The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1854-08-04
The Southern Farmer.


cultural address, delivered in Augusta last iafl:
II is historically true, believe, that no purely
agricultural country has been great, prosperous
and powerful. But the sun in his circuit never
looked upon a continent which afforded the same
encouragement and facilities for the highest per-
fection Of the art own happy land Yet
with all It's advantages, agriculture, even here,
must depend for its profits, not upon the simple
productions of the ground, however abundant. but
on their ma rkctable value. The want Of a market
for the surplus produce Of the farm has been IN
many section the incubus on the earHingsoi South
ern husbandry. Railroads and factories are last
removing this obstruction, and the stimulus is felt
in the increased cultivation Of every article OF con-
sumption. A yet further division of labor is
necessary and the Southern States with that great
staple which is all their own, might not only con-
troll the exchange and commerce of Europe and
America, but make Of themselves power to be
felt and feared in the councils Of The couhtry and
The intercourse Of nations. And though it is said
the world is banded against US. yet by wise use
Of the means which God and nature have put into
our hands, by being just to ourselves and faithful
to our duties, we may defy our enemies, and in
default of their respect, send them naked through
the earth for if the corn of Egypt IN the odeu
time fed the world, 1t is The glory OF the South that
her cotton clothes it, This is our defence. | need
not exhort Georgia audience TO stand by their
arms.
In developing agriculture, as an art, it is
traordinary advantage unknown, at least to the
same extent 10 other lands, that in his the planters
and farmers are the proprietors of the SOIL In
England the farmers are tenants at will of the
lordy owner at least for term of years,
the security of lease and yet, under all the DIS
advantages of such system, England is n land
of gardens. In France, the subdivisions of landed
property great almost to proven: I'M
provement by the hopelessness OF the enterprise.
What reward can the French farmer expect from
the culture of his acre, less, beyond the support
of his family Even this result however, may
demand science, skill and industry. and under the
joint application these specks may blossom in
beauty and gladden. with harvest. But here in
Georgia (and in other Sates) the free. born citizen
counts his acres by the hundreds and they are his
in lee simple, ''to have and to hold" 10 sell, or
bequeath to his children after him. This fact and
this feeling OF properly might be made the basis Of
improvement and the best reason for it, if local
attachment did not act SO loosely upon a
people. The wandering tribes Of earth, though
savage. linger about the graves Of their fathers;
and with them, distance from the familiar objects
Of childhood and the resting places OF the dead they
loved, is exile. But we are restless, migratory,
sigh for the distant and the unlricd,
The desire Of fortune, the love of gold, over.
rides the instincts of nature, the sentiments of the
heart. What of our birthplace, the memories OF
Of childhood, the halowed friendship Of house
hold love, the consecraed churchyard, where lie
pa rents and children in NATURES last sleep
The very idea of home, sweet home, with all our
progress, civilization and refinement, we seem to !
regard as the myth Of some dreamy poets brain.
W here is the Southern planters home? Where ?
Why on virgin lands at government prices. A
bag of cotton to the acre-ah there is the
hot thoro iS fho
and Of promise. Farewell society, churches, |
schools, old friends, and old Georgia too. Six |
'ags Of cotton to the hand can never satisfy the
'oundIess cravings Of our ambition. "More land, |
more cotton, more negroes" that's the sentiment
We admire, the poetry we love, the tune that makes
noslc iG our souls. But hope this evil is abang !
not by correcting views of the great ends OF
fe and moderating our chase Of fortune, yet by
he creation Of ties. that will hereafter bind US TO
he land Of birth, and society from the
1utations which have retarded it progress and de-
eated its hopes.