Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1838-11-27
EsGFs ES's'ss.
COMMERCIAL CONVENTION.

MR.. RurFiN's REPORT ON AGRIcuLTuEE.
The Committee on Agriculture, MAKE Inc '"''0"'"g
Report: .,,
The duty assigned to the Committee on Agriculture
was So suddenly and une xpectedy imposed that there
can be little confidence entertained IN ITS being properly
or sccep,ably discharged The performance OF The dnty
is therefore attempted with reluctance; and no eh"f'
would have been made hut for the respect que 10 'he
commands Of this Convention IL Is NOT Una. e"tre a'
not abundant and weghty Materials eoth OF acs anu
of argument for report this SUBJECT, ana wh'cn
,bi demonstrate the importance Of the Improvement
of agriculture 10 the commercial and general interests
Of Virginia and The necessity Tor legislative a'o o'e
asked and granted to promote such Improvement pu'
az your committee instructed and called upon FORM
with 10 act without access to anthorities on
statistics or any other materials that would need refer
encs and examination, they ore scnshie tiat 'ney con
as little do Justice the subject, as eY can nope "
this or any better manner 10 exert influence on the e
,isa,,on nr the State for The benefit of agriculture
Besides these difficulties ynur committee are at some
loss , know the precise kind Of inquiry and labor re-
cuired Of them by the concise and gencta terms
of the resolution which directs the formation and action
of the committee And even they should not mistake
the direction of their duty they by ovssrpphs
its proper limits The interests and the claims OF as'i
culture are even important than any aud all "'hef'
,hs, hi, bIy wi! rndravOr aid but still your com
mitt.e must bear in mind, that the primary ana main
design of this onvennn is To establish he commerce
OF Virginia and that other oh ecs and Interests ,"%:
ever important other aspects should here he treated
as merely subsidiary to- or IN connection WILL e ''"
mercia business and interrs, o! the country
Whntrvsr can he done aid The commerce, The ma
nufscures the canals and railways of the country, IN
Legitimate aud proper manner, VIII operate 10 Increase
the profits aud thereby encourage the improvement OF
agriculture Still truly, because admitting oil no
exception NAV it be affirmed, that whatever will extend
the knowledge, md promote the Improvement oi ag!l
culture will. IN proportion 10 that direct effect pro
duced also act indirectly 10 nprU: The commercial ana
manufacturing Interests OF The c"n"try. Neither oil
these truisms need more than ~ b" announced From
such premises follows that the promotion oi anr!cul
and Improvement proper SUBJECTS
for the notice and favor Of this Convention, as an M
poiant mean for advancing the Interests OF commerce.
the especial object Of the asSe EibIng OF this body And
even This ground thug be tar less important Than
others (Which would be of place II presented here
there would be found sufficient means Tor the Legislature
10 extend agriculture a, fostering care which. by
aud nggard!y policy, has heretofore been re-
fused.
When aid 10 agricultural Improvement was asked at
several of the Ieccn, sessions OF the Legislature q" We.
yinia The claim but ierby sustained hy lis tcUds
and met with neglect or dersIon and contempt from all
others. The former were OF loss 10 determine what
particular measures of relief propose support and
The latter class have deemed 1t sufficient answer TO
rnisappig the old saying VI ia'Sss- nous t"Tc -decar
ing the best Thing for agriculture Is II" let 1t alone
Your committee claim to be as true disciples Of the free
trade scho" Of political economy, as these who inns mis-
apply and abuse this doctrine: and they u'iy concur IN
propriely Of having all pursuits OF industry untram
meed b. Legislative burdens, and unGii,d by Legi:la
tive boun,rcs TO their direction and their own re
wards But agriculture does not want nor have lis ad
vocass asked for any Pccunary or Other support ex
cept for the purpose Of diusing knowledge, and TO IN
cucc aud extend instruction; and this your commit
tee main,ain be Of the few legitimate and proper
subjects for action according to the
most slc, doctrine aud limitation OF sound political
economy II il be pronounced 10 he proper that the
Government should refuse 10 aid IN diuslGg light ana
instruction IN agriculture correct deduction from
the et alone policy, then II is no less necessary that
i, should abandon as matter ct principle aud consIs
tency, the giving Of all any aid 10 primary schools and
tu collrurs the u! literary and
education in general
1t would be more difficult within the bounds
prescribed BY popti-iy To this report, 10 the
friends than the enemies 10 the improvement oil agrIcu
ture BY icrisla,ive action In reply 10 their inquiry
swhat the Legislature do 10 improve agricu!iure
your committee will merely state, general terms that
every means will he useful and profitable, by which
light and knowledge will be dlused; and that other
action, other aid, boon, desirable would be be
uefcaI. Tmre many valuable modes Of diffusng
agricultural knnwl' dye, ;hat the difficulty find
but to chnose among them Boards of agriculture Agri.
cultural Societies, ard premiums, upon suitable aud
ludcious pIan agricultural schools aud experimental
farms, and agricultural publications, each and ALL else.
where have worked admirably TO forward The great end
in view But If no more done al rst by ltuisa-
tive action, than the institution Of board Of agrcul.
tute, as merely an investigating. consulting and advs
ing body, incacuabr benefit might be expected grow
out of this and cheap mode. Such board Of the
system Of furnishing aid should 90 no farher) might
be limited in annual expense to 81 1GU-o1 barely
more than the General Assembly has spent year after
year, merely III The time used for eec,ng an individual
10 the mechanical business OF printing the Jour
nal and d0cuments-ess than the expenses of time and
money caused by each sing elaborate delivered
IN lha body upon federal relations not fourth part
Of the annual expense Of the geological survcyand
perhaps not hundcdi par, OF the money vast, in
every session in useless than useless debate
With these views, and in the earnest hope that the
recommendation of this highly respectable Convention
may have mrre influence on the Legislature than any
previous expressions of opinion, petitions of sepa.
rate or private individuals 10 induce. the commence
mcnt of the great work OF d.flsing agricultural in.
s,ruction and improvement, your committee recon
mend for the adoption Of this Convention the following
resolution
Resorcd the opinion of this Con veniion, That the
Commercial aud general interest of Virginia and North
Carolina as we'll the peculiar interests Of the agricul
ural class require that legislative aid should be gwen
promptly and tfccluaily TO the diffusion of agricultural
instruction and knowledge aud 10 the promotion Of agri
cultural Improvement.
MR.. ANDERSOS'S REPORT on BANKING CAPITAL.
The Committee on Banks submitted the following Re
port:
Al early period when Bank capital in any part
Of The Union small, the Southern States enjoyed
large and profitable import trade They made their
ports directly to foreign markets and IN return imported
whatever they needed of foreign fabrics Then if South
efn staples proposed br purchased foreign
count expectations 10 the States made BY foreign
capitalists the operation not l. now is almost
exclusively through Northern agency bu, IN either case
the intercourse was Immediately and directly with the
South The South did not need any in ermeda,e
intercourse with foreign markets. possessing in the
number and value of her agricultural staples the ele
mens Of foreign trade and in this respect enjoying cd
vsnagrs the North, she was her own factor and
her commercial prosperity, and as that involves an"s,