The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1854-09-27
Prom the National InseIligencr.
DIGNITY OF AGRICULTURE.

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We have already mentioned the Isci
that the Farmers aud Planters of the
border counties of Virginia and Nortl
Carolina have associated themselves
for the promotion of their common
interests, and have established what
is called "'Ihe Union Agricultural
Society Of Virginia and North Ca
rolins.p On the 4tlI Of August last an
Address was delivered at Petersburg
by the President Of the Society, JANIS
q. BRUCE. Esq. of Halifax county.
Virginia, which is production OF great
merit. We may serve The cause of ag>
riculturc aud crafty some Of our read
ers by Few extracts from this excel
lent production. We begin with some
passages ON the dignity Of agriculture
and the duty Of all to endeavor to ele-
vate IL:
/" | suppose, gentlemen. that il Is a
leading object, settled purpose in the
formation of our society to elevate and
dignity agriculture. It's in vain for
you TO attempt to excite professional
enthusiasm without FIRST arousing pro-
fessional pride. Agriculture, before
the last century, could hardly be called
a profession, much less a science. 1t
was necessity, menial employment,
whose operatives were the lowest and
most ignorant class Of laborers; aud
there is incorporated even in the very
frame work OF our mother tongue mum
berless sneers aud sarcasms at their
character and their calling The Eng
lish language has borrowed some OF its
lowest words and epithets Of most de-
grading signifcancy from the lite and
habits of the cultivator OF the soil.
Hind, villain, clown, ehuri, boor, and
perhaps IIeathen and Pagan, are words
with which our profession has enriched
the English vocabulary. Now, what
is the cause Of thiss How is it that
the occupation which ministers most
largely and most bene6cially to the
wants of the whole human race should
so long have been considered as
degrading to its votarlesI While |
would not, in this aye Of light and
knowledge, claim for agriculture any
absolute independence Of other CALI
ings, and while acknowledge that all
pursuits are but links in the long chain
Of mutual dependencies which bind to-
gether in harmonious brotherhood the
cIashing interests Of mankind, yet
| do assert that our profession is the
base and supporter of all others. The
philosopher. the poet, the artist, and
the mechanic must eat, while the cul-
tivator Of the soil might get along, bad.
ly, to be sure, vet he could live, with
out poetry, philosophy, or the arts.
The proud palace. the stately column,
and the heaven piercing shaft do not
mure surely resto on the solid foundations
Of earth. than do all the professions and
trades and avocations of man rest on
the labors Of him who holds with his
hands the sickle aud the plough.
"The cause of our past degradation
is the same which has so long lowered
the many and elevated the few. Agri-
culture was once carried on by an in
ferior race of human beings, things ol
russet and sackcloth and hob -shoes
and the laborer, with no intellect t.
dignity or ennoble his toll, passed his
life without hope, without thought, and
without care. | congratulate you to
night ON brighter prospect. Agri.
culture begins to lift up Its head from
the dust in which it has so long beer
buried. 1t is clinging to the skirts 9
liberty, ant will rise and sink and fal
with It. The masses of the world ar,
the cultivators of the soil, and whatev
er elevates them and gives to then
force, and influence, and expansion
enurcs so far to the benefit of agricul
ture. Show me nation whose peopl,
are in possession Of well-tilled field
and smiling harvests. and | will shoy
you a nation of freemen, the charaete
of whose government is written il
golden letters on the face Of its land
scape.
"Ihe respectfully Of every protes
sion is graduated by the amount of in
tellect which is made to bear on i,
Agriculture is the calling of the mass
es, and to elevate it we must elevat
the masses. General education and
widespread popular enlightenment
as much the basis of prosperous ag
riculture as it is of a rational liberty
and. to improve the cultivation Of pu
states the light Of knowledge mus
il Er.s e. -, Ak, ,n.,,Is sc al 80 .,t,, -