Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-11-04

bacco into chewing tobacco, cigars or snuff;
every piece of timber into wagons, chairs,
tables. and other articles of necessity; every
pound of iron into plows, hoes, axes, and
other utensils: Our provisions should be
consumed by our own population, and only
manufactured articles exported. We can
not annually export our raw material with
out ultimately destroying the fertility of our
soil, for it is law of nature, and agricultu-
raj chemistry has demonstrated the fact.
that to retain the fertility of the soil, we
must replace in some form or other, the ele-
ments that we take from it in producing our
crops. For seventy years or more we have
been growing tobacco and wheat, cotton
and corn in our State. We have shipped by
far the largest proportion of these crops be
yond our borders, which have ultimately
gone to enrich the soils of other
countries, Just TO the extent that ours have
been impoverished. Had we consumed
all our surplus products upon our farms,
the exhaustion of our soils would have
been far less rapid; and, to go step
further, had we had apopulation sufficiently
numerous to have consumed al the pro-
ducts Of our soil; or still better, had 1t
been necessary for us to have imported
breadstuffs for sustaining our population,
our soils, instead of diminishing in fertility,
would have positively increased in their
power of productiveness, because they would
have in that case, with proper system of
tillage and economy in the saving and use
of manures, received more than was taken
from them. If we would cease to import
calico and domestics, knives and forks,
pianos, carriages and furniture, shoes, boots
and saddles, and the thousand and one
articles we use IN every day life, and make
them at home, having surplus of them,
and export what we now import, our lands
would re ain their original fertility. There
seems to be a general law governing these
matters, and that law is this: All countries
first partially exhaust themselves by export
ing agricultural products, and are then
restored ichen it becomes necessary for their
populations to engage in other pursuits than
tdImingJOr subsistence. 1t is natures great
law for restoring her equilibrium.
But, fellow-citizens, our own people must
be first accommodated. We can secure no
better class of population anywhere. They
have grown up in the same habits of thought
with us. They are part and parcel of the
glory of Tennessee. We must keep them
II they are working men, by all means keep
them. That is the class We need-men
who are not ashamed to be found at work,
either in the field or in the shop. We need
lamen who will look into every part of their
business with their own eyes, direct it and
economic their time-men who will
read, and think, and wOrk-men who will
depend upon themselves, and not upon a
servile race; who will shape their own ca
| reer; overcome all difficulties that lie in
their paths to usefulness, honor and wealth.
We want farmers and mechanics enlighten-
ed, educated, perseyering, who are determ-
| ined to succeed. There may be difficulties
in their way. There may be lingering
prejudices against them; but earnest faith,
perseyering industry and patient toll will
| remove all these and lead them to a pri-
| umphant and brilliant success.
II is an egregrous oversight committed by
our people, especially by our farming pOpu-
| latiOn, in fixing their eyes upon the profes-
sions as the goal and future destiny of theii
| sons. A greater wrong upon themselves
| upon their children, and upon the country
/ aud a more serious blunder cannot
| well be conceived. The professions are al
ready crowded, and it is lamentable to see
so many men who might be made capable
and useful, making themselves respectable
| nOn-entities by wasting their time, sitting
| their energies, emasculating their menta
capacities, blighting and whitening theiI
| ambitions by trying to follow path in lift
that is crowded to repletion; and, we must
say, with all due respect to their fol
| lowers, that the professions contrib
ute nothing except by indirectiOn to thu
development of the grand industries o
the world. 1t is sheer nonsense, it is wors,
than folly, nay, it is criminal, TO hold on
dazzling professional hOnors to all the youth,
OF the land. Let them be instructed to be
lieve that in whatever vocation of life the,
are engaged whether in turning up the rich
sweet earth, sowing seed and reaping harv
ests; or raising on high the majestic edifice
that bespeak the refined tastes, the cult
waited intellects and the spirit of the age
that in our time, at least, and in America
success is the test of merit. We live in al
age eminently practical. Great ideas am
great thoughts spring as readily from al
industrial education as from a classical one
WIS. for instance, had not rather be tn
protector of the tunnel at Mt. Gems, thai
to be the translator of Homer, or the ammo
|
be the architect of our beautiful StateCapito
than the judge who sits in it?
NV fellow citizens. IL occurs to me tia
the great mistake Of the people Of the Soutl
is that they do not sufficiently appreciat
the dignity of these pursuits in which ma
jOrity Of them is engaged. They seem I
believe that work in the field or the sho
is the vocation of boOr; that respectable
should never soil its hands by grasping tn
pillow or the plane; that intellect has no con
nectiOn with agriculture or the arts
Never was there a more suicidal policy
The agriculture of every country in tn
world has been prosperous in proportion +
the capital and knowledge of the actual cult
vatOrs of the soil. If the South must be any
thing in the future, it must be from agricu
tIIre and the mechanic arts. Politically
is dead. A generation must pass away b.
fore they can hope to regain their intiuenC
in the government, and that can only l
restored 10y an increased prosperity, an il
creased population, and an increase
wealth. Poverty in States is not respecte,
Influence results from power and pOwt
I from wealth. To regain our lost inhuent
! in the government, we must build up OF
fortunes, and to build up our fortunes, OF
first duty is to teach our children the nece
sity, policy and responsibility of i
: Dor. God himself, who from cha
, shaped the fructifying universe, worke
J, and man himself, while carrying out the i
e junction to earn his bread by the sweat
e his face, can elevate, dignity and eXalt lab
d by educating himself up to his work. III
y highest examples are not wanting to che
1t him on. From the farm, where he ga
L his personal attention TO details, Washin
Il ton was called to the Hottest destiny ev
) opened to the grasp of humanity. jeff
If son, with the same hand that drew the de
# laration of independence, showed the spa
n and used the pruning hook around Mon
IS cello. Webster, who shook senates wi
IS the thunder of his elOquence, would vie wi
IS his laborers in manly strength in the haryi
+ field. No, my fellow citizens, there is
1t disgrace in coming in contact with the SO
e Our disgrace is that We send the intellt
n and worth, genius and industry to rust o
+ in professions that are crowded. If
he have son who talks well, he must be
Il lawyer; if we have one that learns Gre
3, and Hebrew readily, he must be a ministl
y II we have one that takes TO chemistry,
W must be physician; and if we have o
e. that cannot learn at all, why he must
IT the farmer That business upon viii
a. the stability of the government rests, mt
re be left for the most ignorant
IN the family. when really it requires I
IS most intelligent. Times are changing, q