The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1857-10-28
IIlustrious Farmers.

Edward Everett in a late Grafton at the v. York
Agricultural State Fair, thus referred to great
who have chosen an agricultural life:
The greatest political philosopher aud most con-
summate statesman of modern Europe, Edmund
Burke who saw further than any of his country
men into the cloudy future which hung over the
close OF the eighteenth century at the meridian of
his life, and while most engrossed in public bus-
ness. purchased large farm. 81 have, says he. in
letter written to friend, in that most critical
year Of English politics, 1862, "just made push,
with all could collect of my own. and the aid Of
my friends. TO cast little root in the country.
have purchased about six hundred acres of land in
Bnckinghamshire about twenty four miles from
London. 1t is place exceedingly pleasant, and
purpose, God willing, TO become a farmer in good
earnest" This, his purpose. he carried into effect
and adhered to il to the end Of his life. Those i'm
mortal orations which revived in the British Senate
the gores of the ancient eoqneDcc, were meditated
in the retirement Of BcacOnsfeld; and there ALSO
were composed those all but inspired appeals and
approximations, which went to the heart of Eng land
aud Europe in the hour of their dearest peril, aud
did so much 10 expose the deformity and arrest the
progress Of that goddess phlOsophy-specious, ar
rogant. hypocrtical and saDguinary-which, with
liberty aud equality on its lips, and plunder, and
murder, and treason in its heart waged deadly war
on France and mankind, and closed professed cru
SADIE for republican freedom by the establishment
Of q military despotiSm.
greater than Burke in this country, our own
peerless Washington. with a burden of public care
on his mind such as has seldom weighed upon any
other person,-conScious through a considerable
part of his career that the success not only OF the
American Revolution, but Of the whole great ex
pertinent OF republican government, was Deepen
lent in no small degree upon his course and con-
duct,-yet gave throu bout his life, in time of
peace, more of his time and attention, as he him
self in of his private letters informs u.s. to the
superintendent of his agricultural operations
than TO any other object. 1t will not be doubt
ed" says hc in his last annual message to Congress
9th of December, 1900. that with reference
either TO individual national welfare agriculture
is of primary Importance. IL proportion as ma
tons advance in population and other circum
stances Of maturity this truth becomes more ap
parent, and renders the cultivation Of the soil
more and more object Of public patronage
Among the means which have
been employed to this end, none have been atten
ded with greater than the establishment Of
boards. charged with collecting and diffusiDg in
formation, and enabled, by premiums and small
pecunary aids. to encourage and assist spirit OF
discovery and improvement" On the 10th of Dec
1899, Washington addressed a long letter to the
manager of his farms.-the last elaborate produc-
ton of his pen.-transmtting plan, drawn up on
thirty written folio pages containing din ectons for
their cultivation for several years to come. In Sc
days from the date of this letter his own vene-
spiritual body"
hcarly all the successors of Washington i'll the
Presidency of the United States both the deceased
tud the living, passed passing. their closing
years in the dignicd tranquility of rural pursuits.