The Grand Haven news. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1858-18??, 1861-10-09
"A D D r E S S
Delivered before tts Ottawa County Ag-
ricatturdl Society, Sept. 20, 1851.
BY ISAAC HUNTING.

|
ricuitural Society, Sept. 20, 1851.
There was exceeding grandeur in that
command, at creation, Let the earth
bring forth grass, the herb yielding
seed nnd the fruit tree yielding fruit
after his kind, whose seed is in itself up
on the EARTH" But the grandeur of that
command becomes inconceivably sublime
in its immediate execution--and the earth
brought forth grass, and the herb yield
ing seed after his kind, and the tree yield
ing fruit whose seed was in itself after his
kind. That terrible curse afterwards in
ficted upon the earth seems only to have
affected its spontaneous production
Cursed is the ground for thy sake; thou
art sent from the garden Of Eden to ill
the ground from whence thou art taken;
for thou shalt eat bread in the sweat Of
thy face.' This is the fixed and unalter-
able decree.
The faint chickering's Of light that his
tory here and there makes visible through
successive ages of kings, monarchies, oil
garchies, republics, and all other forms Of
government, show the earth brought forth
grass and herb, yielding seed after its
kind. The overturnings of governments
in Grecian and Roman times, the terrible
slaugh,ers Of men, and the seas of blood
which flowed from the armies Of Xerxes,
Hannibal, and Alexander, could not
change it; the brilliant career of that
wonderful Napoleon had no influence up
on it; for it could neither add thereto nor
take therefrom. Amid the ravages, curses,
blessings and desolalions of them all, the
earth has brought forth grass, and the tree
yielded fruit whose seed was in itself af-
ter his kind. In glancing at Tytlor, Rol
lin, Gibbon, Hume, and all other histori-
ans, we sec the heroes of those times ex-
hibiting the ruling propeusities of their
natures, in establishing n government or
enacting law, which their successors des-
troy or repeal, building up and pulling
down, peace to-day and anarchy to-mor-
row, at one time prosperous, united and
happy, at another crippled, distracted and
miserable, portraying human nature in
wisdom, folly, discomfort, rebellion and
revolution; as it was then, so it is TO-
day; human nature is the same; il has
not changed; il never will. 1t is strange
compound of much more folly than wis
dom, and VIC are now enacting the scenes
of Grccian and Roman times. | mean
war-bloody war! Our plains may be
covered with the dead and dying, our
rivers may run red with blood, sisters
mourn for their brothers, wives for their
husbands, sons for their fathers, fathers
for their sons, and this great Republic be
+ scattered TO the four winds of heaven
still amid all this tribuhton, wreck and
ruin, the earth will bring forth grass, and
herb yielding seed after kis kind, and
the tree yielding fruit after his kind.
Farmers Of Ottawa, am glad to meet
you here to-day. An early, practical ed
ucation in your profession gives me feel
ing of familiarity and freedom | cas-,
my eye upon this assemblage Of men and
women, finding only few here and there
whom | can call by name or recognize
Scarce ten years ago / travelled up tn,
Town Line Road, 10 the Six Corners
> good portion of the way on a trail
through beautifully timbered land-coulc
call the name Of every farmer on the way
; and knew something of every farmer il
, this portion of Ottawa. "LILLIEs
flourished by the wayside there-I trus
they do SO still. | saw your slashing
and clearings in other portions of tn
, county at that period, and have watched
your growth and prosperity since with
t great degree of interest. 1t was new Il
. me then; for was reared in countr'
= which was finished fifty years at least be
r fore my time. The stone and rail fences
= upon my fathers farm, and nearly thro'
: out Old Dutchess, have scarcely beel
4 moved within my recollection, and
stump was not to be found except in tn
woodland. The building of a farm hous
/ or barn, here and there, or the repairin,
t. of some venerable homestead were tn
only Improvements to be seen. You ma
). we'll imagine my inquisitivcness and tn
st excitement Of my curiosity upon comm
here. 1t is not necessary to say muc
! about your growth during the past te
: years, for its history is familiar TO all
l., either by personal observation or lister
ing TO freside rehearsals. Even you
! first settlers are still living, and with u
/. to-day. We rejoice at it. When / SC
ID now the number of improved farms
IT. this county, their size and state of cult
- vation, well built and and tidy barns, we
er filed, comfortable and tasty dwelling
s. good fences and roads, thrifty orchard
'@ already in tolerable bearing, horses, cattl
- hogs and stock, of all kinds, in abu
nd dance, proving plenty and prosperity
n having been accomplished upon heavi
u; timbered land-and then see with N
~ own eyes the hands which struck the fir
- blow 20 all this, feel that silence on
I'D can express my astonishment and adm
a, a, ration. | ask myself, Is this dream
w. w. Mol | have seen, tasted, touched, al