The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1860-05-17
SPEECH OF HON. JOHN CAREY,


of Representatives on the 27th day
of April, 1860, on the subject OF Ag-
riculture, SC.
The House resolved itself into the
Committee Of the Whole on the State Of
the Union, (Mr. Burlington in the chair,
and resumed the consideration of the bill
II, r. No. 33S) to provide for the pay.
ment of outstanding Treasury notes, to
authorize loan. to regulate and fix the
duties on imports, and for other purpos-
es; on which the gentlemen from Ohio
Mr.. Carey had the floor.
Mr.. CAREY. l avail myself of this
opportunity of saying to the committee
what | intended to say to the House a
few days ago, and that, too. upon a new
subject. There is one subject which we
have been SO much accustomed to hear
discussed upon this floor, that l do not
know but | may be considered out Of Or
der if do not talk upon the negro guess
ton. .
Mr.. HATTON. You are certainly out
of order if you attempt, in this commit
tee, to discuss anything except the negro
question. Here, nothing is recognized
as Of sufficient importance to entilo it to
consideration unless it involves a disqui.
sition on slavery. Laughter.
Mr.. CAREY. l am going to make a
few remarks upon . matter which | con.
ceive to be OF greater Importance to the
agricultural interests of this country.
have no doubt that some gentlemen may
consider that out of order; but will VEN
ture to proceed, even if is out of order;
and, in order 10 lay foundation for my
remarks, l will offer a resolution to be
read as a part of my argument, for l
know it would not be in order to offer it
now for adoption:
"Resolved, That the Committee on A G.
riculture be,aud they are hereby, instruct.
ed to report to this House a bill for the
promotion of the interest of agriculture
for the organization of the agriculture
division of the Department of the Inter
or, now in defective condition, and de
manding an immediate remedy"
1t is well known 10 every man upor
this floor, who has reflected for one mo
ment, that agriculture lies at the founda
ton Of civilization, and of all other inter
ests Of the country. 1t is the only insti
tuition of the country that has not som,
attention paid to it by the government o
the United States. Now, l find an illus,
tration OF the character of agriculture
embodied in much better language thar
l can use, and will adopt it as my own
EDUCATION OF THE AcR1ouLTuRIsT -
No man is SO high as TO be independen
Of The success of this great interest; ne
man is SO low as not to be affected by it.
prosperity or decline. Agriculture feeds
us: to a great degree, it clothes US; with
out it, we could not have manufactures,
and we should not haye commerce. -
These all stand togeter, like pillars in q
cluster, the largest in the middle, and that
largestis agriculture.
THE cultivation of the earth is the
most important labor of man. Man may
be civilized, in some degree. without grea,
progress in manufactures, and with little
commerce with his distant neighbors; but
wthoet cultivation Of the earth, he is a
roaming barbarian. When tillage be.
gins, other arts follow. The farmers,
therefore, are the founders of human civ
ilization." ... .... Avn
This is the language Of Daniel Webster
and | think that no man will deny that
that is very fair and true statement
What condition and situation does agri.
culture maintain in the departments Of
the Government? 1t placed under the
direction of the Interior Department. l,
is only incidently alluded to in the emu.
merations of the powers of the Secreta.
ry OF the Interior. The head of the Pa.
tent Office is charged, among other things,
with the collection of statistics, seeds,
plants. and cuttings. So that this great
interest is in the second class Of the
fourth bureau of the Department Of the
Interior: and so much Of the time Of the
Hcdu Vi tDe DepdI tiucho iS unnecessarily uc'
voted TO other branches of business, that
little or no attention can be paid to the
agricultural interest. There can be moth
ing effectual done for it unless you place
the subject under the direct control ol
some department that will be respon-
sible 10 the country for its proper erform-
ance. .-...
When the labor is divided among SO
many hands the responsibility will be frit-
tered away. and very little done. The
resolution that has been read was direct
ed by the Committe on Agriculture to be
offered here, so as TO get an expression
of opinion on the subject. and suggest to
the House whether it would instruct the
committee to bring in bill to establish an
independent bureau of agriculture. ]
want gentlemen to reflect on the subject;
so that, when the resolution can be offer
ed in order, they will be able to vote in.
telligently on it. If they are disposed
to encourage tha-instinn1i