The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1853-09-29

The New York papers contain q" e.feehs"
the recent speech of the Hon. VIM. Y. kives
before the State Agricultural Society of New
yak AZ Saratoga. The effort is one of a
h;,h order of excellence, combining rare
,earn;ny and conservative patriotism. and
..;u adj 70 the already exalted reputation
,h,, Hy Rives enjoys for elequenee and
soho,srsh;o. If Mr.. Rives succeeds in the
prosaic as well as in the poeticai department
Of agriculture, las we hope he will) and
,,.les as good crops as he does speeches, we
,,;,, have no reason to regret his return to the
sbades Of Castle Hill where in view of the
present condition of the Wing party, we may
suppose him likely to remain for sometime in
leitered repose. The influence of such a
man will extend far beyond the narrow hori-
gon of his home; and the whole system of
Virginia agriculture viii feel the benefit of
his labors.
LISA significant fact that of all professions
husbandry is precisely that one which retired
statesmen and diplomatists delight to fall
hack upon. Mr. Rives tells Us of the many
men distinguished in other and higher walks
of life who have found a charming resource
in the cultivation of the soil from the ennaS
which succeeds retirement from the excite
ments of public office. This passage is the
only one we can quote from his address, but
il will suffice to show how agreeably he en-
tsr.ained his auditors on the occasion.
Cincinnatus. quitting his plough at the summons
nj the Roman Senate 70 lead the armies OF the Re-
uublic to battle and returning TO it with business
ike alacri:y the moment he had delivered bis coun-
try from her enemies, was III this but the represen
1afiye OF the prevailing habits ami character of his
coun,rvsnen. Cato, the censor by his daily labors
on his farm well as by that knowledge OF the art
which has come down 70 US in his work on the Res
Rustica earned the title he bore OF the first farmer
of his age Curius Dentatus, whose simple and pa
triarchal life in the cultivation with his own hands,
of his modest and well-ordered farm, inspired the
yir,uous emulation CT Cato. was three times Roman
Consul and twice received the honors of a tri-
u,nph OF ReguIus it is recorded that he asked
leave OF absence OF The Roman Senate that he might
On. his little farm in order. after the neglect had
suffered by his public avocatons. Virgil, the
prince O. Roman poets, he has been called could
never have composed his Immortal Georges, and
raised a monument to agriculture, CT which 10
other country CT language can boast the equal, if
his own training the banks OF the Mincio in
charge of MS paternal farm, had not furnished him
Ter tie task Cicero aud Hor.ersius, the great Or
Ttors g Dyi1ie " not farmers II 50 suit ant prac.
teal a sen e. were vet smitten with the genuine
love OF rural life, and their noble villas at Tuseu
lum Arpinum and Laurentum, bear testimony Of
their lively sympathy IN the rural taste Of their
cJuntryInen. Cicero indeed owes his family name
TO an agric ultural plant IN the successful cutiya
tion of which ii was the pride of some Of his an
cestors 10 have been distinguished, as it was the
honest boast of some OF the noblest families of
Rome, as the well known names @! the Fabii and
Lenculi testify to have derived theirs from SINH
lar origin.
Brtons of every class in the language and &C.
10 ne a
rate the plough" A taste tor agriculture and the
love nf country lie. are the predominant attributes
of the national character. Whether banker
amasses colossal fortune, or a modest tradeslnan
gets little beforehand in the world, the ambition
of both TO be landed proprietor, and lord over
stone and the mech, because equally the patrons
and promoters Of agricultural Implements. The
throne itself oseys the universal passion, and not
to speak of the laudable example Of the present
Prince consort WHO has established one OF the
bestmodel farms of England, it is we'll known that
former egc lord and master, George Ill affect
cd no title more than that OF Farmer George and
that he actually contributed papers tor ouus's
Annals OF Agriculture, under the horely name of
Ralph Robinson, (who was his bai!iA) farmer OF
Windsor.
need not recall the long list of iilustrious Eng
lshmen and Scotchrnen both co2!moners and no.
biemen, from Sir Anthony FiZherbert, Justice OF
the Common Pleas in the reign OF Henry VIII and
author CT the first English Treatise ON Husbandry
10 SIR Jonn Sinclair, the friend and correspondent
OF Washington, and author of that great work the
code OF agriculture, and who have signaized their
zeal and their services in the same iavorite cause
But IN ganclng at this instructive list, have been
too much struck with the connection between Eng
ilsh liberty and the English love of rural pursuits
not to venture single remark that point. Burke
IN his letter TO a member Of the French National
assembly in l79l attributes the i'll of their
eHorts TO found stable system of constitutional
liberty TO their never keeping the holy rest Of the
sabbath and never enjoying the quiet of the coun-
Try. he says you never give yourselves time to
cool. You never go into the country soberly and
dispasslonately 70 observe the effects OF your
sures on these subjects" That s1brie.y and calm
ness OF mind, without which the grave and respon-
eie duties OF treemen can never be properly dis
charged, shall not pretend to say is the exclusive
attribute OF the country.
But all will admit that the retirement Of country
NE and It's remoteness from OF excitement.
are IN peculiar manner favorable to the tranquil
ana uhdleturbed exercises of the moral and intel
iectuai faculties Of man. OF this Burke himself
was most striking example for il Is the patriot
farmer aid philosopher OF Beaconsfeid, and net
Ihe orator OF St. Stephens, that always speaks
with the highest wisdom aud authority from his In
mortal pages. But was Edmund Burke, the great
orator and statesman, il will be asked, really and
tray farmer: That he was ID the inliest sense
OF the term both practically and theoretically any
one who will take the trouble OF reading thai most
ADM! able paper of his Thoughts and Details on
scarcify-presented to Mr.. Pit in 1885, will be
thoroughly satisfied. 1t exhibits minute acqualnt'
ahce with all the operations OF practical agriculture,
gard to his own system OF hushandry, which could
be the result only of familiar practice during the
seven and twenty years that he says he had been a
farmer. This is part Of the history of that ex
naordinary man. whose profound political wisdom
and magnificent eloquenae have been the admira
non OF the world, that has hitherto attracted but
iite attention. but which, recalled ty the inciden
tai mention OF his name, is not unworthy OF re
iaetnbrance here to-day. Indeed, know nothing
ia the history OF the human mind more remarka
one than that combination of high philosophy IL
,he most abstract questions of legislation and pc
iitscal economy, with practical sagacious knowl
edge In the ordinary concerns of human life, which
the paper in question exhibits and rises frcn
It's perusal filled with species of alnazement at th
compass OF the human faculties, and perple xel
waeh .po.t to admiTethe farmer statesman or tt,
~staiesndan farmer.
We have spoken above Of higher walk.
of life than agriculture We must qualify tn.
expression by declaring that we meant hghe,
in the estimation OF the crowd-more daz
ziing in the sta.e which surrounds them ant
the homage they secure from men In Gu,
Judgment there can be no profession or call
ing above that of the intelligent farmer th.