The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1858-11-02
AGRICULTURAL ADDRESS
O.J0Te 1E157N' C'dIO1tHU -dyTlcNl1aT0z
... .4-.-s Society, Oct. 2l 1858, by srF.sss# T
EON. THOMiS L. CLINGMAN,
.e OF RUNCOMBE COUNTY. srs~ a.s .r4rs
OF BUNCoMBE COUNTY.

! .H President, Latlie$ and Gentlemen: --.-
! W hen some twelve months ago there was similar
aSsembEee at this place. We We're entertained with
an address abouuding in knowledge of Agricultu-
/ raj subjects comprehensive and thorough in its
details and in all respects interesting and useful
! to the planter and farmer. Such in character have
been many of the addresses heretofore delivered
on these occasions by the President of the Asso-
citation and others | regret that it will rot bc in
my power to present to you similar offering to
! day 80. -..,.. .-..-.... ..,f
| Ny past course Of life and the pursuits with
| which have been occupied h We been OF such
character, that mcst of you are perhaps, MY sure
riors in these branches Of kEowled s5e. ne TACT
that the Executive committee o. the Association
should have selected me for such an office well
knowing as they did, doubtless my DEFICIENCIES in
this respect, would seem to imply that in their
Judgments there subjects, within the reach Of
any man OF cducation sufficiently related TO practi
cal agriculture, to be interesting occasion
like this Having no especial reason for declining
the invitation with which | was honorcd, and feel
! ing deep interest in the movements aud success
OF the Association, had alternative but to
cept, and must therefore bcspeak your kindcst ID
diligence while attempt the performance of
duty wholly to At the first view, agri-
culture strikes the mind being the most indie
pendent and certain progress Of all occupations.
Fertility, the capacity for production is perna-
Of the is regular and constant, within the
necessary limits, SO that they bring in proper
order sunshine and rain, and the required changes
Of tenn crature. Even if from any cause, partcu-
lar spots of the earths surface should be deprived
of their productive powers, nature supplies tertiz-
ing agents in great abundance The. wants of
man which impe him to cultivate the earth, are
fixed in his very nature; while the knowledge
! ccssary to enable him to obtain subsistence by
buSbo tn
Such discoveries as led to improved modes of cul-
turc from time to time arc easily transmitted to
succeeding generations, and without any very great
mental exertiOns the stock of knowledge in this
branch of industry is gradually increased. 1t
would seem, therefore, that where agriculture once
obtained position, it ought to extend it
SELF until, by successive advances, it attained the
highest state of perfection. AS, for example, it
has already acquired a firm foothod in the United
States is there any to doubt but that it will
expand and improve, until it has taken entire pos
session OF the North American continent, and
everywhere exhibited Itself in its highest cond-
ton? . -.s =. s""-.a1
There many facts in history which seem to
sustain the affirmative of this question. 1t has
been observed that agricultural States were those
which manifested the greatest and most enduring
vitality. India and China are pointed to as ez-
ampcs, and Sparta and Rome have been con,rasted
with such States as Fhcnicia and Athens and
Carthage and Venice 1t has been truly said that
nations which were mainly dependent commerce
and manufactures often ruined by single
unsuccessful campaign. while those chiefly engag-
ed in agriculture could stand repeated reverses
and arise from each shock with renewed vigor
like the tabled earll-born giant, from the touch of
his mother. a@- b. sr - .-.. '~-f
But numerous as are the circumstances that lend
plausiblity to this view and pleasing it would
he for us to adopt such hypothesis, a wider III
ducion, and careful survey of the facts will
not allow rest with absolute certainty on such
Il conclusion Thousands of years ago immense
nations existed in South-W cstern Asia. Dim us
is the light of early history, it is yet sufficient to
satisfy us that the country on either side of the
great river Euphrates, and extending quite to the
Mediterranean, once tcemcd with dense masses Of
human beings. So imperfect we're the means of
transportation then known that We can have no
doubt but that they obtlined their Subsistence
mainly from the soil on which they lived Bat
the traveller who now passes over these regions
finds comparatively but sparse population, and
the ruins of mighty cities, with immense mounds
and buried columns, and scul ptures OF strange de-
sign and execution. Covered walls and cistcrns,
aud dilapidated aqueducts, afford evidence Of
former industry vast scale. The minds in
stnctively asks what has wrought this wonderful
change, and converted fertile fields and populous
cities into deserts? It cannot have been caused
by any great geological convulson or movement of
the carths surface. The form of the continents
is now what it then was, and the seas and rivers
still OCCUPY their former places. The revolutions
of the heavenly bodies continue in their long
known accustomed orbits and periods; nor can the
finger of science point to anything in nature, that
has affected the OF the seasons, materially
modified the amount of heat and cold, aud sun-
shine and rain, that visited those regions in the
times of Nebuchaduczzar or Cyrus or even of
King Solomon. ...- A.. .... "a. g.. -
AS inanmate nature, and the course of physical
events furnish adequate for these changes,
the reasons must be found in those political and
cial conditions which influence the actions of men.
1t may be said that nvasions and conquests, or
desolating wars, have destroyed the industry of
these eiGns.s 1t is undoubtedly true that feeble
States are often rlundered by strong ones to !;
ruinous extent; but why, for example, did not the
successors of Alexander the Great protect their
subjects for their own advantage Why did not
the mighty monarchs which have since held these
regions afford such security to them to cncour-
age industry, and keep up their former high con-
dition of agricultural wealth .~s -s ~ ~ -ssf. 4,
. To obtain answers to these questions must
look to examples to own times and to
cases in which the facts more generally within
the range of our observation. While the great
Roman Republic held the choicest parts of the then
known world, Italy itself was blooming like gar