Gentlemen, I can
truly say that, although circumstances have prevented
them from being present here to-day, there is no occa-
sion, when a regard for your interests or rights will
demand their presence, that they will be found want-
ing in their duty to their constituents. (Hear, hear.)
I myself take great interest in these societies, because I
think I may remind my kind friend who proposed my
health to-day that we were present on the first anni-
versary Which celebrated its institution. Now, these
societies, as my friend Mr. Young has mentioned,
have sometimes been subjected to ridicule; and
I hardly 'know anything in a country remarkable for its
freedom of speech, as well as for everything else, which
has not tt times been subject to observations of a depre-
ciating c erecter. But these societies, notwithstanding
those remarks of ridicule, which are generally made by
those who are not acquainted with the subject, and have
no personal experience of their bearing and infltience—
these societies, I say, have continued to flourish, and the
one of which we are members counts, I believe, a quarter
of a century of existence. (Hear, hear.) I never my-
self could discover any valid ground for these charges
and sneers that are sometimes indulged in. Now, with
respect to the instance mentioned by my friend Mr.
Young, who said that it was held as degrading to a
labourer, to be called up to receive a special reward for
his services, it appears to me to have very little founda-
tion in reason. I read in the newspapers the other day
that one of the ambassadors of her Majesty appeared in
a very interesting scene—l allude to the Crimea—and
called together half-a-dozen general officers who had pre-
eminentfr distinguished themselves in order to confer
upon trm, by command of her Majesty, a decoration
to expr ss a public sense of their public services.
But wet would not say that it was more degrading
for th e general officers to have come forward
and re ived the public expression of the value of
their se vices than for the peasants of the country who
had sh n their integrity and ability in their vocation
to have w
come forward publicly to receive the respects and
marks f regard of those present on an occasion like this.
(Cheers) It is quite unnecessary for me to trouble you
With a y arguments on this head, because every one
present must know from his own practical experience
the benficial influences of these institutions. I think
there his been a very great error on the part of those
who made comments upon the influences of these socie-
ties in Laving an idea that they are scientific institutions ;
whereas the fact is they are social institutions. We do
not pretend to make any scientific discoveries, nor do
weeeruppoec, in our limited and contracted sphere, that
we can revolutionise the agriculture of the country.
Such aro not out' objects, but our aim is to cherish and
encourage good feeling and brotherhood among the
various classes of the community—an object which we
believe to be highly important to the general welfare of
the country. In my opinion, these societies have been
eminently successful in this respect, and lam certain, as
you all must be, that this association has in its peculiar
sphere exercised a very beneficial effect upon the feelings of
the labouring classes of the district. If this be our convic-
tion. I am quite persuaded that the Royal Bucks Agricul-
tural Association will sustain itself with credit and influ-
ence. I quite agree in all that has fallen from my rev.
and most respected friend, Mr. Young, with regard to
the absence of the clergy to-day ; but I think we are
very much indebted to the clergy of this county for the
spirit in which they have supported this society on vari-
ous occasions. I attribute their absence to-day to acci-
dent ; but you know we can find a sufficient excuse by
all agreeing—clergy, farmers, and country gentlemen—
to be present next year, and by using our influence
among our friends to induce them to become members of
the society. Gentlemen, allow me again to thank you
for the honour you have done my hon. colleagues and
myself, and to drink success to our future efforts. I
trust that the Royal Bucks Agricultural Association may
long flourish, and continuo to exercise its beneficial influ-
ence over the society of which we are members. (Cheers.)
Sir H. VERNEY, who was cordially welcomed, said be
was privileged to propose a toast which he was sure
would meet with the hearty concurrence of the company,
—it was "The health of the President of the day."
(Cheers.) It had been truly observed that the welfare
of the agriculturist had been overlooked in these days,
when so much had been done to improve the condition of
the working men in large towns. The importance of
the promotion of agriculture could never be overrated.
The increased amount of food in the country, the gene-
ral health and well-being of all classes, the amount of
employment, with fair remuneration, to the artisan and
labourer, and a fair amount of work given in return,
better cottages foLehe poor, better medical treatment—
these and everything that could improve the condition
of the community were in a great degree promoted and
maintained by the advance of agriculture and the ame-
lioration of the agricultural classes. (Cheers.) For his
own part, he would be very happy if the time had arrived
when there would be one general association for the pro-
motion of agriculture in the county of Buckingham.
(Hear, hear.) There was no other county in the king-
dom which was better calculated to take the lead in all
matters connected with agriculture. It was peculiarly
an agricultural county. It could not, like other coun-
ties, boast of manufactures, but lying, as it did, between
the manufacturing districts and the metropolis, there
was no reason why it should not be the centre of agri-
culture, or why Aylesbury should not be a central de-
pot for supplying the metropolis with food. (Hear,
hear.) If they had a railway passing from one part of
the county to the other Aylesbury would become a
town of considerable importance, and the beautiful val-
ley which bore its name would soon become studded
with the elegant villas of the citizens of London.
(Cheers.) On the Chiltern hills they had an inexhaus-
tible supply of the manure best adapted for clay dis-
tricts, hut unfortunately they had no railway for the
export of the chalk with which a portion of their county
abounded. The London and Birmingham Railway was
already over• crowded with traffic, and the directors of
the company did not, he was sorry to say, pay as much
attention to the wants of the agricultural districts as
they deserved. He hoped that the agricultural districts
of Buckinghamshire would not lose sight of the necee-
sity of a railway from Banbury to Aylesbury. Such an
undertaking would be of the utmost importance in an
agricultural point of view, and there could be no doubt
that it would prove of great benefit to the localitiera
highly remunerative to those who might be ereeage° 11.1
culture to which he wished to direct their attention,and
it. There was another point in connection
that was the costly and tedious process necessary for the_
transfer of landed property. From the, present state of
the law it would appear that it was desirable to throw
obstacles in the way of the sale of land ; but it was
evident advantage of
evident that it would be greatly to
he chea and easy
agriculture if facilities were given for t p
transfer of landed property. (Hear, hear.) .
edged the compliment.
The CHAIRMAN briefly acknowl .
of Buckingham, ' g the chairman read a letter
with agri-
culture
In the course of the evening
from the noble President of the Association, the Duke
attend its anniversary meeting on this occasion, and
looked forward with pleasure to the
stating that be .
be able to
in preside over their
time when he should again apologising for his grace's inability to
festivities.
did not separate until a late hour.
Several complimentary toasts followed, and the com-
pany

A law has been passed in California for the due ob-
servance of the Sabbath, and the proprietors of circuses
and gambling dens readily succumb, and advertise that
they shall do everything according " to law and order."
A CENTENABIAN.-A master mason, named Ogar, has
just died at Epinal (Vosges) m his hundreth year. Up
to the moment of his death he was in possession of
all his faculties, both mental and bodily. He perfectly
recollected the reign of Louis XV. ; and, though in
easy circumstances, he used, within a year before his
death, to go daily to a wood at a kilometre's distance
l from his dwelling to make himself a feggot.