Iowa territorial gazette and advertiser. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa Territory [Iowa]) 1840-1846, 1844-11-23

Of their own special culture, and have
founded and nartured societies for pro-
noting agriculture. For an example Of
the virtues Of private life, l name to you
the farmer Of Westchester county, the pure
and spotless Jay, who assisted to frame
our first treaty of peace, which added Ohio
and the lovely West to our agriculture.
Side by side with him, name the friend
of his youth Robert r. Livingston, the
younger, the enlightened statesman of our
Revolution, whose expansive mind sue
ceeded in negotiating for our country a
world beyond the Mississippi, and gained
access for our flag to the Gulf of Mexico.
Here on the banks Of the Hudson, he is
celebrated as It were BY every steamboat,
and remembered on your farms through his
experimental zeal. On this day be re-
membered the virtues Of Stephen Van
Rensselaer,, who first brought Durham
cattle into this State, and literally diffusea
the breed.
Join with me also in tribute to Mitch
ell, the faithful advocate, and perhaps in
stitutor, of one Of the earliest agricultural
societies; 10 Jesse Buel, who connected
science with fact, taught how the most
barren soil may be made vastly productive,
diifused his acquisitions by the press, and
by life and by preceP was the farmers
friend; [applause, to Willis Gaylord.
whose agricultural essays arc standard au-
thorities, honorable 10 the man and to
the State; 10 lie Roy de Chaumont, who
kept alive an agricultural society in JEFF
fcrson county, when all others had expired,
and gave the impulse to the formation Of
. State society, Of which he was the first
president; to James Wadsworth, for his
skill as cultivator, and still more for his
liberal exertions, pouring out thousands
after thousands at the impulse Of gener-
Gus mind, as from a well spring OF good,
to promote agricultural science in primary
schools, [great cheering. And l should
be wanting on the occasion did not ten
der the expression Of your regard to the
present president Of the State Society, to
the influence of that institution Of which
he is the honored head; to its journal Of
agriculture, TO its annual fairs. But let
me also entreat its friendly wishers to lis
purpose Of establishing an agricultural
school; and to that other more ditfusive Of
introducing through its secretary, scien-
tifc works on agriculture into school Ii
braries. lam happy also % announce that
efforts are now making to constitute, AS it
deserves to be, branch Of instruction in
ono, at least, Of your universities. Loud
cheers.
have named to you some Of the bcne-
factors Of agriculture in New York. Their
benefits endure. The pursuits of the far
mcr bind him at home. Others may cross
continents and over oceans; the farmer must
dwell near the soil which he subdues and
fertilizes.-His fortunes are fixed and inn
movable. The scene Of his youthful labors
is the scene ofhis declining years; he en-
joys his own plantations, and takes his
rest Lenesth his contemporary trees.
But the farmer is not limited to the
narrow circumference Of his own domain;
he stands in relation with all ages and all
climes. Your society has done wisely 10
urge on those who besN the gospel to I'M
taught nations, to study their agriculture,
and report for comparison every variety
Of tillage. All ages and all climes con
tribute TO your Improvement. For you are
gathered the fruits and seed which centu-
ries Of the existence Of the human race
have discovered and rendered usefal.--
Tell me if you can, in what age and in
what land the cereal grasses were first
found to produce bread2 Who taught to
employ the useful cow to furnish food for
man? When was the horse first tanned to
proud obedience? The pear, the apple,
the cherry, where Mere these first i'm
proved from their wilderness in the orig
inal fruit? And whose efforts led the
way in changing the rough skin of the al
mond to the luscious sweetness Of the
peach? All ages have paid their tribute
to your pursuits. And for you the sons Of
science are now securing every heath, and
prairie, aid wilderness, to see if some new
grass lies hidden in an UNEMPLOYED glade;
il some rude stock Of the forests can offer
a new fruit 10 the land Of culture. Fof
you the earth reveals the innumerablc beds
Of mari; its mineral wealth, the gypsum
and the lime, have remained a store for
your use from the days Of creation. For
you Africa and the isles of the Pacific
open their magazines ofguano; for you ole
Ocean heaves up its fertilizipg Weeds
(Great applause:
And as the f,rmer receives aid from
every part Of the material world, so also
his door is open TO all intelligence. VIVA
truth is not welcomed under his roof? T,
what pure and generous feeling does h,
fail to give home? The great poets and
authors Of all times are cherished as Lii
guests. Milton, Shakespeare, and Their
noble peers, cross his threshold Il keel
him company. For him, too, the harp Q
lsrael's minstrel monarch was strung; TO
him the lips Of Isaiah still move, all touched
with fire; [applause. and the apostles .
the new covenant are his daily teachers
No occupation is nearer heaven. The so
cial angel, when he condescentled 10 con
verse with men, broke bread with lius
bandmen beneath the tree. Thus the far
mer's mind is purified and exalted; hi
principles stand firm as your own high
lands; his good deeds flow like self-movin|
waters. Yet in his connection with IL
human race, the farmer never loses hi
patriotism. He loves America--is the de
pository Of her glory, and the guardian I
{ her Freedom. He huiiAa rnonunenis 4