Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1855-10-02

cd gentleman, Cunning to Hon. J. p. Kennedy
standing near me upon the platform, who recent
ly presided over the Navy Department, has made
your ships as staunch and swift as any which
plough the waves of the ocean? What but this
has given velocity 10 your spindles and per-
lection to your fabrics which enable American
manufacturers 10 compete successfully with the
civilized world; And yet lot it be remembered,
your pursuit Of agriculture is the basis, the foun
dalton, the only sure support of both the others.
4 Without il, their shuttles would cease, and their
ships would decay at their moorings. A very
short crop throughout America for single year
would only cripple all the other interests but
would seriously affect the commerce of the world.
/ The agriculturists literally fesd and furnish the
material Of clothing to our busy millions at home,
and hasten 10 supply the urgent wants of suffer
1 ing mnltitndes abroad when the voice of human
| ity comes TO you over the ocean.
The enltivator Of the soil who does not realize
these things lives unconscious of the true dignity
| of his calling.
| What agricultural societies have accomplished
cannot be computed, but ! think it safe to say
that IN examinations and comparisons instituted
on such occasions the present, in respect to the
cultivation and gathering OF crops, the wants of
the farmer have been clearly disclosed, invention
has been stimulated, and the needed machine, pro-
cess or chemical combination, has been discovered
and produced TO supply the want. In proportion
turo is doubtless better understood, and the art
more skilllully practced in some parts of the old
world than In this, the new, but are on the
march, impelled by the energies of young AID
| free people, with state agricultural societies lea&
| ing the way, and they who will maintain the
| advance must content themselves with no slow
| movements. Meanwhile we may regard with
| just satisfaction our Improvement in machinery
| and utensils applicable to husbandry, some of
which have gained such distinguished considera-
ton at the great exhibitions in England and
France.
Your vast territory, your central position, your
climate, yonr SOIL your facilities for reaching the
great commercial marts, the boundless resources
of your mineral wealth contributing to your
general power, impose upon the sterling popula-
ton of the Keystone State the duty Of taking the
lead in practical husbandry and in agricultural
art and science
Nature and the events of history have imposed
upon you, in these respects, and in others, respon-
sibilites which, under the Providence Of God,
can rest upon no other State. You, my country
men of Pennsylvania, constitute the political
centre of this glorious Union of States in which
you are an impregnable empire, out Of which
you would be an empire doomed to woe, distrac-
ton and decay. How are these your grave re-
sponsbties to be metz How are these your
solemn duties to be discharged If ever this
noble arch of liberty shall be undermined, or
shall crumble, the crash of the keystone will be
| can never touch the soil of Pennsylvania
without involuntarily recurring TO the stirring
incidents of her history, which, instead of being
shaded or obscured by time, inevitably,
years roll on, TO be brought out in stronger,
clearer, and more glorious light. Within her
borders the Declaration of Independence was
drafted, signed, and proclaimed TO the world.
To the memorable Convention of the United Col
onies, on the 25th of June, l776 she declared,
through her delegates met in provincial confer
| encc, in favor OF absolute separation from the
mother country. Within her borders the Consi-
tntion under which we live was framed, adopted,
and signed by the ''Father of his Country" and
those associates whose patriotic labors, like his
own, will never be forgotten, though signatures
may fade and parchments perish. OH how
beautifully have the uncalculating courage and
personal sacrifices of the fathers been requited
the children by the countless common blessings
which that Constitution has so lavishly conferred!
Do not, my fellow-citizens convert it to purposes
not embraced in its design! Do not depart from
the strict construction Of its granted powers which
has secured such harmonious action and degree
OF progress, happiness, and security, socially and
politically, of which the history OF nations furn-
shes no example, Do not for moment indulge
the desire, or harbor the thought, that you may
enjoy the privileges which the Constitution con-
fers without according to each and every one Of
the sister States of the Confederation all the rights
and immunities which it designed to secure to
them As honorable men you can not do it. So
long as you are content TO live under the compact
maintain it sacredly in all its parts, in its letter.
and in its spirit Without a cheerful practical,
obedience to all its obligations, the Key Stone,
firmly as it seems to be set, may be shaken and
tremble in its place.
Your past, however, is the best guaranty for the
future. From the days of William Penn, eminent
~ peace loving and peace cutivatng people,
yQu have shrunk from no responsibility, and
faltered before no danger which threatened our
common country. This was signaly verified in
the struggle of the Revolution, in the war of 1872
and IN that later war when at the first blast of
the summoning trumpet your sons fastened 10
their weapons, and forming themselves in serried
columns rendered more regiments 10 the Republic
than the government with proper regard 10
patriotic enrolmenis in other states could con-
sstently accept. But there is another class deserv
ing if possible, still higher praise. i mean The
fathers Of those gallant sons, the men who own
and cultivate the land,-the unoblrusive Union
loving, lawabiding, agricultural community repre-
sented here to-day,-that great Astounding interest
compared with which all others are but fractions
And now in conclusion, fellow citizens, permit
me 10 say wherever fortune may direct your foot
steps, II will be the source ofJust pride, that you
hail from Pennsylvania, but individually your
highest pride and seadiest consciousness Of
security, nj home or abroad will rest in the fact
that you are American citizens.
During the delivery or this eloquent reply, the
President was frequently interrupted with de-
monstrations Of applause After some eloquent
observations from Gov. Pollock and Ex-Governor
Bigler, the ceremonies Of reception terminated,
and The President proceeded 10 inspect The
various articles offered Tor exhibition.
Horrible Sacrifice OF Life on the Western
Waters In Forty-four Years.
From Lloyd's forthcoming Steamboat Drec-
tory we learn that since the application of steam
on the Western waters there have been thirty
nine thousand six hundred and seventy-tw lives
lost by steamboat disasters, three hundred and
eghty-one boats and cargocs lost, and seventy
boats seriously injured, amounting in the aggre-
gate to the enormous sum Of sixty-sevcn millions
Of dollars. 1t is TO be hoped that this forthcom-
ing work will have the effect Of arrcstng the at
tention Of the Government to the importance Of
Western interests, SO far as our great rivers and
lakes arc concerned.
slavery Lectures.