Staunton vindicator and general advertiser. (Staunton, Augusta County, Va.) 1858-1860, 1858-09-18
STANTON AUGUSTA COUNTY, VIRGINIA. SEPTEMBER 49, 1858
To the AgriCHItNriSts and Mechanics
- 0f Virginia 500 .tJ .E,s.

To the AgricnIturists and Mechanic
~ hnz 7t Of WrSinia;5ds5 III ~5sg
| ID The undersigned have been deputed t
address you in relation. to the Virginia Cen
trail Agricultural Society--its aims and Oh
fleets, and ESPECIALLY the Cattle Show anc
Fair which will beheld at the Fair Ground
near this city on the 25th day of October
and the ensuing five days, and most respect
fully we invite your, attention while we~dt
So Promising you in return the .utmos
brevity which may be consistent with intel
ligent explanation. ''+a WIN ''' s''''
y AS you know, the State AgriculturalSo
ciety has held It's Cattle Show and Fair an
nually for years past at she Fair Grounds.
| which were provided for it by the city @
Richmond; as you also know, the Executive
Committee Of that Society determined moi
very long since, to hold the next Show and
Fair at the grounds of the Union Society,
near Petersburg, Under the auspices of that
Society. That determination left the, ex-
tensive and Beautiful Fair Grounds of Rich
niond Sunoccupied, and cut off the Metropo-
lis, the commercial and political centre Of
the State, from its annual intercourse with
the farmers, graziers and artisans Of the
State.
The people living at and near the centre
were not content that this estrangement
should exist, and they determined that the
enjoymentso often experiehced aIld 50 much
delighted in by them, of meeting the great
hndxy on1 o1ifn &c fEo 60 trrr u
mechanics Of our State in their annual and
primary assembly, with the noble and beau
tiful specimens which they brought of their
skill and industry Id producing, rearing
and manufacturing whatever can be. neces-
sary or useful for the comfort of our peo-
pie, should continue. The hearty welcome,
the cordial intercourse, and even the pain
full parting, which excited the deep impress
sion which the intercourse of week even,
with all its exciting incidents and generous
rivalry, could not be given up, and as we
have said, our people at and near the centre
determined they should not be given up,
and they met and organized the Virginia
Central Agricultural Society, of which we
are the representatives.. We have endeav-
ored to perform, with a single eye to the
end in view, the duty assigned US, and we
have now the great satisfaction to announce
to you that the United States Agricultural
Society will hold its next annual Cattle
Show and Fair in connection with US, at
our Fair Grounds, on the 25th day Of De-
tober next, and the five following days
We have great pleasure in this event, and
we congratulate you upon it, and earnestly
and respectfully invite you to attend the
Fair, and bring with you your finest speci-
mems Of your skill and industry in all the
departments Of agriculture and manufac-
lures, ard espccially'of your live stock Of
every kind. We are aware that under err
roneous information the United States So
ciety has been spoken Of as ga myth" an
unreal and shadowy thing, having NO cor
poreal or organic existence. Be assured
that is a mistake. The United States Agri-
cultural Society was organized more than
five years ago, under the auspices of some
of the most distinguished men Of the nation,
who have ever since controlled and directed
it, with the aid Of constant accessions of
men of equal responsibility and rank. and
at its last annual meeting the Agricultural
Societies Of twenty-eight States were pre-
sent by their deputies, while the President
of the United States, several members of
his. Cabinet, and many members of the
Senate and House of Representatives, testi-
fed their interest in it, and lent additional
grace and dignity to its sessions by their
presence. The late President Of it, Marsh
alp Wilder, Esq, is known throughout
the country for his zeal in the cause Of Agri-
culture, his intelligence and high character;
and its present President, General Tench.
Tilghman, is familiar to us all as one of the
most distinguished sons Of our sister State
of Maryland. 1t would be delightful to
live always in the midst Of such a myth
but if a myth at other times, it has most
material and fascinating existence at least
once a year, when it's great Cattle Show
and Fair has been held in some of the
States, which eagerly sought it's presence
among them. You have before you it's rich
premium list, and you will have no difficult
ty in believing us when we tell you that
its Cattle Show and Fair has always been
the grandest and ost.magnifcent ever held
in the Union, and we cannot but congratu-
late you upon the fact that it's next Show
and Fair will be held in your midst; and
we cannot doubt that you will meet it with
all the cordiality and hospitality which dis
tinguishes our people, and vindicate the
claims Of Virginia to high consideration in
Agriculture and the Mechanic Arts, by the
specimens Of your skill in each. which you
will bring to compete with those of our
friends and brothers from the other States
who will bring their best and noblest to
bear the palm, and the premiums with it.,
from the sons of the Old Dominion: Meet
them in generous rivalry, with the noble
hospitality which is your birth right, but
meet them, we pray you, with the best you
have, and if they beat you, confess their
prowess, but shrink not from the encounter.
We have heard that it is said that our
Society is inimical, or will be injurious to
the State Society, and ought not, therefore
to be encouraged This opinion is so SIM
pie and palpable an error that it is difficult
to suppose that those who urge it are alto
gether candid, if Intelligent Nevertheless
we shall treat it as a candid objection, and
briefly answer it. And first let us enquire
who were the most prompt, energetic and
liberal supporters Of the State Society g
Every one must reply that Richmond and
her citizens Of allclasses, but especially her
merchants and millers, than whom there is
not to be found in this State Cor cut of it, J
in proportion to their numbers, a more lib
aral iutnHirent and natriotic hodv of mon