The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1853-11-09
ADDRESS or
Hon. A. III. Venlble,

II was with much hesitation thai
consented 10 deliver The address at the
nnening 0f this. the first State Fair of
North Carolina. The short time for
preparation. aud the pressure of other
engagements. seemed 10 present insur.
meuntable difficulties. especially when
| was informed that two distinguished
gentlemen. who were much mare Ike
II than myself to be rgial TO the occa-
sion. had been compelled to decline
the duty.
Tn, Committee. however. deeming
[ al such an Inauguration could not be
dispensed with and dcsirous that no
thing sholld be oaitted that could adj
vance the agricultural interests of our
State. or arouse her citizens 10 the
fuliilment of the high destiny which
awaits them. urged upon me TO consent
to be the Speaker. to-day. Deferring
to their Judgment. determined moi 10
consider personal Inconvenience. bu;
eheerfulIy to oemploy whatever influence
| might possess in aid Of the great
cause. a sabiect, nf all others. mast
likely 10 furnish compensation for the
brief space allotted to preparation. in
the richness Of the theme, the variety
Of its interests. and above all the vast.
ness of lis Importance. Borrowing
nothing from novelty. the interest
which il commands is referable alone
to lis intrinsic merit. We assemble,
to-day. 10 do honor 10 this. one Qf the
noblest, and most useful Of human ac-
cupations. that which came first to the
supply of the wants of man, when
" sin threw a blight over the bleum
Of Paradise, and the curse curtaiIed the
buunties of nature bv restraining the
spontaneous Iru.tfulness Of the earth.
Man was sent forth from the garden
Of Eden 10 till the ground from whence
he was taken," with the assurance that
"in the sweat of thy face shalt tha
cat bread.o This is the patent from
which Agriculture dates its institution,
aud il comes TO Us venerable as well
for lis high antiquity as for It's divine
origin. And be who said to the first Of
our crring race, cursed be the ground
for thy sake" laid not on that curse 50
heavily. but that human skill, and ar
ts-.rsras tbundantly to supply the
/ wants incident to our nature.
IL was kindness, az well as justice
which imposed the necessity Of labor
upon a race which had lost its limo
cence. All experience teaches thai
the necessities II lie are indispensable
TO the perfection Of human character.
Stern and infexiblc teachers they are
but as faithful as they are stern, and
as important as they are inilexible
types and shadows Of the thorns and
thistles, Which our great ancestor Tor
the first time saw springing from tl.e
i ground, consequence Of his transgres
sion, when he, who had gathered the
fruits Of Paradise for his reireshment
was told, that he should henceforti
eat Of the herb Of the field" Then be
gan the work which has since continu
ed to mark the generations Of our race
a mark so distinctive. proof so con
elusive, Of the identity Of that race
that we may well smile at the creduli
ty of those inquirers who have iailet
to find in revelation enough to remove
their doubts.
Man alone tills the ground for hi
! bread. Sustained BY the recurrence d
{ seed time and harvest. he sows in hop
: and cultiyates in joyous expectation
1 Inall conditions ot man. from the deep
est barbarism to the highest civiliza
ton, the existence Of religious feeling
connected with the cultivation Of til
: earth, has been discovered. The yer
!, occupation, depending for its success
$ upon changes oi season beyond huma
contpl, points to an oyerruling Pfosl
dcnce as the source of prosperity. An
the history ofievery people perpetuate
the meiupry, al seasons Of sadness a
well as ofrejoicing, as the earth witt
held or bestowed IN bountiiul profusio
h her fruits. From the green corn dane
y of our own Indians to the Festival j
o honor OF Ceres, our own joyous han
vest times, and the rejoicings of I'll
: !, world over the ingatherings ol the trui
i Of the earth, We perceive that the fee
! ings Of the heart have coursed throue
h the same channels which led in ii
to earliest times to the offering the fir
fs fruits of tl6cks aud fields to the Auth
10 and Dispenser OF all good.
il The progress of its Improvement al
the extent of its advancement are mo
certainly indicated by the manner
m which the earth is titled, from the Vi
lages Of Ind ian Migwams, and the sm;
patches Of grain cultivated by the
/ women, through all the gradations
social organization. until we reach Il
: highest refinements Of civilized lii
!, Nations gradually emerge from L
: turbulent sent barbaroas and aggre
siyc state Of war and conquest, in
= the permanent qu ct Of an a.Fieul;ar