Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1854-11-08
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AGRICULTURAL ADDRESS.

The opening address at the Virginia Ag
ricultural Fair, Richmond, was delivered on
Wednesday morning by the Hon. William
Ballar5 Preston, formerly Secretary Of the
Navy. Ii is production Of great interest,
elaborate but not tedious presenting great
array Of encouraging facts, couched in glow
ing and attractive language. The subjoined
paragraph gives graphic and inspiring view
or the resources of the Old Dominion
"a kind and bountiful providence has
blessed US to an extent unsurpassed. SitE-
ated in the heart Of the confederacy, Virginia
embraces within her limits an extent Of terri
tory greater than any Of the original mem
bers Of the Union. Fronting on che Atlan-
tic coast, her regions are spread out to
great extent along its shores, beautifully di-
versifed with hills and valleys, mountains
and plains, that reach to the Tennessee and
Ohio on our western border. Her climate
is mild and genial, enabling our people to
pursue their labor in the open air for longer
periods than almost any on the continent
subject 60 no extreme yicissitade Of cold or
heat, watercd with abundant showers du-
ring the whole year maturing the crops its
soil produces with rapidly, certainty and
perfection; adapted to the growth of corn,
wheat, tobacco. vegetables, and all the &C.
reals common to temperate climates with
truth and flowers in perfection and beauty
with bays, rivers, and fountains unsurpassed;
and, as the result Of all, blessing our people
with health, vigor, and longevity"
In the concluding sentences Mr.. Preston
gives counsel far wiser than that which too
often flows from the pen and Tie lips of the
politician and partisan. He suggests happi-
y how Virginia may attain true Independence
by cultivating the qualities Of self-depen-
dence and sclf-reliance, and how she may
acquire glory greater than that produced
by the clash Of arms or the clangor of the
battlefield.
"Our resources, our capital, our labor are
abundant and adequate TO supply our wants.
Diversity your occupation as you diversity
your crops for security and profit. Bring the
agriculturist, the mechanic, the manufactur-
or side by side, and increase the profits on
the labor of ALL Shall we be told that the
habits and opinions of our people are oppos
ed to it, that the experience of the past finds
it better and cheaper to purchase them from
the North Gentlemen, the painful expert
cnce of the present is beginning to tell a tale
not yet full, ~ revealed. 1t begins to tell of
violased, of anarchy and eontu-
sion 1t is teaching the lessons Of self-de-
pendence and self-reliancc 1t is teaching
the South to look to the South Let us
then resort to our own mines, our rivers, our
workshops and factories, and our own reo-
pie. Let us stand on the banks of the James,
If the Appomatox, the Shenandoah, lie
Roanoke, the Ohio and make them at our
command and bidding to do the labor of ten
thousand hands. When you do these things
hen indeed, will you have improved yonr
agricultural condition then will you have
secured permanent prosperity and repose
hen, and not until then. will you have es-
ablished commerce on your own shores and
n your own harbor; then will you have at
7our command the treasures of the land and
he treasures of the sea-"