Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1844-11-14
THE FARMERS s. THEIR INTEREST
an address before the late Asriealh~"l Conventio~.


AMEnicAs lssrirurr, New York, OCT. IL, 1874.
Gen. JAMES TALLMADoE, having been chosen
President, on taking the Chair, said:
rise for the purpose Of expressing my strong
sense OF the distinguished honor which You Gen
tlelnen. have conferred upon me by placing IN.
in this position as presiding officer Of this Con.
vcn,ion o: practical Agriculturis,s. From early
life have felt deeply for the welfare and high
advancement OF Agriculture. For one, ] have
long known and regretted that our Apriculturists
have not had justice done them-and when saw
this, beg leave TO say that l here attribute no
fault 10 our Government. Gentlemen il is your
own fault The Census shows that eighty out
of every one hundred of our population, are in
terested IN the land, and derive tter subsistence
from labor on the soil; you have the numerical
power--K.ta bear the public buthens, and you
shoulder che muskPt. Ii was, and il is, for you
to provide for your own great nteres,s--to az
sert ihem-and to maintain them, by the exercise
OF your Elective Franchise.
Looking TO the recent past condition Of our
country; the revulsions in all Observation-Disclosures
ces OF trade against ns-the expectation of Spe-
cle-LI okcn moneyed institutions leaving their
ruins all over the land; Reputation of solemn
contracts Bankruptcy! Disgrace painful
indeed 10 behold, and with this, too, neglect of
Legislative aid: incredible almost, among free
and enlightened People
Remember this great truth--Thuf the fnuK IS
your o,on!' You are farmers; the Country looks
TO You Tor subsistence and defence. You possess
the full power to carry into execution all your
just views. But they are neglected.
! maintain that we as nation, are on footing
oil equality with the nations of the earth! That
we have the substance, and the power to show it,
But from unwise measures, we have suffered 9th
er nations to overwhelm US with their produce
lions TO draw from us the last golden eagle: leav-
Ing us In foolish controversy as 10 the real cause
oil all our misfortunes. II has become our posi-
tai Independence. What then, do we ask of the
nations of the Ear,ha MUTUALLY! Equality
IN rights, and mutually in dealing, is our doc
trne-and to permit very little or no intercourse
on other terms. We hear of Free Trade Free
Trade doctrine as the world now is, Is mere
bubble blown ia burst, leaving no traces behind.
No, gentlemen! There is no Free Trade. There
is indeed Scientific farming. But who ever heard
OF Free Farming in Agricultural The man who
should dare 10 proclaim, over the country, Free
farming with no fences, would soon acquire the
character Of Insanity, if not that OF Idiocy !;
whether any portion Of the fund Of half million
OF dollars recently subscribed in England, to en-
courage the doctrine of Free Trade would be APP
Piled in relief Of such objects of comnisseration
Is not certain. The honest and noble farmer of
;he interior has been deluded by Ibis airy bubble
i'e has been led 10 think that there should be, or
that there does exist, some great moral equality of
prlncple.-This is pure deluson! Free Trade cam
not exist! never did exist! The wise farmer must
AXE caIenot only OF his tllage, but Of his fences.
HIS idle neighbor with his fences all down, is his
greatest nuisance. Let US say TO the nations
lake our Agricultural productions in payment,
and then we will deal with you? / say TO YOU
Farmers! eounferua,ithem till they come to terms.
This is no idle theory. Ii would have saved our
country FROM the late disastrous Revulsion These
are no false syllogisms. If you wish to know
the state of your business, feel in your pockets
the answer is there. IL you find balance in spe-
Gle, you need never lobby around your Leeisla-
tive halls for some act to wipe off your debts. If
however, Free Trade must be the law of our land
rather than extend it to Foreigners, who do not
give Free Trade for our produce in return, \
would first afford relief 10 citizens by oAaif-
ing for them Free Transportation Off the Canals
The cost OF our Canal is less IN atnounr than the
light houses, and expenses at our seapors for
foreign commerce. Take of ourselves. 1t
is well to sympathize with the Human Race
But true charity begins at home. He who does
not provide for his own household is worse than
an nfdel.
My mind has been strongly drawn to this cues.
ton. The American Institute has called this
Convention upon the promptings of numerous
sensible and practical men. am happy to say
10 you that the institute received its incorpora.
lion ''for the encouragement of domestic industry.
In Agriculture, Connerce, Manufactures and the
A''s lIs power Is gwen alone for the encour-
agement Oi active industry in them ali. All the
rest are declared 10 he consequent upon Agricul-
tUre! thai Omnlpotent Interest. Government is
responsible Tor aid to all these--and that Govern
ment is In fault which does not obtain or create
market for its citizens. "A Government which
permits us to be crowded out of the marls of the
world, fails in the object Of its establishment
low Is IT, Farmers! as 10 your immense crops!
One single illustration. | recollect the time
when two and three dollars bushel were
given 10 yon for your wheat. That money went
TO the cultlvalors oil our fields! When the wars
oil Europe ceased, We were doomed to raise il
Tor nifty cents bushei We ought to have more
but under The dlspensations OF our policy, we
cannot hope for more
Have you ever calculated the cost of brinuinp
your WHEAT TO market! But you all know it
on take it from Michigan or any place on the
Lakes to Bufialo--that IS ten cents a bushcl-on
10 Albany that is IL Sd cents, including ten
cents canal toll. To New York three cents
THAT is % Sd cents. AT New ork the price be-
ing about eighty cents-you see that ,hifty cents
oil leaves the farmer fifty cents for she remunera-
lion oil his hard and honest labor. From this a.
mount ne must deduct about twelve cents per
bushtl Tor transportation in his wagon to the
place OF shipment; and also something for COM
mission and agencies. This illustration of the
id'e oi one OF our crops shows that of all others.
Look at This, and you will see that the Farmer
mas mol more than 81 cents left for his bushel Of
wheat ms being so where land is cheap and
productive, how Is il where land is of treble or
quadruple value and less fertile!
II is time, Gentlemen, Mat ,Ue The Farmers of The
United States feH as one family. If other nations
VIII not give us mutually, let us have home
trade! Let US take care OF ourselves! Our for
ner Iarlh gave us fifteen per cent. ad valorem--
protection OF one and half, two or three cents
per husheI Tor wheat. The act Of 1912 gives us
IS cents bushei protection.
Germany Thence, (Bremen) the whole freiob,
of carQO of wheat 10 Ncur Vol on.. L. LII C