Iowa territorial gazette and advertiser. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa Territory [Iowa]) 1840-1846, 1844-11-23
INGToN, IowA SATURDAY.. NOVEMBER %, 1914.
Sir. nancroft,s Address,

II Fre z
MIR. BancrOft's Address,
Delivered at the Nev York STATE .sgricsl-
turol Fair, Poughkspsis, on Tbsvsday,
September 10, 1874.
Mn. PRESIDENT AND GENTLEMEN
OF THE AGRIcuLruRAL SocIEry:
Farmers Of New York-the hour for the
separation Of this dazzling array Of beauty,
this vast multitude Of men, is at hand.
Fruits richer than ever graced the gardens
Of Pomona paradise Of flowers-needle-
work, the most exact, delicate and even
ingenious farming implements and manu-
features Of all sorts--cloths Of the finest
quality from your own looms in Massa-
chusetts-horses fit to win prizes at
Olympic games-cattle such as never fell
in hecatomb to Jove, and never were
dreamed Of by the highest genius Of the
Dutch painters, all these and more have
arrested our gaze and filed us with won.
der and delight. And now am commits
stoned to summon you, and through you
the population Of this mighty common
wealth to come up and join us, as, under
the auspices of the State, honor and dis
tinction are awarded to agricultural in
dustry and genius.
A spectacle like this around me, Of
culture, order, and the peaceful virtues,
cannot be surpassed in the world. In this
hour, Lushed be the spirit Of party; he is
e .orcised and banished from this enclosure,
which is consccratcd 70 the peaceful tri.
umphs Of the agriculture and the industry
Of New York. [Applause.l We yield
on this occasion TO no narrower senti-
mcn;s than the love Of the country, and Of
collective ma and we invoke the blessed
influence of that universal Providence,
which watches over the seed time and ma
lures the harvest.
The theme for this occasion is the Ag-
riculture of New York. But what need
Of words to speak its praise? Look around
you. The cultivated earth is its own
eulogist. The teeming wealth that gushes
from its bosom-the returns of its industry
in every form, that present themselves in
their abundance and perfection to our
never wearied eyes--are the evidences Of
its magniticence. The trees in you mar.
ket place, aud on your hill tops, are older
than the settlement Of cixilized man in or
America; they are older than the presence
Of the plough on the soil Of New York;
they are witnesses Of the quite recent day,
when your forests stepped down to your
rivers bank, and the glades and pvairies
Of your West were imbued with useless
luXuriance. And behold the change
which little more than two centuries have
wrought; the earth subdued; the forest
glades adorned with the white spires Of
churches ard gleamiag with the light Of
villages, towns nesting in every valley;
crowded cities, competing with the largest
Of the earth-profusely supplied with
every article of food. Aud BY whom Las
thir miracle been wrought? By the far
mcrs of New York.
AS l turn my eyes northward, along the
banks Of the Hudson, my mind reverts to
the memory Of one Of your ancient land
holders, who died before our independence.
Join with me, farmers Of New York, in
recalling the gentle and humane Robert r.
Livingston, the elder, the father Of the
chancellor. His home was in your vicin-
ity; his mind was greatly and firmly,
though not passionately, devoted to your
service. An only son, husband of an only
daughter, father Of those whom the world
will not soon forget; he was of so lovely q
nature that it seemed as il the fragrant at
mosphcre Of spri e, and the melody of its
sweetest birds, and the soitened reflection
in your tranquil river of the grandest
scenes, had blended together and melted
themselves into his soul. Peace to hi:
memory; let il not perish among you. Let
the lines of his monument be refresh
ened and deepened.
eve here cast our eyes round upon the
vast assemblage Of the beauty and manli-
ness of the Empire State, and on many .
lovely check could be seen the moistenine
tear, while the quivering but compressed
lips of these sturdy sons Of the soil, gave
equal token that the eloquent speaker had
touched a chord which vibrated deeply ir
the breasts OF his audience. The deafen-
ing applause having somewhat subsidized
Mr.. b. continued as follows:)
Nor let me limit the achievements o
the farmers of New York to the subjec.
ton and beautiful adornment Of its soil
The great works of internal termination
making this State a wonder to the world
were commenced by the enterprise ofyour'
selves, were undertaken when farmer.
held power. Call 10 mind the immens,
structures which make this State the as
constituent of the world; its channels fol
inward communication carried upwards Il
the waters Of the st. Lawrence, stepping
aside to the Ontario, and united at tn
northwest with the illimitable wilderness
Of our inland seas; and then join me il
paying tribute to those who were the ser
wants Of the public mind in commencing
this gigantic system. TO De Wit Clinton
whose capacious mind grasped in adsanc
the sum Of infinite benetits--whose ener
getic, vehement and commanding will, wa
TO the enterprise like powerful mil
stream, as it dashes on an overshot whee
Of vast dimensions. Applause.l T
Van Buren,, who, when the bill for III
construction of the canal had almost beel
abandoned by its earliest friends, put fort
those noble spirited well remembered ex
ertions,, which resuscitated it when al
seemed lost, and restored it to the appro
baton Of your Legislature. Applanse.
Well might those cliieIs in the world {
| onin;ons embrace each ether in the hour