Smyrna times., 1855-05-23
Mistake of Young Men.


1t is a grand mistake into which many ,Ameri. |
can youths fall, that manual labor is not houora
hle. To be merchant, lawyer, doctor, ~
engineer, military or naval officer or ship
master is in their esteem much more honorable
than il is to be a mechanic or u farmer. 1t can
not be denied that all these other occupations
require exertions Phe doctor is often quite
as weary when his days work is done, as the
farmer or blacksmith can be but he is not half
so sure of quet nights sleep as they are, and
we all know 10 what hardships engineers are
exposed ms well as persons who follow the seas.
! We often see vigorous young men seeking
| places as clerks in stores. They all hope-and
generally expect some favorable tide in the ai-
! fairs of lite, which "will lead them on TO for
tune" Other men have accumulated vast sums
of money in buying a1d selling goods, why not
! | ! is tie language they use. They rarely con-
slider that but a very smalluumber of those who
embark ever complete their voi age. Where
one succeeds, fifty, perhaps hundred, fail.
| But an industrious, thrifty farmer seldom
fails to secure for himself and family the COM
forts of llfe--the skillful, practical mechanic,
too, in generally sure of remuneration for his
labor, and, with common prudence he can Sc
cure competence for the future. That
princely fortune can be heaped up by the plow,
the jack plane, or the sledge, we do not say F:
nor is it pretended that men are likely to ac-
quire fame on the farm or at the work bench
as at the bar. Bat the history of the world
will show, that The men who have done most
for the welfare of their race. and whose me-
morIes are cherished with the most respect
came from the hard working ranks. Princely
fortunes are more easily wasted than won, and
, while the mod, rate possessions offarmer or me-
chaAic, supply all the comforts of life, they are
: attended with few temptations to luxury or ex-
, travagance, and still fewer risks from the fol-
ly or fraud of others. ~ S'' ''1.
There can be no doubt that agricultural en-
ployment is most natural 10 man, and there IS
no country on the globe in which the facilities
d for pursuing these employments are so great
a as in the United States. 1t requires but very
small outlay of money to obtain a respectable
farm to begin with A good knowledge of thu
: methods of husbandry is easily acquired. The
a implements of labor are as good and as cheaI
( as can be found the world over. The product
; Of the earth are sure of good market and ont
y easily reached. The title oflandiis we'll secur
ed, the large monoplies, such as some OF tn
o countries of the old world are burdened with
IN can never exist here What greater encoor
70 aeement could be asked by one who only de
1, slres to live comfortably aDdfnde pendently!a
= "a The farmer---thai honest, goodlY farmer--i
OF one of the most independent men ~ the world
He has the promise of the great Creator tha
H. seed time and harvest shall not fail. lie ma
~ always plow,in hope. and reap, with joy. 7
Z till the earth, then, is really an honorable cal
= ing. IN tt.. - -
'ts But il does not require that man should
he enslaved to the plow, nor that he should nah
mt companions of his sheep and OK. The shrew'
en- est, and most intelligent men who sit on OF
= juries, and help 10 make our laws, come fro
ur their farms and return to them as soon as the
nd public business terminate The good sense, s
nd briefly, contentment, hove of industry, whis
,;l characterise our, American farmers, are und
God, among the most important safeguards
sri public peace and prosperity. '"@ 'Ya314
,ol. Ge4H s.a fg.z IL 11-AI--1 llla7 VS.
a11 or DR.. Keene died Of "a surfeit. from rou
gdose he had partaken too literally of wheI
upon willing wroie ihe followipg s,sySas