Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1858-01-15

citizenship possessed in common with
the nation.
Tho Importance ami necessity of agricul
.ure t, S.as,, is universally conceded. Il
is and must ever continue to bo the great
leading interest Of our people. While man
uflcturc5, con mere, and the mechanic art
have their im portaacc as branches Of public
industry, agricu tnrs lies at this foundation
Of all. Unlike thpss countries where the
land is held by a few propriet 'rs and is prin-
cipaliy o,cupii in lars, tracts BY tenants,
who cultivAt, it by lab,r, having n Interest
in the s,il, here the land is owned by thoss
who till it on their own account. in COM
pAr,sively small farms, am who dsawisg
their eapport from sosfssas ssAdspeWdeat Rof
the fluctuations Of trade and the favors OF
! government. constitutes at ono. reliable
and important portion of the community.
The progress Of agriculture IN this Stat.
has not kept p.ce with the skill and i'm
provements displayed in other departments
OF iniustry:a q variety of causes havo contrib
uted to the general apathy upon the subject
not necessary here to notice. A more hope
ful sentin mt is beg inning to prevail. S,cie-
tics under the patronage of the State, have
been formed for the promotion Of gen.
erM agric ulture and its bounty has been
] =
that they are exertins sllutary influence.
4 State board of agriculture has also been
| or r:.aniz. Il under the act of 1856. Its cxis-
| tencc is too brief and its field of operations
and observation too limited to determine
what may be the extent Of its future useful
ness.
| Much good may be anticipated from its
annual investi CATION of bjects agriculture,
horticulture and kindred subjects and from
the publicatio nof the results Of thes, inves-
LEGATIONS too the general information of the
ayricuturists of tho State. Mach useful
and important information may be furnished
through the report OF the Secretary Of the
B)ard, whose duty it is t. publish detailed
report .'of the doings of the board, tossth-
er with digest of the several agricultural
and Horticultural societies, and of such stat
ist,cs as he may be able to collect, with such
recomrn ,ndations an sugg gestions as the inter-
csts Of agriculture may require This re-
port will b, laid before you.
Intimately c,nnsctei with this subject
having the most important bearings upon
the growth and pr,sparity OF the State, is
! the settlement Of our territory with intelli-
gent and in ,,tri u- citizens. The Aro)s-
took country, by lar the most fertile of our
! lands; III .kss slow and np;rf.ct progress IN
settlement for wlnt Of facilities for trans
portlti n al in;:rc, mn Inicati,n. II any
method ctn b. devised by which an object 80
desr.ble ctn b, promItsd, it would be for
the hi chest inter at Of the 5 at, ut once,
to embrace it. 1t has ever b,en regarded
an eb ct }. the lnp,'t s)li;itut., ant the
Legislature has from tin, to tim, appronri-
ated me N. itI the cpn,tructipn OF roads Tor
thio purpose these are n necessarily impsr-
feet. and crmpned With modern modes Of
transportation unsa sti.t,ry.
! ! invite your careful consideration Of this
whole subject, in spirit Of enlightened
liherllity, and cannot TOO urgently press it
upon your attention.
! The constitution declares that "a general
diffusion of the advantages of iucation is
ess initial To the promotion of the rights and
liberties Of the p,,ple;" and it enioins upon
the l. L,gisl lture the duty of requiring for the
several towns and cities suitable prov ision
for tn support Of public schools and also
reqnircs the endowment Of colleges and acad-
emics. Herein is u recognition Of the max
i'm that a republican government must rest
on tho intellis.nne of the people.
! Elncati,n intel, ,ctual and IN 'ral culture
for all, W Is ,rd d.in-d as the means for the
establishment an1 support Of civil and reli-
! gious liberty. C,cvtl with our political
forms Of government, was the estlb! ishment
I of "a system Of common schools. Seduously
! provided for as the first care OF the State,
watched over with paternal solocitude and
sustained by an unboualcd munificence. it
has come down to us. 1t lies at tho basis of
the State = deepest concerns. as common to
all, and rs the broad foundation of all other
institutions Of learning; and while it may
claim your drst attention, it should not be
forgotten that the genius Of our government
is equally the fostering parent of the col
iegs and the academy, into which, from
the common school. those who are prompted
I by an innate ambition to excel in the higher
walks OF education, may 60. and there quail
fv themselves for successful competition tor
the highest prizas # the State.
Th- times will not admit of reduc-
| tion in the general standard Of intelli-
gerce among the people. We are in
debted to the intelligence, high culture
and strong virtue OF the original set
tiers. for sur institutions. To main
tain the splendid superstructure of civil
a nd religious liberty which has been
built upon the foundations laid by
those who originally came here with mo-
tives Of the highest social. political and
moral character. against the sinister in
! huences which have succeeded, as we'll
as the general decentralization of the
nation. popular education should be am
ply providsl for. and high standard
Of intelIi, ,cace secured. Notwithstand-
ing the severity of the times and the
necessity Of the practice Of rigid
economy in public and private cxpendi-
lures. deem it worthy your consider
alton whether the interests Of the COM
mon schools d. not demand the e.tab-
lishmsnt Of sch ol for the quali6ca-
ton Of teachers. 1t is quite apparent,
from the legislation Of the past few
years. that the people Of the State, in
the bestowal of its bounties, have a
partiality for thos, schools.
If this sentiment should continue. it
will be found necessary to provide for a
supply Of teachers, which heretofore has
T been sent out fron the academies. For
, information as to the actual condition
and wants Of the system Of common
schools. you are referred to the report