Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1856-11-14
VALLEY FARMER.
Mr. Houoway's Report.

Mr. 6okloWays Report
WEHAvE been favored with the
report Of the Committee on Ag- |
riculture, to the House Of Repre-
sentatiyes, drawn by ID. Holloway,
Chairman:
The report is drawn up with |
great ability, and the essential
points are presented with remark |
able clearness and force. The Bill |
reported by the Committee is laid |
over among unfinished bust |
ness"
We submit some extracts from
Mr.. HoIloway's report, both as
being valuable in themselves, and
as serving to show that correct
principles are therein presented
with unusual power
We premise by stating that the
Bill reported by the Committee
provides for the establishment "of
an economical department OF the
government, which shall be devo-
ted to the great Agricultural In
terest Of the country" In sup
port of the Bill, the report, after
citing the sentiments ofthe most
distinguished statesmen OF Amer
lea, says:
We might incorporate here the
strong and earnest recommended
tons of several Of the heads Of
departments in favor Of decided
legislative action upon the sub
ject Of agriculture, but We have
shown conclusively that General
Washington, and almost every
successor in the presidentialc chair,
in obedience to the duty imposed
upon them by the constitution, to
recommend from time to time to
Congress such measures as they
may deem calculated to promote
the public welfare, have regarded
the promotion Of agriculture as
one of the objects which would
promote the public good, and
add to our national prosperity,
Our executive officers have, per-
haps, done their duty; Congress
has utterly failed in its obliga-
tons to the people. While the
constitutional advisers Of Con.
gress have advised, and recon-
mended action, to which Congress!
has turned a listless ear, the peo
ple-the sovereign people-art
now demanding that this great
interest shall receive the attention
and patronage of government
For the last four years, petition
after petition has been receive'
from the people; agricultural so
cieties in the counties, Stat
boards Of agriculture, the Unite'
States Agricultural Society, ant
State Legislatures, have passe'
resolutions recommending the es
Enlistment Of an Agriculture
Department. No measure haI
heretofore been so earnestly AM
so generally recommended t
Congress by those whose duty
is, and those whose sovereig
right it's, to call the attention {
Congress to measures of publ
Importance. Will Congress Ion
ger disobey the injunction Of tn
one and the demands Of the ott
er? No matter how slight an az
probation, or low an estimat
membersmay placsuponthis PROF
osition; it is their duty, under tn
letter aud spirit Of our democrat
ic institution, to take hold ofth
matter,and donow what they hay
so long neglected.
Let US, fora few minutes, loo
into the extent and impor
ance Of the agricultural interest
of this country.
BY the census Of 1850, it wi
be seen that the cash value
farms and agricultural machiner
is put down at near three thou
and five hundred millions Of do
lars. In our opinion, this falls (,
below their actual value, and
may now be safely estimated ,
five thousand millions of dollar
and their annual product at tv
thousand millions Of dollars. I'll
agriculturists Of the United Stat,
have more than double the amo' !
of capital invested in the sing
and simple item Of fences, ths
there is invested in every depar
ment Of manufacturing coEbine
Four-ffths Of our people are q
gagged in rural pursuits, and /
their labor are feeding and clot
ing over 27,O00,O00 Of peopl
They produce 100,000,000 bus
els Of potatoes, 300,000,0(
bushels Of oats, 100000
bushels of wheat, 800,000,0(
bushels Of corn, 100000 poun,
e ~~kk1 100 nnn nnA L