Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 186?-1872, 1871-09-23
HOLLY woop, Sept. 4, 1871.
BoscoBEL, Tenn, Sept. 10, II.

FINS EWING, EsQ.,-Dedr Sir |:
Being absent In Cincinnati, must be
my excuse for so long delaying an
answer to your note, informing me
that have been elected q delegate
by the Agricultural and Mechanical
Association of Montgomery county,
to the Agricultural Congress to be
held Ia Nasty vile on the 3rd prox.
l accept, with pleasure, this trust,
and will do all In my power to bring
about an efficient organization among
the farmers Of the country. To their
want of union must he ascribed many
OF the hardships and privations
which they have undergone hereto-
fore; and the time has come, in my
opinion, when they must put forth
the power which their numbers, in
telligence and position entitle them
to, in order to ward off still greater
dangers that threaten them In the
future. We see the anomalous spec
tacle Of great financial distress among
the farmers of the country, while
there Is q plethora of money at all
the great commercial centres. We
see the prices of wheat and corn,
pork, cotton and tobacco oil ruling
below the cost OF production. To d.
minish the price Of labor will be to
entail misery and want, restitution
and poverty upon the laborer;
not to diminish 1t, will be to bring
about the same evils upon the farmer.
There is one way by which the press
ure upon both the laborer and farmer
may he relieved, and only one. Let
ha Of hA ls<>
placed upon the same footing as the
the laborer and the farmer. Let'this
class be made to contribute their quota
to the maintenance and support of a
government which seeks to make the
laboring and producing class suborii-
nate and inferior to the moneyed
class. The farmers and mechanics as
q class have too long been the victims
to the wiles and schemes of polite
ians, too long taken back seats after
having borne the heat and burden of
the day, too long beat the hush while
others have caught the bird. Let
them organize, consult together, ex-
clude those whose interests are inim-
ical to them, and take those steps
which shall place them In the posi-.
ton to which they are justly entitled.
No wonder that these classes are held
in contempt by the closely-united
bondholders. With q power, which
II properly directed, could crush all
factious opposition to their interests,
they have tamely submitted to be led,
or driven, by any petty trickster who
desired to use them for the accom-
plishment of particular purpose. If
bOndholders are exempt from taxes
why should not the poor soldier, who
patiently endured the trials, dangers
and hardships of the tented field for a
small pittance, be also exempt?
Whose sacrifices We're the greatest,
those who loaned money to the gov
eminent, or those who fought to sus-
tain 1t? The first have realized by
eirpatri0tisma one hundred per cent;
the second are hard pressed to pay
that class still greater per cent.
There can be no relief to the pro-
ducing class until there Is concert Of
action and organization amongst
them. The circulation of the coun-
try is being rapidly absorbed In bonds,
and there IL no means left to develop
the great material and industrial re-
sources of the land. The truth Is. we
are all growing poorer every year,
while taxes are increasing. or course,
this thing cannot continue long with
out bankrupting the industrial pur-
suits of the whole country. Relief
may be found only by uniting the
producing classes. In our own State
we may set down NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
as belonging to that class. We have
no gigantic fortunes invested In bonds,
but every class in this State are de-
pendent. directly or indirectly, upon
the products Of the soil or the work.
shop. Let us all work together until
this crushing weight Is removed and
then We can march boldly along the
great highway Of national prosperity
and success.
Your letter also contains an invita-
ton To address the people of Mont
gomery ut tile Fair Grounds, on the
18th inst. / should be most happy to
accept this invitation, but inasmuch
as have declined all previous invI-
tations TO make addresses at Fairs, /
shall he compelled, through courtesy
to Others, as much as regret IL, to de-
cline such a fiattering invitation,
even from the people OF my own
county. should be proud TO meet
them upon some other occasion, but
shall be compelled, for the reasons
stated, TO forego the pleasure OF meet
Ing them at the Fair Grounds.
Accept my thanks for the courte-
Gus manner In which you have con-
veyed the request Of the Association,
and believe me to he
Yours truly,