Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1868-07-20
TO FARMERS AND MECHANICS.

4 We believe ain union there is
! strength" ;" and that in any undertaking
| where numbe are interested there ex-
ists an absolute necessity for harmony
snd concert of action, in order to insure
success. The truth Of this adage
I is admitted, and needs no further
proof Of it's correctness than 60 observe
the workings Of the different avocstiOns
aud professions of life. IN all prosperous
/ cities merchants have their chambers Of
4 commerce, bankers their associations,
printers their unions, the legal and medi-
| cal frateFnities their rules, and so Oh
with almost every calling you can name,
| if you will only except the farmers and
mechanics Of the States overrUn by the
! late disastrous war, who, it seems, work
alone without any well organized plans,
modes or systems-eRch one upon his
1 own individual opinions or views, with
/ out any cooperation, OF others interested
| in the same end; as if there existed no
! community of interest whatever in these
! two all-impOrtant cslliDgs. We are of
! the opinion that this is altogether wrong,
and that there is Gn immediate and ur-
gent demand for a reformation; that
] there should be 8 reunion Of the farming
people of this country, to discuss in ev-
cry way the question Of agriculture-the
great lever or motive power by which
! the prosperity, peace and happiness OF
| the whole universe is sustained, upheld
and driven forward. With the increase
of the soil, the prosperity Of the whole
world increases, commerce thTiVes-in
! fact, every channel is buOysnt, and the
people happy; with its decrease, adver-
sity chases away prosperity, con meics
Wanes, and the busy channels of life be
4 come stag1laut pools, and the people more
or less digcontented.
1t is not expected in this address to the
farming community TO discuss elab0r-
ateiy the many natural advantages cur
soil and climate possesses. Suffice il to
say they are SIS great and SIS many as any
section of America; that the native ca
pacity OF the soil is the same to-day as
when it brought forth its mighty abund-
aDce years ago; that the same productive
virtues and properties are in the fields OF
Shelby county to-day as were in it ten
years ago when it produced the cotton
that bore OF the prizes at the great
Worlds fair in London. And we believe
that there can be no doubt, if properly
implOred old Mother Earth will be ss
liberia! to her children to-day as then
but we have not yet approached her in
the proper way, and we accuse her
unjustly when we say we cannot make
the corn, cotton, wheat, oats, potatoes,
the every thing that We did then; and
it is direct insult offered TO her former
benevolent charity and goodness, when
we go to other granSTies for our cereals, |
other smokehouses for our mite of meat
other gardens fer our seeds, other pas
lures for our horses, other meadows for
our COWS and sheep, and to other mar
ketg for everything we use, whetE eT tt
be the triIiing paper of pins or the costly |
fabrics of the East. The Great Giver o!
every good has lately sOwn the refresh |
ing showers over the psTched earth, and |
vegetation gives evidences Of new life |
and vigor, and tie signs are promising, /
and bid Us take courage and be OF good !
cheer, that or deserts shall yet rejoice, /
and cur sUdste lands blossom abuDdently /
and rejoice even with joy and singing. 1
But we may go on theCrzing, quietly /
fold our arms, say we must live at home, /
that we must raise our own grain, seeds, |
meats and stock till dOOmsday. Unless /
We arOuse ourselves to action, TO the /
vital Importance Of the unity Of action, |
determine that there is n community OF 1
interest among the farmers of Shelby |
county, that we will be- live working |
men, that we will be no longer the
hewers of wood and the bearers OF the
mighty and gTieVOus burdens that We
have so long borne. To the END, then,
that We may have an opportunity of
thus working together, the Committee
of the Whites Station Agricultural and
Stock Association do most earnestly and
cordially request the farmers and me-
chanics, and all others interested, from
every portion of Shelby county, to
meet us at Eudora Church, nine
milea east OF Memphis, on the
Memphis and Charleston Railroad,
Saturday, the 25th inst, at 40 o'clock
am. Al which time aud place full,
fair and honest interchange of opinions,
views and feelings can be bad, and such
action taken ss we then and there may
determine on FOR furthering the objects
suggested above, and discussing the i'm
pOrtance Of forming an Agricultural So
ciety OF the county.
All of which we most urgently and
respectfully submit.
GEO Q. HOLMES,
y. Z. PERk ms
ROBT MCkENNA