The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1843-09-27
AGnGIuA

MIR WEBSTER rose and replied in substance ., fol-
lows; afr. I'resid a. sad GeniIenlsn ! am greatly
Io6ged for the kind monner IN which the President
IL this Society has referred 10 The cireumsa nees Of
our early acquai ance ard intercourse. am proud,
gentlemen, Of such pupil and II lie learned any
thing under my instruction relative TO the profession
! TO which belong, am sure he y fully competent
now Ia pay back the principal with accumulated m
terest from knowledge connected with the present
pursuit to which he and YOU gentlemen are 50 great
ly attached
Gentlemen; Owing, perhaps, in some measure, TO
this early and friendly consideration OF the President
Of your Society and to the general kindness OF all
the persons connects with IT, had the honor 10 be
invited to appear this occasion, to make the an
nual address usual upon the celebption of your an
nyersary IL happened not TO be NJ my power To ac-
cept the tender of this great honor But in declining
! it suggested to my friend that as sometimes had
occasion to visit Western New York, partly To visit
some family come xions and other friends, and rs !
always embraced such an opportunity with The great
est pleasure might be in this region in the course
of the autumn and that if so would endeayor TO ar
range my time so TO be present at the anniversary
of the AgI iculuIral Society. | come, gentlemen, in
the lulhiment of that intimalion come with great
| pleasure nots outstanding the heat OF the weather
and the length of the journey, 10 be present ut this
| great Oh W VIC
raj interests Of this great State lcheers i and
would most gladly, gentlemen, Far as may Ue in my
| pow err do something or say something 10y way u
compensation for the kindness which you have mani
| tested towards me, and as expressing the grateful
| feelings with which l ackUow ledge the honor you
have done in extending TO me this invitation.
| Gentlemen, the occasion is an agricultural occa-
| sion. The topics which have assembled us together
| here agricultural topics. They carry us TO the
consideration OF that great interest Of society, the
| cultivation from which w ourselves
were taken And, gentlemen, J have been struck IN
/ examining The exhibition which has been made TO-
day Of ANIMALS and OF the products and improve
mens Of the mechanical arts, and especially the i'm
provemens In the great science and practice OF ari
cutuie with the vast advantages which agriculture,
IN the the appropriate the word, holds out TO
the great mass of the socetyin which we live The
cultivation OF the earth is MT all of agriculture IN lis
, proper common sense That depends very much
on climate and condition We speak Of agriculture
that great pursuit Of society IN which the great
mass OF men are engaged IN temperate climates and
IN a soil adapted 10 produce the variety OF things
which are useful for food AID the raimenl Of man.
But there Is another cultivation OF the fields, APP
propriate 10 tropical climates, which has received the
usual denomination of the pianfaiion-lhe planting
interest OF society Now gentlemen, what has most
forciDy struck my attertion, suggested by what |
have and heard aud witnessed to-day, is the
vastly superior advantages to individuals and to
ccty OF The truly agricultural over the plantation in
terest desire 10 better txemplifcaton Cf the truth
Of the general sentiment which have advanced than
that suggested by the conparison--if may not
more properly call It etntrast-eXhbited by those
Who cultivate the fields Of Western New York and
those who cultivate equally rich soils which lie be-
meath a tropical sun. j would compare the agrcul-
ture Of Wesiern New York with the plantation nte-
| rest Of the West Indies Now, does any thing ex-
hibt broader conlras, between different pursuits
both dedicated to the cultivation of the land, both
rearing products for human consumplon-than
find between your circles and those found in the
plantation tracts of Cuba jamaica not only as az
lecng individual happiness but as touching the
riches the strength, the order the power the ntell
gence Of human society
The difference appears to be this: Tropical cult
walton, the raising oi sugar rice, cotiee for example
is rather a matter Of commerce than of agriculture.
1t consists mainly in the production Of article
The production of that article depends the ex-
pense incurred for soil and labor, Of that sort appro
pirate TO its cultivation; and this is all oapiial-
Whenever one would ener upon tropical culture he
invest, his capital in the SOIL and, all
well know, portion of II also in labor. 1t be-
comes, therefore, rather OF the nature Of a com
mercial undertaking, than the plain and home
| ", but healthy and benefcent, field cutva-
| ton. The consequence is such philosophc in
quiry would lead to expect One is uncertain,
precarous, changeablc pirtaking of the yicissude,
| of trade and commercial enterprise The other is
home interest, always substantially the sameliable
il is true, 10 those vicisstudes which attach them
| selves to all human concerns, but securing 10 him
who enters upon the cultNa OF his own hands
| compctency-and promising To guard him against the
accidents Of life rs FAR Is possible for the most for
tunate human beings The contrast is evident when
VIC examine carefully the condition of him who
trusts 10 tropical cultWaion-suppose OF coffee He
/ raises thing for sale, md onip, and buys OF
Others every Thing else. lie has commodity to
carry to the market of sale, and twenty TO seek ia
the market of purchase. What is the consequence
OF this state OF things TO his finances his means
Of living, of security and comforti We see al once
that, as he produces bat article and that article
commodity subject to the fluciuating prices of the
! commercial world, depression in its price affects
him through the Uioie erisni of his annual income. IT,
| for example, the price of that article fall 10 per
cent he loses 10 per cent Of his expectations the
loss goes through the who<product lf il rise he is
enriched; Il ii fall he is Impoverished. And there
fore, estates which arc rich to-day may be poor
morrow and no man, not possessed of a vast capital
can rely upon his prupert, for the support and com
! fort Of his family and the education of his children
from year To year.
! Now, contrast with this state Of the farmer of
western New York, or of New England or Of Eng
/ land or any other strictly agricultural society The
/ farmer Of the western part of New York raises a
great variety of articles We have seen by the ex-
hiotions of to-day There j. collected every species
of useful productions, III for human uulrnt MT ami
NAL and vegetable. There are the hceces Of hrs
flpck capable OF being turned TO a great extent into
the production Of raiment for himself and family
IN this rarity, therefore, there is great advantage
lie has the means of securing To himself an indercnd
once and IT is true of an individual as Of a nation
! that, without Independence, no man is man, nor
can he ever be man. LCheers.l 1t is this which
gives him personal respectabi'ity for you will per-
ceye that # be has provisions and 1ece- his table is
supplied, his family TO great extent clothed and
! if prices fall, how far is he affected Onl, on the
ercso Of his productions, which, not needing them
for consumption, he sends to market. Suppose this
excess be ten per cent of his whole product if
prices fall, thea II affects only ten per cent OF his
income, while If II falls upon the tropical plantation
| it runs through his whole product and affects his
whole income. But the farmer who is governed by
the other principle have mentioned, eats, drinks
aud Is clothed without care TO prices lie is his
own consumer. He buys Of himself His best Gus
toner is himself, his wife, aud his healthy children