Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1858-05-13
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The New York Post referring to the new advice,
which recently passed the lower House Of Congress-
to distribute the public lands among the States for
the construction of Agricultural colleges, addresses
itself to Mr.. MORRILL,, the author Of the BILL snd
makes some very forcible suggestions by way Of
objection to his proposition, frOn which we extract
the following which contains an abundance Of
wholesome truth:
But-a1d we beg Mr.. Morrilps attention 10 the
fact-our government has for long series of years
departed from its legitimate province of protecting
individual rights and maintaining justice, and has
constituted itself, in imitation of European mon
arches, sort Of director Of industry Nature and
self interest, and necessity, dive US towards
an agricultural career; the government insists upon
making US manufacturers and mill owners The
object of the tariff, until very recently was not to
raise revenue for the expenses of the state but to
compel the labor and capital Of the country to aban-
don the cultivation of the soil and devote them
selves 10 making calieoes, which other people can
make forty per cent cheaper. The result has been
that the hands which might have covered the coun-
try with grain and turnips and cattle, are coneen-
trated in hundreds of thousands in the factories eff
New England, unhealthy, unhappy and dependent.
Last fall state Of facts presented to the pub
lie through the newspapers, which was n most in
structive commentary upon the value of Mr.. Nor
rills scheme. Throughout large portion Of the
West the crops were perishing in the field for want
of labOrers to harvest them and vast mass Of food
was undoubtedly lost, either through careless,
because hasty, garnering, or forced abandonment.
Complaints this subject we're heard, invocs-
tons for help came eastward from all quarters. At
this very time nearly a million Of people were
starving, working a. half wages in the manufao-
Jog districts, without the power help themselves.
They had been gathered together there la close
lanes and alleys to appease the Moloeh Of PrOiec-
ton, and left to depend for subsistence upon the ups
and downs Of the money m rket and the schemes of
stock jObbers, while the valleys of the great West,
few hundred miles off, offered an assured subsis-
tence for q few hours daily of healthy toll How,
should like to know, viii it benefit western
farmer to have himself drilled in agricultural
science, if he cannot get men to reap his wheat?-
What does it profit him to anslyze stiff clay, or know
the value Of ammonia if be can get nobody TO pull
his turnips? Does it not seem the most bsrefaced
mockery to reproach him with his ignorance in one
breath, and in the next drive away from him the
Of putting the little he knows into practice
The production of wheat is diminishing and
the production Of potatoes is diminishing! -
Horses, and pigs, and sheep disappearing. OF
course they are because there is nobody to SOW of
reap, tend cattle; because eultvators and herds
men wanting, and because nefaTious legislation
has for many years done all it can to cover fields
with desolation, in order that one or two hundred
millowners may fill their pockets Give US labor
first, and we will then talk of colleges.