Wisconsin tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1847-1854, 1852-06-17

A-(1-etI DSCtStD't - q. - 1Ettt "a
1852
". p, OFFIcERs AND BRoTHEHs
l have chosen as the subject
of my remarks upon this occasion. the
dignity and Importance Of manual labor.
While the learned professions have had
their hosts Of panegyrists while the tolls
Of the student have been the theme OF
graphic comment and glowing praise, and
the researches of mathematiciaus. chem
lists, and philosophers have been held up
with all the enthusiasm of eloqueucc to
an admiring world, as the objects not
merely Of veneration but almost Of wor-
ship while all other professions and pur-
suits have been celebrated in the forum
and in song, the tolls, the praises and the
claims Of that class on which all others
depend even for their daily bread, have
been almost forgotten. or confined to the
uuimpassioned page Of prosaic description
True, Virgil has dignifed agriculture
by his inimitable Georgics. and in more
modern times a Burns has walked the rus
tic Tyre to strains of dcathless harmony
but these are only exceptions to the gen
eral neglect, not to say contempt. with
which this numerous and Indispensable
class of men has been regarded
Far be 1t from me to underrate the dis
coveries Of science of the researches of
genius. But without the aid Of manual
labor, philosophy and genius must toll in
vain. Their sublimest discoveries are
but so many phantoms, till the hand of
labor Is employed in giving them sensible
proportions and tangible forms How
fruitless would be the studies of the as
tronomer, deprived of the mechanical la
Dor employed in the construction of the
telescope How much Of the worlds
boasted science would now remain. had
there never existed class of men called
practical printers Your men Of genius
do but kindle q spark; your printers blow
into a world wide fame, and make its
light perpetual Your philosopher utters
q word Of wisdom; your printers gives
1t thousand tongues, and causes it to Vi
brate on the ears Of generations vet un-
born Could the idea of perfect steam
engine have existed in the mind of its
first inventor, without the ability to com
mand the labor requisite for its construc-
tion, Of what use would the invention have
been to him or to the world Nav. when
constructed labor is still the agent bv
which its feats Of magic are performed -
By labor, the hardy mariner ploughs the
boundless fields of ocean, enrichiug every
land with the choicest fruits and rarest
fabrics Of every other. By labor, the
iron horse" Is driven with fearful speed
through the valley, dragging after it the
rich freighted train. shrieking and putting
and forcibly reminding the spectator Of
the fire breathing bulls of Grecian fable.
By labor, the precious metals hidden for
ages in the deepest recesses of the earth
are brought forth, and made to serve as a
medium of exchange among all nations
By labor, the primeval forest is subdued
before the hardy pioneer. giving place to
fertile farms, pleasant burghs and growing
cities.
A few years ago, on the banks Of the
Merrimac, was a poor, miserable farm
valued at a few hundred, perhaps thous
and dollars. Since then power has been
exerted which has changed the entire as
pect of the spot. The farm has disap-
peared and IN It's stead Is seen a beauti
ful and tourishiDg city, whose teeming
manufactures produce fabrics to the an
nual value Of a million and a half Of dol
lars. Whence this wonderful change -
Shall we ascrIbe 1t TO the invention Of the
spinning jenny and the power loom ?-
Shall We call it the result ola judicious IN
vestment Of capital What could these
avail without the life-giving power of
which we are speaking Without it. ma
ture would have offered her bountiful IA
cilities, and art exhausted her cunning in
vain. Machinery, when invented. could
not be mace without it; nor when made
could it avail till labor had turned the
course Of the streams And after all this
was accomplished, living machinery was
still requisite to co operate with these
iron fingered artifcers"
What the sun Is to the natural, man
ual labor IS to the social world 1t infu-
ses all nature with the spirit Of life aud
enterprise and action Everything We
see around Us not created by the fat Of
Omuipotence, Is its legitimate offspring.
Labor has been called heavens Just or
dinance for human improvement" But
by readily detected sophistry. labor Of