Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-02-05
ANNIyERs AIRY MEETING OF THE UNITED STATES
AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.--SECOND DAY.

terday morning at cioch, III inc itctufc room Vi
the Smithsonian Institution. 1t was called to order
by the President at 10 o'clock when it was found
that in addition to the States and Territories pre-
sent the previous day, Minnesota was now repre-
scented.
The order of the day being the resolution of Mr. CAL
VERT on the subject of memoriazng Congress to estab
sh an Agricultural Department Of the Government with
its head Cabinet Officer, was then taken up. II was
however, laid the table temporarily, to receive the
report from the Committee Nominations.
After some discussion this too laid the table,
in order to consider the report of the Committee on
Amendments to the Constitution. The sections Of the
constitution question then successfully read and
in several cases amended.
The following is the substance Of the principal amend
ments passed:
The Executive Committee was increased from five
bers to seven.
The Recording and Corresponding Secretaries to be
considered ex-ofico members of the Executive Com
mittee and the Board of Agriculture.
In the absence Of the President of the Society," the Exc
cutive Committee shall elect its own chairman.
Four members present shall constitute quorum Of the
Executive Committee.
The future annual meetings Of the Society shall be held
in Washington, on the fourth Wednesday of February
In consequence of the multiplicity of matters requiring
the almost simultaneous attention Of the acting Secretary
that gentleman requested that the assistance Of
member be solicited, when, suggestion Of the Secre-
tary NATHANIEL p CAUsIN Esq voted to act as his
assistant and took his seat at the table accordingly
Mr.. WHEELER, of Massachusetts, proposed reduc-
ton of the fee for femembership from 25 to $O with
two dollars entrance money and dollar annual SUBJ
scrpton This reduction he thought would bring many
members into the Society who might be excluded by the
present terms This opinion favored by Mr. BnooKEs
of Massachusetts, and by Professor MAPEs and Dr. WEs-
h,,tv
opposed by Messrs. A. B. DAVIS, JONES, of Maryland,
CALVERT, RoBERTs, and REED, of Massachusetts,. The
Society finally determined to make any change
The order of the day. Mr. Calverts resolution,
then taken up but temporarily laid aside to consider
resolution moved by Mr. BRowY of Massachusetts, which
was unanimously adopted, as follows:
Resolved That the thanks of this Society be rendered
the Hon. Samuel Appleton, Thomas II. Perkins, Josiah
Quincy, and Robert G. shay Of Boston, who have 50
the ability of the Society to duse agricultural nforma-
ton throughout the country.
The following gentlemen then proposed as homo
rary members of the Society, the proposition being
ly received and adopted, viz WILLARD FrLMonE, FRANK
PIERCE, SAMUEL APPLETON THOMAS II. PERKINS, and
ROBERT G. SHAW.
The meeting being ready for the order of the day,
Mr.. BRooKEs, of Massachusetts, moved that speeches
thereon be restricted to ten minutes each which was
agreed to.
Mr. CALvERr's resolution being read, he said that he
had waited for else to take the initiative in this
matter but that had been DONE he had nothing
to do but to for himself The object sought in the
resolution primary of the Society. The only
question to be asked in relation to it was, Will Govern
ment Department of Agriculture benefit the farmers Of
this country; will it maintain protect and advance their
varied interests and all the other interests dependant upon
theirs If the answer in the affirmative, nothing
remained to be done but to straight to the mark and
vote unanimously petition to Congress for its establish
1t would do longer this great matter
with party politics. longer would the agricuursts Of
the United States be noseled by political partisans
Commerce has its representative and protector in the
Cabinet in the person of the Secretary Of the Treasury
so lad the army, had the navy then why should agr
culture interest greater than all the rest put together
be excluded Four-ffths Of all the wealth, power
bers labor and elements of strength and greatness Of
this country were agricultural, and it had repre-
sentative in the Executive branch of Government
Measures hostile the farming interest may arise in the
Cabinet and be recommended to Congress- and at pre-
sent constituted they could not be resisted This ques
ton had indeed much to do with politics in its higher
and proper but in the lower and meaner one moth
ing whatever. Let any refer to Noah Websters Die
onary and they would be convinced Of this Last year
bureau Of agriculture would have satisfied gentlemen,
but that day is gone by what is wanted now is full
department with full Cabinet Minister at its head All
the Presidents Of the United States have recommended
such department and the time had establish it.
lie hoped the meeting would be unanimous in its vote
this subject.
Mr. FRENCH, Of Massachusetts,, said he Of those
who would have been satisfied with Bureau, but
he called for Department, and he proceeded to adj
vocate Department proposed by Mr. Calvert.
Professor MaPKs, for twenty years past had once at
least every three months written in favor of
His friend from Maryland Mr. Calver) had stated the
outline Had he gone into DETAIL the fact that
Of the people allied to agriculture would be made
strongly to appear In districts Of the United
States hundred bushels of shelled to the
were raised, but the average only thirty bushels
This last proportion ought be and could be greatly in
creased and the land restored to fertility. In the State
the average formerly it thirty Ohio once gave
average Of thrtyfye; she had sunk to fifteen.
To restore the decreasing fertility and wealth Of our fields
all the Union deserving the serious
attention Of Government Therefore let us have
Department. tDt
Farmers busy class they haye not much tiEe to
think to compare with their fellows at distance
Thus improvements did not travel fast. A town or
county often the limiting of the knowledge Of
great improvement Much knowledge useful to oil
thus lost to the generality For instance there the
fact that eighteen and half pounds of cooked meal
would produce much and muscle as fifty pounds
uncooked But farmers would believe this without
endorsement from known and respectable In