The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1845-12-20
Vol, 9. No. %, Whole No. 43S,


gralifed in boh' The great MACS Of the human fam
lily must be farmers; and upon them the destiny
of the nation They have the power to give direction
to those upon whom ia devolycd The immediate guar-
danship of our institutions TODD this right it is de-
srabIe that they should be intelligent, for the contn
Of institutions depends upon the virtue and
intelligence OF the people. If a nation would he free
it must be first intelligent, and virtuous. The farmers
hold, by their numbers the gift Of office. If they Ids
tribute these gifts Discriminatory, our Republic viii
long continue. Iflhey play falsely, they will find.
when it is late, that they have sold their birth
rlght and have room for repentance.
But it may be said that although collectively Farm
have power, individually, they ofiitle vaine,
like the ocenn in its combined majesty, /, has power
to bonr the mighty feet. but in isolate Drops is OF
service.
Some find fault that Farmers not sufficiently
tced and admired. But al! such should remember
that notice and admiration not essential to Gapp-
Still even here, farmers have little TO
plain of az any other class Of community. Almost
every Chief Magistrate has been farmer either before
during, or after his elevation. We have had the Far
mer of Mt. Vernon, the Farmer Of Monticello, the
Farmer OF the Hermitage, the Farmer of
Ashland, the Farmer Of North Bend, the Far
OF Tennessee, the Farmer of NTarshfe'd,
and Farmer of Underwood thus proving that aho'
all Farmers cannot be Presidents, all Presidents
be Farmers.
In Agricultural life, continued Mr. O., there are
very great opportunities for usefulness. When you
place your seed in the ground, you know the
tent Of its product; but when you SOW the seed Of
virtue You are sure Of bundant return One hun.
bred years ago, there lived in Boston, poor TaIlow
ChandIsr-wise and honest. It was mis- custom
cry morning to repeat this text: See dligent
in business he shall stand before Kings This seed
in good ground. His youngest boy
'digent in business, * he did stand before Kings,
Ee snatched the lightning from the clouds, s. scep
Tres from the hands Of Kings On his death bed he said
that his fathers precepts he attributed his
in life. lie caused monument to he reared to that
fathers memory; but his nobesi monument his
sons character. The example which he gave Of thrift
and diligence, has induced thousands to initiate his
example; and yet unborn millions will testify to thu
benefits Of single scripture text upon the mind and
character Of Benjamin Franklin. Mental Improve
men, is essential to the happiness of a Farnei '
In my idea Of Farmer is not included mere reap
ing OF fields and filling Of harms. lie did not
expect Farmer to he learned in what is not useful
But If he enjoys health, let him know somG,hrc Of
The admirable machine which is thus kept in srx4sl-
! ful operation by an Almighty hand Let him know
something Of the physiology Of the vegetable world
and every blade, will speak To him OF the benicenca
of The Creator. II is in the power Of every 10
devote portion of his time to these sublime pursuits.
II will make his walks pesnsaner and his flower.
sweeter.
Nothing, continued Mr. O., il more important than
mental culture except moral discipline. Every con-
H;t;o Of hntp in tha do.
gree, It is from every condition of life, tina. tho
narrow gate is erected through the eye of needle
There are comparatively few temptations in agrcuha
raj life. II is life which rests mans promise
hut upon His, who hath promised summer and win
ter, seed time and harvest.
The religious feeling is no whe,e naturally pro-
duced, as amid the rural scenes with which the
farmer is surrounded. The shepherd boy Of Israel,
while keeping his fathers 6ocks, was filed with ad-
miration of Gods munifcence and exclaimed in holy
rapture-"What is that thou art mindful OF
him?' Veneraton and love hurst spontaneously from
his lips; and when all wrapped in holy gratitude, he
exclaimed, '''rhe Lord is my shepherd; | shall not
want" But anon his voice comes us from tho
camp and tented field from tho palace and the
thrones but in n tone how altered The inspiration
of the shepherd does not follow him. The remorse
Of conscience and the despair of guilt ,here and
he remembers his joyous PASTORAL life, well might he
exclam-s'Oh that had the wings Of dove, that I
might flee away and be at rest!" ...... .
Nevertheless, some Of my hearers may say
swell this is all very poetic but wan, to be rich
That is the success at which aim, and never can
be happy as a Farmer" No, nor you can never be
happy in any vocation. How could you be happy
while Won are envious, avaricous, umbitious7 You
have no more chance to be happy under any circum-
Stances than vera the envious, avaricous and ambi
tous angels who rebeled and cast out ofheaven
The inspired penman summed it all up in \ few
words--"Whh GOVERNMENT there is great
GAIN 'e. E'aea..
Breach OF promise cases are becoming fash
innable again. We have not heard much OF them
for few years past: but the rage Cor speculation pre-
vais so extensively that the ladies have gone into II
"wi,h a looseness" 1t is dangerous squeezing
hands or casting sleeps eyes adays. II young
man says sol, thing this evening, he mny have a
sheriff after him 20 morrow. A constructive promise
can be raised out ofanything and they are the worst
kind of promises in the world for nobody bnt Court