Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1860-08-31
SPEECEI OF
HON. JOHN CAREY,
OF ONO.

sideration the bill TO provide for the pay
ment Of outstanding Treasury notes, to au-
thorize a loan 20 regulate and fix the duties
on imports, and for other purposes
Mr.. CAREY said:
Mr.. CHAIRMAN: l avail myself of this
opportunity Of saying to the Committee
what / intended to have said to the House
few days ago, and that too upon a new
subject. There is one subject which we
have been so much accustomed to hear dis
cussed upon this floor that 1 do not know
but l may be considered out Of order if l
do not talk upon this negro question.
Mr.. HATToN. You arc certainly out OF
order il you attempt, in this Committee, to
discuss anything except the negro question.
Here, nothing is recognized as of sufficient
importance to entitle it consideration, un-
less it involves dsquisition on slavery
Laughter.
Mr.. CAREY. am going 10 make few
remarks upon matter which conceive
to be of great importance to the agricultu-
raj in terests Of this country. 1 have no
doubt that some gentlemen may consider
that out Of order: but I will venture to
proceed, even if it is out of order; and in
order to lay foundation for my remarks,
will offer resolution to be read as part of
my argument, for know it would not be
in order now to offer it for adoption:
"ResolUed, That the Committee on Ag-
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 agricultural division
of the Department of the Interior, now in
defective condition, and demanding an
immediate remedy"
1t is we'll known to every man upon this
floor, who has reflected one moment, that
agriculture lies at the foundation of civili-
cation, and of all other interests of the
country. 1t is the only institution of the
country that has not some attention paid
to it by the Government of the United
States. Now, find an illustration of the
character of agriculture embodied in much
better language than can use, and will
adopt ii as my own:
EDUCATION OF THE AGRIcULTURIsT.-
No man is so high as to be Independent of
the success of this great interest; no man
is so low as not to be affected by its pros
perity or decline. Agriculture feeds us; to
a great degeee it clothes us; without it, we
could not have manufactures, and we should
not have commerce. These all stand to-
gether, like pillars in a cluster, the largest
in the middle, and that largest is agricul-
ture.
"The cultivation of the earth is the most
important labor of man. Man may be civ
ilized, in some degree, without great prog
ress in manufactures, and with little com.
merce with his distant neghbors; but with
out cultivation of the earth is a roaming
barbarian. When tillage begins, other arts
follow. The farmers, therefore, arc the
founders of human civilization"
That 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 agricul-
tute maintain in the departments of tho
Government? 1t is placed under the d
rection of the Interior Department 1t is
only incidentally alluded to in the enumer
alton Of the powers of the Secretary of the
Interior. The head of the Patent-Office is
charged, among other things, with the col
lection of statistics, seeds, plants, and cut
tings. So that this great interest is in the
second class of the fourth bureau of the
Department of the Interior; and so muct
of the time of the head of the Department
is necessarily devoted to other branches o
business, that little or no attention can bC
paid to the agricultural interest. Therc
can be nothing effectual done for it unless
you place the subject under the direct con
troll ofsome department that will be respon
sible to the country for its proper perform
ance.
When the labor is divided among 81
many hands the responsibility will be frit
tered away, and very little done. The res
oIution that has been read was directed b,
the Committee on Agriculture to be Of
fered here so as to get an expression o
opinion on the subject, and suggest to tn
House whether it would instruct the Com
mittee to bring in bill to establish an in
dependent bureau of agriculture. wan
gentleman to reflect on the subject, so that
when the resolution can be offered 10 order
they will be able to vote intelligently on il
If they are disposed to encourage the inst
tuition of agriculture, they will vote for tn
resolution; if they are not so disposed the
will vote it down, and the thing ends; an
we will let it remain where it is.
When the Government WAS organized, i
the discussion on the subject the agricultr
raj class was alluded to, especially by M
Madison, as the great class ont of whic
members of Congress would be chosen, an
therefore that that interest would be pre-
tected like all others. Now, you have
this body, ] suppose, about dozen farmer
The interest of no community will be a
tended to with punctuality and zeal, unle:
those in charge of it have direct intere'
in the subject. The lawyer has his ow
interests to promote; the mechanic his
the doctor his; and if the interests Of tn
farmer are to be promoted, that class mus
be represented by those who know some
thing about its wants, its necessities and il
condition. We have now in Congress bl
very few farmers, and you find your agricu
tural interests in the Government commi
ted to a clerk in one corner of the Patel
Office, who peddles out seeds. That
about the extent of the care given TO u
great agricultural interests Of the countr
If you cannot do better than that, you hs