The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1859-11-05
Gc,ctt .zfll5ceI,l.1ll1.
An Eloquent AGIlcss.


On the occasion &C the Inauguration or he
Agricultural Institute Of Aiaryland Mr.
Thompson, the Secretary Of the interior
made an eloquent and beautiful address viii h
wr fluid thus reported in Tie Constitution.
Mr. Thompson said - He ca,nr forward at
the urgent solicitation Of IT." gentlemen in
trusted with The management Of This n'an:
institution. with reluctance, because he bad
neither prepared notes non arranged thoughts
and he knew full well littlc honor would he
do himself by the remarks he would make. -.
But he did not wish to seem ndii!tlrnt ether
TO the wishes Of others OF to the great cause
of agriculture. The condition precedent on
which he made this visit, was that b. was NOT
TO be called upon for any speech. lie cane
TO hear the addr S. OF The learned professor.
TO be a spectator, to be crtortantd AVID in.
S'iucttd, with 80 expectation Of making an
attempt TO entertain ard instruct othcrS'
and 50 absorbed had he been hy The able re-
marks Of the DISTINGUISHED professor that he
found the hole current o. lis thouehts run
ming nlorg with him, ard now he ttit it i'm
possible to distnang'r or dl>cnhara~s him
self from his ideas, and Stiikc ont any new
direction or train Of thought But the sub
Jet Of agriculture was an interesting one 10
him. On subject which embraces SO wide
y field and with which he had been 50 inl-
mately connected (,rcausc all lr possessed ON
earth was invested in property directly con-
necttd with agriculturcl. hc he'd opinions an,t
FEELINGS which he would gladly d,vtIoI,c utrp
he able to do so III any connected ,il:hntr.~-
The life Of the tanner, righ'ly understood,
is the most Gienititd ard INDEPENDENT Of all
other pnrsuitsln o"r country. The distinction
between him and all other persons is, that hc is
directly dependent for his prosperity and sue.
cess on the favor and smile Of Providence, while
Others are dependent on hciayor and a'ron-
age Of man the falmcr. therefore has more
constant and recurring appeal made 10 him to
lean ON the arm of Him who rUirs and con-
trolls all things. than others Rccnr for a
moment 10 the beginning Of this high VEGA
ton When God created this world end all
things that are in 1t and upon it. and pro-
nounced them good, and he created man and
woman. male and female. and gave to them
power over all the earth. lie babe them to
multiply and rcpltn>h the Garth and >ulluc
it. He created man upright, and while he
WINS reQnired to dress The gn,dcn in which he
was placed vet the earth spontaneously pro-
duccd every fruit which was necessary 'ol his
comfortable and happy existence. ThnS
Adam our great ancestor, III his days Of puri
ty and innocence. Was Il gardener, looked mp
through Nature to NATURES God Yiih adora
ton and prise We atc taught that 70 was
able and free to fall. He was guilty OF d,So-
bcdcrce. and that diSolCdicnce brought dra h
into the worli ard all our woe. II vas thiu
decreed hy his Creator lhat in the sweat #
his face he should hcrcc G,r;h ca, hread.-
This great plimrv0l cure is the pcaaIy
of which this institution has been established
The ancient fathers, Ahiahnm, Isaac, and
Jacob, were farmers. Christ, during hl~ So
cuar life, was carpenter. Peter aud his
brclhern were fishermen Paul was a schol,r,
and Luke was a doctor In turning 10 the
great mrn whose lives have been distinguish
ed in different ages and countries, it vii! he
found that they were engaged in every imagj-
nablc occupation and We are driven to the
conclusion that
F.. Honor and shame from no condition rise :
Act well your part: there all the honor lies
But, to make the complete farmer or plant
er, he must be possessed of the largest share
of human knowledge. This institution is in
tended to instruct young men not 50 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 forcihly struck with the remarks of the
learned professor. lie says. not long since a
theory was started by some za'ous Eastern
educators that children should he taught TO
think !; but he differed from them, and thought
that they ought to be taught to do, and After
having been learned how to act. tutn they
might be Taught how 20 think. and cpncIGd il
that practical lie might '.e said 10 he IN tnr
concrete, science or thinking In the abstract