Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1858-11-17

Recent County Fairs.
The annual Fair of the Duplin Agricultural Socie-
ty was held on Thursday and Friday of last week. at
the Fair Grounds within short distance of the town
of Kenansville. The Editor of the Wilmington Jour-
nal was present. and has furnished his readers with
an interesting account of the Fair. The display in
Floral Hall, in Farmers Hail. and of horses, cattle
hogs chickens, &C., was very good. Notwithstand-
ing the constant rain Friday, the crowd in atten-
dance was large. The Journal says
at being impossible, on account of the rain, to
occupy the usual stand under the grove in front of
the Hall, notice given about that the ad-
dress would be delivered under the shelter in the
middle of the grounds, where, spite of the weather,
large and attentive audience listened to remark
ably able and practical address from talented
was introduced by Jere Pearsall, Esq., President of
the Society. Mr.. Allen opened by remarking that,
although for some years past his attention had been
engaged by other pursuits, he still looked fondly
back to those early days when he himself was en-
gagged in the practical pursuits of farmers life,
which he still regarded as the happiest and most in
dependent calling upon earth, although too frequent
ly underrated by farmers themselves who evinced
an undue anxiety to press their sons into the So
called learned professions until these latter were
overcrowded He contended that the successful pur-
suit of agriculture demanded much tact observa-
tion, business capacity and industry any other
avocaton and offered fair rewards for the exercise
of these qualifications He contended that educa-
ton just necessary for the farmer as for the
lawyer, the doctor or the clergyman but that
mere school education could supply the place of that
practical knowledge to be acquired on the farm it.
SELF make up for the absence of habits of work
and devotion to all the practical details of rural econ
Omy.
Mr.. A. next alluded to the institution of Fairs.
State and county-to the benefits which had result
ted from them-the friendly emulation they had
stimuated-the knowledge they had diffused-the
kindly relations they had promoted He referred
also to the agency of internal improvements in ele
waiting the character of North-Carona, and render
ing her independents State indeed, and not
strip of land between South Carolina and Virginia,
to whom she had been too long tributary. He trus-
ted that the good work would not stop halfway but
would 60 until the position of the State should
be placed above the reach of contingency, whatever
should be the political future of the confederacy
whatever should be the result of the sectional aga
| ton which now dsturbs the harmony of the coun-
try. To that agitation Mr. Allen referred modestly
but firmly, avowing his readiness, lover of the
Union, to do all that could honoraby be done for the
preservation of that bond which has come down to
from the patriots of the revolution; but at the
same time his determination to unite with those who,
failing to obtain justice and equal Union, would
prefer separation to savish submission.
In the course of Mr.. Aliens remarks, he referred
10 matter winch Struck us as pelng especially per-
tinent to the occasion-that is to the necessity
sting in the Cape Fear counties for the devotion of
larger degree of attention to the cultivation of the
SOIL and less reliance upon the mere products of
the forest-naval stores and lumber-snce agricul
ture is reliable progressive, selfSusaining while
the other business which had at one time usurped
its place. is necessarily exhaustng and inevitably
tends to work itself out. He also urged with much
force of reasoning the propriety and expediency of
directing attention the drainage of the rich swamp
| n i'm he Of
Eastern North Carolina, referring particularly to
| Goshen swamp in Duplin. Mr.. Aliens address was
received with much qualification We trust that
copy of it may be furnished for publication. We
did not pretend to take any notes. and still less
pretend in this brief and desultory sketch to do
anything like justice to a discourse truly admirable
in composition and delivery.
At the conclusion of Mr.. Aliens address, Mr. Pear
sail arose. and on behalf of the society," returned him
his sincere thanks for his able and instructive ad-
| dress. Mr.. p then made most amusing address
of his own which he said he got out of book, but
which literary [single gentleman of Duplin, con-
tends that he made up himself out of his own head
for the especial use and behoof of him, the single
gentleman aforesaid, and others in like manner of
Tending. Mr.. P. then read out the awards of the
committees but stated that they very confused
and would have to be revised before publication. So
ended the official doings, revised and corrected
copy of the result of which shall hereafter appear"
The Fayetteville Observer of Monday last contains
the list of premiums awarded at the late Cumberland
County Fair. That paper says:
"Nothing could have been more satisfactory to
the Agricultural Society and it's friends and to the
citizens of this place. than the first two days of the
Fair, Wednesday and Thursday last. The weather
was most delightful; the concourse of people from
4 the county and all the neghboring countless was
greater than any previous occasion, and included
large number of ladies the articles exhibited were
both more numerous and of better quality than
ever before; and the attendance at the Fair Grounds
was very large manifesting the pleasure which the
exhibition and the association gave, and preserving
that good order for which crowds here, and indeed
throughout the Southern country, are so generally
noted. We spoke of the first two days. Doubtless
the third would have been equally agreeable but for
the rain which poured down all day, and prevented
many from visiting the grounds, though there was
much better attendance of both sexes, than could
have been expected in such weather. Every thing
went off pleasantly. The members, and especially
the officers of the Society highly grated at the
Fifth Fair, and will 60 to work with new zeal and
bright hopes to prepare for the Sixth.
On Thursday, the Grounds were visited by Bat
talion of Military consisting of five uniform compa
nes, all of this town and county, under the command
of Col Leete of the 33d Regiment, with Majors R.
NJ Orrell and H. L. Brantly.
At this time, whilst the largest crowd was pres
ent Joel Williams, ESQ.,, President of the Society
read the Annual Address, in which he introduced
MANY views and observations of his own experience
as an intelligent and successful Farmer
t The Secretary, John P. Mclean, Esq, with his
usual prompt attention to the interests of the Soce
ty has put in shape for publication the List OF Pre-
5 will be found in another part of to-day paper.
e We learn that the receipts during the Fair wer'
about $500.
On Thursday the Railroad Company invited tn