Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-10-15


mary aid, to encourage and assist spirit
Improvement, by drawing to a common cen
ter the results, everywhere, Of ind,vidua
skill and observation, and By spreading then
thence oUer the whole nation. Experience ha
accordingly shown that they are very chea]
instruments of immense national beaefa."
We may congratulate ourselves that w
live in an age when a riculture is in thu
ascendant. 1t is no longer given up to serf
and slaves, as the fitting occupation of thu
most gnorant portions of the community
1t now takes its rank among the honorable
and eleyating pursuits of industry, and thi
should be a great incentive TO action. II
follow the pillow and tend the flock is NJ
longer the mark of ignorance and servitude
as under false and despotic system it wa!
and is in some parts of the globe. 10 thi'
We stand upon ground which the ancient'
never attained. 1t is the greatest achieve
ment of modern times. The rights OF mar
and the dignity of labor are INDICATED; the
one follows from the other. Agriculture
| Improvement, then rests upon foundation
| on which it never stood before. 1t is the
| result of laws wise and liberal The entran
chisement OF the many, the elevation of the
masses, must go hand in hand with the in
dustrious and prosperous cultvators OF the
earth. If agriculture owes much to the
benign influence of our institutions, liberty
owes not less to agriculture.
Where, gentlemen, allow me to ask, do We
look for the cain discretion, the dlstinguis ed
patriotism, which must sustain representa-
tive government, but TO the great ommunity
of cultivators of the earth. Even those
sFeptIcal as to the fitness of man for sell
government, admit that if the experiment
ever succeeds it will b. in nation of farm
ers. Tue experiment., thank Heaven, has
succeeded it has succeeded in a nation oil
iarmers. 1t becomes US, then, to cherish a
profession which more than any other, pre-
pares man to receive the highest blessing OF
his race in this world-a free government.
We must cherish it by industry, by virtue,
by mental cultivation; by connecting it with
science and art, and with everything which
can elevate and ad0rn it. LII we do our duty
by ourselves and our children, agriculture
will never again know the dark ages in
which for So many centuries il slept with
liberty and learning. Ii We do our duty to
each other in the responsible st,tion and
happy era in which Providence has cast our
destiny, the day will be far, far distant, whep
We shall cease TO be a nation of farmers aud
d nation of freemen.
Let US remember, also, in the language OF
William Goblet" He who vests his labor
IN the faithful ground is dea ing directly
with God; human fraud or weakness does
not come between him and his reward. No
man has set of customers SO trustworthy
DIS God and the elements. No bank is so
sure as the old EARTH
Having seen that agriculture is all impor-
tant ior the welfare of mankind. let US look
at the condition OF the laboring classes, gem
orally, and See if we have not ,use Tor graf
tude az their advancement in civil PRIV
ieges. A glance over the pages OF history
will show what treatment they have received
rom their aristocratic masters. Until with
10 mparatively short time, the laboring
and bondsmen. Golfers, in the later cen
fury, even down to as late period as l776,
we're in abJect slav, ry. Gradually however,
the rush OF time weakened their chains o.
bondage the period at length arrived, when
the grIevous burdens upon their shoulders
were too CALLING longer to be b,rne; the col
lar was siIpped from the CALLED neck, and
their masters, finding 1t impossible longer to
ride in safety, consented, with an i'll grace,
to iorego a privilege they were no longer
slaves, we are not to suppose that their lords
would permit them TO occupy that place III
society that God and nature designed fol
them. That the laburer had natural, lnai-
ienable rights, that they were free and ill.,
dependent members of society, was secuted
at, as Of all things the most leveling, dis
organizing and dangerous. Hence the gov
errment twas continually passing laws, par
nj a
an / crampiog the energies OF those wno were
compelled to labor for a living; and as wealth
nad always the government, with its legion
OF bayonets to support its claims, the result
may easily be imagined.
As early as 1913 we fnd notice in a
preamble of AN act of Parliament, in these
words: " Artlfcefs, handicrafts men ami
laborers have made contederac:es and prom
ises, and have sworn mutual Oashs, not only
that they should not NEEDLE with one an
others work, and perform and finish VIVA,
another hath begun; but also to constitute
and appoint how much work they shall do ID
d day. and what hours and TINES they shall
work. contrary to the laws and statutes OF
this realm, to the great injury and impover-
lshment of his majesty's subjects" Prev
Gus to this the employer aud the labOrer We're
oppoDents-the one endeavorins to raise, the
other to depress, the prices Of labor. Hence
| the laboring classes, Tor their safety, mutu
ally pledged themselves in the language just
quoted. Parliament also passed sundry acts
expressly prohibiting combinations; and iu
1924, alter long experience had tested the
| Jolly and inability OF all laws OF that na-
ure, that they were partial and unjust,
that they raised one class and depressed ao-
other, that they were impolitlc, un~ise and
| lnexpedlent, the system Was abandoned and
the laws repealed.
From this brief and imperfect outline,
| we find the laboring classes have been long
| struggling under the yoke of despotism,
| 'gaInst tyranny, fraud and injustice. Up
ward and onward has been their watchword
until now they are enabled from the proud
eInlnence to which they have attained, TO
| look forward and behold the promised land
| of equal rights.
The history of the amelioration, improve
ment and elevation of the laboring classes, is
out the history of wealth. civilization, and
all that ennobles, dlgnlfes and exalts hu-
manity. Ii is the history of all the wonderful
improvements in the arts and sciences, in
mechanics and comm, rec.
| The record of the past affords the highest
encouragement for the present and the fu-
ture. Ii the lahoring classes will give heed
to the warning voice OF improvement, they
| will rise to that high station for which they
are designed. For if they have been able,
with all the stupendous obstacles shat have
been thrown In their way, to fight an up hill
battle against the omnipotent power of a
wealthy aristocracy, aud to possess them-
selves Of many of the privileges Of tull citi-
zenship, we can easily determine the question
ol their ultimate emancipation and triumph
The controversy will never cease, the warfare
will never end, untl all are placed upon the
broad table-land of political equality
A great deal OF afectonate regard is and
has been manifested by certain class Of
spectators and Office holders, Tor tue interest.
OF the '' dear people," They have chung to
them like the poisonous ivy to the monarch
of the wood-pasying the faculties, throwing
letters OF bondage upon the intellect, until al
lt0t thnry n 4, -. c-IJ