Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1855-11-07
SPECTATOR.
The Agricultural Fair.

/
The third annual exhibition Of the Virginia
State Agricultural Society was opened in Rich
mond on Tuesday, ths Goth ut., and continued
during four days. As on former occasions. the
city was crowded with visitors it being estimated
that not less than twenty thousand were congre
gated there en- Wednesday. The general i'm
preston is that the exhibition, taken as a whole,
va, not equal to that of las! year, although in
some departments it was superior Our rea ders
will not expect US to enumera.e the various arti-
Giles on exhibition, or 20 give detailed account
Of the proceedings; We can only alluds 10 a few
matters which came under our personal obse rVa-
ton. While practical farmers found much to
interes, them ia tho display of stock implements,
machinery, produce, domestic manufactures, &c.
&c, we we're chiefly occaped in looking at and
admiring the vast cSncourse of men and NO.
en- on the Fair grounds. To see them wa' worth
trip to Richmond.
Next to these, the exhibition Of horses attract
cd our attention, as well az that of thu crowd
generally, Most of the horses were attached TO
light vehicles and driven by their owners, and as
an unprecedented race would spring up between
two fast trotters, the spectators, ladies' included,
shouted and cheered with the utmost enthusiasts.
Several upsets, which, however, resulted in no
injury to any one, added to the excitement of the
Sceue-ladiss rushed from the ring screaming for
their babies, and paraaols ,shsws &c. wsrs S!rsU-
cd over the grOuad.
In the midst ofthe horse exhibition on Wsdnes
day, the Cadets of the Military Institute at Lex
ington were marched into the arena, and daily
displayed. They presented a Ssderly appear
auce, and on proper occasion wsuld have been
universally admired but as it was we heard ma
merous filings at the expense Of those who took
them there The good taste of the performance,
aRd tbs propriety of taking the young gentlemen
from their studies and tackled them on TO an Ag-
ricultura Fair as part Of the exhibition, may
indeed be questioned.
The meetings Of the Agricultural Society we're
held at night in the African church, and here we
found most to interest and amuse. On Tuesday
night the annual address, was read by MIR. Frank
lin Minor, Of Albemarle. Savisg too many Lat
in quotations, which were unintelligibls we pre-
same to most Of the audience, the address was ad-
mrable. II was coincidence that while Mr..
Minor was auding agriculture as the nobsst and
most important pursuit in life, another orator was
eulogizing tho mechanic arts, at the Mechanics
Institute, in the same strain.
On Wednesday night, new constitution for
the Society was reported by a committee preri-
ousy appointed. Much opposition WAS made to
it, and the entire session WAS uproarous. We
have witnessed nothing to equal the scene since
the Democratic Convention Of lsSt year. Every
body wanted to speak and nobody was willing to
listen 10 any body else. At las! Mr.. Ballard
Preston got the floor and Spoke at length in favor
of the Constitution. Mr. James Lyons followed
on the other side Of the question. After that tho
turmoil was renewed with ten-fold fury. In the
midst of the tumut, jolly old gentleman from
Petersburg arsse and begged to be heard. The
crowd shouted and called for the vote to be taken.
A brief pause ensued, which the gentleman a
vailed himself Of to make an effective appeal
If the members, he said, loved to talk as much as
| he did, they certainly would hear him. This
brougk! down the house, Snd the speaker pro-
csedcd. He opposed the new Constitution on the
ground that, fit was adopted. politics would be
introduced into the Society. Another hearty
looking member arose to speak on the other sids.
'rhs crowd clapped and stamped. The speaker
gosticulated, went through all the motions of an
orator, and performed perfect pAnomime,tO the
infinite amusement Of the spectators, for audience
he had none. Finally the vote was taken, and
the President declared that the yeas had it. We
doubt if it was SO; but to divide and count would
have taken till day light, and the decision was
iacquiesced in. BY this Time every member must
be satisfied Of the necessity of having some small
er body, for which the amended Constitution pro-
vides, to transact the business of the Society
See elsewhere in this paper the paragraph head
ed Farmers Assembly"
Thursday right the business of elscting off
GERS eansuP. President Cooke was nominated for
reelection, but decliacd aud the names of Mes
Srs. Wlloughby Newton, L. E. Harvey and w .
G. Riyss were brought forward for the office by
their respective friends. Mr.. Harvey insisted up
on the withdrawal of his name, as he said it was
impossible in that body TO decide who was elect
ed vixen several persons were voted for. Ths
same seeno ofnoise and confusion was exhibited
as on the previous night. The President was
pOTereGs to restore order, and Vincent Witshor
mounted the rOstrum and assumed the manage-
meat Of affairs. He rliued his voice above the
din, and put the question whether all the cid off
GERS should be continued till the now eopssitu-
ZION should 60 into operation, a year hence !,
was more than We could tell whether the yeas or
nays prevailed, but MIR. Wtcher said the former
had it. Forthwith he took the vote upon an ad-
t iOurnmeat, and Notwithstanding laundering ro-
Spouse Of !" he declared the meeting adjourn
ad. This coup d'.!at, as it was called, settled
!, the whole difficulty, and tbs crowd dispersed in
; the beat humor imaginable.
' Premiums were awarded on. Friday, and III,
! Fair terminated with bright prospect of future
success. The disorder at the meetings of the &c.
city, composed Of respectable and intelligent gen
] !emen only turslshes anOih0r proof Of tho truth
Of MadiSoa's remark, "Had every AthsAian citi
zen been Socrates, every Athenian assembly
! would still have been mob"
WSynesborozgh Hotel.
|, We are graiifed to learl that Mr.. John Lay
! man, formerly of Rockbridgo, has became tn,
t proprietor of the WaynesbOrough Hotel, and hal
re-opaned that old establishment Mr.. l.. ha.
: 900 ST ri. ara litin. e. /. lanlI..l III -