Des Arc citizen., 1859-11-09
AGRICULTURAL ADDRESS OF HON.
 JACOB THOMPSON.

AGRICULTURAL ADDRESS OF HON
 JACOB THOMPSON.
 The Maryland Agricultural College
 was inaugurated at Baltimore, on the 9th ut, and the Secretary of the Interior was present among other invited guests. We copy below the eloquent and appropriate address delivered by him on the occasion.
 Mir. THOMPSON said:
 He came forward. at the urgent solic- tation of the gentlemen intrusted with the management of this infant institution, with reluctance, because he had neither prepared notes nor arranged thoughts, and he knew full we'll little honor would he do himself by the remarks he would make. But he did not wish to seem in- different either to the wishes of others or to the great cause of agriculture. The lcondition precedent on which he made this visit was that he was not to be called upon for any speech. He came to hear the address of the learned Professor, 10 be entertained and instructed, with no ex- pectatlon of making an attempt 10 enter tain and instruct others; and so absorbed | had he been by the very able remarks of the distinguished Professor that he found Ithe whole current of his thoughts running along with him, and now he felt 1t i'm possible to disentange or disembarrass himself from his ideas, and strike out any Inewdireclion or train of thought. But the subject of agriculture was an interesting one to him. On a subject which embra- ces so wide a field, and with which he had been so intimately connected. ( because all he possessed on earth was invested in property directly connected with agricul- ture,) he had opinions and feelings which he would gladly develop were he able to do so in any connected manner.
 The life of the farmer, rightly under stood, is the most digni6ed and independ- ent of all other pursuits in our country. The distinction between him and all other persons is, that he is directly dependent for his prosperity and success on the favor and smile of Providence, while ali others are dependent on the favor and patronage of man; the farmer, therefore, has more constant and recurring appeal made to him to lean on the arm of Him who rules and controls all things than others. Re- cur for moment to the beginning of this high vocation. When God created this great world, and all the things that are in it and upon it, and pronounced them good, he created man and woman. male and female, and gave them power over all the earth. He bade them 10 multiply and replenish the earth and to subdue it. He created man upright, and while he was required to dress the garden in which he was placed, yet the earth spontaneous y produced every fruit which was neces- sary for his comfortable and happy exist ence. Thus Adam, our great ancestor, in his days of purity and innocence, was gardener. In that condition there was no death, and, consequently. no disease and no sorrow. Adam in this state, as a gardener, looked up through nature and nature's God with adoraton and praise. We are taught that he was able to stand and free to fall. He was guilty of dis obedience, and that disobedience brought death into the world and all our woe. It was then decreed by his creator that in the sweat of his face he should henceforth eat bread. This great prmeval curse Is ihe penalty which we suffer for the alleviation of which this institution has been eslab- lished
 The ancient fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, were farmers. Christ, during his secular life, was a carpenter. Peter and his brethren were fishermen. Paul was a scholar, and Luke was a doctor. In turning to the great men whose lives have been distinguished in different ages and countries, It will be found that they were engaged in every imaginable occn- patton; and we are driven to the conclu- sion that
 "Honor and fame from no condition rise; Act well your part; there all the honor lies"
 But to make the complete farmer or 1 planter, he must be possessed of the largest share of human knowledge. This Institution Is intended to instruct young men not so much in the practical as in the theoretical arts; not how to do, but how to direct that work should be done. And in that view he was most forcibly struck with the remarks of the learned Professor. He says, not long since q theory was started by some zealous Eastern educators that children should be taught to think, but he differed from them. and thought they ought to be taught to do, and after having been learned how to act, then 1 they might be taught how 10 think, and