Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1859-08-30
TUESDAY. AUGUST 30, 1859.
virginia state Agricultural Society

sncoess and deeming the city OF hloniu'nu
,,,o.+ o,;o;ble place for holding its annual fair
ord Exhibition. we much regretted thar any
800. had made it ne oessary last Fall to hold
th0 meeting elsewhere. While at that time we
acknowledged the wisdom Of the onange ANu
regretted the necessity that required IT. We Wv
irSuloed the hope that the difficulties were on
" temporary, and that next Fall the c''izenS u
tba State would have the pleasure OF exohsugIus
salutations in the capital city OF the ''oiu ~
u;niop. ~ surrounded by the various e'lue"0''
Of agricultural success and prosperity which are
accumulated at these assernblages of thef Farmers
Of Virginia. But this hope is disappointed anu
the prospect of the State Society holding another
Fair in Richmond seems to be indefinitely post
poned.
The difficulties in the way of this "copsumma'
t;opp are much enhanced and complicated III
consequence of the organization last summer VI
the "Central Agricultural Society" an organ'-
zstion which was initiated very shortly after
the public announcement that the State Society
wopld hold its Fair in Petersburg. The Central
Society last October, in connection WIN 'na'
nsripatetie institution, the United States Agrl-
cultural Society, held Fair in Richmond winch
although entirely successful seems to nave oeen
as much of foreign Societies" as this "chiia Oh
Richmond" could tolerate; and it has resolVeu
s.neyer again to seek the aid of a foreign society
TO promote the cause of agriculture In Virginia
And as the State Society, according to the we"
of the President of the Central, has placed IT.
self in the category of "foreign socleues, tne
Central Society will henceforth escheW all con-
neotion with that association.
This proposition We cannot conhoVert' EV-
erybody will admit, of course, that anagrculturai
Society, even with all its members and ofncers
Virginians, and all its efforts to advance ana
improve the condition of agriculture, hortlcul-
ture, and the auxiliary mining and mechanic
arts,n confined exclusively to the limits OF the
State, is yet, to all interests and purposes an a.
lien and foreign organization, unless Its amman
Fairs are held within the corporate jurisdiction
of the city of Richmond
A careful perusal of the volumlnous cores
poudence which has recently passed between
the President of the Virginia Central ana Tue
Executive committee of the State Agricultural
Societies, makes it clear that the latter were lei'
to choose between the alternative of seeking &C
oommodatious for their Fair elsewhere than al
Richmond, or submitting to terms which tney
deemed unreasonable and in contravention OF the
Constitution. They chose the first alternative
and in so doing we think they did right.
The correspondence opens with letter from
the President of the Central Society, proposing
a practical union of the State and Central Ag
ricultural Societies. upon the following basis
That the State Society shall hold its Fair on the
grounds of the Central Society, the latter being
responsible for expenses and premiums; preml'
ums to be awarded by the State Society, the sub
iects for premiums to be determined by commit
tees of the two Societies; but the amount to oe
controlled by the Central; Judges to be ap-
pointed by Joint action of both Societies. The
Fair to be held in the name Of the State Society
but local management, police &c, to be under
the exclusive control of the Central Society,"
The State Society to hand over to the Oentrs
Society its present surplus fund (between three
and four thousand dollars) and to lend the Zen
trail twelve thousand dollars for ten years, with
out interest during the continuance OF this a.
greement, lien to be taken on the Fair grounds
of Central Society to secure the loan. This a
greement to continue FIVE years. The State So
ciety to have the privilege of renewing 1t at the
expiration of the first five years, for asecond tern
offve years, provided it shall make donation o.
the $4,000 loan to the Central Society.
The Committee of the State Society agree
substantially, to all the terms of the Central So
cety, except those in reference to the loan o.
twelve thousand dollars and the continuance o.
the agreement for five years. In reference &c
these two propositions the Committee state thai
they are beyond "the sphere of their legal com
potency" but add, ave think there would be nc
objection on the part Of the Executive Commit
tee to recommend to the Farmers Assembly to
authorize such loan as the one proposed, pro-
vided all other necessary arrangements could be
satisfactorily made"
The Committee then propose, in the event Of
these notifications of terms not being accepta-
bic to the Central Society, that the State Society
shall hold its Fair 10 connection with the Gen.
trail Society, aud upon their grounds; the Fair
to be conducted at the expense ofthe State So
ciety, it receiving gate money and other incden
tai receipts members of the Central Society to
be admitted to the grounds free, just as those OF
the State Society; Committee Of Arrangements
AZ IT.. - f,rap tyvn nj
them to be- appointed on the nomination of the
Central Society. To this letter, the President OF
the Central Society replies in q long communi
cation, much of which is taken up in combating
the constitutional scruples of the Executive Com
mittee of the State Society, and peremptorily re-
jectng the alternative proposition of the State
Society; but he neither proposes new terms nor
any modification of the original ones. Several
other letters pass between the parties, but it is
unnecessary to refer to them.
In conclusion we cannot forbear expressing
the opinion that no impartial reader of the cor,
respondence can fail to arrive at the conclusion,
that on the part OF the State Society fair, just
and liberal spirit has been exhibited; and that
the failure to hold the State Fair in the city OF
Richmond is in no degree chsrgeable to the Ex-
ecutive Committee of that Society.
We learn from the last "Planter" that the next
State Fair will BE-. held on the grounds of the
"Union Agricultural Society,"" at Petersburg
These grounds are ample in accommodation,
complete in all their appointments, conveniently
located, and tastefully arranged.