The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-10-29
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$780,. pa.lee after being loudly aud repeatedly called
"a, by the audience was introduced oy Tue president ahd
spoke as follows ,, -,
o, tsilo.y citizens for the kindness you have shown
me came here 60 hear and see and learn, ana nave
heen sraiied in ALL here for the purpose OF par
iiepalug with you in the COMMON festivities OF me
day. aud in that have not been DISAPPOINTED You
cannot expect me Ia an assembly Ike lhs oopIusoa
OF men who unite practical experience IN agriculture
with Intelligent observation, TO say aHyhhg Wheh can
add to your store OF practical information bnl as GU
zen OF New Hampshire and one VINO aslTes 70 cuetsh
and advance her interests say that am exceed
ingly reioced and grahed at what have seen at tins
fair am grahed and relolced that these agricultural
conventions being held IN our State and that they are
receiving the counlenance and support oil The best and
most intelligent men IN our community. Formerly,
with us the vast interests OF agriculture unfortunately
received TOO little attention Our community has been
snpTossed much with objects OF commercial and pol
cal merests-with interests connected with our manu-.
features and ralroads-wilh interests connected
with our common schools and common govern
ment-hat to have had but little time 10 turn
our attention. by OF these conventions, success
fully to this greatest of all departments OF human
action While the clergy the legal and medical
professions, have had their conventions and associations
the purpose OF eleyang their professional standard,
and for the interchange OF thought and feeling and opn
ion in their various departments The farming portion OF
our community seer TO have received bui lille such
aid and assistance, when consider the vast interests
and Importance OF agriculture But circumstances around
US to-day indicate better stale OF lnss, and can bui
think that these agricultural conventions IN different parts
of Stale be productive OF the happest effects
The periodical assembling together OF so many men inter
esed IN the pursuits OF agriculture either as observers or
partlcipalors-ol so many men animated with kindred
views and kindred feelings, and kindred hopes-must IN
evaby have lasting and happy effect upon our prosper
iy and success, both individuals and as State II
is well known fact that the agricultural portion OF our
community is by far the largest part OF Automatically IT
is large majority II is clear them hat whatever tends
assist alleviate, 10 improve, and 10 better the agr
cultural portion oil our community feeds al once the ioun
tain-e Of society But, Mr. President, il the cutting
OF few of hay, the growing OF aiew more BUSH
els Of wheat or corn or the raising OF an improved quail
y of stock, great and desirable these attalnmens
would be, all that 10 be accomplished BY your
conventions they would want much OF the interest 10 The
statesman and the Christian which IS now attached to
them by the compTehensyeness OF their designs and pur-
pose Ii is charmng and gratifying feature Of these
conventions that the direct ana immediate effect of them
must be TO elevate, in the scale OF human avocatons,
the value and dignity OF labor There IS no lesson
important TO be taught to our young country
men, more important to be impressed upon them
early in life, than that which enforces and illus
traes the dignity of labor-than that which teaches
them that the curse pronounced upon man IN his ex-
odus from Eden has become blessing that the ''pen
atty" has become mercy" Yes, fellow citizens, in
the "sweat OF the face man has thus far fulfilled his
mssion-on this continent at least. And noble and a
glorious one has il been, too! And II speaks to US in
iruNpetones OF the value, the dignity, and the import
OF labor for il has been only by peseverng
yielding, and untrng labor-and that with the hands,
loo-that we have accomplished such wonders in our
State and our America Ii is labor, MIR. President, that
has achieved them ALL and that - destined in the course
OF Providence TO achieve Oar past social position,
and present social position past and our present
political positions, all Of them but links in that chain
OF labor which commenced upon the rock at Plymouth.
mans axe shall be heard on the shores OF the Pacific
Where, in the whole annals OF CIVILIZATION you find
such augmentation Of resources and numbers deve
oped, too under circumstances OF mucn trial IN the
progress and success in the issue, is developed IN this
our Western World And does not this mighty agent,
which has raised this of industry, which
has founded this great and glorious nation, which has
stretched this belt OF rising republics in The lifetime OF
man from the Atlantic TO the Pacific and so recently has
planted glorious standard upon the headlands OF Cal
iforna-which has founded, upon principles lofty as
truth and universal humanity, this government OF
equal laws and privileges, whose career, il not checked
BY eur own folly, or the jud gmen OF Cod affords go.
Tous and cheering spectacle 10 the friends OF liberty
throughout the worddoes not such an agent, say, de
serve our encouragement, our suppor-yea, more, our
yeneraon
Early hsiory-tradiiona hstory-is full of instances
illustrating the importance which even heather nations
have attached agriculture 1t held in honorable
estimation by the most enlightened nations OF antiquity.
The patrarchs OF the ancient Scriptures cultivated the
soil In Greece learn that the various mpos ements
in husbandry the introduction OF grains the invention OF
instruments for ling the SOIL regarded as The i'm
mediate bounties Of The gods The distribution OF prizes
on occasions like this goes back as far as The days OF
Cyrus, for told by Senophon that lie delivered
premiums toi has oten hands TO dgenl and successful
cuivaors and that he claimed himself 10 be jealous
and practical farmer. Among the Romans agriculture
respected than among the Greeks Cato
the censor, farmer, and wrote treatise upon farm
ing Who among has not heard oil Cncnnatus, the
Roman dictator, who found in the field, leaning upon
his spade by the messenger sent hail him dictator
History dwes with fondness these instances OF deyo-
ton 10 the arts OF peace in those times when all seemed
yielding 10 the law OF the sword The Emperor Angus;
tus too when the oil Rome were over, requested
Virgil the beautiful classic poet Of our school. day
memory, TO write poem agriculture, IN order 10 en-
courage the Italian husbandmen TO return 10 the culture
OF their wasted and neglected farms And though the
farmers in Italy that time mostly tenants al the
halves, yet the beautiful aud phosophic poet could not
help pronouncing them "Too HAPPY, DID THEY BUT
THEIR BLESSINGS" Those times, 10 be sure,
long since passed; but If the people and rulers
OF the Old World could devote much thought TO the
interests OF agriculture in their day. what ought not
be expected of this favored land in this favored
this favored county, county which, than
any other owes s unexsmpled prosperity, under
Heaven, TO that spirit OF selirellance and enterprise
which has for its foundation stone the very interests
are here assembled 10 promote am not unmindiul Of
the vast interests OF manufactures, OF the all embracing
OF commeree-the younger sister OF agricul.
and with manufactures dependent upon her, m all
emergencies both for supply and deience but still high
above all these interests the genius OF our country
places agriculture. l speak advisedly, Mr. President,
when say that system OF agriculture system oil
free and independent freehoders of the soilgiying TO
every absolute and uncomfortable interest and
property in the land he owns, subject only 10 the right
OF eminent domains the very foundation OF our social,
moral and political greatness as nation and people.
Such system not known elsewhere In England II ~
the fundamental maxim OF their law that all the land OF
The realm holden mediaey Immediately OF the
The great majority OF all the farms in England are the
property OF large land-holders and cultivated by ten
ants who take them leases, the terms OF which vary
according TO circumstances both as TO the amount OF
and the duration OF the lease There great majority
OF The farmers cultivate the lands OF another-a great
majority have no spot OF earth which they can call
their and around which they can cluster all the
dearng charms OF home" Out of a population Of
100000 which England contains there are scarcely