Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1859-11-23

W. Mel MCKAY, ". Is. w hiUH1,
DAVJD MURPHY. E. J. LILLY,
JOHN P. MCLEAN, WARREN WINSLOW,
GEORGE ELLIOT, D. A. RAY,
A. A. McKETHAN, R. P. BUXTON,
THOMAS MCDANIEL, JAS. G. COOK,
j. W. PEARCE, DUNCAN SHAW.
S. j. HINSDALE,
FAYETTEVILLE, Nov. 4, 1859.
Gentlemen Your kind favor of yesterday has
been received l thank you most sincerely Tor the
complimentary manner in which you have been
pleased to speak of my remarks, delivered yesterday
on the subject of Agriculture and the Mechanic arts
They were prepared during intervals snatched from
my professional labors but such as they are, they
are at your disposal.
Permit me, gentlemen, to tender to you, ana
through you to the people Of this community, my
heartfelt acknowledgements for the kind and hospi-
table manner in which have been received and
treated on this occasion. l shall remember with
pleasure long live, this, my first visit to Fay
etteville May success crown all your efforts for
improvement; and may the choicest blessings OF
life be yours
With much respect, &C.,
w. w. HOLDEN
To Messrs JOEL WILLIAMS and others, Conn.,
Mr.. President and Gentlemen
of the Cumberland Agricultural Society:
When accepted the invitation of your Committee
to address you on this occasion, it was with much
distrus Of my ability to meet your expectations
Nor has subsequent reflection, and some investiga-
ton of the subjects usually treated in such addresses,
served to diminish this distrust. So wide and so
varied is the field before me-so intimately connect
ed with sciences of which know but little, and so
small is my practical knowledge of agriculture ITSELF
that might we'll relinquish all hope if indeed such
hope could exist that it will be in my power to in
struct and inform the large and intelligent audience
here assembled. Yet, could not resist the invita-
ton. because agree myself to what maintain in
regard to others, that every public man is under
obligations to respond to such calls and since, also,
l felt sure you would make full allowance for the
numerous defects and the lack of knowledge which
would be SO apparent
Though not myself tiller of the soil, | take
deep interest in this employment and regard it. as
we all should do as of primary Importance. Every
thing beautiful. and useful. and durable upon the
earth every object of art which decorates the land
scape or floats upon the deep, has had its origin in
the soil. Every comfort and convenience of life
every luxury that solaces or eneryatcs us--every
qualification based upon material things, and every
physical improvement which, while it dgnifies hu-
manity, at the same time attests the superiority OF
mental power, may be traced directly indirectly
to the soil
Since, then, agriculture is so important, and so
many interests depend upon an enlightened prose-
cuton of it. it is natural that we should resort to
every means in our power to add to our information
the subject and to give to it still greater prom
nence a practical science. And what change
has been effected in this respect within the last ten
years. Then we had no agricultural associations of
any kind now we have State Society and numcr-
Gus County Societies, dispensing their benefits not
merely at stated periods, but from year to year
Then our farmers manufacturers, and mechanics,
isolated from each other, knew but little of the
progress which was being made in their respective
departments of industry, and the stimulus of gen.
eral and enlightened emulation was wanting; but
now they assemble together at least year, to
exhibit and compare their productions the evidences
of their intelligence thrift experience and persever
ance to take note Of and take heart from the success
Of others in special fields Of labor to investigate and
compare the processes by which certain results have
been attained each other by precep, and
example; to knit more firmly the ties of brother
hood and interest between different and distant To-
calities; and to rouse up and keep warm those no.
BILE sentiments of patriotism and fraternal regard
which so much become the citizens of one common
State.
1t is not the premiums offered and obtained on an
occasion like this, which constitute the chief attrac
ton to exhibitors. These are but "small dust in
the balance" compared with the triumphs of intel
7,
the premiums and diplomas awarded are but exter-
or evidence.
Looking over this large assemblage, one would
conclude that if all your people not here they
were at least we'll represented in the strength of
Their manhood in the innocence and candor of their
youth, and in the loneliness which is part of the
birthrght of the daughters of this favored region
Truly it may be said of us, as of Israel of old,
1.-The Lord thy God hath brought thee into good
land; land Of brooks of water of fountains and
depths that spring out of valleys and hills: land
Of wheat and barley, and vines, and fg-trees.
and pomegranates; land wherein we eat bread
without scarceness; land whose stones are iron,
and out OF whose hills we may dig brass" This
goodly heritage is impaired by no laws of descent
or primogeniture. No oppressive system of land.
lord and tenant-no burdens imposed for the bene-
mt OF privileged orders, retard our industrial pur.
suits, or restrict the hand of honest labor Every
man In this country may be freeholder. Every
man may improve his condition on a solid basis and
count with certainty on transmitting the fruits Of
his industry, in such modes as he may designate
TO MS descendants. Our governments, unlike those
OF the old world, are felt mainly, if not only in
tne benefits and blessings they bestow. Industry
genius, skill, are as unrestricted as the sun and
ar; while the government ITSELF instead of repress
ing the energies Of its citizens by unjust exactions
mas become the patron and promoter of agriculture
A1eehoIes, aiiu the INDUSTRIAL arts.
IT, therefore, We do not prosper as agriculturists
as mechanics, as manufacturers, as artizans. y,
must look elsewhere for the cause than to our no
ltical and social institutions
Inc primary pursuit Of our people, as have al
ready intimated, and indeed of eyery people VIII,
nave attained, or who may hope to attain perma
nent prosperity, is that Of agriculture l know
may be said that some of the most powerful nation
Of antiquity were commercial in their character AM
that England furnishes striking example in moder,
tunes s, Of prosperous commercial empire. But al
Ter all agricultural labor and agricultural produc
power. In no country on earth has agriculture
chemistry, the nature and the application of soil,
cilmatology, animal and vegetable physiology, bot.
ny, comparative anatomy of animals, natural histor
and geology, been so thoroughly understood and 8
generally practeed as in Great Britain. A goo
farmer has been defined to be- one who raises II
largest quantity Of the most valuable produce !,
the least expense, in the shortest tme and with Il
smallest injury to the land According to this tes
t1e Enghsh, the Scotch, and the Irish are amor
farmers Thoir