Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1855-03-25


Fair, fer the Eastern Dirision of Ten
nesSee, at Kn0zrHie, on The 25M October
1854.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN :-Recollections
OF the past, strong and tender, crowd
upon my mind as ! stand in the midst OF
You to day. As look over this large
concOurse Of my countrymen, my eye
fails to discover many, with whom | was
associated in early life, and by whom |
was kindly and literally sustained And
yet, | stand not all alone Though
death has almost done its work in the
circle Of my old acquaintances and
friends; though many of them have
passed into that undiscovered country
from whose bourne no traveller returns /;
yet | recognize among you few old
friends from both country and town who
were wont, in former days, to give to
me the hand of friendship. But, stand
not here to-day to speak of departed
friends, however near and dear, nor to
dwell upon the recollcctions of the past.
A more pleasing task awaits me. am
TO speak on a subject Of practical value
"a subject which includes, more or less
intimately. the interests of all classes of
society.
The Legislature Of our State, al its
last session, passed a law making an ap-
preparation Of a thousand dollars to East
Tennessee, and like sum TO each of the
other two Grand Divisions of the State,
for the encouragement and promotion
of Agriculture and Domestic Manufac-
lures" In accordance with the terms
Of this law, the county of Knox formed
an Association, and under its provisions
we are now assembled.
We meet here to-day not as Wings,
not as Democrats, but as party compos-
ed of both Democrats and Wings, UNION
PARTY, if you please, for the grand and en-
nobling purpose Of promoting the cause of
our common country. Here we recognize
no party save the Agricultural, the Manu-
facluring, the Mechanical. the Household
party, all combined in one irresistible
phalanX; all striving TO promote the
common veal and best interests of our
country. The angry struggle of political
parti2anship, whoever may succeed, sell
dom results in any thing of value to the
masses: but the amicable rivalry we are
to-day TO witness must eyentuate in large
benefits to us all
No calling is more truly honorable,
none so universally useful, as that of the
farmer But, if the farmer would main
tain that position in society TO which he
is entitled, he must be prepared for it
and this can be done only by a suitable
education early commenced and tho
roughly prosecuted.
For the lack OF education, how little of
the governmental control of our country is
in the hands of the farmers and me
chancs; and yet, how very large ma
jority OF the whole population they con-
stitute. Legislators belonging TO these
clases, honest and patriotic as they may
be, and well as they know the wants and
condition of the people, are vet content
to let others take the lead, and originate
and mature all the measures to be pass
ed. And how rare it is TO see one of this
large class of our citizens, occupying
low rare to see one in the councils of the
nation No one pretends that they have
not as much natural strength of mind,
as much OF native sense as the members
of the learned professions, but, for the
want of education, they have but little
share in the honors and emolument5 of
office. These they seem content to con-
fer upon those who are withdrawn farther
from thtm and perhaps care least about
them or the general welfare. But, even
fer the successful prosecution of their
own business, the farmers should be edu-
Gated.
If you will examine the roll Of your
State Legislature, you will find that
large portion OF the members are farmers;
and still, the business is always controll-
ed by those of the learned professions,
and very often by men who in those pro-
tesslons are unknown to fame and who
are entitled to no distinction. These men
know little, and perhaps could not be ex-
pected 10 care much, for those things
about which the farmer knows the most
and feels the deepest concern. am not
objecting to all this. There is reason for
objection. But so it is, and so it must
continue to be, unless we, the farmers,
thoroughly educate our sons and daueh-
ters. On the other hand, we should feel
gratifed and proud that we have among
Us so many who are in some degree fitted
to legislate for us. Though it is humili-
ating when we reflect that the farming
and mechanical classes are generally so
little qualified, and seem to care so little
about fitting themselves for positions
which the character OF their pursuits SO
urgently calls upon them to fill. Indeed,
l Iconsiderit no exaggeration to assert that