The southern press., 1852-03-13

lglisuiture.


1 by those who were appointed under the law OF
Congress-, to take the census. have not the law
before me- to compare it with the Constitution.
The Constitution requires that the people OF
every description shall be enumerated, within
every term of ten years, in such manner as
they (Congress) shall by law direct" This
! gives no authority to Congress to pass law to
ferret out mans peruniary condition, or to
obtain agricultural statistics. An intelligent
writer in late number of the National IaieIli-
gencer shows to what purpose BIO would employ
this Information derived from the census returns.
lie says these official statistics speak volumes
in favor of agricultural societies, and legislative
aid for their support. They are composed of
practical reading farmers and am happy that
men of this stamp are making an earnest effort
to organize national agricultural society
Should they, in its feeble infancy, ask for a
little assistance from Congress, it is to be hoped
that such small aid as State legislatures grant
to State societies, will mob be withheld" Under
what provision of the Constitution could Ma
tionaL Agricultural Society" be organized, and
"aided" with money, from the treasury of the
federal government This writer shows, in the
same article, that the people in several Of the
States have formed many agricultural societies,
and that the States have aided them Let this
subject then remain where it properly belongs !:
to the Staes respectively and to their people.
The same topic was referred to by the President
in his late message, in different and more i'm
posing form. He there says: agriculture
may justly be regarded as The great interest of
our people," Our people! That is to say |
suppose, that our people" of thirtyone States
are one people, connected into an indissoIuble
uni, ~by the "great interest" of agriculture.
He proceeds to say, that four fifths of our ac.
tive population are employed in the cultivation
of the SOIL" &c, &c.
Again, "justice and sound policy, therefore,
alike require that the government should use
all the means authorized by the Constitution to
promote the interests and welfare of that i'm
portant class of our fellow.citizens. And vet i,
is singular fact, that whilst the manufacturing
and commercial interests have engaged the at
tention of Congress during large portion of
every session, and our statutes abound in pro-
visions for their protection and encouragement,
little has yet been done, directly, for the advance
ment of agriculture 1t is time that this reoroach
to our legislation should be removed; and
sincerely hope that the present Congress will
not close their labors without adopting efficient
means to supply the omission of those who have
preceded them"
This is the kind ofpatronage which the Pres
piVPooCo
our active population who have vet escaped its
pernicous influence Let that one fifth of"our"
population, who are engaged in com nerce and
manufactures, remain under the guardianship of
Congress if they will, but let the four-fifths who
are engaged in agriculture, alone They can
make their bread, as they have heretofore done,
by honest, unassisted toll, and trust that they
will never allow themselves to be drawn within
the vortex of federal patronage. The tariff and
navigation laws have been stamped with the
marks of that "majority" that can "do no wronp.n
They have afforded fruitful subjects for sectional
legislation, and for Presidential electoneerino.
which should operate as a warning to those who
are engaged in the quiet and secluded duties of
cultivating the soil The Constitution allows
Congress to lay and collect taxes, duties, and
excuses, to pay The debts and provide for the
common defence and general welfare of the
United States"
Is it under this clause of the Constitution
that four ffths of our active population"
forming so important class" are entitled to
bounties and announcements, and to be placed
under the protecting care Of Congress, like
the manufacturer and the navigationist! If
Congress is to take charge Of the general ,oel
fare" of agriculture, az they have done in reIa
ton to commerce and manufactures, the rural
people will b, encouraged to relax in their own
industry, and to turn from their State govern
ments, TO seek " aid and comfort" from the great
overshadowing absoutism at Washington.
Congress has no control or jurisdiction over
agriculture. When its products are handed over
to the lap Of commerce, then may Congress
regulate" their transit to foreign nations.
and among the several States" &c, as author
lied by the Constitution. The President pro
ceeds, in his message, TO recommend an Acri.
cultural Bureau, charged with the duty Of col.
Letting and disseminating correct information. a.
to the best modes Of cultivation, and of the
most efectual means Of preserving and restor.
ing The fertility OF the soil, and Of procuring
and distributing seeds, and plants, and other
vegetable productions with instructions IN re
gard to the SOIL climate, and treatment best
adapted to their growth, which could not fail 10
be, In the language Of WAsnIyGroN in his lat
message to Congress. "veiy cheap instrument
Of immense national benefit" Congress was
then wiser than WASHINGTON, and no "Apri
cultural Bureau" was then established II il
hoped that the "present Congress" will prove
to be wiser than Mr.. FILLMORE, "and close their
abors without adopting efficient means 10 sup
ply the omissions Of th6'e who have. preceds a
them" In WAsHTsaToN's time, few people
had access TO few English works on aericul.
ture. Now, our States are flooded with home
made newspapers and periodicals. which treat
fully of all domestic and foreign improvements
in agriculture. These works are conducted by
individual owners, whose industry and zeal to
make them useful, are stimulated by competition
They are cheap, and easily procured by such Of
the tilers OF the earth Az have time 10 read them
The best farmers, though, that | have ever
known, would not read an agricultural work.
III Congress is DESTROYS 10 furnish seeds and
plants" TO four fflhs Of our population who are
engaged In agriculture, tax Of some sort must
be resorted TO, 10 raise the money with which
TO purchase them. Some "seeds" are now dis
tributed through the Patent Office and the
"Smithsonian Institute" might be made auxili.
airy to the same purpose.
There would be less patronage and less money
expended by this mode Of distributing govern
ment seeds and plants" than by means Of an
Agricultural Bureau" The Patent Office and
the Smithsonian Institute" would be " cheaper
instruments" but they like the proposed bureau,
would r,rova ovtI q ;nefru.,oof.8 ~