Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1852-12-02

chief objects of his creation? No, sir. The
tslow increase and progress of mankind,
! from the earliest periods down TO the pre-
cent timc,-lhe vast extent of country which
then remained unreclaimed and unculilva-
ted, and the many thousand acres which
now lie idle end unimproved all too fully
show that Agriculture has been neglected.
| This indeed is strange, when we reflect that
the tilling Of the soil is not only mans natu-
| raj occupation, but the basis of individual
| happiness, as we'll as national greatness and
prosperity. But the diversity Of human IN
,eIlect, the different passions, tastes, and de-
sres, which enter into our nature, must &C.
count for this in great degree. In tracing
the history Of those nations which now only
live in the historic page, we do find some
period Of their existence during which Ag-
rIcul,ure excited deep interest, and enlist
ed in It's behalf The best intelIecls. This
period, however. was not when a new
country was first taken possession Of, or a
barbarous people sub iugated, and when a
new government hsd to be established
Then the civilized portion of population.
compared with the unenligh ghlened many, was
small. The soil, rich with the accumula-
lions Of ages, produced abundantly with but
lille aid. Agriculture, in rude way, sup
plIed want, and this was enough. II rccelv-
ed not the attention Of the intelligent, when
there were so many other channels open 10
crafty human aspirations Government had
TO be formed. lis machinery had to be
worked by mind, and statesmen were want
ing. The mass Of society was ignorant and
laws had TO be framed, and
lawyers and judges were wanting; disease,
las now with lis ravagps, was everyw here
present, and doctors were wanting. These
calings, and the many other pursuits, arts,
and trades, which now occupy the attention
Of so many. had greater attractions than Ag-
tricuture. But as the nation grew in strength
and power,-when its population became
numerous, and knowledge more generally
dfused, when these different avenues 10
fame and a livelihood became filled up
and overstocked, then 1t was tha! 4Agricul-
lure, which bad waned from neglect. began
o revive. Then il was that The soil, i'm
poverished By injudicous culture, was look
aA- afleE-niIA- ASST care--AndiE hen toa-
the many, from necessity, were taught their
true vocatlon.
Thus it was in times gone by, and so it
has been in the progress OF civilization and
enlightenment, until within but few years
past.
Agriculture, il is true. among the ancienis.
did attain almost as high state Of perlec-
ton as il has reached in modern times. The
student who walks The classic groves Of
Academus can point you 10 the genius oi
Mantua, whose sy van muse wooed to songs
of husbandry. He can tell YOU that one OF
Rome's proudest ornaments, who enlighten
ed her Senate BIZ his wisdom and his coun-
sells. and who led her armies TO victory,
gave lessons upon farming which any tlller
Of the soil nigh, do well now 10 follow
In short, he can turn you 10 Greece, the
land Of philosophy and learning, and to
other nations less polished and refined.
where the goddess Ceres was worshiped, ;,
and where the most gifted minds were ex
ercised in her cause. True as this is-long
as has been the period since such efforts
were made in a cause so good, and many as
have been the changes in mans moral, So
cal and political condition, yet Agriculture,
comparatively speaking, has stood still.
In country like ours, characterized as
1t is by progressive spirit; foremost in in
veutive genius; indomitable in lis energies;
boundless IN its resources. and agricultural
in its character, il is wonderful TO find that
the high and noble calling of the Farmer,
"lhis base on which every other pursuit of
man reposes; this great arch. on which all
the superslructures Of human associations
are erected,' has been SO much neglected.
and has not kept pace pari passu in its pro-
gress, with those many other pursuits which
draw from ii their life and susenance. Why
is this and why has it been so? The rea
sons which have already been assigned, in
accounting for this condition ofthings, among
nations which have had their day, will E.
qualy, II not with more force, apply TO our
country.
Our forefathers, when they reached these
shores in search of new home, where un-
molested they could enjoy the ful!est liber-
ty Of conscience, found this country will
derness, inhabited only by hords of rowing
savages unacquanted with the arts of civ-
lization. They had to subdue this wilder
ness by establishing laws, government, and
the arts of peace. They had to build up for
uieLheeI'1s hdtiohdI CHARACTER Oy throwing
off The yoke OF the parent government which
oppressed them, and framing some new sys-
tenn. An undying patriotism sustained them
in the hour Of trial, danger and suffering, un-
Ill The work was done. When their inde-
pendence was declared and won they too
were few in numbers, with a new world
spread ou! like mop before them. The
many occupations, which, incident to such
state Of things, were open to mans cupi-
diiy and ambition, had to be filled. The
learned professions, politics, the mechanic
arts, trade, and commerce, these first altrac-