Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1859-01-07

nous procession or coming truths VIII re-
main others, perhaps grander and noblcr,
waiting for their deliyerance too. And
thus hopefully in the future, all bathed
in radiance, CLEANS the fulillment of the
prim@val mission, "to subdue the earth
when 'the flaming sword, which turned
every way" shall be sheathed, and man
by heroism re-conquer the Paradise which
his disobedience lost.
Do not fancy that the inanimate clod
or unproductive quartz turned up by
your ploughsharo, has no forces or prop
critics within it, save such as are seen by
The uncducated eye. Arago found it
possible to determine from fragment Of
Iceland crystal whether the light of the
sun is from its own solid body or gas
eous evelope around it. Lord Rose, in
later days by a preparation of copper and
tin, called Il telescope, pierced the belt
of Orion, impenetrable to Herschel, and
10 it burst into million blazing worlds.
You can traverse no field in your pos
session-you can walk along no road in
your county, that you do not step over,
not only the materials Of almost all pos
sible physical science, but the instru-
mentalities which in the providence Of
God, have been used in every age for
the advancement of man in every stage
of his progress. Your fields are full
both of glory and instruction; they are
Gods Illuminated manuscripts, full of
precious knowledge; they are the leaves
of an ever opened volume, worthy of the
devout study of the highest intelligence.
Mephistophiles never uttered more pal
pable untruth than when he told Faust
that farming was too mean a calling for
a man of genius.
Agriculture, under the guidance Of
science has not only developed social
virtues in the producing class Itself, but
in all others. The same humanizing
and softening influences that have swayed
the human heart, away from the turmoil
of populous life, have been potential also
in the crowded marts of commerce and
trade. The history of the world, mod
ern and ancient, has most conclusively
shown that nothing is so successful in
raising the standard of social elevation
amongst any and every people, as the
certain production in its midst of an am
pie supply of cheap and seryiceable ag-
ricultural commodities Grim want is
the father both of ignorance and crime.
1t is twin brother to brutality. So long
as the products of your industry can be
offered in plentiful supply to the throng-
ing masses il. cities at prices which with
daily labor they can afford to give, so
long does the machinery Of society, and
generally Of government, work barmo-
niously. When, however, that fails,
then comes the pressure upon both.
There are no deeper political truths
than those which are connected with ag-
riculture. They reach down below all
forms they undcrlie all institutions
Thrones and, in part, temples rest upon
them. The revolution which behcadcd
monarch, expelled an aristocracy, swept
away the last footprints of Feudalsm,
destroyed armies of internal foes, and
bore the tri-color of France from .he
towers Of the Kremlin to the pyramids
of Egypt, began in a cry Cor bread 1t
was hegotten Of hunger. All social in
surrectiOns have the same origin. No
human institution can withstand the at
tack Of widespread and universal want.
Prineipalities and powers cannot success
fully cope with national hunger. The
stability Of all governments, whether
good or bad, depends upon production.
Both statesmen and farmers may rest as
surcd that things will not travel smoothly
when for years amongst the millions
around them, the only legacy which fa-
Their leaves to son, is the hopeless heri-
tage of penIry and want. Tragic doom
is not far off, when one in the prime of |
life offers his labor fruitlessly, profers to
barter the use of his body the day long,
the exertion Of his strength, the wear
and tear OF his flesh and blood, for the
common necessarics Of life, earnestly
craving for bread on thcpenal conditions
prescribed by the Creator, and in vain
If such spectacle as this in the multi
plication Of population be inevitable.-ifl
it be fact, though distant, yet sure, it
depends upon your class moro than any
other, how long the evil day shall be
stayed. You not only supply the food,
but you hold the rcins of policy in your
hands. Never before in the history of
any other people were these two facts 50
united. Your responsibilities increase
with your powers. Before you rises the
great sphyn2 problem, which you must
solve, or die.
IL this be Soft the question Of revo-
luton and revolt be one Of bread, have
| magniiied in any respect the political
bearings Of that noble science whose pro-
gress in your county you have met this
day to commemorate? am sure | have
given the topic no undue importance. -
For proof, let me cite an illustration
whose later details arc fresh 10 the re
collection Of most Of you. Two hundred
and fifty years ago, plant Of no exter-
nal beauty grew among the creyces Of
The rocks which bound the shores Of
Chill and Peru, unknown 10 the civilized
world and almost neglected by the rude
natives That plant, transferred to the
soil Of Europe, became one Of the most
important articles Of human food. There
never was such a gift bestowed on man,
since Ceres is tabled to have brought tic
grains from heaven. A curious circum-
stance in its history IL, that for more
Than a century after It's introduction into
Great Britain, it was little known and
.ge ,.r;goI T., f-uf A.. e. q II 49,. Z