The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1865-12-01
Valedictory Address,
Delivered before The Farmers Club Of Clay
idon, Oct. 1871 1865, by the Pres,den
Mr.. II. C. WeUs.

Delivered before The Farmers Club of Clar.
idon. Oct. 1871 1865, by the President,
Mr.. II. C. Wells. -
GENTLEMEN OF THE CLUB Were IL not
that wish to conform to the rules and reg
uations OF this society. l should ask to be ex.
cused, and not attempt to address you; but !
have concluded to take a more effectual
way of excusing myself, that of Offering O
substitute for q real valedictory. Were
called upon to deal with matter instead of
mind, to demonstrate the use of the plow,
spade or plane, instead of the pen, l should
hope to accomplish IL with certain de-
gree OF success; but, not having been 10 tho
habit OF thinking for others, or putting my
own thoughts upon paper, you will not ex.
pect Of me anything more than q desultory
ramble over the broad field spread out be-
fore us. 1t is not my purpose. farmers, to
enter into details as to the beet methods of
raising grain, grass or vegetables; neither
shall l dwell upon those of improving our
stock of cattle. of horses or of sheep;--
nor upon any particular branch cf agricui-
tuie; but shall leave those questions where
they properly belong, with you. Mos, OF
them have been, and others will he, far
moro ably discussed than could possibly
discuss them.
Perhaps there are no class Of men who
are brought 80 continually in contact with,
or feel a deeper interest in the workings of
nature, in all its varied forms, than the
farmers. As We go forth to our fields, we
find spread wide open before us the great
Book of Nature, and, as it unfolds itself
day by day, written on tho margin of each
page the great. fundamental law that gov.
erns the universe-namely, Order. Who
has failed to wonder at and admire the har.
mony of nature with berself-the planets,
as they revoive around their center--the
year. divided into spring, summer, autumn
and winterf There is no chance-work here;
/ the great law Of nature is at work, and we
have faith in tho future. When we are
shut within our dwellings, and the earth Is
10 cked in winters cold embrace. we know
that nature holds the keys, and, true to
herself, will, in due time. turn back the
bolt, and. with genial sun and refreshing
showers. restore the earth to life, and fill
it with fruit and flowers. o.. .t..g
There is another law, scarcely Of less i'm
portance than the first: it is Perseverance,
Aud here let me draw few lessons of in.
struction from nature. Who has not OBJ.
served the tender berbage in early spring,
chilled by SHOWS. and nippod by frosis, per-
sistently and perseveripgly striving against
the elements, waiting for its great deliverer
to come and warm the earth, and drive
away its enemies, leaving it master Of the
field ...
And yet another. and the list is completes
Let everythin DO done in its proper season
Turn your thoughts, for moment, 10 ma
turo. and she will vindicate h0rself. W.
look not for fruit in spring. or flowers il
autumn. We have no promise that, II VIZ
fail to SOW in the proper season, we shall
reap a harvest; but it is more than init.
ma ted that If We fail to do So we shall reap
nothing. Often do We see farmers doing
that which is nearly as much out of season
as it would be for March to throw one of its
cold, clustering days into the middle Of
lovely juno. amidst blooming roses.
Brother farmers, let US draw lessons OF
instruction from these laws, namely. Order,
Perseverance and Seasonabeness. They 20
hand in hand. Let our means be large or
small, other things being equal, if we take
these for our guide, it will be almost impos-
sibe to fail of tho object sought.
Again: Let us make our country homes
attractive. Why should so many wish to
leave the farm and country for the city and
other pursuits? Why return 80 reluctantly
when called to the city or village on bust
ness, for day? There are two principal
reasons, and you and are at fault. One
is, we see palace and cottage alike adorned
with trees, shrubs. plants and flowers;
tastefuIly arranged; churches and school.
houses 80 inviting, showing no sigps of neg
lect; the cemetery, with its neat aud sub
stantiaI fence, its broad graveled walks, its
beautiful mcnuments, its trees and rare
shrubs and flowers, that fill the air with
fragrance, and are arranged with all the
taste that wealth and ingenuity can devise
almost making one wish to lie down to rest
beneath it's cooling shades and fragrant
T flowers. when he thinks of it in contrast with
that of his own town. This ought not to
be-. You and helped to build those streets
and plant those trees. You and helped TO
ornament those private dwellings, and build
those churches, and plant those rare trees
and flowers in that beautiful cemetery, and
erect those costly monuments to the dead
. there buried. Arc we not indirectly taxed
{ when the merchant and mechanic, living iD
| city or village, put a sufficient profit upon
their merchandise and labor to cover
the expenses they expect TO be called
upon to defray, of ornamentipg the
public grounds, the park and cemetery. and
building and keeping in repair churches
and scboohouses, as we'll as orpamenting
:heir own private dwellings9 Let US pu,
a tariff upon the products of our labor suf.
ficie0t to repair our churches, improve and
: beautify our cemeteries, plant fruit and or.
namental trees by the public highways
i turning them into COO! and delightful prom.
enades, beneath whose shades the citizen
|, and traveller alike can rest,-aud surround
our dwellings with shrubs and flowers.
said there were two reasons. The other IL
the want of proper social advantages and
intercourse. Man is naturally social be.