Weekly Calaveras chronicle., 1868-03-28

before the State Agricultural Society, at
their last Fair in Sacramento, on the even
ing of September 18th, 1867.
BY MRS. NJ. A. HALL.
Again, the years appointed day we greet,
When here from far and near the many meet
Who with full hands and aims united, come
To grace the hour and share our harvest home.
Let us together view the rich display,
Rejoice together, on this festal day;
Together, in our hearts united, bless
The hand that crowns our labors with success.
Come, let US view the tribute of the field,
See what our gardens, what our vineyards
yield;
Survey our herds and dairy's golden store.
And choice abundance of the precious ore;
Returns of insect labor, ever US assure,
Our State in its resources is not poor.
The costly fleece. a native of Cashmere,
Our genial cline as fine and good can rear
Our southern border grows as strong and free,
As if indigenous, the olive tree.
Like California, where out from the earth,
Are brought by men, such varied products
forth?
And more, unnoticed, wait mans fostering
care,
To swell the number far beyond compare.
Our granary, well nigh, the world might feed,
And luxury, here. might satiate her need.
But to what purpose do we congregates
Only to boast the richness of our States
Should We not rather counsel how we best
May make each interest support the rests
Nor let golden glamour blind our eyes
To that wherein States true vantage lies.
For oft in vain and partial is our toll,
We mine beneath, not cultivate, the soil.
Into this one, and most uncertain. groove,
The States whole capital is made to move !;
And to our only great commercial mart,
Is drained prosperity, from every other part;
For every mountain, every inland town,
With mining stocks, inevitably goes down.
Let us survey our mining country through,
The landscape give retrospective view;
The present scene with those gone by, con-
trast;
How dim the picture, by the vivid past.
See ruin claim what patient labor gained /;
See want sit king where millions were OBJ
tanned;
See silent quartz mills and abandoned lodes,
Forsaken hamlets and neglected roads!
No sign of thriftness, the prospect cheers,
But desolation, every where appears;
Save here and there, cabins lonely den,
The wretched shelter for more wretched men,
Or whisky shop beside the way obtrudes,
A blot, polluting on the solitudes.
O! what the picture shall illume again.
What shall reanimate this dead domain
Hallow the ground. and make the meanest
rill,
Hill, vale and grove, feast of fatness flls
o men of capital, on you we call;
Are there no patriots among you all,
Who this one sided policy will spurn,
And backward will the golden current turn
Build railroads, dig canals and irrigate,
Throughout its length and breadth, our fer
tile State;
Set up the spindles, speed the busy loom,
For every labor helpful hands will come;
The men of might who mechanism command
Shall station find and honor in the land.
Not subtle powers shall then to US descend,
And grace and beauty with the useful blend;
Cities and towns like magic, will uprise,
And fields of plenty shall salute our eyes.
Our lowlands drained, our scourge shall be
no more
Our river channels dredged from shore to
shore
Contain our floods, not they our terror be,
But white with commerce speeding to the sea.
When you all this, and more than this, have
done,
Your work of duty only is begun;
No country prospers governed by misrule,
Or grows to greatness without church and
school:
And legislators should be taugh. to deal
With private interest less than public veal;
Nor means of evil, evil men provide
What their own vicious wants may be sup
piled;
Not whisky. cards, or billiard tables can
Advance the good or happiness of man.
Wisely the Sabbath was ordained of heaven,
A rest from labor, one day out of seven;
Be this remembered, let it sacred be
A pledge, God given, for mans prosperity.
Let them whose talents yearly thousands
gain,
If their professions be not all in vain;
If to -eminence they have claim,
And labor not alone for wealth or fame,
Sometimes the pathway that the Master trod,
And guide the poor man in the way to God !:
Leaving the city and its shams behind,
Their luxury and ease alike resigned;
Counting their time and efforts both we'll
spent,
If they the general good may thus augment;
For homes or happiness, if such be gained,
Ry means like these are builded and sus.