Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1839-09-12
MIR. WEBSTER'S SPEECH.

HE hrst trienniai celebration OF the
National AgriculturaiS Society was held a,
Oxford, England. on the 18th July. Earl
Spencer presided. AT the dinner near.
ly 5000 persons sa. down TO sable under
an immense awning. Many good toas,s
and speeches were elected. from among
which we selec, the remarks OF Mr..
Webster.
The Chairman. (Earl Spencer J in
giving the next toast, said they had al
ready drunk the health oil a foreign
minister who was present, but they had |
the honor and advantage Of having a.
mong them other foreigners not employ.
ed III any public capacity. who had
come among them for the purpose of
seeing meeting Of English farmers
such as he b elieved had never been wit.
messed before, but which he hoped might
often be seen again. Among these for.
eigners was one gentleman of most dis>
tinguished character from the United
States Of America, fcheers,) that great
country whose people we were legally
to call foreigners. but who were still our
brethren in blood. cloud chcers)
1t was most gratifying to him that
such man had been present at their
meeting, that he might know what tn.
farmers Of England really were, and be
able to report to his fellow. citizeus the
manner in which they were united
from every class, in promoting their
peaceful and most important objects.
He gave, The health OF MIR. Webster.
and other distinguished strangers.
The toast was received with much an
plause.
Mr.. Webster said the notice which
the noble Earl at the head of the table
had been kind enough to take of him
and the friendly sentiments which he
had seen fit TO express to ard the coun.
try to which he belonged, demanded
his most cordial Acknowledgements. He
should therefore begin by saying how
gra'Ified he had been in having il in his
power to pass one day among the pro.
prIetors, the cultivators, the farmers OF
Old England-(cheers)- that England
OF which he had been reading and con.
rersing all his life, and now for once had
the pleasure of visiting. loud cheers
He would say in the mex, place-if b.
could say-how much he had been
pleased with the exhibition of one pro
duet. OF branch Of product, Of that ae>
Iicuiture for which England was 80 lust
~ distinguished. When persons con.
oected with some pursuit, Of whatever
description, assembled in such numbers.
be could not but look on them with re-
spect and regard; but be confessed at
once that he was more ordinarily moved
on all such occasions, when he saw be-
fore him great assemblage Of those
whose interests, whose hopes, hose Oh
Jscts and pursuits were connected on Ell
Their coDtinet with the cultivation of the
soil. cloud cheers
Whatever else might tend 10 enrich
and beautify society, that which feeds
and clothes comfortably the great mass Of
mankind, should always. he contended,
be regarded as the great foundation Of
national interest. He need not saw that
the agriculture of England was instruc-
tive 10 all the world as science il was
here better understood as an art 1t was
here better practised , as grea, inter>
est 1t was here as highly esteemed as in
any other part of the globe. (Cheers.)
Ibe importance Of agriculture to ma
lion was obvious to every man but il
perhaps did not strike every mind so
suddenly, although certainly it was e.
qnally true, that the annual product OF
English agriculture was great concern
TO the whole civilized world (Cheers J
The civilized and commercial States
were SO connected, their Interests were
so blended, that j, was matter of no,o.
rely, that fear or the prospect OF a short
crop in England deranged and agitatr d
the business transactions and CONNER.
cial regulations and .pecuiaiions Of the
whole world.
1t was natural that this should be tn G
case in those nations " hicf looked TO the
occurrence o. short crop in England,
as an occasion which may enable them
to dispose profitably of their own sur.
plus produce but the fact went much
farther. for when there was such an oc
currence in the English capital, the cen,
tire Of commercial speculations for the
whole world, where the prices Of com,
modities were settled and arranged
where the exchanges between nations
were conducted and concluded, its con
sequences were felt every where, as none
knew better than the noble Earl who oc.