The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1858-11-03

that it would be useless to pursue th,
subject at present. SO, winding up my
argument and the little wooden clool
that graces our mantle, l addressed my
self to slumber, while that murmurec
aspiration on the midnight air cam,
from my wifc'sh half opened lips
'Ob, dear! wish I were rich p
THE POSTMASTER GENERAL AT
E Iz-s HOME. .
Address delivered at the Fifth Arnua
Is Far of the Tennessee State Agri
cultural Bureau, October l2, 1858, bJ
Hon. A. Y. Broacn-
L thank you, gentlemen, for that kline
invitation which has conferred on me
the honor and happiness of being present
with you to-day, and especially do
thank you, my fellow citizens, for Ia.
cordial reception which you have JUS
extended to me. se
return full of fgratitude--never dying
gratitude-for all the kindness, person
al, social and political, which, through
long life,tyou have never failed to be-
stow upon me. I return to miDgle in nc
politital contest where each party is
struggling for ascendancy and power,
but to witness, with joy, your continued
zeal aud progress in the most aucient,
useful aud honorable profession ever fol-
lowed by man-the profession ofagricul-
ture. ~ ....-..-.. --.-s-. ST..
Four years ago, when assisting my
fellow citizens of East Tennessee to in.
augurate their first annual fair, | pro-
claimed that the spirit which animated
that large assembly-the spirit that had
animated the seven or eight thousand
persons at Nashville and Gallatin on
similar occasious-gaEe uDerriDg assu-
rance ofa triumphant victory over every
obstacle.
In the next year I had tho honor of
meeting my fellow citizens of the West
ern District at jackson, at their great
annual exhibition of that year Look
ing over the vast assembly and gazing on
the noble specimens of agricultural pro
duction, cauld not withhold the excla-
nation, Fortunate country! Happy peo-
pie in all this, who does not hail the
future greatness of Tepnessee2 Who
does not see the hand of wise and
overruling Providence, beckoniug her on
ward to the veay highest destiny among
her sister States of the Union?'' F.
If these were my sentiments ndopin-
ions at the opening dawn of this great
enterprise, you may well imagine how
joyous must be my emotions on return
ing once more to Tennessee, and stand;
ing in the midst of her farmers and
planters, the proud compeers of those Of
any other State in the noble work of ag.
ricultural Improvement.
The statesman, toiling aud laboring
for renown, wins his way to the gratitude
and admiration of his country; the sol
dier, painting for glory, amid the smoke
and carnage of. battle, is crowned with
the laurels of victory; the man of science,
stretching his cable from continent to
contiGeut, snatches the lightnings from
the heavens and send them flashing round
the world, speaking the language of
every people who Inhabit i; but none of
these can fairly out-rival the patient,
diguifed and enlightened cultivator of
the earth. Such has been the judgment
of mankind from the remo:est ages. The
name of Cincinnatus is as much homo.
ed in the page of Roman history By his
devotion to agriculture, as for having
driven back the invaders of his country.
The villas of Cicero and Horcensius at
Tusculum attest their veneration and
attachment to an occupation which the
Georges of Virgil have rendered immor.
tall So of our great Washington of
modern times He was called from the
corn aud wheat fields of, Virginia to
command the armies of the Revolution;
Jackson was conducting in person his
planting operations in the fields of the
II hermitage, when he was summoned to
the command of that army which soon
covered him, as well as itself, with i'm
mortal honor Mr. Webster and Mr.
Clay, when walking amid their Aocks
and herds, and the great Carolinian, at
his simple homestead, exhibited more
true nobleness of character than when
pouring out their matchless elequence in
the forum or the Senate house.
In the United States we have every
reason to suppose that this appreciation
of agriculture is not destined ever to be
less than at the present period. In the
early years of the republic it was
strongly impressed on the public mind
that the nations of the Old World, and
more particularly that from which we
had separated, were i'll at case under
the new form of government which we
had established.
The apprehension could not for loDg
time be resisted that one or more of
them might seize on any favorable mo-
ment, arising out of our discussions or
other exterior cause, to extinguish the
light of our free Institutions, which,
flashing over the regal governments of
Europe, might reveal the dissatisfaction
of their own subjects. Hence it was
that all that related to our national de
Tense, our army, our navy. aud the for
tifcatious on our extended line uf sea
coast, received our marked and especial
attention, as far as our limited resources
would admit. Even when Louisiana
was purchased, the acquisition was hailed
chiefly as an increase of national power,
by which, in future times, we should be
better enabled to resist aggression, and
to maintain, unquestioned, our new posi-. !
tion among.the independent nations of
the earth But the United States have |
long been assured against all those appre- |
tensions. They now proudly repose on
the firm conviction that their liberties
and the form of government which they |
nave established can never be succesa-
'uily asssilcd. They feel and know that
go s~.--.-~ .