The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1856-10-22
BY REV. I. N. cARMAN.


The immediate feature of interest i
these annual assemblsges is, to the mas
Of those in attendance, the display, amids
competition, of the products of labr
skill and taste. We take pleasure iu be
holding the tsnsib,e proofs Of an advance,
and still advancing state IF civilization
which are afforded by these o~vations to tn
Goddess OF Industry. The farther benin,
we leave the rude habits aud scanty com
forts OF favage life, the more attention d,
we bcstow On occasions ike the present
And the moro bountcous aud beautiful th,
gifts of earth beneath the hand of tbt
ag~rlcuiturist, the richer are we in tn,
prime material for these annual Fairs
Even the partial Withholding of these fun
da1ental blessings cannot, we are glad to
ind take away motive for gathering to-
gether the best we have, that our eres
may behold how much of good, even at
the least, a benifcent Providence pours
upon US from the lap of earth. Besides,
II seasons change, and grow less fruitful,
this becomes a strong incentive to the ill.,
crease of skill, that thereby deficiencies
may De partly, if not in whole, supplied.
Herein, OF course, lies the grand design of
there Fairs. They are Eot mere lotteries
Tor the drawing of prizes, EGder the spe-
clous Dame Of ''prs miums." The nan
WAC can come hither with no thought be-
yond a sordid, pccuniary speculation from
what ne exhibits, gives Illuminating proof
that his SonS IS as much smaller than bis
Ieighoors. as hisPunfkin or potato may
De larger; aud that has most pressing need
Is to think less of The one, an strive to
enlarge the other
No. fplIorv cifizops re o,o -o -
promote a eommendable emulation in all
ludastrial arts, especially in that which
underlles all others, the noble art of %tilliug
the SOIL And our premiums are but. ex-
pressions of public commentator for those
cheering tokens, seen in those receiving
them, OF zeal in the great work of perfect
Ing our knowledge and use of the means !
OF LIE and comfort presented in material
things around US. "That man." said
some thinker, "who shall teach US how to
grow three blades of grass where but two
grew before, Is a great public beneflctor."
And every one, in his due proportion,
shares such honor and deserving. who
presents us any improved product Of in
dustrlal art, and stirs us up to its imita.
tion. To recognize this idea, as becomes
a people Jealous of the popular veal, we
have been called together. All who ex-
hlbIt do not draw premiums, but all pres
ehS derive p!easure,-a generous and
healthful pleasure, from the exhibition.
And, it we think and reason, amid our
slght seclngs, we may all bear away FROM
these occasions treasures of thought and
borrowed experience, of greater value far,
than tie premiums awarded, with all the
adventurous gain they bring. Ii Is with
this In view, doubtless, and that it may
be somewhat the better and more certain
~ secured, that the managers of these oc
caslons have ordained the delivery of an
annual address, at their close. They
would signify TO us in this manner, the
paramount importance of our looking be-
You'd the mere fact of these exhibitions.
to their idea. H0nored today, unmeri,-
ediy, in being made their spokesman for
this purpose, [ have only to regret a lack
Of ability and experience to repay the
compliment as the Worthiuess Of the coua-
mon object before Us demands. | con-
g~ratulate myself, however, on this fact, at
least, that, though selected BY your Commit
tee for speech, and at a Fan, too, IAN not
thereby set up By them as a part Of the
exhibition, nor as competing, in the wnrdy
labor, for any premium. Unbound, &C.
eordISgiy, IN this respect, nor limited to
any particular one of the many topics ap.
propriate to the occasion, I shall hope by
OF variety to atone for other
defects, and to make n few thoughts the
less unacceptable to you, from having my t
heart In them, by virtue of the sunny {
of the blessed days of my child j
hood and earlier youth spent in the labors q
OF a tliier of the ground; a fact for which,
more than Tor any other of my early sur
rounaings, feel TO record my ~shangful-
ness TO God this day.
1t Is not merely for bread and meat !
that the town is dependent on the coun. h
Try business lie, as well as animal life, q
aust draw its vitality from that great h
iountain Of power and vigor. Who are s.
he enterfrising, energetic, t~horough-go- 5.
ng men of our towns aud cities, whose
powerful shoulders push on the great F
wheels of business, OF manufacture and
,ommerceT Trace back their histories a
brief, e%veDtful years, and you find
a large share Of them, sturdy young e
toiliug with wiry muscle and II
cheek, at the plough. They brig "
INTO the city stalWart frames msde strong .
By honest toll, which, in the MORE rush q
ng busy life of the city, where compete u
ion is at its utmost stretch, and the wear il
NV .SoA "HetHUGnh lbe greatest, must "a
distance those who, from city C,
and rearing, have delicate physical r;
powers. There are exceptions, ] grant, "
but this is the rule. From tie various y
Mechanical pursuits followed in the eoun. Il
'ry, come many also, who compare favora. a
bly, with the sons Of the soil in ability and 8.
endurance. But pre-eminentIy c1nspicu- ii
Jus IN the struggle, are those who have b.
'reathed the puie atmosphere of bill and "a
'sle instead of the confined, unhealthy air re
# SO many of our shops aud manufacto- ia
les. A growth acquired in large part pi
the open sky, and in contact with IN
he direct rays Of the sun, is the grand Sc
'ondition of toughness and endurance- cl
# the iron constitution that joyfulIy gi
COTS at fatigue, dyspepsia, aud the bro q
'ers. Nothing L repeat, but a country b;
s1siug, can, ss a general rule, make Que ~
old out, and win, against the immense CO
tFuggle Of competition and toll in our tt
reat commercial empoTiums. Thus a ia
de of strong hearts and fresh sinews at
eeps pouring into our cities from the yc
Ountry, the ebbing of which is seen CON IN
-nuaily in the retire ment Of men from an
usincss which has made them opulent, Sc
the same time that it has taxed their th
a,lFh and oan=f1+. E-