Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1856-10-22
ANNUAL Address,

Eurol Society, at the Fear Grotnds near RdtstyA
q on Friday, tie TIA October, 1885, By PROr T.
MITCHELL, Of TIE Uniss,sitv. :.
Three weeks ago last Tuesday, was honored with
4 communicationpfom the Committee of the Agri'
cultural Society 81 North Carolina in reationto the
duty In0w discharge. A gentleman bad q" selec'
ted for the performance Of it. in al respects quail
fed,-one who would have offered for your accept
ance the counses of . wisdom, in which the opera
tons Of mind richly endowed by nature, would ap.
pear combined with the fruits and results OF earnest
study, mature reflection, and very suhcient expe-
rience But it having been ascertained that this ex
cellent gentleman would be called away and detained
elsewhere by circumstances, at the time beyond nus
control. il became necessary to hHd person VINO,
a the spur of the moment, would PROVIDE some
thing that would pass muster ut this anniversary.
The COMMITTEES did me the honor OF taxing It ior
granted that ii could not on SO short hotice,
mare an address suited to the importance OF the SUD-
feet and the dignity of the OCCASION might AZ any
rate make believe do So as well as some other Peo-
Die. Three weeks and two days were. l acknowi.
edge, ample time for the task assigned, II one nau
nothing else to do But We are overrunnlng with
students at the University, and nave abundant o.
cupaion in the discharge of our duties there, not
only every day but all day, which, Of course alters
materially the condition of things. So much oil
apology seems to me appropriate in the way OF dep
r.cstny loo severe aud searching criticism, IN case
that in regard the matter the execution OF what
have now to offer, shall be judged to have made
some approach only 10 q decent r,spectaoity.
But more weighty objection to the speaker, IN
the capacity in which he now appears may be found
in his manner Of life, and what constitutes his en-
ployment from one years end to another. he IS
nothing but monk, it may be said "a married one,
by the wayO who is kept perpetoaliy clustered uR
there at the University, engaged in communicating
to the young men the rudiments OF science what
can he know about the operations Of farming, the
IS kho n
What is here, as we may suppose, offered as an
objection to me, constitutes, in my Judgment my
verv highest Recommendation. 1t were good thing
for people of all occupations professions and con-
dtons society, of each sex and every age, TO nave
now and then from some authentic source, STATE
nent of the opinions entertained respecting them
selves and their modes of proceeding by such as are
the arthest possible removed from them in their So
cial position and pursuits. 1t would be very ANU
sing at least and might be useful sometimes. Tor
lawyers, preachers shoemakers, farmers, doctors,
merchants and others to listen to the talks their
neighbors have about them.
If somebody would only come over to our side OF
the house. and disclose the communications the sex
have with each other about the men, when their
heads are brought into closest proximity, and the
sweet low tones of their voices only are heard but
the words they utter undistinguishable; or II
the women could hear the frank and undissuised
opinions of the men about themselves, when these
same men speak out fearlessly to one another, IN
stead of humbly talking barney at the feet of wife
or 4 lady love, it nigh: result in mutual benefit
One Of the happiest in conception, as well as sue
cessful in execution of the productions of the poet
Burns is the TwA Docs; where he introduces two
individuals of the canine race, both apparently OF
fair character in their respective spheres, but occu
plying very different positions in society,-one a pol
ished gentleman and the other plain, unprctendins
peasant as interchanging opinions about the char
acterS and conduct of mankind. when
"Upon knowe they sat them down,
And there began long DEPRESSION
never see two Wagon horses Of Sunday or
standing together and thinking to each other for
hours, without being DESTROYS to know what ideas
may be passing through the mind of each. If
could get hole of hog newspaper, in which there
was q communication from one who had lately been
put up to atten, expressing his opinions on matters
and things in general should peruse his article
with extreme interest He would probably state
that the character of the human seemed to have
changed greatly Of late, and for the better. For
that whereas few weeks ago bis venerable and
venerated mother, SOW somewhat aged, with
large family about her, could never crawl, when
half famished, through an opening in the fence
around corniield and help herself to a breakfast,
without being cursed driven rudely out, peted with
stones, beaten with club, and her cruelty
maDgled and torn by ferocious dogs here he, the
writer was, in comfortable yard pen, with corn
or other savory food always lying by him, plenty
of water supplied pleasant sleeping place at night
80 that was not his practice now to root any more
except for exercise and his own amusement. He
had doubts. indeed, about where all this censiderate
kindness would end; but for the present he COM
Portable, and very happy.
Now, upon the principles here laid down, can
very well conceive that the farmers of North Caro-
lima may be willing to know what body of men so
excessively learned as are the Faculty of the Uni
versty, think about their operations and upon far
ing in general l assure you they entertain opn-
ions upon these subjects (some of them) which are
quite peculiar. Some of these l have taken the
trouble to set down; (which" however, as Marc
Antony says in thu play, (which, pardon me, do
not mean to read" l stand here, then, as the I'M
worthy representative of the University in the pres
ence of the farmers and planters of the State to dis
course to them about their own peculiar business
and to offer them counsel in relation to matters which
they understand 80 much better than can pretend
to do.
In navigating vessel across the ocean, there are
several particulars to be attended to. Not only
the sails to be trimmed and set in such manner as
to catch the breeze, the helm to be managed with
SKILL the course by the compass to be noted and the
log to be thrown at intervals to ascertain the
progress the good ship is making but from the re-
cord of observations obtained the position of the
mariner on any particular day and at any hour is to
be calculated, SO that it may be known whether he
is drawing near to the desired haven approaching
. dangerous coast. propose to examine and ascer-
tain, as accurately as can, whereabouts we are in
the great ocean of agricultural improvement and
knowledge; especially that part of our knowledge
which IS most intimately connected with the science
Of chemistry. 70 do this it will be necessary to look
pretty far back, as ell Immediately about u.s.
lany art or science is warranted in tracing its his.
tory to the very cradle of the human race suppose
this to be eminentlY true of farming inas,n,,ch NO
have it from the very best of all authorities that
the first father Of the human was put into the
garden Of Eden, to dress it and to keep it. OF the
agriculture Of this garden do not propose to treat
It present, though may find occasion to speak of
it hereafter. leone down, then, at single stride