Grand River times. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1851-18??, 1857-10-28

ADDRESS of Hon. TIMOTHY EASTMAN, des0ered before IN
first meeting ofMe Otawa County Agricultural Society
at Lamont, February 10th, 1855.
LADIES, GENTS AND FELLOW CITIZENS:
Of all the states of the great Mississippi valley, Michi
gan is highly distinguished perhaps may say unequaled
in her noble and broadcast system of general education.
The generous and ample endowmen appropriated for he
State University together with the liberal provision for The
support of her normal and schools atterng tc
the pride and highest anticpatons OF every patriotic citl
zen who chershes the dearest object OF his bosom th
perpetty of our liberal institutions of government and h
continued prosperity of the republic She too discrete
beginning to realize the necessity of fostering agriculture
important branch of that general educatonher new con
stituton providing for the establishment of agriculture
school. which NAV be made branch of the University
with handsome support from the proceeds of twenty-five
sections of salt spring lands, "and any lands which may
hereafter be granted appropriated for such purposes
shows the drift and that her motto is to cultivate the sol
and the mind"
Her staple interest is and always will be agriculture
the very existence and welbeing of very large majority
of her citizens will forever be identified with the culture
the SOIL "and of all the occupations which man at liberty
follow, adds dignity to the human character-ex
pands the mind-elevaes moral sentment-inlses
renee for true observation-disclosures the sphere of human
usefuness-mproves the physical energies Of nature
and nslires permanence and stability free institutions
more than the pursuit of agriculture" Agriculture involve
its pursuit art and scence it is the basis the motive
power of all the arts and of life oo Any effort that tend
to elevate it to its proper sphereo its relative consequence
its place of dignity and honor-shoud be regarded by
any people above equal effort toward the conquest of th
world crafty their military ambition, for the deveope
ment of all the hidden treasures the bowels of the earth
But what has been tue taste of ages gone by? Ask th
historian for immortal Cyrus, Alexander Caesar
Tamerane Napoleon the response, and only because they
have destroyed property, cities, desoated more
lands made more widows and orphans and butchered
than their fellows and this has mmortazed deied
them ask for Names benedctors of mankind those whc
have studied and multiplied the of supporting eXis
ence who have conrved to make two spires Of grass grow
where but one grew BEFORE and echo here The
of the age needs be changed it changed in
degree the people hold those only
great who are good and good because they multiply the
of existence, promoting the happiness OF all arounC
hem and compel the historian to hold up to everlasting in
fanny the destroyer oppresors and murderers of their e
lows People should be taught and feel their
interest is to believe that he who provides bread for The
millions; nvents aborsavng machine; which in the opera
ton doubles and quadrupcs the crop with the labor
ncucaes the sciences with view benefit and advance h
arts and emuatcs the cultivation of the soil and the mind
should be deed in whose honor birthdays and eass should
be celebrated rather than for those who have DESTROYED
murdered by millions.
The ancient Greeks had their divntes the patrons
their industrial arts Ceres Vulcan Bacchus ct all to whom
they paid honors by offerings and eas from the fruits
productions of their peculiar province this may some
evidence of the high estimation in which those arts
held by thatthe most advanced enlightened and refined
age of the world. Yet when find that such deitcs a
Mars the god of war; received from them superior homage
and that Jupiter, their father president god the Supre
cninus kept Baccbus constantly employed in making
wine for their drunken revelre instead of attending ui
culture generally; and kept Vulcan, the worker of iron
making hunderbots for the purposes Of destucton nsea
of allowing him to manufacture spade blades dungtork
and poughirons evidences that like the world
they paid less Difference to the patrons of their best interests
and consequently less TO those interests themselves thai
they did those decs who atered their passions thei
ambition ard their superstition.
The eastern horizon is just becouded with beige
aspect and but recently human blood and life has beer
poured out like river the highest efforts of human powe
have been exered and put forth for the destruction of hu
manity ITSELF and all for bauble; it is hoped that tn
passed and that peace about to her blessed
empire again. and that without allowing the historian sng
maine for or worthy of deifcaon in this work of human
butchory Peace alone brings prosperity to the world tn
industrial arts then fostered, and universal knowlcdg
extended.
The wonderful facilities for the intercommunication
the world afforded by the tanning of steam and electricity
has ushered in era the day approXimating whe
the heretofore heterogeneous and distinct of the ear
may mnge, communicate and be people; the excu
svo barriers of selfconce and naughty ignorance
give way the celestial Chnaman or pigai and the lion
crested Britton the bigoed musseman and the devoted
christian, meet, salute and acknowledge in degree
each equa this hopeful day first ushered in b.
the discovery Of the magnetic needle; guided by this tn
heretofore tracess became the common high
way of the world; it gave life the of nations
and knowledge of people before unknown, and despise
because unknown mutual interests, mutual dependence
and mutual regards Of different people and kndreds followed
fha of sha1o