Columbus Democrat. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 18??-18??, 1841-07-31
on TIE PRACTICABILrTY AND MEANS
OF IMPROVING OUR AGRICULTURE


County, MIS- al Meeting PTsparstoryfo fte
formation Of an agricultural Society, Jply IS,
ISd. ty rR.Sors LrEoH, EsS5 pvblithsi c; the
request cf the Meeting.
GENTLEMEN The object ror which We have
assembled is one Of no ordinary interest. For
the FIRST time in the annals Of our county have
the farmers met 10 adopt measures thai Eeud
promote not only Iheu individual interests. bur ai-
vance the permanent pro sPsriIy OF tie State
That such considerations are worthy an eul,gh
tened community. is readily admitted; ard that
The concerted acton O. intelligence, industry and
economy can obtain lhe object sought. the voice
of regensmled Europe aud America fully attest,
The fact OF our meeting on his occasion, proves
that a change m cur mode of agriculture Is ne.
cessary; fur # those around ne we've satisfied
the system they now pursue could not be lmp,oy-
ed, they would not assemble to hear the Gus
toms they had cherished either questioned OF
assaulted Blu, the desire manifested by the far
| meTs OF LOwndeS to IetraCe past errors, speaks
volumes, as one OF the highest attributes Of cur
nature is developed, when the mind Is pre-
pacd to sacrifice the shrine Of reason the pref.
udlces which spring tom false education
Ia examining subject Of the Importance of
AGRICULTURE, we should not conhne our en-.
qujres 10 raIrow limits but extend their range
to every quarter of The Globe for TRUTH, whtr,
ever found, IL alike the property Of the human
race; and as an enlightened people we should no,
eject an agricultural fact discovered beneath the
lorrld zone, because our lot has been cast IN
more genial clme. Entertaining this view,
shall commence the examination Of this sublec
by tracing the progress Of Agriculture in Eurnpe
where, as science, II received that ,mpuls,
which is now extending as beneficial effect, I,
every part Of the civilized world.
The enquirer after agricultural knowledge i
as,orlshed when examining tie history OF n
past. at finding the degraded position that prac
cal farmers occupied in the scale of society, pre-
vious to The eighteenth century. During N
middle ages and the iron rule ollhe feula baron.
i this class, throughout Europe. we're lnJIe bette
u Than tie Russian seris 81 the present day. Ihos
e who cultivated the sou were looked upon as nte
rior beings; and in England, the word "riIha
winch we now consider II term Of disgrace, was ilr.
used to designate the highest class Of actual ii
lers Of the soil!--lndeed. until The Inst hall Ger
'ury, mankind appeared 10 act on the belief thu
- the only source Of national prosperity lay IN COT
quest and the acquisition Of Territory. Hence "
e ind the most enliah.enedas we'll as tho most barb
i rous nations, cutivatIug the art Of war with ze
l. and aSsdnty worthy OF better cause But mo
e errors ni our ancestors ale TO be attributed TO II
historians OF those ages; Tor these men Who E!
>, erclse SO great influence the rising gener
N hnns. were IN the habit Of throwing around Il
10 deeds OF blood stained tyranis and conqlcrors
tho fascination OF lomance-Nhe, with a few e
cPptons, they allowed the good works Of Il
philosophers, statesmen, phlanIhroplsts and p
pIots OF other days, to sinh into oblivion "unho
Cured and unsung," Like all other evils to Win
the human family are prone, that Of war conta,
IN within itself tho best corrective. After ben
a. scorged by this bane Of society from the earle
ST ages ol The world, mankind al length discover
f. that victories and coBquesls I'D not add 10 I
r true wealth or happiness OF ustions--dd not G
!. courage cvl zalion OF be arls--dd no; feed /
= hungry, or cuthe the naked; bu, that llsdrect IL
eli deney was to degrade man 10 the level OF The byn
Impressed with these truths n lew great mir
~ Of the last century took up Re enqli-y,"IN WIZ
; DID TRUE NATIONAL INTEREST coSsisr!-Th
GU soon discovered the whole supershuclure OF |
~ cety was based on AGRICULTURE. that no m
w. was so high as TO be independent Of this srea,
ar telest; no man so low, as not TO be affected BY
ar prosperity or decline SINCE these truths have be
20 ted upon by governments, the spirit Of war
oI declined and civilization has progressed. VII,
e. DISSOLUTION dwtlt when the s2Irt of desruc
l lid
al influence Of agriculture and the arts, foste
by the spirit Of peace. Thus we find that BY
ion dissemination Of useful knowledge, a compl
his and bloodIess revolution has been affected in
be- policy oil nations, and The asricuur,sts have b.
de raised from tie degraded position That ignora
he' assigned them, TO the most honorable stat
which tho institutions Of enlightened nations
confer.
The prejudces Of farmers against all innc
lion upon their established habits are as old as
rIcuuTe itself. 1t is strange, and yet we se'
bus TO be true, that The more ignorant man il.
''"- more obstinate he pursuesh his ewn peculiar motif
'e the more ready To scotf at and oppose every Il
= o thai Is new. Self Concert aud prelndIce the giea
and Toes to Improvement. are the legitimate ofsp
Of ignorance. And ia proportion TO the wal
= knowledge in community will be the hosl'
Improvement, and the dersion, and even pers
n,a ton, with which all attempts st innovation
r. be met. The HISTORY Of Great Britain affords II
rcer illustrations Of the spirit Of persecution engen
ice ca oy a want OF eoucal'oh' III lne oa'K age
Ben superstition, man who by any improved N
azoo % conIrived 10 grow lager crops than his NJ
bors, VAS supposed to use supernatural meo
and If be escaped persecution as a wizG'd,
- at least shrewdly suspected Of dealings
apower whom ms more pIous neIshbors care
TOR avoided. On the introduction Of hops into
Nil. and. tho city Of London petItIoned against
lbus. use, least they would iniuro The Beer! SIR "
is. Scott informs us tina, Mr.. Fletcher of Sal
er lor Scotland. introduced winnowing machine
x as Holland. in ITO. The use Of which was der