Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1857-11-06
IllUsfriOus Farmers.

Edward Everett in a late grafton at the \. Y. Agri-
cultural State Fair thus referred to great who have
chosen agricultural life:
The greatest political philosopher and most consun-
mate statesman of modern Europe Edmund Burke, who
further than any of his countrymen into the cloudy
future which hung the close of the eighteenth
tury at the meridian of his life and while most engrossed
in public business, purchased large farm. &c have, -
says he in letter written to friend in that most crit
ca year of English politics. 1863 just made push
with all ! could collect of my own, and the aid of my
friends to cast little root in the country. have pur-
chased about six hundred of land in Buckingham
shire, about "a miles from London 1t is place ex-
ceedngly pleasant and purpose God willing, to be
come farmer in good earnest This, his purpose he
carried into effect and adhered to it to the end of his
life. Those immortal orations which revived in the
British Senate the glories of the ancient eoquence were
medtated in the retirement of Beaconsfeld and there
Also composed those all but inspired appeals and
exp0sulatiOns which went to the heart of England and
Europe in the hour of their dearest peril and did SO
much to expose the defoity and arrest the progress Of
that goddess philosOphy-specOus, arrogant, hypOcrt
cal and sanguinary-whch, with liberty and equality on
its lips and plumber and murder and treason in its heart
waged deadly on France and mankind and closed
prOcssed crusade for republican freedom by the estab
Ishment of military despotism
A greater than Burke in this country, own peer
less " Washington, with burden of public on his
mind such has seldom weighed upon any other per
son-conscious through a considerable part of his ca
FttT, lIdl SuCCtSS, 1eoNo
uton but of the whole great experiment of republican
government, dependent in small degree upon his
course and conduct-yet gave throughout his life, in
time of peace of his time and attention. he him
self in of his private letters informs u.s. 10 the super
nendence of his agricultural operations, than to any
other object 1t will not be doubted, SAYS he, in his
last annual message to Congress 9th of December
1889 that with reference either to individual
tional welfare agriculture is of primary Importance
In proportion nations advance in population and 9th
circumstances of maturity this truth becomes more
apparent and renders the cultivation of the soil more
and more an object of public patronage.
Among the means which have been employed to th
end have been attended with greater success thai
the establishment of boards charged with collecting an(
difusng information, and enabled, by premiums anC
small pccunary aids to encourage and assist spirit
discovery and Improvement. On the 10th of Dcoem
ber 1909, Washington addressed long letter to tn
manager of his farns-thc last elaborate production
his transmitting plan drawn upon thirty writer
folio pages containing directions for their cultivation
for several years to come In days from the dat
of this letter his own veneratcd form was Sown na
tional body, to be raised spiritual body
Nearly all the SUCCESSORS Of Washington in the Pres
idency Of the United States both the deceased and tn
living, passed or are passing their closing years in tb
dignifed tranquility of rural pursuits