New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-09-14
QUESTIONS OF THE DAY.
An Address by Edward Everett.
DELIVERED SEPTEMBER IL, 1851,
Before the Union Agricultural Society oil ADAMS
Rodman aud Lorraine, Jefferson
County, NJ Y.

greeting with You at your rural iestlV, al 's uoH6"'
full season of the year. Ii there ever If time, "nen
our hearts should overflow with kind feeling toward
each other, as well az with gratitude toward Heaven
| it must he when Providence is paying back, win
the large usury of harvest, what you hopefully COM
| mitted to hs trust in seedtme Another year III
| the farmers calendar, is brought to its close.
Since you last met together at this annual festival
the Earth, beside performing its daily revolutions
has wheeled round the vast circuit Of the Heavens
the sere and yellow leaf has fallen in the Forest De-
cembers sun has sho his santng Intellectual ray across
the iceead plains the fields have slept beneath their
fertizing shroud Of snow revvng nature has started
| up at the animating touch of Spring. lew life has
kindled in the thousand channels Of vegetaton the
genial furrow has received the deposit which you con-
ded to it's faithful bosom; gentle showers and fervid
suns have contaminated the sacred mystery of repro
duetive growth your focks your herds have given
their increase and you met together TO rejoice
over the abundance Of The year. Mute nature arrays
herself in sladness to welcome you The soft breezes
of September diruse their soothing, dreamy influence
through the atmosphere The Great Parent has clothed
the grove and the forest even Jacob clothed his
youpgest born with coat of many colop; the lowing
herd-the bleating flock join their voices in the cheer
ing concert of harvest home and all around speaks OF
labor rewarded of hopes fulfilled, Of plenty, OF con-
| tent.
One sad dark spot alone clouds tho brightness Of the
hour From state Of prosperity, public and private,
probably never surpassed large scale, in the
history of the world the country has been plunged IN
few short months into condition, but too well cal
calated to arrest our attention and turn away our
thoughts from the blessings that surround us TO the
great struggle in which engaged. For the irst
time in history, find Ourselves involved III the
greatest political calamity which can bef8l country
| q civil war, and that war rapidly assuming gigantic
dimensions When you last held this rural festival,
we were profound peace at home and abroad blessed
by Government of choice-the nlldest, the most
benefcen the least felt except IN the blessings which
secured 10 every part Of the country and to every
class OF iis citizens known; IN The enjoyment as
people OF degree OF prosperity rarely youchsafed by
Providence TO the flm les Of men, aud which was annn-
ally attracting 10 shores emigration, altogether
uncxamped from The Oldest and bes governed States
| Of Europe. From this happy condition we have all
at once crafty tie ambition Of few disappointed
political leaders q do but repeat the words OF
the second off OF the southern Confederacyl been
precpitstod into the triss, tie dangers the sac:i-
ce the sucriugs Of deadly contest with orr mir
guided brethren. The suicidal attempt u making not
by foreign enemy not by rival Powers looking WIN
Jealousy rising greatness bat by our own lei,
low Citizens TO sbatler this admirably CONTACTED
system OF national and State Goyernment-a mira
| Gle of political WISDOM devised by tone OF the
wiseat and best that ever lved-to rend that
sacred bond, the main source under Providence oil
our prosperity the great result OF the Revolutionary
struggle; and beside all the present innumera6ie
evils If tic fratrcidal eSniesl, 10 9IeaA up tle
American people into feeble and hostile iragnentsi
10 anDihate our influence IN the family OF nations,
to COW the seeds OF eternal borGer wars and instead
of Perpetual Unlon, the le9 inheritance %hlgn
potteriy q miserable aud ephemcn partnership,
subject 60 be farther broken up at Will BY any and
every member.
However painful the necessity Il Il unavoidable that
su.h .taf. ~ tliuQa EhOuId greatly IfeJCgUly the
public mind and turn away The thoughts Of men from
other and more gratifying subjects OF contemplation
The eau 90 remote and immodiatethe present aspects
and tho future OF the tremendous srngglc-its nilu-
enoo on the great interests OF the community hIan
cial benrngs-iss effects foreign relationsthe
gnaccustomed legislation forced upon The country BY
STATE Of waffle military and naval operations-tho
rsy Of our patriotic feowcitzens TO The support Of
the Gover1ment-,he viois-iiudes Of the held-all
brought home TO Us by the intense activity Of the
press-hese subjects when necessarily furnish the
daily food Of ihoughtf0r the social interchange Of
opnonfor profound and anxious reflection, almost to
tie exclusion Of ordinary avocaions and to such an
extent ~ 70 render every other suLect-howeyer 9th
erwife interesting, matter OF indifference .
Deeply imI retsed - warmly sympathnlpg with
there feelings il il not without Eetaion that have
accepted our invitation. Obvious proprety requires
that ut tho hashandmens festival, Agriculture, in
some OF it, relations least should foIm princ pal
tonic of address. At the tine have been appre
henfiye that scourse any other subject than the
present state Of the country, mutt be- comparatively
Interesting. lbaye considered, however, that IN the
present condition OF things II is highly important 10
keen the unavoidable arrangement Of the peaceful
opoations Of society within the narrowed p0esible
mits Nothing will contribute 10 the of
the struggle nothing do more to alleviate ia severity
willie II lass, and lead 10 its speedy and luspcious
terminz ion, than that the great cardinal pursuits Of
the country should far AZ state Of admits--
commerce, manufactures, the mechanic arts aud |
especially Agr culture, which, under Providence, feeds
them all, be carried on with nndminshed activity, |
thus keeping up the great creulatOns that sustain the
national life and what is Of the last importance, pro-
tectiog tie public mind from the excitement and
anXieies TOO not TO attend great reynfiOn, IN the
condition of country. For these reasonsyou do well,
my friends TO hold your annual public festival at the
ngaiherng of the harvest, and not 10 permit the yio
lent ard lawless assault upon the Government and
Constitution OF the country, which, after long dstract
ing the counses of the Union, has at length been
transferred the battlefield, 10 make you insensblo
20 the bountes of Providence or regardless OF the
blessings and the duties OF your occupation as husband
men.
have intimntel that it matter Of special in
portance 10 the present state Of the country that
Agriculture should receive its accustomed share OF the
public attention. for the very good reason that beside
the ordinary demands for agricultural produce there
will while the llsts, BIO superadded that of fur
Lning food TO the Thousands and tens Of thousands
enlisted On the army. The consumption of these great
bodies Of men, owing % the waste unay oidably incident
10 the camp aud the field Ia far greater than that Of
the same number living quietly at home and able to
practice those little domestic economies in the care
and reparation OF food, which are wholly out Of the
question In bsrrack u tent AT the same time, 1t
ight ,eem ut st that the productive force of the
agricultural community must DO seriously diminished
by tho absence Of large numbers OF our patriotic
yeomanry who have FASTENED 10 the field. Many n
stout hand which lat year guided the plow through
the confeld now pios the nrenching tool or grasPs
the rife on the banks Of the Potomac the Missouri;
many a hardy frame, which 0 twelyemonth since lay
down at night In "A peaceful home, to weearned re-