Portland gazette and Maine advertiser., 1818-02-24

years snces We have reason to lament that the
prospect is by no means fatteriug. At the last
mentioned period. this country enioyed an uncom-
mon degree OF prosperity every class Of citizens
were pastakefs 10 blessings flowing from peace and
plenty. But the situation of The farmers were pc
culiarly propitious, They were enabled by the
produce OF their lands and heir incidental occupa
tons 10 maintain their families decentiy pay their
debts and live independent. The wilderness was
rapidly settling by industrious and enterprisng
emigra IS, and we enjoyed sanguine hopes thai
Maine ere long would become a populous and
aOurishing state.
Bat the scene is now reversed. The embarrassed
state Of a considerable part of our yeomanry iswel
known. There are still some, who by their indus
try and attention 10 their agricultural occupations
aud prudent conduct, are TO be f1nnd in easy cir
cumstances-boweve~, 81 large number are immersed
in debt, dispair * of procuring livelihood by The
culture Of their farms and many have removed
and Others are preparing TO remove to part of the
country which they Imagine 70 be more productive
and more favourable TO their pursuits
We would enquire what has been the cause OF
this sudden and unexpected change! Is il owing
to unfavourabIe seasons TO sterity of the soil, TO
the late nterru ption of commerce? Probably it is
owing in some degree to these causes hut we think
II may IN greater measure be attributed to more
Cbvi us reasons
Previous to the first general embargo the price
of real estate was very high, in our opinion much
above its real value. Lumber OF all kinds con-
manded ready cash as well as great price. Bus-
ness being brisk, the people became fond of specu
laion The farmer though possessed of as much
or more land than he could cultivate, ran largely
into debt by making new purchases, Influenced
probably by the consideration that il would contin-
ne TO rise. To meet the demands for expenses thus
incurred, it besame necessary for the buyer 70 er
deeply into the numbering The cultivation of the
farm was of course neglected and the owner relied
on his neighbours or the ma'chants for necessary
supplies of articles of domestick growth, Had the
times continued prosperous to the present day it is
uncertain whether the present state ofthings would
have been realized. The embargo was now laid
and trade suspended. Lumber would scarcely pay
for its transportation every mean of acquiring
any surplus money was closed. and those who had
been fast accumulating property and faDcied they
should soon be rich in goods and stores, now found
their career an end.
AS a natural consequence, the price of land was
Immediately reduced in many instances 50 per
cent or more. Besides as there was but little mo-
ney in circulation and little or no prospect the
times would be better soon, there was no purchas-
ers, and those who had recently bought lands al an
extravagant price could scarcely sell at any rate
Frequent interruption of commerce, war taxes &c.
succeeded and increased The burdens under which
many laboured.
Bat let US dwell no longer on the dark side of the
picture. trust new era in our agricultural
concerns is about commencing Commerce has re-
sumed its wonted activity The cultivation of the
ground begins TO be regarded with additional inter
est The people feel sensible that rural occupations
is condacive 20 the health, as we'll as the morals
of individuals and the COMMUNICATIVE agricu.
ture is the source ofrchesthat all other means of
wealth, such as commerce, abundance of precious
metals, dc. promote the true property of a state
only in proportion as they encourage Agriculture,
which is the most valuable of the arts, as well as
the most solid and most durable basis of plenty and
power A FARMER.
Nelo- Gloucester, Feb g.