Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1863-10-14
Gov. saIomons Agricultural Address:
Delivered before the Annual Meeting of the
Walworth County Agricultural and Meehan-
teal Society," Sept. 3Oth, 1868.

Agriculture is the foundation of all civil
cation of mankind; it is the corner stone on
which rests society, without which empires
would not have been and would not be, and
history itself become blank page. Neither
the wandering Romadic tribes. with their
peaceful herds OF cattle, nor the barbarous
hordes who lived by hunting and fishing,
could secure the rudiments even OF cIEIHzed
life, until, turning their attention TO the cul-
tiyation of the soil, they became hNed IN
their habitations, the founders OF homes,
families, towns and states, ana thereby
emerged from darkness and bafoarlsm INTO
light and civilization. Thus history has re-
corded the carly progress OF mankind, and
r,oipts RI agriculture as the certain and only
tanner If savage man. To prove this. it is
not necessary however, TO lift the veil that
ehrouds the cradle of the human race and its
early developments we need but look around
Us and upon the aborigines who hover upon
our frontier Centuries have passed since
the virgin soil Of this continent had 10 yield
to European culture the wild and savage In
dian has since then beheld how his former
hunting ground, whose vast extent gave but
poor and scanty support to him, has been
turned INFO a great garden Of civilization, in
habIted by hundreds of thousands Of busy
and happy people, where formerly but hun
dreds of his own tribe could find the means
of support. With wonder and amazement
has he seen this civilization spring up before
and around him; the vast forests whose inn
pcnetrable shades sheltered but the wild man
and Wild beasts have disappeared. lie white
man Of the frontier comes first with MS axe
ami his pillow he clears modest little spot in
the vast wilderness and builds a modest little
hut, scarcely superior to his red neighbor's
wIgwam a few years roll bv, the modest lit
tie spot has widened, and large and luXurIant
fields Of corn and cultivated plants meet the
eye Of the pensive and Jealous red man,
while the modest little hut has given place to
comfortable, large and handsome dwelling
amidst cultivated trees and garden plants
But 4 little distance marks another place,
where another white intruder has built an
other and similar home where the accus-
toned exc observed bat an Indian trail few
Years ago broad roads have been heWn out
Ga facilitate the transportation Of the white
mans ueccssaries and products; settlements,
villages and cities arise proud vessels with
white sails, or the dark clouds Of swift and
selfprOpclinr kcels float upon the inland
lakes and rivers, and have scared away the
red mans little canoe, while the iron horse
snorts defiance through the wilderness, and
with fearful rapiditv threatens destruction 10
the last hunting ground Of the redskin. Sad,
sullen, yIudiCtivc and obstinate the Indian
turns away from the civilization of his white
brother neither persuasion nor threats can
ments for the axe the spade and the pillow
with civilization constantly before and around
him. with privileges and advantages offered
him, if he will but leave his Wild and savage
state, he is with few exceptions, the same
that Columbus found him, because lie obsti-
nHtely refuses to turn to agriculture. ii God
has not planted in him the inclination OF abil-
ity ID cultivate tile soil, lie has denied him
the advantages and pleasures Of a civilized
4.
The pursuit of agriculture not ONLY marks
the first step of civilized life but it Is the
rock or which society rests with all its pleas
ures, its advantages, its pursuits, and its re
suits. Other branches of mans industry
might be neglected or omitted, and while we
would thereby perhaps suffer great iucon-
reueute and lie deprived of many things that
we are accustomed 70 regard IL necessarics
9f lltc, vet civilization ana society would con
tIuue and mans inventive genius would soon
supply the defects. But picture to yourselves
for moment the condition II the human
race il aIl the fields of agriculture on this
globe should lie waste and uuimpr0yed but
t0r one single season With starvation
staring mankind I'M the face everywhere all
Che strong pillars Of government, society and
civilization, would BE- swept away: coustitu-
tions laws, armies would avail nothing an
areLv. haFhdrism and chaos would reign SUI
prcme ard aIl the proud achievements Of the
human race would disappear in the common
gulf Ut ruin iu which mans existence would
cease It would require the God-iu-pired
Imagination ct a Milton o. describe the con
ditiou of mankind In such case. to paint
such t1.ags uninterrupted yet i'll prose Dr.
rhyme.
Agriculture supplies Us with the means Of
existence not only, but with most of the ma
trrials necessary to our comfort and luxury
II has often been termed = the uobIest Of
mans pursuits, and truly So, if those words
are rightly interpreted. Every pursuit call
fur or labor in life that contributes TO the
existence. the wel-bcing, the comforts. edu-
cation or advancement of mankind, has
equal claims 60 our regard and esteem. The
hired day-laborer who with frugal ami scauty
means supports his family by toiliug for his
felIow-lnan III "a thousand different ways and
manners the mechanic ana artifCer who Ia
Dor ingeuiou-iy in their workshops; the far
mcr who diligently supplies man with means
81 subsistence ana with raF materials Tor
other nccess4ries, comforts aud luXurics of
life. the merchant and trader Who facilitate
tile a ehanGe Of natures products and mans
possessions the officer, statesman, lawyer
ana Iawgiver WHO labor IN the making ap-
plicatIop ana execution OF the laws under
whose protection we are enabled To live in
peace and obtain redress for wrongs; the
soldier who RISKS hlS lltC To protect his COun-
try against foreign invasion and internal dis
sensi0u and anarchy; the artist whose works
gladden. ana instruct US, the philosopher
whose patient studies reveal to Us the laws Of
nature: the teacher who iustructS the rising
generation and all Others who in whatever
honorable and honest profession, labor or pur-
salt I'll life, assist In maintaining or eleyatiug
mankind, are equally worthy of ana equally
entitled 70 our respect. In the true eDndi-
ton of things We should not make inviaious
distinctions between the different calIings Of
man: natures true uohlemen NAV be found
among The laborers upou any field Of indus
trv. the. are not confined % this or that par
tieuiar vocation IN life.
The pureSt treasure mortal times afford
r SratErSs reputation that away,
Men are but siIIrd Ioam painted clay =.
That Is the true criterion Of mans nobility
I5ler-, lhc droncs Of society, who cheat God
nature and man. of the value of their exist
ener. have little claiLt . oar esteem. and
vet bv strange pcrversion of things ana mis-
application Of terms, If many countries the
title Yuoaicmeu" Is confined TO a certain
class who de~pise manual labor and largely
consist ofillers and tluants.
But in i more limited sense. without east
iug reflection upon other branches Of indus