The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1874-09-04
THE REFORMERS.

rHE TRUE AGRICULTUBIsTs OF MICHIGAN.
BY the Lansing Republican.
We were told that the grand Reform
Convention, which met in this city
(Lansing) August 6, would bring forth
an enthusiastic multitude of the farmers
of Michigan, who would arise in their
might and arrest the State administra-
ton from the hands of corrupt and dis
honest men. The Free Press of August
7, declares that 1.-the gentlemen who
came here were mainly farmers But
that sheet does not give the names Of
these honest tillers of the soil, or in
what part of the State their little farms
are located. The Free Press is not to
blame, however, for failing to give their
names, as the Convention refused to al
low list of its members to be publish
ed. This matter is susceptible of prac-
tical test, however, for by great research
we are able to lay before our readers
short biographical sketch of the leaders
among these unaspiring, horny'handed,
agriculturalist performers.
1t is to be regretted that this males
tic body of farmers allowed themselves:
by political trick, to be dupcd out OF
nominating a State ticket, and left the
matter in the hand of little sei.con-
stituted committee, which decided to
call a convention at jackson, September
9, for the purpose of Cook ing up a mess
to present to the Democracy the day
afterward at Kalamazoo
We can find no more sultabl" name
10 head the bucolic list than that OF
AU.rIN BLAIR,
A most remarkable man As an honest
tillcr of the soil, unknown to fortune and
70 fame. he came before that convention
p natural born orator For upwards of
one hour he astonished those present by
his wonderful eloquencc, recounting the
woes of his fellow farmeas, thrust upon
them by aspiring politicians. His home
j. jackson county. He studied law to
ft him for agricultural labor, and then
farmed four years as Prosecuting Attor
uey of Jackson county. Two years of
the time he was busy sowing his seed in
the State Senate, in direct opposition to
the agricultural part of the Constitution
which excludes person from seat in
that body while holding any other office.
He then farmed four years as War Gov
ernor of the great State of Michigan.
The principal product raised by him was
the large crop of "dead beats" which he
commissioned in 1864, and sent to the
armies in the field, to command Mich
gan veterans. At four different times he
attempted to farm as United States Sen
ator, but the seed sown was of inferior
quality. When the plants came up, his
friends and neighbors said there was a
poor show, aud with bitter disappoint-
ment he abandoned his project He
farmed quite successfully for six years
as Representative in Congess With
some of his fellows he violently opposed
the planting crop of back pay" but
when harvest time came AUTH was the
most industrious laborer in the field, and
his share amounted to about $1,000
The esteem of the people of Michigan
for this experienced farmer is shown by
the 56,644 majority rolled up against
him in the election of 1872.
RANDOLPH STRICKLAND
l. a noble tiller of the soil from Clinton
county. In early youth he evinced a
love for agriculture, and vigorouly stud
led law to make his farm labors profita.
Die. Then he farmed for eight years as
Prosecuting Attorney of Clinton county.
When the war broke out he quit this
kind of farm business and labored sew.
eral years as U. S. Provost Marshall
This branch of farming he found very
lucrative, for his crop of drafted men
and deserters yielded abundantly. But
all good things must have an end, and
when the war closed, Randolph had to
vary his agriculture. He was not long
N making up his mind, and for the next
two years he farmed as II representative
in Congress. This labor was most con-
Genial to his feelings, and he ardently
longed to spend in it the rest of his days.
At the end of his term he visited the
raw. dust regions and was violently attack
ed with disease called briggs" which
incapacitated him for any kind of farm
ing until 1872, when he undertook to
farm after the Chappaqua style, and
made most disastrous failure. His
health is so far improved as to allow
him to attend Prohibition, Women Suf'
frage and Reform Conventions, for the
purpose of seeing that the burrows are
run straight and that no parliamentary
rules are infringed.
JOHN G. PARKHURsT,
A horny handed farmer of Branch coun
ty, was in the convention, seeking re-
form. He is one of the most remarka
bic farmers in this country. Receiving
an accidental education, he too (likt