Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-09-20

a report of the speech in full.
Mr.. johnson was introduced to the large
assemblage by Maj. Munday, one of the
Board of Directors of the Association, and
spoke as follows:
MIR. JoHNsOS's ADDRESS.
Gentlemen Of the Agricultural and Ne
chanical Association of Sumner county,
Ladies and FellOw-citizens: am here to-
day by invitation TO address you on some
OF the subjects connected with agriculture
and mechanics. When we come 10 con
slider what the subject of agriculture and
mechanics embraces, il is held of no or
binary width and one thai embraces a great
deal, especially when We add the subject Of
labor also.
1t has been my habit in past years to
visit Sumner county, and L wish TO say,
that from my first acquaintance with this
people, | have always been received by
them with a cordiality and kindness, the
memory Of which will be carried with me
to my grave, and in appearing before You
to-day, 1 assure You it IS with feelings Of
great pleasure. In addressing you | will
say al the outset, that il is not my purpose
TO please You with rattle, or tickle you
with L straw" Il is not my purpose here
10 deal in those things tia, many orators
DO, calculated D please for the time. If
you expect such an address, you win 20
home disappointed. | have no sew-gaws;
l have no trope, but | am he e for the pur-
pose Of impTcSsinS matters Of importance
upon your minds and hearts. IL l can sue
coed in making = ludcnleu- of any single
loo
| shall feel satisfied.
Agriculture, when We come 10 consider
il, is one Of the foundation rocks OF al
good s0ciety-of all good government, but
agriculture would be very feeble without
mechanics. We begin with agriculture
first. then We include mechanics, aud then.
with these two We class labor. \ NAL
may have his broad acres ana productive
fields. lie may have them we'll walered;
he may have a favorable climate; the sea-
sons may be regular, hut there is some
thing else required. What can lie DO with
ont mechanics? lie is poweriesS. But
when ne brings TO his aid the plow, the
reaper, the mower and all the implements
used in hUsbandTv. he is in position TO
utilize his possessions.
But even after having secured all Tie
implements Necessary TO carry or his farm
ing operations, there is some. hing else
needed. However productive his land may
be, his pillow will be of no service to him
without some one to hold the handles and
guide il. These three, then, are depend
ent one upon the other. While We have
agriculture, we must have mechan-
ism, and while We have agri-
culture and mechanism, we must have
labor. When We put the three together,
We have the foundation stone If the Gov
eTnment itself, and we find that all the
great interests Of the people ar directly
connected with agriculture, mechanism
and labor.
In tins connection would remark that
we have variOIs organizations in this cOun-
Try, some Of which are successful and some
Of which are unsuccessful. In connection
with agriculture we have Patrons Of Hus-
bandry, Farmers Clubs and Oranges. The
Oranges seem TO conine themselves more
exclusively 10 agriculture than any other
Of the various branches Of Industry. L
favor the idea of all the various industries
combining together for their own prCtec
lion and 5; If interest.
We have seen that many interests Of the
Government are neglected. What proper
ton OF farmers do you find in the Legisla-
ture? What proportion in Congress? Out
Of POP members there are scar ely enough
10 constitute the committee on agriculture.
The dispropoTtiOn is too great, and this
important interest has not its fair repreSen-
ton in the United States Congress.
MR.. JOHNSON AN ORIGINAL GRANGER.
What is the foundation Of this agricul-
tural interest? OF the Patrons Of HuS-
bandry? Of the Oranges What DO they
base their organization upon? Il IS upon
principles that some of us have been advO-
eating for years. They are opposed to
monopOlies: they are opposed 10 class legis-
Ia.iou. That is all ri-ht. | hold in my
hand a pamphlet in which this doctrine is
laid down:
sour government springs from and was
made for the pe0ple-IIot the people for the
Governments. TO them il owes allegiance:
from them it must derive its courage
strength and wisdom. But, while the Gov
eminent is thus bound TO defer to the pe0-
PIE. from when it derives its existence, it
should, from the very consideration Of IFS
origin, br strong ia its power Of resistance
10 tie establishment Of inequalities. Mon
UpOlies, peTpetuiiieS, and class legislation
are contrary To the genius of free gov
eminent, and ought not TO be allowed.
Here. there Is no room for favored classes
OF mOnUpOlies: the principle OF or
Government is that Of equal laws and
freedom Of industry. Wherever mOnop-
oily aitainS a fOOihOld, il Is sure 10 De
source Of danger, diSc0r1 and trouble. We
shall but fulfill orr duty as legislators by
according equal and exact Justice TO all
men, special privileges to none. The Gov
eminent is subordinate 10 the people; but,
as the agent and representative Of the peO-
pie, il must be held superior 10 monopOlies,
which. in themselves. ought uc.cT To be
granted, and which, where they exist, must
be subordinate and yield 10 the Govern
ment.
That. You see, is one Of the foundation
stones of our order of Patrons of Hus
bandry. or what we call GraUgars | would
say. as far as that goes, that am about as
good a Granger As there is in the country.
Laughter Not only IS good Granger,
but about as cid a Granger as any Of YOU.
We find that the Changers have tried 10
regulate railroad freights. Take the condi-
ton Of things as they now stand. When
the farmer has paid for carrying his pro-
duce 10 market, has paid his taxes and
other il =CeSSary expenses, he has but little
left from his year Of toll. We have been
dealing in false the cries, and some Of oUr
principles are equally false. Let us see
What this pamph!et-Which is ore Of my
messages 90 CongreSs-has to say on tiie
Ubiect Of freights:
1.-The Constitution cOufgys on Congress
the right To regulate commerce among the
several States. % is Of the first necessity,
for the maintenance Ofthe Union, that that
commerce should be free and UnObsirUcted.
No State can be justified in any device 70
lax the transit Of travel and commerce he
| tween States. Theposition of many States
is such that. if they were allowed to take
advantage of il for purposes Of local reye-
nue., the commerce between States might
be iniuTiOusly burdencd, or even virtually
prohibited. 1t is best, while the country
is still young. and while the tendency to
| dangerous monopoiios Of this kind is still
| feeble, TO use the pOwer-of Congress so Is
to prevent any selfish impediment TO the
! free circulation Of men and merchandise.
| 4 tax on travel and merchandise, in their
| transit, constitutes one of the worst forms
of monopoly, and the evil is increased if
| coupled with a DENIAL Of the choice of
route. When The vast extent Of our coun-
| try is considered, it is plain that every OBJ
stacle 10 the free circulation of commerce
| between the States ought 10 be sternly
| guarded against by appropriate legislation,
within Che Limits gf he 'OuSfitutio-1 4"