The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1868-10-10

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Through kindness and partiality hav
been solicited 10 address you upon the o,
casion of this, your third annual Fair
have left the cares, pcrplexities and Il
bors of my usual business, and have com
to answer to the invitation that has bee
made, and thus pay my respects to you
| acknowledge the honor aud distinction
thus conferred, aud return you my thanks
The responsibility thus imposed, and th
interest and instruction which ought to b
impaired on an occasion like this, woul,
be better discharged, know, had it de
yolved upon some other than myself
Butwhat ever my remarks may lack b,
way OF general interest or general infor
nation, will be compensated for, in par
at least, | trust. by the brevity that shall
attend them; for | recognize the grca
force and truthfulness of the words o
him who said that, Brevity is the sou
of wit, tediousness the limbs aud out
ward fourishes, so will be brief"
This is the third annual Fair, held un
der the auspices and management of th,
present society.
The association is a permanent aud fix
ed institution of the county. 1t is III,
owner of its grounds, aud those hayinl
the immediate charge and management
have done what they could to provide 70
the convenience and comfort of thosl
who honor the occasion with their prss
ence.
When We look around us, aud sec til,
vast number of people assembled and as
hore-coming as they do from
all parts of the county, from other couu
ties aud distant parts Of the State, We eau
not mistake the lively interest thus taket
in the pursuits aud interests of agricul
ture, nor the public approval thus giver
Of Exhibitions and Fairs like this.
This is an auspicious day for the in
gathering of farmers, mechanics, stock
raisers aud people who have gathered
here. You have just rcapcd rich har
vest. The fields Of beautifully growing
grain which Il short time ago waved IN
honor of him who cultivatcs the soil, have
Welded their returns. Your labor has
not been in vain. You have gathered tc
your garners this year, almost as great, il
not Il greater number OF bushels, produc
cd from the soil of Linn County, as wai
raised four years ago in tho whole State
Of Oregcn. Plenty Is at every door -
willis; general goel health and moro than
usual prosperity arc everywhere seen with
in our borders.
The people have thus met together TO
gratulate each other and TO talk and think
about the subject and advancement Of the
cause of agriculture; to profit as best
they eau from each others wisdom, expe.
rience and skill. 1t is in this way, aud
this way only, that agricultural Fairs can
be made to impart tho general interest
aud be productive of the general good
for which they are intended.
Farmers thus come together to learn
from each other-to see what each has
done and is doing. 1t has been said that
sin multitude of CO .nscl their is wis
dom" and the fact thus expressed applies
no less to agriculture than to any other
department Of business or pursuit IN life.
has shown that agricultural
associations, founded upon n proper and
substantial basis, and fairly aud rightiuI-
Iy conducted, are productive of great good
of results most bcnehccnt. To such
is Attributable, in part, the
Development of the country, aud the
great strides of improvement that are be-
ing consummated everywhere around US.
Not only is this true so far as our own
immediate neighborhood and county arc
but it is true with reference TO
the State, to other States Of the Union
and even to the countries of the Eastern
Allow me, before passing to other
to refer specially to our own
county. 1 take special pleasure IN doing
50, because | am peculiarly identified
with her people, and the development OF
the resources which make this great coun-
ty an important constituent part of this
great State Of Oregon.
Though not born here, seventeen years
of my brief life have been spent upon
her soil. It was hero that my father
gave me my early lessons in the pursuits
Of agriculture. 1t is here that | was
taught how to hold the plow, sow the
grain, swing TIE cradle and bind the
5heaf; here that early and pleasant asso-
Citations are here that l studied and
practiced the chosen profession of my
life. and to which | shall soon again re-
turn. These, and other like considera-
;;nns, hold me to the bosom of my early
nome as with shocks of STEEL" and cna-
=, me to speak of my country with pleas
r., re AMI with pride.
Recur to years past contrast if you
iii % tbe como; ;tion of this country as it
nee wa was with hat it is to-day. Why
ir, when you as an aGtventuTer and plon-
,er of the west, FIRST entered our pioneer
,orders, you found only yaSst' unoccu-
pied country.
Untouched and untamed by civilization,
t was the abode and hunting grounds
only of savage and barbarous race. The
valleys and plains were beautiful to be-
hold, and the great coats OF wild grass
gave earnest of the richness of the soil ;
Yet not furrow marked lis surface. But
now how different! County ofganiza-
tons have been formed and a State has
been admitted into the Union. The saw
age wilderness has been tanned, and the
wild savage has fed from the approach
Of civilization. :,
The wide spread vallies and dense will
derness that once made the earth groan
with their native growth, have been
converted into highly cultivated farms.
and nnu oroan with the rich productions