Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1860-06-27
SENATOR HAMLIN AS A FARMER

I SAAO ~ AAOulo DCulOSAdA1 III CNNODNAS ACcS =
One of the first men in this nation i
Senator Hamlin, of Maine. We do no
mean that he has those gifts of brillianey
which attract upon the instant, nor those
dem0nstrative qualities of contention
spirit, which make men the idol of excited
crowds; but that in calmness and manli
illness, and solidity of character, in truth o
speech, in frmness of resolve, he has few
equals among the distinguished Statesmen
of the day. From the time of Jackson un
til now he has maintained the rigid infex
ibility of his faith, careless of party defcc
tiOns, and neglectful of party rewards, yc
with the courage to lead on in critical con
functions, or to stand aloof and alone wher
factions become demoralized with victory
Taught early that Democracy meant free
dom and not Slavery, he has never swerve,
from that teaching; but in all his relations
has ever allied himself with the radical
elements in politics which represents tOtl
control by the people and liberty to the in
dividual.
In his domestic life he is above reproach
and of singular simplicity Of habit, goins
from the Senate Chamber to the haryes
field, or from the tolls of small farm Il
the cares Of great State, with the ease
dignity and cheerfulness that mark the
man devoted to duty before pleasure, ant
conscious of acting his true part in life
Of late We have seen going the rounds Of
the partisan press a series of letters from
Washington, telling how grandly and COR
geOusly some of our wealthy representa-.
tives have entertained the diplomatists and
strangers at the federal capital, ana deal
ing in what We must believe to be very
exaggerated accounts of their muni6cence.
To rival the White House in splcndor Is
now the highest ambition of many there;
and when We recall the plunder of the pub
lie treasury in which they have participa-
ted, the only wonder is that they succeed
so poorly. 1t is in contrast with such
with the Douglases the Gwins, the Brights,
who ape the poor pretentioni of aristocrat-
ic ways-that We wish to present a picture
of this truly Republican Senator as seen in
his own hUmc.- 4 he sketch is from private
letter not designed for publication; but it
has such genial glow about it, and alto
gether shows so fine type of the Ameri-
can civilian, that we are sure we shall be
pardOned for giving it to tn. public. Itis
as follows
"Having had business to call me to this
city, thought 1 would ride down to the
river to Hampden, (about five niles and
purchase cargo of tanning for a customer,
q Quaker,) and at the same time, call up
on my old friend. Hamlin. After knock
ing at his plain and comfortable residence,
fine looking specimen Of farmers daugh-
ter came to the door. and said |, ''Is Sen
ator Hamlin at home?" The answer was,
"He is; but not in the house at this time. :"
Yankee fashion, said l, Where is hep
"DOwn in the field, was the reply. "ShOw
me the way" said 1. No sooner said than
done, and there found our distinguished
friend at work Himself and son, fine
looking young man, were gathering pump
kins. You, no doubt, have often heard of
Yankee pumpkin pies, and, doubtless, ca
ten tham, too. They were grown amidst
a field of corn, which, we are sorry to say,
is rather light this year, in Maine espe-
cially. He has no other help, and with a
iine little farm of ten acres of tillage land, |
he told me he yearly raised more than suf- |
fcient for all his uses, and for ten years
lad always had corn left over to sell, from
.en to twenty bushels; but this year he thO't
&c should not He had his family horse
"a good one) in a common farm wagon,
ust drawing the last load of pumpkins.
All his harvesting is done, except the
orn. He had lame back that day from
he effects of carrying his wheat up stairs
o his granary; it was all cleaned up, and
oOked finely. He has his ground plOwed
nd subsoiled, together with large manure
cap in good shape, made from the waste
arth and muck. and some other additions,
nth few casks of lime added. He has
is cranberry bed, and all the small fix
lgs, such as a good poultry yard, fine hogs,
&C., whilst for dinner, every article upon !
he table was grown upon this snug, little
irm. His eldest son is reading law at !
ONE with his father, after the work is
one and the daughter locks after the 5
ONE concerns with case and grace. +
81 write you this for your own gratifca- i
on, to show you what our New England i
nall farm people can do to make lie 60 a
nooth, and not to detract from the chan {
IS of others in doing the same. This C
oubtless, would not compare with some of a
,ur Western farms, but know you will
1t think the less of its owner for all that" t
KNOW THYsELF.-Do you know why v
&c world is no better than it is? Because a
ch one of us believes that the warnings, S
e teachings and wise ineulcations, the f
is at folly, the moral aphOrisms, the "
ats shot at vice and crime from pHlpit, {
css, and stage are all intended for our o
sht-hand neighbor and left-hand neigh S,
r. Il