Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1854-10-25

bound us together by ID, 900 miles OF raroad-coS-
| cred New England with workshops disemboweled
| tbo oorth of her mineral treasules-whitened the
| waters of every with our commerce-covereo
our coasts and inland streams with floating palaces
and taught the lightning to speak in language, the
echoes ofwhich reYcrbcratc moment from one ca
trcmty of the continent to the other. 1t has been
no less efficient in ministcring to our moral tnan
our physical wants 1t has filled our hofarlcs WIN
the lore of ages-foundcd our colleges and lnstitu
lions OF learnngpointcd the spires oil our churches
hcavenward-and sent the gospel to the heatnen OF
every land. The secret O. this mighty power OF as
ISOLATION is that it teaches man the dignity anu ee
walton of his naturethat his high mission is not TO
labor for himself alone-that he owes something 10
his fellows, in his day and generation 1t Appeals 10
the pride, the patriotism, and benevoence OF each,
to contribute portion of his time, his talents ana
his means to the advancement aud prosperity OF MS
fellow men, 1t eivcs combined power to individual
effort it unites the experience and knowledge oil m
dviduals for the common good OF the whole' IL
creates indemnity of interest and harmony OIL &C
tion It offers stimulus for renewed enterprise
and industry; by the atrition Of mind brlShtenS
the intellect and by interchange of ideas and
individual experience it enlargcs the field Of opera
ton for the development of means OF human ell
iovment and elevation of human character
But much as associated effort has achieved IN our
country, its task is just begun Ours being gov
crnment which, owing to its peculiar structure rem
ders the direct patronage and supervision OF the o.
iects of Improvement in science, art, and industrial
enterprise matter of questionable-or, perhaps,
ought rather to say OF 2ueStt'neS-pocy the great
err is the responsibility resting on the citizen, the
stronger the appeal to his benevoence and PRIDE, TO
contribute his quota ofinauencc, energy and wealth.
in the advancement of any great movement which
promises elevate the character of his country or
to enhance the prosperity and happiness OF MS
fellow men. Ours also being a government,
which recognises perfect equality, both social and
POLITICAL among all classes-n which all are entitled
to equal bencftsunder land subject to equal burdens
in supporting it-there is no country, where ascot
ated enterprise promises much harmony and
concert to all where there is such close identity
of interests where the call upon every one is so loud
to aid in removing those obstacles to progress and
Improvement which obstruct the prosperity of all
alike and to tfuSc blessings which must equally
enurc in common to ALL
Among the great Improvements on which the as
sociated intellect and enterprise of the civilized
world is engaged, agriculture and its hand maid,
the mechanic arts far their objects and results
arc concerned may be said to stand at the head To
advance and honor these great clements OF natural
greatness and human happiness, is the object of our
association. For this assembled; and iii the
remarks l have made in reference to the nature and
objects of associated effort my purpose has been to
show that it is mere holiday sport-no mere idle
amusement in which now engaged. It's
true, the occasion is well calculated to elicit the
most exuberant feelings, the most pleasant hilarity
the most enticng amusement. But these are not the
main primary objects of our association. They are
flowers to be culled by the waysde along our jour
ney-but our ultimate aim is the Advancement of
countrys prosperity and power, the welfare and
happiness of human kind There is deep Philos-
ophy in our aims. We are competitors in the great
race in which the intellect and industry ofthe world
engaged in endeavorng to eliminate still
higher type of civilization from the impulses and
tendencies of the age for those who to af
ter
These annual Fairs and Festivals in honor of
and for the purpose of promoting agriculture and
mechanical industry, though OF but late origin,
destined to stamp the impress of their influence up
on, and to mark epoch in the history of the
moral, social, and political character of the age
more oSOeciaII in this Their mcmillan
commentator is. that they combine the useful with
the agreeable. They mpart instruction to the mind,
whilst at the same time they minister to our pleas
urc curiosity, and hilarity through an innocent
qualification of the senses But their chief excellence
consists in exciting and stimulating the nobcr scnt
ments of nature. They produce combination
Of mental effort upon given subject and by an in
terchange # opinion and experience, they make
available for the common good the combined result
of whatever may be useful and cxpedient in indvid
ual enterprise and ingenuity, in every portion ofthe
land. They serve to inpart most valuable informa-
ton, in reference to the resources productions and
industrial pursuits of different sections and localities
information very indispensable to the political
economist, the legislator, and historian, in the alb
sence of statistical Bureaus in which country is
lamentably deficient 1t is hardly necessary to say,
that they unburden the bosom of care, refresh the
energies of our nature, and give US relish for the
manly, yet innocent amuscments, which experience
has proven to be necessary for the full development
Of mans noblest faculties. They exempify the phil
osophy of Esop in his fable of the unbcnt bow-that
by occasional elaxaon fem the laborious duties OF
life, the better enabled to discharge those du-
ties when the hour of labor comes. The joyous
greetings and radiant counenances of the thousands
who surround mc-honorcd as we are with the pre-
senco of the fair wives and daughters of the land,
whose presence ever bespcaks tribute to the
filming and ennobing feelings of the hcart-procaim
in language far more eloquent than any l use,
that the present is only "feast of reason" but
also ''how of soul.' What is better calculated
minister to laudable curiosity than inspection
of these implements of labor-saving machinery, by
which has harnesscd the very forces of nature,
and made them obedient to his will? What is bet
ter calculated to excite emotions of high intellectual
enjoyment, and to identify in the mind of the be-
holder the farmers home with calm contentment,
and comfort and pleasure, than the sight of those
noble and highly improved animals in stalls
whose beauty of form and docity of disposition
almost enough to make us converts to the doctrine
of the author of The Vestigos of Creation" that
every type of animal existence is the development
of one still lower, produced 10y fortuitous COM
bnation of elements in the laboratory of nature.
But it is upon the moral and social relations of
our people that these Fairs, devoted to Agriculture
and Mechanical industry are calculated to exercise
the most important influence. They bring us to-
gethcr, make us acquainted with each others ad-
vantages, wants, pursuits and feelings. They not
only serve to convince us that individual man is
dependent on his kind for happiness but that sec
tons and localities though diversified in pursuits
and resources are, to a certain extent, dependent
on each other and identified in interest common
bond of union is thus securcd-a bond of union
stronger than of statutes parchments, be-
cause it is founded in kindness, good WILL ard af
fiction strengthened bY associations of