The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1843-05-31
AGRICULTURE.

Ii is a singular fact that one oil the 0'"''s'
whose natural productions (as Senator fies.o"
said) are only ice and granite, ana whose 30" .
perhaps the least favorable 10 agricultural l"o
auctions, has done probably more to encourage
this branch Of industry ihan any other STATE IN
the Union we allude TO Massachusetts. The
Brighton cattle Fairs, as they are called when
every species Of agricultural and mandatory
orodnetjon is annually exhibited, are visited, we
believe, by people from almost every Stale IN Tue
Union. Agricultural and Horticultural SoSle-
ties are established IN almost every county OF the
State and men of the first talents are selected
TO deliver addresses annually before them.
Bounlies are offered by tue State for The en-
enlargement of various productions OF the soil'
and premiums are offered by the Societies Tor
the best productions Of the earth, and the best
articles of manuIactu e. Notwithstanding com
merce and manufactures are the great source oil
wealth in this State, still no branch Of industry
enioys higher favor than that of agriculture.
In sancins over the American Almanac, our
attention was arrested by the singular fact that
gentleman, who had recently died IN that
State, who was bred TO the trade OF silver
smith, upon the capital Of $lO and afterwards
engaged in foreign commerce and accumulated
a fortune of $350,0OO, has left, by his will,
one hall of this sum for The establishment OF an
Agricultural School on his farm, in Roxbury,
and he other half to the Law and DIVINITY
schools of Harvard University, after the deeease
of his widow and two other persons, who ENJOY
the estate during their lives.
One would hardly have thought that this man,
bred m, chanio, but spending most of hi, life
in commercial pursuits, would have thought of
devoting half of his large fortune 10 the agli-
cultural interest. But this shows the prevailing
sentiment of The public in that State. We ought
not 10 omit this mans name, nor forget 10 add a
passage or two in his history.
He was born at Canton, Massachu ,etts, (about
ten miles from Roxbury, where he long resided,)
January, 1912, at tie age OF "a years. AT the
age of Is years, he joined the Revolutionary
army private soldier, and was present at the
battle of Saratoga and Benner's Heights, and at
the surrender OF General Burgoyne. In 1878 he
comm enced business in Dedham, adjoining his
native town, as silversmith, with capital, as
we have remarked amounting only to ten dol
lars He was emnenlly successful in business,
and, in 1892, removed to Boston, where he en-
gagged in foreign commerce, and soon acquired a
large fortune; but, more than twenty years
since, returned to his farm to enjoy it. His
name was Benjamin Bussey.
We present his example for the young and
the old to follow. He has bequealhed the ac-
QUESTIONS Of long life for the pubc-one half
to the education Of the llllers of the SOIL and the
other for the support Of law and order, and the
promotion OF morals and religion. How many
of the wealthy Of Massachusetts, have followed
the example of FraHklIn, and devoted portion
of their tol-won wealth TO the generous purpose
Of improving the condition of their race
Scores, Xix, Benjamin Bussey, have followed
the example OF The great patriot and philosopher
and thus become beneiaclors of mankind. But
one thing we could wish is, that the wealthy
should devote portion Of their surplus means
for public benefactons during their life time,
and not subject their Intentions to be defeat, d,
as they often are, by the ambiguity of their last
will but we very much question the proprieuy
of mans devoting all his estate to the public
10 the disinheriting Of heirs and Disappointing nj
of friends; for we think they have just right
TO expect TO share Literally in his estate and
too large portion of it should never be be-
queathed 10 public purposes. Look at the Gil
rard College-twelve years after his d, ah-stll
unfinished, and the whole tate now in law at
the suit Of his heirs, and they will, probably, re-
cover.