The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-08-08
THE ROYAL AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY
OF ENGLAND,
speech by MIR. Lawrence.

Speech by Mr.. Lawrence,
On the 18th Of July was held q. EXETER the great
banquet Of this renowned society. The French Am.
hassador and the American Ministers at London
and Paris were among the invited guests. Mr..
Lawrence thus addressed the company:
NV hoRps AND GEsrLEmEN have had placed
IN my hands toast, which shall offer with very
much pleasure inasmuch az Il relates TO the great
interests OF this connlry-the whole Of this coun-
try-inasmueh &C 10 tae there Is no want Of har.
nony IN hese Interests. IL properly regulAted and
without touching on any point that could give, or
would give. the slightest umbrngc or the slightest
iiliecling to any human being at all--without fur
Their remark, will Introduce the toast Ut once TO
you--it s, agriculture, manufactures. and com.
Inerce." [Cheers.l friend "a am TO oil those
MISUNDERSTANDING that the power and the glory
and the interests Of this country have been pro-
NOTED by the encouragement Of them all. rejoice
that agriculture is first. Great cheering.] Cen
tlemen, come here not as a ioreigner-I come
here to claim relationship for the first time Of my
life. to see the farmers Of England with my own
eyes, [chcers, believing that when saw the farm
Of England saw the back bone of England.
[Great cheeringl know too well the history of
lay ancestors and Of my kindred in England not
to know that the farmers OF England have always
been loyal and true to the Crown. ICheers.l i
know history too well not 10 know that the battles
Of England and the glories Of England are in
debted to the patriotism the proves, and the sac
ritces OF the farmers OF England. [Cheers.
come here because my ancestry were all farm
ers, and English farmers too--and come here first
as the representative of country whose great ma
terial interests are founded in the soil [hearl-I
come here to pledge 10 you, and to offer YOU in
that kind, in that fraternal feeling that should
ist between two great nations, the sympathy and
the kind feelings Of the great body of the farmers
Of the United States of America. Loud cheers.
come here their representative, to tell you, and
TO make you feel and realize, that they feel under
great obligations to you for the experiments which
you have tried here-which we, being young and
not rich ia laugh are not able to try-whilc you
having the capital and skill, and what ia more, the
science which has been applied 20 the art in G reat
Britain, well able 10 do il all. When look at
the state OF agriculture in 1885, and compare il in
England with the state of agriculture in 1920, am
perfectly amazed. have been overwhelmed to-
day fhnae heard so much and have much,
that have not had time To digest it. [Cheers
When look back to this country only thirty years
(and in the annals of time that is but day. look
to that period when the average production of
wheat, believe, in this realm was not more than
twenty or twenty two bushels of wheat to the acre,
and now high authorities, of all parties and shades
Of political opinion, agree that the average produce
now is from twenty four 10 twenty eight bushels to
the acre. la voice, "thirty'"l Thirty. then, if
you please. fit were forty, should rejoice and
shank God for it. [Cheers.l We of the United
States have not the slightest jealousy of the agri
cultural interest in England. IA kugh.l
We rejoice at every new agricultural implement
you bring out suitable TO your condition; we
joice when you can, by the and of agricultural
chemistry, produce another shear of grass. 1t has
been said, that he who can produce two blades Of
grass, where one grew before, is benefactor TO
his country. If that be true you all public
beneiactors, because you are increasing the pro-
duct of the nation Cheers II is matter for
you and not for me to decide on those great ques-
uons which agitate the nation now, for do not
come here TO enter into such discussion. may be
allowed to have my own opinions on them, but
those opinions will never be expressed in Great
Britain so far as regards the internal policy of
Great Britain loud checrs.l But tell you the
more food you producc-the nearer you supply the
necessities of this great peoplethe more rejoiced
l shall be, or the country which i represent.
lCheers. With regard to commerce, apprehend
there Is not man within sound Of my voice who
will not agree with me, that commerce, trade, or
whatever name you give it, is essential to the pros
perity of the agricultural interest Commerce has
been the great pioneer Of civilization, and what
country has done much this to cvize the
world through the fundamentally of commerce?
In regard TO manufacturers, il would be idle, il
would be futile and foolish, for me not to acknow-
ledge that the manufacturers of England-the
sPindles of England, if you please-have, in con
Junction with tins great and powerful body of men,
the agricultural interests, fought the battles of
Great Britain. Cheers.
There Is no discrepancy whatever in my iudg-
ment in maintaining all those interests which are
vital TO the prosperity OF this nation and to all
great nations-I believe these three interests are
identically the same 1t is for you to decide how
far you may be willing to be dependent on foreign
ton, gentlemen, which belongs to the English po-
htical constitution, and not TO n representing
great nation ON the other side Of the Atlantic.
This is question | shall not touch do not rise
for the purpose of expressing opinions with regard
10 the internal policy Of this great nation; but
should deem 1t misfortune TO my own country,
and to the world, il any thing, whether by the le-
glslation OF your own government, or from any
other cause, this mighty nation of Great Britain
should lose any portion of its power in the family
OF nations. tCheers There ia room for US all.
j should like TO see competition among liberal, in
fact, among all nations; but desire 20 sec, above
all, competition between old Anglo Saxon and
young Ang Saxon, but let il be upon one princ
ple-how we shall advance and ditfuse civilization
throughout the world [cheers j which of shall
extend justice 10 other nations feebler than our
selves. Observation-Disclosures Biblc-lct that
competition be as TO which nation will do the most
good. tCheers.l
am happy TO state to you on this occasion that
the United States Is not represented alone by me.
have on my right one Of the most distinguished
statesmen of the United States and what is better
one of the best and greatest farmers Of the United
States. [Chccrs, and cries of " Name.'l The
gentleman Is the American Ambassador Mt Pars,
and came here 10 meet you, [cheersl his excel
lency William &. Riycs, Of Virginia. Mr.. Rivcs
and myself not the only representatives OF the
United States. am proud 20 say that in this room
there Is gentleman, one Of tho greatest breeders
OF stock, Colonel Morris, the vice president Of the
New York Agricultural AssOciation-a gentleman
who has been purchasing the stock Of England
very largely, that VIC in the western world may inn
prove our own. tChecrs.l Whatever you may
think Of those the other side Of the Atlantic.
can only state 10 you, their representative, that
they are proud Of their origin, and rejoice TO be de-
scended from Devonshire men. hope at no dis.
tant day, increasing ~ we do at the rate Of mil
lion n year in pupuaton-and we rejoice that we
do increase [chcors,l for have room enough,
and food enough, and labor enough for all fcheers
i say, hope at no distant day, that We, your
humble cousins, may return 10 you, the farmers ol
England, 10 some considerable extent, (it must he
done by instalments,) the debt that we owe you IN
the agricultural line, for the Improvements that you
have made, for the instructions we have received,
and the great benefit the whole country has dc.
rived from your exhibitions.
beg 20 thank the precedent and council for the
opportunity afforded me to day ul being in this old
Roman city OF Exeter, and in this renowned county
of Devon, distinguished for its rich red soil, iis
beautiful rcd cattle, and in odcn time for its fine
and beautiful rcd clOaks, celebrated in poetry ne
well as in prose. tChecrs.l This l. the land OF
that great and mighty man, Sir Walter Raleigh
[checrsl the man who fret went TO the country of
my respected friend Mr.. Rivc,- man renowned
in English history, and who will live ~ long his-
tory exists. cannot eli down without Offering my
humble thanks TO the inhabitants Of the city OF EN-
eicr, wherein this exhibition has taken place.
tChecrs.l think you fortunate in finding city