Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1856-06-19
Farmers wives.

We gladly give room to the following ex-
tract, and doubt not but that the sentiments
therein expressed will agree with those of our
readers generally:
The farmers of this country occupy po-
sition Of honor and usefulness They are
the source of nations wealth and prosperity.
and by their vote and influence can, at any
moment, decide its destiny. Farmers Wives
occupy position of corresponding impor-
lance in our own country's history; they are
and have been the mothers of the men whom
our nation delights to honor, whose voice of
wisdom and warning is heard in our nations
councils. Lebanon shorn of its stately &C.
dars, would be her sad emblem, were our
land bercayed of patriotic and heroic men
whose early youth was associated with rural
scenes, with woods and streams, and the bird
voices that fill the air with melody. But
the sweet voice that stilled the cry of infancy,
the kind hand that led them to the altar of
prayer; the counsels that conducted them in
the paths of wisdom. the influence that de-
veloped their moral nature-these were the
pledges and pressages of their future great
ness. The wives of our farmers, whose thrift
and industry have secured for their husbands
competency, whose intelligence is the light
of the social circle, and whose piety is the
guardian of domestic peace are emphatically,
" the mothers of our men," 4 failure in the
couutry-with all the opportunities of sue
cess, away from all the moral contaminations
of crowded city, amid the free refreshing
winds, among all that is pure and poetic in
nature amid all that is suggestive of truth
and beauty, and all that is bountiful and
beautiful in agricultural pursuits and success
rightly to train up children, should awaken
the voice of instructive warning.-Therc may
have been no failure in accumulating wealth.
none in making home beautiful and tasteful
to the eye; but the failure has been where it
is most fatal, in training the heart and di'
recting the footsteps Of childhood. --rherc
may have been lavish expenditure to crafty
fashion and perverted taste, but little care te
devolope the intellect and train the heart
There may have been great expense to teach
children to sing, to play, and dance well, but
none to make them useful, virtuous and hap
py. Hence the failure, and the need o.
warning There is tendency in these days
of wealth and luxury among our farmers, te
initiate the ostentation OF fashionable city
life. We wage no war against refinement
We are not averse to the clegancies Of life
but to train up our daughters only to shine
in the parlor, to play the guitar and speak
correctly the French accent, and our sons tc
despiso the honest toll of the husbandman, tc
feel that they must aspire to profession, il
they would become men this is sin not tc
pass unrebuked Our fathers, who laid the
foundation of our nations greatness, were the
humble tilers of the soil and many who have
ploughcd the field and sowed the seed, have
risen to guide the affairs of state, to hold con
verse with the muse, or to sweep with Mil
toms hand the harp strings. Our mothers
whose names and heroic deeds are immortal
cultivated domestic virtues, piled the loon
and needle and made the garments Of thu
men whose names are associated with the he
roism Of the past We must look still tt
farmers wives, who are blessed with children
for the men of strong frames, Of iron nerve
and heroic hearts to accomplish our nation
destiny. Let them not be recreant to thei
high trust. IF they fall, to whom shall W
look for the men, and the women that shal
be worthy to steady the ark of God, an
train the coming generation for usefulness i
the blessedness in heaven?