The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1874-11-05

Lecture.
1t is with but weak hopes of either
instructing or entertaining you that /
appear before you to-day; but knowing
that the veil OF Mercy and Charity is
ever ready to be extended in this our
noble order, and prompted by that time
honored maxim, which says that an hon
Orable attempt is better than dishon-
orable retreat, 1 will try to engage a
few minutes of your time without going
into tedious details upon any particular
subject, on this our day of pleasure;
but will give you a simple outline Of
the origin and progress of our order.
The Patrons of HusbandTy had its
origin in Washington City on the 4th
day OF December, 1870. II. Kelley be-
ing the acknowledged founder. He,
while travelling over the South in 1866
as inspecting agricultural agent under
commission from Washington, being
deeply interested i'll agriculture, saw the
great and pressing need of some concert,
some protection and some encourage
ment among the farming community,
and while this subject was weighing up
on his mind, he passed through a little
organized society of Scottish farmers in
North Carolina, where he first conceived
the idea, which afterwards was shaped,
with the assistance of Mr.. Saunders, a
talented men Of Washington City, into
the order known rs PATRONS OF HUs-
BANDRY.
This order, destined to Il great and en-
during growth, did not, as it seems to-
day, rise a giant from its cradle-did
not, Phoenix like, take wings and soar;
but in its infancy it grew slowly. 1868
added but 10 sub-Granges TO the number
of Oranges in the United States. In
fan 70 "a - IL, but
steadily, and during all this time it was
(scattering) sending its roots over the
broad land, which were destined soon to
mature a tree, whose protecting shade
would be felt from the grassy plains OF
the North to the balmy brCeZes of our
Southern shores. At the annual session
of 1872, after a struggle of five long
wears, only nine States and fourteen
| hundred subordinate Oranges, with
membership of less than $4,000 were
represented. But at the annual session
/ of 1873 on the 18th day of December at
| st. Louis, the banners of 81 States waved
| in the National hall, and 10000 sub
! Oranges with a membership of over
| 100000 was represented. And now,
so amazing has been the growth Of the
order that our sub-Granges have reached
| over 1000, with u membership of over
| 1900, 900. But il was in 1873 that its
| objects and intentions began to be felt.
| Then il was that intriguers ard diShOn-
Orable politicians began to tremble.
! Then il was that mOnOpOlies and OPP
/ pressiVe institutions of every kind,
| which was EfOrcing the mapes of the
| poor men of the land into the dust, and
| bv their concentrated and corrupt hri-
! bing power, keeping them there, began
! to shake with fear and began too, to
recognize the fact that the little farmers
movement which they had Tidiculed as
devoid of brains and in every other
way, was power in the land-a power
| for goOd-and a power capable and de-
| termined to protect the oppressed and
pOwerless in every avOcatIon i'm life.
! And well they might take warning
For in Illinois its unknown strength
was hurled against mOnOpOiies and Rail
road Kings and their bTibed Oflice-hOld-
| inc sympathizers, and swept them one
and all, from office. Even the Supreme
bench which had become corrupted to
! the interest of the Railroad Kings had
to give up its hired men to men of the
Patrons choosing. And many other
great and good political and financial
/ changes have been effected in Missouri,
Iowa, Indiana and several other States
which have yielded TO the Patrons sway
Ito the immense advantage of the farm
ers, the labOring man and to humanity
ut large-dHd 10 the damage Of no one.
And all these things have been accom-
plished without in any way bringing
politics in the order, which Is expressly
and absolutely forbidden in our cOnsti-
tuition. But il was done by destroying
mems prejudices, educating their minds
TO know their interest, see their wrongs
and demand redress. And all this say
, has been accomplished to the damage oil
no one, for the foundation upon which
we stand is true and sSlf-sustalnlng, and
we have grouped in 1t some OF the no
blest traits in mans nature and none d
: the bad ones. Some snatched from Mt
Sinia and others taken from later but
/ no less holy Dispensation. We have
equity there, we have truth and honesty
5 there, we have Justice there, we have
7 hone and brotherly love there, anC
5 crowning these (and many more) We
l have Charity! Do these damage any
r one? Does it damage the thief to stol
l him In his mad careerI If so, thei
1 we would damage him. Does Il dam
: age the intriguing, selfish politician
2 who would drag himself and country Z
5 satisfy his own ambition, TO dishono
? and degradation, to stop him! IL SO
3 then we would damage him.
5 And now since the Patrons grip an'
n the Patrons sign of recognition Is
[ passport in every State in this broa'
i land, and their protecting wings ar
= spread from ocean TO ocean, that sam
/ politician, together with many othe
!, would-be mighty men of the land ar
Z trying 20 march TO the tune OF the Fat
z rons' honest quickstep, but they can
learn" [to borrow an Old Baptist eN
). nrassion.6 1t never was intended tina
u tbev should learnt is utterly impossi
?. HE for them to learn il.
o And when we remember that nelthe
;. in ancient or modern times, in no perio'
of the worlds history has any institu
tion arisen with such meteorlc bright
Y ness and splendoT, spreading itself Tx
a mighty resistless tidal wave over Ia
prandest continent on the gloOe-dls
6ensing charity and giving hope to tn
toiling millions, we can account LOT
= in but one way. 1t is due, al due to tii
q presence of woman in our councils
n And our founders, Kelley and Williams
Il certainly remembered these positiV
e words of God himself in the Garden o
Eden: "Is is not good JoT OsGH 70 o