The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1847-06-17
To the Farmers and Wool Grow
ers of New York.
1LbnnN. Nan 25. Is

ALBANY, May %, 1S47.
Gent.-Durng the year 1916, published
several letters which had the honor to adj
dress to j. M. SHERWOOD, Esq, the then
President of the N. Y. S. Agricultural Socie-
ty, in relation to the wool trade These let
tiers were very coldly received in certain
quarters, Even the Agricultural papers, (al-
though copies were furnished them) with the
exception of the Genesee Farmer, have not
deemed the letters worthy of publication in
their columns, or even worthy of notice al
though some of the most eminent agricuitur-
lists in the state have expressed their decided
appreciation Of the principles therein adyo-
Gated.
Under these inauspcious circumstances, l
had placed in my hands the doings of Wool
Ohio, and attended by wool growers from the
states of Pennsylvania and Virginia. and /
was alike gratifed and surprised to find that
these letters were read before that Conven-
ton, and have by them been reprinted and
extensively circulated,
twas also refreshing to find that in the State
of Vermont the letters had been widely dis
tributed and that the Addison County Agri-
cultural SoCietywere induced to call q conven-
ton Of wool growers for the purpose ofconsd-
ering the propriety of establishing a Wool
Depot in that section of the country.
1t was also matter of congratulation to
learn that the do:ngs of both conventions were
1epublished in Massachusetts, and met with
the approval of both wool growers and man
ufacturers in that enlightened and shrcwd
community.
l acknowledge the extreme pleasure it has
given me to find that these letters, in the opn-
ion of conventions well qualified to judge, and
to whom was total stranger were not Who'll
ly devoid Of merit.
But it is not because this is so, nor because
1t gives me an opportunity Of gratifying the
spirit OF Selt-adulation that address myself to
you and again attempt to urge upon your no.
tee matter however interesting to me, that
has doubtless been long since forgotten bv
you. No-the motive is one less selfish and
more consouant to chastc and enlightened
view of duty and usefulness.
/ was invited to attend the Convention in
Vermont 1t was very apparent in the out
set that men Of influence and standing-men
OF shrewd business tact and of enlarged ex-
pcrlence, were opposed to the project of a
Wool Depot. They doubtless would have
had an unhappy influence upon the public
opinion of that State, but for the discussion
had at that Convention.
| was however enabled to convince these
very men Of Lhe soundness and feasibility of
my views, and rcfutc every objection, p.aus-
BILE or otherwise, which had been brought a.
gainst my letters. After protracted dis
cusslon, the meeting unanimously resolved to
establish depot in connexion with the Kin
derhook Depot in this state. A result most
anxiousy desired, and to me exceedingly fiat
tering.
l have recently ascertained that they have
completed the arrangement and established a
branch of the Kinderhook Wool Dapot at
Shoreham, Vt, and have pledged for the cur
rent year some 100000 lbs. Of wool for that
purpose.
1t may be proper to state that it is under
stood that the Ohio Convention have secured
nearly 100000 lbs. of wool from the flock
masters in that region, for the purpose of car
rying out their views in aiding the Depot es-
tablished by Messrs. Perkins & Brown, of
Akron, Ohio, at Springfield, Massachusetts.
Ii these things are so, should they net have
great weight with the farmers of New York ?
These men are not novices they are well vers-
ed IN business transactions, and keenly alive
to their own interests. Prudent and discreet,
they are sure carefully to examine their
ground before making deliberate and import
ant change in their business transactions
Their example should not pass unheeded.
Thus far have borne in silence the CEN
sure, whether deserved or undeserved, which
has been passed upon me for devoting my Of
fetal tine to the investigation of this subject.
With patience have listened to criticisms of
those who have allowed prejudice to influence
opinion, and what is worse, to the " faint praise"
OF those who lacked capacity to understand
the Letters on the Wool Trade, or the cour-
age openly to commend what their judgement
approved.
But is it sheer presumption now in view of
the foregoing facts, to call upon the farmers of
Western and Eastern New York e. oh in their
respective localities, to initiate so far at least
the farmers of Vermont, Ohio, Pennsylvania,
and Virginia, as to hold conventions for the
purpose of discussing whether the institution
of Wool Depots is either wise or feasible p
Discussion leads 20 investigation, investigati
to the discovery of truth. Men ofall pursuits
in life are greatly benefited by pubic dis
cussion; but there is no class of men who can
by possibility be so much benefited by it
farmers, for they seldom if eve get together
in masses for this desirable purpose.
have however, found men with apparent
truth on their side, yielding assent to the
soundness Of the views expressed bat urging
that the time for action had not arrived, nor
would arrive until a Depot was established in
their own immediate neighborhood. Such
course is sure to sacrifice present good for
future evil. Establishments Of this kind can.
not thrive unless in right hands, and such
hands IRE not TO be found in the corner Of ov-
cry street. But if they could, the policy of
multiplying them would, at this juncture, be
perfectly suicidal, To be effective the coIIpr