Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-07-05

o SaluDTlOuS, u COuHlAy NUT du-
vantageous every way, welcomes
them South, and spreads out to them
a more inviting field of labor.
But Notwithstanding, as / have said,
country since the war has mani
tested a wonderful degree of recupera-
tive energy, much remains to be done
even in our midst to elevate the pro-
duetive standard, and push it forward
upon the high road of material pros
perity and advancement. The proper
appreciation, especially upon the part
OF the young men of our country
those who are to come after us and
take our places in the great battle OF
life-of the true digRity0f labor, would
contribute more toward the accom-
plishment Of this great result than
anything else. Oh, how 1 wish /
could properly impress upon the minds
of our youth some of these great truths,
that they might properly appreciate
the high honor of that calling which
produces something from nothing, and
not only its dignity and honor, but its
sure remunerative return in a pecu-
MARY point of view. Could they
be thus properly impressed, it would
be seen that our villages, towns, and
cities would no longer be crowded
with active, intelligent, and e%nterpris-
ing young men-actiYe in both mind
and bOdy-seeking precariOus clerk
ships andpoverty-stricken professions,
If there be any profession, calling or
pursuit in life which ought to take
rank in dignity and honor over al
Others, it should be that which is the
source and fountain and foundation
of all wealth and pOwer-that which
levels the forest, opens the fields,
blazeS the pathway to civilization,
creates commerce, builds cities,
spreads empire, and without which
there would ard could be nothing,
These great facts should forever
stamp with the broad seal of dignity
and honor agricultural labor. In con
nection with the dignity of Tabor, and
in contemplating the type Of minds
and intellects that have made labor
the study of their lives, let me
give uttterance to a sentiment that
have long since entertained,
but do rot recollect Of having
before expressed, and that is this,
that the great inventive minds Of the
world deserve to take rank owe all
others in the scale Of greatness. ]
mean such as a Fulton, n Morse, a De
guerre, a Mccormick, a Whitney, and
that class of utiliSts, deserve to rank
higher in the scale of greatness than
the prOfOundest lawyer, the most en-
lightened statesman, the mast gifted
poet, the greatest ~chieftain, or any OF
the grand intellects that have filed all
these great spheres of human action.
And why? Because they have not
merely put on paper great thoughts
and published them to the world, but
they have created something that no
man over done before; they have
wrought and moulded their great
thoughts, struck from chaos, into ma
terial, tangible substance, and har-
messed them to machinery to bless
mankind-the glory and wonder Ofthe
world. When Fulton put his great
idea of the application of steam into
practical operation as a prOpelling
power, / think it was nearest akin to
that Divinity which spoke creation
into being, made man and breathed
into him the breath Of life. 1t was
GOd-like.
But | have depressed. Let me say
q word or two As to the paying part
of the business of agriculture, rs well
as its dignity and honor. 1t seems to
me that never before in the history oil
any country were such inducements
offered, and opportunities presented 10
get rich BY farming. Let us look at ii
3 little. ! remember very well when
corn was raised for q dollar a barrel
THAT is five bushels) cotton for from J
to 5 cents per pound, pork about the
same, the smaller articles, such As but
ter, eggs, chickens, ETC., in like pro
portion. To-day corn Is worth %
cents a bushel, cotton 25tO 80 cents per
pound, wheat 81 80 TO - per buShcl.
oats 50 to so cents, bacon and lard,
from Is 10 p cents per pOuud-all OF
which every farmer should raise to
sell; chickens - to So per dozen, hay
500 to SO per ton; and by-the-by let
me mention that / have il from those
who haveeNperimented in the growth
of grasses in this country since the
war, that for clover eSpeciallynO coun-
try is superior.
Was ever such opportunity foF those
just starting in life TO get rich, and
that rapidly? Why, in my raising up
l well remember that when q young
grew up to manhood and got
married he went right straight to
work, he built him a cabin, made his
clearing, and he and his wife went to
housekeeping right OFF. And if his
father-in-law could give him a start of
a COW and calf, a SOW and pigs, and a
feather bed, he was set up; and if the
old fellow, aS was sometimes the case,
was able to add to this a horse, saddle
and bride, for the young wife to ride
to church on, they were rich. That's
the way they worked ii in those days,
and they became good and useful citi-
zens andrcached wealth and honor by
the sur path of honesty and industry.
Very many of the best citizens, solid
and substantial men, useful in their
day and generation, with children
who made men and women Orna-
mentS TO society in Middle Tennessee
and in West Tennessee-yeS, every
where, where prosperity, good gov
ernment, social order prevail, and a
estimate is placed upon the dig
nity OF lab0r-began life just this way,
Ald let me say that ifthere was more
of that sort Of way of beginning life,
and of carrying on life, all over our
land, we would not stand 50 much in
need of immigration from foreign
countries, Chinese labor and the like.
What incentives now are presented
when the price Of everything pro-
iuccd from the earth or raised upon a
farm, are almost fabuloUs-vGst fields
open and ready for the husbanGman.
Let our young men, then, brave and
aoble as they have proven themselves
20 be, and hardy, tOo-for they tested
hat in war-banish the idea of max
a living and getting rich by some
,hOrt hand way that idea which
'eems of late to have settled upon all
and all ages. When our young
men grow up and get married now
ct them not content themselves with
with the old folks, doing moth
ng, or what is aeXt to that, spend
months and may be years hunting
situation,n but DO ike they did in
Id times. go to housekeeping and 90
. NOIh, anu my nVlN lVl Al tASS VIII
,e prosperous and happy, and ulti-
rich and honorable. Let them
eel that this is the bright pathway to
lonor, distinction, happiness and
yealth-that labor is honorable, and
bout it there is a true and manly
which lifts him FAR above the
me who seorns it.
My friends, the longer l live, the
l see Of other countries and con-
emplate our own in contrast with
hem, the deeper impressed / become |