New-York daily tribune., 1858-03-17

look 10 the 6borer, the nasn WORKING poor men such
a. the gentleman in hs old fogy aTguuest would DIS
courage from tse attempt 10 better their condition
Dr. SMITH related inter- sting aneodote Of one Of
hs acquantarce., who proved in the most practices a.
manner, that poor man could settle upon these
socslled poor Long Island lands, and make a
good support for his family aud gain property at the
same time. He thought il disgrace 70 the county
and the age We live in to say that these lands were In
capable oi Improvement, except by an expenditure OF
money so far beyond the reach OF eli ordinary culva
tors that none would be found 10 undertake tho wok
Of Improvement
Several other persons Joined in this DISCUSSION which
grew very animated and was lists ned 10 with great
attention bya large audience, pat OF whom we're
females.
Agricultural Educot,on.-Dr WKLIIsGros read
long paper upon this subject contendng that it was
the most important Of sll subjects that could be dis
cussed by farmers. Among many other things ne
said sound mind IN a healthy body should be the
first consideration, and such would be developed by
suitable education. In the education Of girls, we
appear to have no object. They are not fitted for
good wives or mothers, either in mental or physical
education. The Doctor has faith in schools Tor any
-pecaltiesether agricultural any other particular
object; he would combine ali under one, and make
physical culture the leading object; he would give
healthy bodies fret and store the mind sterWaro, De-
o feeble body cannot receive the best lnpIe5-
sions Sohe would have all pupils engage IN the labor
of cultivating the earth and make their writ
ten compositions relate TO their WORK. I've,
fine the tastes Of girl eight or ten years oid, ana
she will want something more than DOL; DaDies WIN
charcoal sketI he'd faces and so VIII Doy IL ne Is
taught agricultural chemistry, want something ior
Amusement beside the rude plays that uncuhiVated
minds are contented with. child should never be
required to bear away from its schoo great outuen
of gOrds committed TO memory TO be again repeated.
II child was amused by kitehying, he would have
that child taught the philosophy OF its ascension and
illustrate all the il has been applied to- and 80 OF
all their amusements. He thinks that part OF the
amusementr of children would be productive labor il
properly directed while, at the same time. their health
would be improved.
The mot Objectionable portion of his paper was that
in which ne advocated "spiit.lite influences a.
The most important branch of education he thought
q large spiritual influx would improve the physcs'
condition. He would teach every child that good
angel cOntanty attends upon it, to assist it If the
child would solicit the aid of its peculiar guardian
spirit.
Dr. WATERBrRY-we are under obligations to DR..
Wellington for many things that he has brought be-
fore this Club, and although cannot agree with him
in all his spiritual distractions, can In his remarks
upon physical education. What shall be done with
the boys is an important question, since we have pam
ul evidences every day here in the city that their
physical condition IL degenerating.
The preceding matters had nearly used up the
two hours devoted to discussion, TO the exclusion OF
the regular subjects, one OF which was az follows:
The GriHdStoRe-H It's Uses and AbUseS.-SOLos ROB-
INsoN-Mr. President rise to q question Of privilege
believe that is the term for which greater men than
claim tue privilege OF speaking in greater assem-
blsges than this. IL is question of personal prv-
legc 1t my privilege to introduce the grndstone
questiont yours to fix time for its discussion
but you have taken away that privilege and devoted
the time to other purposes, and here an with an Ak
to grind and nobody to turn. Besides, have been
pOohed at for introducing this sIbect, and the ques-
tion rather has been sneerngy asked, What can you
say at all interesting about grindstOne
Now, came to-day prepared to let you kno" what
could say and yet the grlndstone wouldn't 60. l
have not had my say. What shall do!
--U( "a on haar inn hear
him Lets have turn at the grindstone" !"
Mr.. RoBISsoS-Very well, then, l say this: The
gIDdstOne is not such unimpOrant subject OF dis
cussiOn by Farmers Club as some persons, without
reflection may think. What could farmer do without
it In fact it IT, instead of being unimpOrtant the
most important implement ever brought upon farm
Show me farmer that does not own grlndstone ana
will prove to you by thousand witnesses, II any
other is needed out of his mouth, and upon his
farm, tina! he is poor shtless, thrfess fellow
Pray tell me what more pilable thing, what more
derOgatory to his character and ability TO 1--we IKE
man among men, could you say OF one who claims
the name of farmer as the justly proud prefix TO
his own cognomen, than to say Poor fellow he
has got no grindstOnel" Some person has sad that
lie could measure civilization by the quantity
OF soap used ] can measure it by better test-it Ia
the grndstone test. When ! was an early settler, 80
early that had white neighbors 10 the northwest
county of Indiana, and no customers for merchandise
but the wild Potawatamie Indians, who were avery
dirty uncivilized tribe-the last, you would think,
ever 10 wash themsclves-I sold them many bar OF
soap, but never gindstone. AT later period had
good many white custOmers-civilized ones, as was
proved by the fact that while was selling one box
of sosp, sold whole wagen-load of grindstones.
These were sharp customers; they bought the means
to sharpen their axes chopped their own wood and
burnt il upon their own hearthstones and made their
own soap. Soap may be evidence OF civ
ization-it is not a certain one-but the
grndstOne tes failed Neither did 1t ever fall
in the proof of good farmer If his grindstone ls all
right so is everything else If it is an old shacklng
l.. .l,.6 oVI
crank, with limb of apple tree for handle, upon
q frame propped up, one corner on dliapldated
stone.ws, without trough to hold water, and with
wo begone squeak and groan when 1t IL put upon
duty you need not look any further after that mans
character. lie will grind 1t out for you-ify,u will
turn-upon that miserable excuse for grndstone
Do you happen to know fellow who Is noto
riously poor, miserable, slack, ,go-day-come'
day .low-and-easy sort OF nobody, you may
set it down as gospel truth that he don't own
grndstone not even that miserable excuse
for one mounted upon the dilapda!ed frame that leans
against the old stone waln0 not even one that runs
upon nOtches cut IN two fencerals Leaned against the
back side of the house rested scross the corner oil
the pig.peD, the fac sime of which You can hnd IN
thousand hills and wales throughout this land OF civil
zation, rth-ot-July patriotism and grndstones
TAX about your moving and reaplng machines,
your sharp sCytbes, and Keen axes-not one of them
could be made kept in order without the grindstone
Tell the farmer about the advantage OF sharp spades
and hoes but how is he to keep them sharp without
uls hos holspenshole o al implements OF husuahuy,
the grnds one Talk about the discomfOrts OF smoky
house and scoding we-that s not the real cause Of
the scO,dingt Is dull and dull butcher knife.
For want of sharp you don't pitch into that hard
seasoned old log that contains of tine best fuel in
the world, but go to work like uncivilized POtaws
tamie, and knock up some old rotten wood with your
dull AK, and that instead of making fire makes
smoke which sOurs the good wife's temper, which
finally if the wood does not, bursts into rame when
she attempts with dull knife, to cut meat for the
breakfast of poor shitless goodfo nothing fellow,
who is trying to live the world without grndstone.
Think of it-lyipp without Crindstone Why, q