Litchfield enquirer., 1846-12-03


 nY REV. D. [. PARMELEE, or SOUTH FARMS
 Mn. EDrroR,-The Litch6eld County Ag- r,eul,ural Society, at their recent annual meeting. requested that the address which delivered on the occasion, might be publish cd in your paper. Al the time my opinion was rather averse to the request, although agreed to consider il; and now in sending | it to you i, is yielding to the opinion an" | wishes of others rather than from any con | yic.ion of particular necessity of publish Ing it. As nearly as can recOllect, have supplied the remarks which were ex'empo raneous; otherwise, with very slight verbal alterations the address is rerbCtin.
 D. l.. PARMELEE.
 South Farms, Nov. g, lo46. Mp PRESIDENT AND GENTLEMEN OF THE
 SCciETY:
 nvas later than the elsrenth hour winch I received the invitation to address you; \ SJ in consequence of your disappointment ln the speaker whom you had expected and for me to say that which you may now hear must be in great measure crude thoughts: called forth on the spur of the moment, and hastily arranged, will be anticipating what YOU will iu the sequel doubtless be fully sat isfied is true. But speaking as do Tn your extremity, if do not interest or instruct. will endeavor that there shall be one excel lenrv as an offset c,eriiy, avoiding what have heard called to |" the damage of tn, Kings English" "Me g,f Y con'in"ency"- a gift which often appears when least need- ed, and som,imcs when time does not admit of the condensation of thoughts,
 As a patriot, philan,hropist, and a christian, l take a deep interest in every thing which can melorate the condition of human society, in any thing which can meet the necessities, or add to the real com. forts, or advance the happiness of man; and as one means for the accomplishment of such ends, | have witnessed with SatiSfac- tion the imp ovementS which are making in agriculture, in manufactures, and in the useful arts: aud as conducive of good in a. r.usiny attention, and in impar,ing inform ation. | consider agricultural Societies as highly beneficial, and useful also in another respect, in eleva,ing to it's just standard in ,he public estimation, that occupation in which, from the nature of the case, the larger propov,ion of the human family must be engaged. or in other words to make labor honol able. as it truly is, and ever ought to be estimated. .,
 l think l have very little of what is call ed ut.raiSm; at least, the longer live, II have i, abou. me, the more the edges and poin,s of i, are rounded of. Ny this do no, meau that am not decided and fixed in my belief on the great principles of nat ural religion and revealed truth, nor that the same is not the fact in relation to political economy. the principles of government and the things which are essential to the highest welfare or a great nation. On such subjects probably few are more decided; but do mean. that do not intend to exalt any one thing or subject above its proper place. or to droress il below it. ] aim al heal;hful comserralism, not to magnify one subject to the injury of another.
 All occupations in this life which are cal cula,ed to meet the real necessities of men, or to promote their comfort and happiness, are good in their place, whether they relate to our bodily wants, our mental nef es>itieS, or our spiritual well being; they are all in their place of high importance The learn ed professions are all indispens 'ble in t ( r place.-all who believe in the Bible must admit that a talented. learned, sound and oious ministry, entirely free from fanati eism. is needed; SO long as we are >nhjetlt to sirkness and pa in, o: are liable 10 bodily in
 y,l,y iria surgeons, free from all quackery, will be re ouired; and at least so long as men mani fe<, the evil selfish propensiteS which they vet do, honorable, upright, intelligent law yers. who are above all chicanery and pet ;mring. will also be needed. that is, unless inc dcc,rine shal! prevail which will admit avery mans being his own lawyer x and the same may be said ot all proper occupations lJpr;cht and intelligent merchants are need cd in the cities and in the country. All k;nls of useful manufacturers, from those making steam engines to the smallest pins, are for the public welfare in their place - The blacks smilh, the shoe maker, the halter, ,he tailor. the carpenter, the joiner and all o:her mechanics. are as important in their occupa,ions as the physician, or the lawyer, ar the farmer in Lis place, or even the min is,er of Christ in his calling. which is in- deed of superlA,ive importance; and there is a relation of dependence, weaker or strong. er. less or more absolute in degree, cf every particular proper occupation i" life upon all other such proper occupations; and the en ire extinction of any one of them would be injurious to all other cailings; each does something for the public good Hence to give ,o agriculture or 10 any other branch oi human industry an undue prominence is wrong. is injulicious; or to draw any com. rar;sous in favor of one at the expense of suy other department of human iahor is w,ouc. and any policy based npon such .u nposition would be injurious so asr'cul ,.rs It aouriShes in the greatest degree when all other proper human employmenls . ire in n healthlul condition.
 Bu, one thing may be said of agriculture. I, is this tha, every human being is inter- ..,ed in it. There may te here and ,kere an ;.d; vidual who goes through life and may n.ver have occasion personally m avail I;..se,f of the skill oI the service or the la hor .,f some one or more in particular oc.