Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-11-05
LORD NAPIERs ADDRESS 1T THE RECENT
BANQUET

.A1tcr cp!lSlucl.lblc Gc..' We give tEc cor
rrctcd speech, of Lord Napier, recently delivered
at the Exrhangc Hotel, Richmond, oil the o.
ca>ion oi the agricultural ianqTe, to which h
Wa an invited guest
The toast whirh called forth the English Min
lister. wa> the following givc;. by JAMES LYoSs
Esq:
The health of or distinguished guest, til,
President nf the Agricultural Society Of Sci
kirk--thc Lord NAriEg-dislingui>hcd 10: lead
ing cloqucncc. and craftsmanship as he is iol
all the amenities which grace gentleman =
England may wei! he proud Of her peerless
Peer
Aner the applause which followed the read
ing of the toast had >ubSidcd. Lord NAPIER rost
and addressed the as>cmhlagc a., follows:
G,ntlemen-Whcn rise to address the dis
tnguished assembly whic!, ha, remembered m,
sovereign and my country, and done me ti,e
honor Of recognizing my presence at thlS les
tval. | reflect with satisfaction. that however
ignorant of the noble industry 10 which yo,
are devoted, and however incapable Of justly
apprrciating the efforts and services which You
are rendering in its ca'lsc, may still rank my.
self though in n subordinate order, among the
true Sons and yotares Of the soil. remember
with pleasure that my father WAS unsuc.
ecssiul farmer. though successful writer on
the art of farming. | belong 10 il class whose
interests and affection, are deeply rooted in the
land-a class whose actvcaoc is much hc>tow-
c,l on the business Of Parliament. or ncgotii-
ton, or civil government, ar Oh the profession
of arms. but whose thoughts in all the vlclssi-
ttdrS nt life and strife still rcp"Sc upon fields
and sports. and wliu ever dream of n late return
To the hereditary nome. Notwithstanding this
foreign vagranry and diplomatic dcSortion, |
remain member of the Highland Society Of
Scotland; and. however incredible il may ap-
pear Ia Won. ! am President of the Pastoral
Association of my native county, for the i'm
provcmcnt of the breed of Chrviot sheep
With such instincts and associations You will
believe that do not feel altogether stranger
here. and that | am deeply sratiiicl by the
hearty welcome that find from the brother.
hood of agricuturi>ts. in which claim to hc
an affiliated though. 1T present. an uniruitfml
member.
Since my arrival in Virginia, my attention
has been drawn To the motto Of the State
-" SIR .SmJ"r 7yiumnis. This is strong
language. and in it, htterance il has a rcproach-
fill significance in English ears; but when rc-
fleet upon the ancient hospitality Of Virginia |
have in my mind the suggestion Of a new mot
to->or .Smj.er' .imir'"-always the same Il"
the opircSSor and always the same To the
grcSt-fidclity To freedom and fidelity to friend
ship are still the bases Of Virginia character
The hli>banlry of America presents in lis vast
III ru,I "a ynnrtlrln In
which no Engli>hman can remain indifferent.
History offers no example of this swift, resist
less. uncca>ing cncrOaclmcnt Of skilled labor
over the vacant and fertile domain of the saw
are and the brute Ii is the first triumph Of
man. equipped with all the accumulated powers
of experience and invention, over Nature i'll her
largest limits and her most gracious and boun-
tllll conditions. In the agriculture oi the | nj
ted States We >ec with cXultation Il hcniiicent
and Spontaneous procession of Industry. of
which the field is the American continent, and
"f which the implement is the .Ang
arm Such reflection mig ght alone furnish To
my country many motives OF thankful
ness and pride; hut it i> equally certain that
the agriculture of America forms one of
the principal foundations The existing pros.
perty of Great Britain. In the three great
staples Of cotton, grain and tobacco. imported
from tie United States, wc recognise an in
,iispcnsablc material for oUr manufacturers
main element in the food Of our people, and an
important basis for tie revenue Of the State
While the agricultural products Of the United
States contribute in a high degree to the re-
sources and power of our government, and To
the welfare Of the industrial community, the
land and labor markets of America offer to Cur
slipcrahundant population an incStinablc re-
flge in periods of distress. By this convc-
n;cnt issue the burden of domestic taxation iS
lightcncd, our public peace is confirmed. anil
n,lr political institutions are defended against
those disturbances 10 which they might other
wise be exposed from the passions Of men,
without the means Of regular support, and
without the hope of prospective improve
mcnt. Surely. gentlemen. there Is l."
event in the circle Of human actions more
pregnant with moral interest than the dcpar-
tlrc Of IN humble family tram their birthplace
to settle in strange country. 1t is subject
on which the poets and painters and teachers
NAV we'll exercise their genius, for it is ever
touching and ever new. For my own part,
draw nv impressions from the life; and Am
the more disposed TO revert in fancy to those
scenes. for there find my first associations
with America
Belonging, :.s do, TO district of Scotland in
which the aspiring peasantry have long been
sensible of the benefits attached to emigration,
the earliest rccollcctionS of my childhood are
mingled with the pathetic but hopeful pictures
Of our people forsaking the rude hearth and the
grav skies and the familiar field Of toll. and
turning their thoughtful faces towards the
,1pnpcip,r th,r
condition bv the enterprise, and opening Il
more gcncruS sphere of labor and ot gain To
those who stay behind. All the features Of
such an inci'lcn, are still present To my memo
ry There is the stormy dawn Of morning OF
the moor, and the mist trailing on the noun
tain tops: there is the crImbling cottage. with
its >lnokclc>s chimney, for the fire OF many
lives is 1ucnche,l | sec the gathered ncighbor',
mufllc,l in their plaldS. the restless sheep dogs.
and the useless burden Of domestic goods:
see the helpless infant, the submission of 'ic-
crcpit age, the suffering wife, reluctant but re-
signed To go, the elder children pleased with
the uuwon,cd tumult, the father grave and firm
then the long partings Of those who will meet
lao more till all the weary are at rest. And
thus they pass forth. poor, and but half aware
Of the high mission they fulfil, yet bearing
mysterious dcStinics and the unseen blessings
of the promised land. and ovcrShadowc'lh hy the
Almighty Power who silently impelS them Oh
their distant course. While recognising all the
Importance Of the land and agriculture Of the
United States tn the social welfare Of the British
empire. | cannot deny myself the pleasure Of
expressing to YOU the interest which. ~ mere
virtuosn in rural matters. | have taken in the
external aspect of American husbandry.
DR.. johnson. Oh being asked what was the
summit of felicity said that if you wish to he
perfectly happy here below. you should pro-
cure horse and drive rapidly through new
country with pretty woman by your side
Now. gentlemen. strike out the pretty woman,
and think the respectable moraliSt was right,
for have vet to learn Of higher qualification
than travelling through new country. 1t
must not. however he supposed that the as
pcct Of a new country Is always agreeable to
Il ,t.t tl moot