The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-07-20 00:00:00

GREAT MEETING IN LIVERPOOL

OF THE

RATA

ROYAL AGRICULTU
SOCIETY OF ENGLAND.

After a political contest throughout the kingdom, now
happily nearly terminated, in which antagonist feelings have
been roused to a degree of excitement which, in some quar-
ters, threatened the very foundations of society, and which
we should hope, for the general weal, will never again be
exhibited,—we hail, with heartfelt delight, the advent of a
meeting, the proceedings of which will furnish a cheering
passage in the records of our country to which all good men
of whatever party will hereafter revert with pride and satis-
faction, demonstrative of eminent improvement in agricul-
ture,—a science, the pursuit of which, though primitive, is
the most valuable to which human energy can be directed,
and which, by the chemical and mechanical appliances of
modern times is calculated, above all others, by increasing
the product of our own soil, and, consequently, with our
increasing population, extending, as it were, our terrestrial
boundaries, to conserve and consolidate our national happi-
ness, security, and independence.
It has been well said by a distinguished writer, that that,
man deserves well of his country who makes two blades of
grass to grow where only one before raised its head; and
how much more then ought we to commend the trium-
phant exertions of those by whose skill and perseverance,
even the heath-covered moor, before scarcely -conscious of
verdure, and the bill side, " with blossomed furze unpro
fitably gay," may be blended with the fertile valley into one
common and prolific garden ! We entertain but a sorry
opinion of the patriotism of the man who would draw upon
foreign states for those articles of consumption which, by a
proper appropriation of the gifts of Providence, he can pro-
duce upon the land of his fathers ; and we shall never yield
to the senseless clamour for unrestricted importation from
abroad, until we have brought into full cultivation every
available spot of ground at home. This we conceive to be
a principle neither invidious nor unjust, but wise and po-
litic ; and we would commend the same spirit, the same
preference of home production in others, as the most bene-
ficial, by its promotion of industrial habits, for the general
family of mankind. It is a feeling, indeed, essentially phi-
losophical, and peculiarly English. The fragrance of the
rose that is plucked at the door of the cottage is sweeter in
odour to the peasant, who has assiduously reared it, amidst
difficulties and discouragements, than if it were culled from
the parterre of the palace : the root which lie has dug from
' his own little garden, is more grateful to his palate than if it
were the purchased product of unknown hands; and the
same argument, though simple, if it be true as applied to
individuals, is equally valid on the broad principle of nation-
ality. What vintage of a sunnier clime can yield a beverage
so refreshing—so health-inspiring —as our own " home-
brewed nut-brown ale." And (we may further inquire),
what foreign pasturage—as witness the present exhibition—
can produce stock to compete with the home-fed beef of old
England ! Truly it may be said, indeed, that whether as
regards the necessaries of life, or the employment to millions
which their production creates, " there is no place like home."
With these impressions, the meeting of the Royal Agri-
cultural Society of England, at our western metropolis of
commerce, is an event of much interest, and gratification,
and will, we doubt not, beget a more just and kindly feeling
towards the rural population, amongst the ultra-advocates of
free trade, than they have for some time exhibited. They will
learn from it, if they be accessible to conviction, that much
as has already been accomplished in the cultivation of the
soil, much more may yet be achieved ; and that we should
cease to be true to ourselves if, by neglecting to husband
well our own resources, discouraging the home producer, we
forward one interest to the ruin of another, and become
thereby dependant upon foreigners for any portion of our
supply of food, beyond an occasional fractional amount in
the rare occurrence of seasons of scarcity. The primary
object of the society is second to none that have hitherto
engaged the attention of man individually or collectively,
and is strictly compatible with the soundest and most un-
deniable principles of philosophy and political economy. It
is, by the encouragement of new and scientific improvements
and discoveries, to bring agriculture to the highest possible
degree of perfection ; in a word, to ensure to the husband-
man the greatest possible amount of the produce of the soil
at the least possible expenditure of capital and labour. A
purpose more beneficial, or more honourable, can scarcely
be found amongst the range of human influences ; and we j
regard its originators with a degree of respect akin to that
universally awarded to the magnanimous Roman senator,
Ciucinnatus, who, when his services were again in requisi-
tion in the guidance of the helm of the state, was found in
unobtrusive retirement following the plough!
The first great meeting of the Agricultural Society was
held at Oxford, in 1837, and the second at Cambridge, in
18-10, both of which were patronised by a vast and influential
body of our agriculturists and others; and the generous
emulation which they excited, extended its beneficial effects
to the most remote, as well as to the proximate districts of
England. The present is the third meeting, and from its
central position, as regards England, Wales, Scotland, and
Ireland, and the facilities of conveyance from every point by
railway and steam-vessels, the attendance of strangers from
distant counties, as well as the immediate locality, is already
greater than that at any former gathering, exceeding, proba-
bly, forty thousand, amongst whom are many of the nobility
and gentlemen of diitinction, with their families, and a vast
concourse of rearers of horses, cattle, &c., growers of corn,
nursery-men, horticulturists, cattle dealers, agricultural im-
plement manufacturers, amateurs, and others interested in
such exhibitions. The proprietors of railways, (particularly
those from the south,) and of steam-boats, coaches, &c.,
have for some days reaped an unusually abundant harvest in
the conveyance hither of passengers, implements, specimens
of grain, roots, plants, and specimens of rare and extraordi-
nary vegetable production ; the principal and even secondary
hotels and inns, and the principal streets, are more than
usually animated and bustling.

Amongst the distinguished strangers we may enumerate
the following :

AT THE AnEintt.—Lord Ducie, Lord Miltown, the
Dean of Team, Sir C. Morgan, Sir John Guise, Sir C. Cuffe,
Messrs. Skerrrur, Tyson, Penrice, MacFarlane, Young,
Barker, Purey, Kinker, Lawton, Cheap, Brown, Gray,lr-
ving, -Scarlett, Palmer, M.P., Pusey, M.P., Knatchbull,
Jaund, Shaw, and Falcon.
AT THE WATERLOO.—GeneraI Swaithworth, Sir R.
George, Messrs. Canna', Weaver, Deighton, Stone, Todd,
Grey, Bless, Proctor, and Ranson.
AT.THE ROYAL HOTEL.—Sir R. Langrish, Captain E. L.
Holsey (Charleston), Captain Ferris (New. York), the Right
Hon. Brown, M.P., Messrs. Robert Stewart, Joseph
Gillis, John Gasgarth, Fishbourne, Maguire, Comporn,
Avonel, Gibson, Joseph Price, W. Phillips, E. B. Warner,
Davis, Willoughby, Yorke, arey, M'Evoy, Slameton, T.
Peterson, Roche, Champion, Waite, Dowles, and Jones,
Mr. O'Connor, family, and servant, Mr. and Mrs. Chadwick
and family, Mr. Mitchell and family, Mr. M'Clelland and
friend, Mr. Arthur Guinness and family, Mr. Mortage and
friend.

AT THE QUEEN'S ARMS.—Richard Swan, Lord St.
John, Colonel Egerton, Rev. W. Egerton, Colonel San-
damon, Colonel Crichton. _ _

AT THE ANGEL.—Lord and Lady Flemming, Messrs.
Adshead, Littlewood, Ashman, Biddle, Hearne, Heath,
Gray, Green. Adkins, Steel, Gabell, Pearce, Garret, Bod-
dington, Whiley, Bright, Passenham, Bolt, Jones, Brether-
ton and friend, Mr. and Mrs. Hart, Mr. and Mrs. Miller
and friend, and Mrs. Ermer. • .

AT THE GRECIAN.—Messrs. Sparling, Suffolk, Cook,
ditto, Crisp, ditto, Thorpe, Newark, Marfleet, Lincolnshire,
Griffin, Peterborough, and Litchfield, Cork.
AT THE NEPTUNE.—Sir S. Lawson, Captain Taylor, of
York, Mr. and Mrs. Clarke and family, Messrs. Aflieck,
Smythies (2), Townsends (2), Richardson, Badsford,
Whyley, Ledger, Parkinson, Smith, Leddenhail, Melzler,
Laidlaw, Stables, Grundy, Lindsay, M`Chine, Mr. and
Mrs. Bury.
AT THE MONKS' FERRY HOTEL.—Mr. Hayter, M.P.,
E. Buller, M.P., P. D. Cooke, Hon. R. Clive, M.P.. J. W.
Childers, M.P., Hon. W. B. Baring, M.P., Mr. Divett,
M.P., W. Miles, M.P., Sir J. Johnston, M.P., G. Legaw,
H. J. Thompson, R. F. Shawe, Wilson Patten, M.P., J.
Villiers Shelly, R. M. Milnes, Mr. Gordon, Mr. Vavasour,
Messrs. Miles, Sir Richard Puleston.
Besides these numbers of the gentry, not only of this and
the adjoining counties, but from different parts of the three
countries forming our United Kingdom, and not a few from
the European Continent, and even from the United States
of America will be present at this truly great national
meeting, in which much interest is excited apart from poli-
tical feeling at home, or national jealousy abroad. To these
latter in particular, and to strangers generally, the immense
and rapid increase of "the good old town," within compa-
ratively a few fleeting years, in splendid streets, public buil-
dings, elegant shops, docks, and other structures, and above
all in its vast mercantile marine, from which it may be said,
no inconsiderable fleet is daily sent forth to prosecute com-
merce in every part of the world, will doubtless form objects
of curiosity and admiration ; and for their guidance in in-
specting them, we furnish in another part of our paper a
brief sketch of a morning ride, or ramble, which will enable
them, within a few spare hours to visit all the " lions" of
this modern Tyre, and its immediate; neighbourhood. We
learn that the Committee of the Lyceum News Room have
passed a resolution to admit :to the room during the week all
members of the Agricultural Association, and the example
will no doubt be followed, not only by the other news rooms,
but by all the public institutions, all of which are well worth
inspection. Meantime, the Theatre Royal, with a talented
company, the Amphitheatre with admirable equestrian en-
tertainments, the Zoological gardens, with a splendid repre-
sentation of the Siege of Acre, Exhibitions of paintings, &c.,
will present attractions for both the grave and the gay ; and
aquatic trips to the opposite shore of the Mersey, or to the
Floating Light, ithyl, or the Nlenai Bridge, will invite those
who have more leisure at command.

At the last monthly meeting of the council of the Royal
Agricultural Society, Captain Challoner submitted a general
programme of the business of the meeting in the daily order
of its occurrence, of which the following is a copy, amended
by the council, yesterday, at their meeting, at the Mechanics'
Institution, with some observations appended by ourselves :