Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1874-07-24
Charact cteristIc Features of the Patrons
Of Husbandry.
TILE INTELLEcTUAL rEArURE,


by d. CURTIS.
The Patrons endeavor to elevate the social,
and purify the moral conditions Of community
by iuculcatug charity sobriety energy, ipdus-
try, economy, and honesty. To Danish indo-
lence, ignorance, and ineompetency from their
doors, and to elevate the farmers, intellectually |
to disclose to them that they possess minds
as well as muscles, is also one of the grand
objects Of the Patrons Of Husbandry.
1t is an abominable heresy of ancient origin, !
that unceasing toll is the mission and the lot Of
the farmer. Much eulogistie scandal has
been pronounced upon the hard !:;aa sons
OF honest toll" all to Aater their vanity.
Labor Of itself Is not necessarily glorious.
But unrequited labor is not only inglOriOus,
but actually ignOminiOus. To rear large herds
of fat steers, cultivate broad acres, acquire
valuable lands, and pile up large treasures,
coined by the life.blO0d Of yourself and family,
and stamped with the sighs and tears Of your
wife aud children, AID at the same time stary-
ing the intellectual nsn, stuntug the craving
spirit, bowling the God like form, rendering
Drpmnturely sedate, m ilancholy, and taciturn
the youth that should be jovial, vigorous, aud
sparkling; deprivng yourself and dependents
OF the amenities, pleasures, conveniences,
comforts and necessares Of life embittering
| the happiness, uesUhylnR tne conloTip impair
| ing the bodily health, exhausting the physical
| vigor, aud precluding mental growth aud i'm
| pr0vemeat, Is infamous tyranny-a damning
| disgrace that should stamp the man as viler
! than demon, and worse than brute
| Farmers and farmers families are human
actuated by human natives. and seeking as an
ultimate end the pleasures Of tins life, an easy
pa ssaga down the stream 0f Time, and final,
everlasting abode Ia the bright elrsian fields
! beyond
"Thst un discovered country, from whose
boura
No traveller returns."
That they should be compelled to labor with
energy, patience aud diligence at the drudgery
of the farm with no time for the improvement,
| but in seed time, and harvest. aad the dead
calm uf icicl ed Winter to be constantly employ
cd, is subversivo of the design OF Nature. II
when others luxurate in humid ,halcyon, verdaBt
Spring, sport with rnseate Summer, revel in
the yellow gnrgeousnessof Autumn, or bask in
the fttul hre-ght Of geld Winter. the farmers
are to be confined, like menial slaves or cOu-
victs doomed for crime, to those incessant la
bOrs which cloud the mind with care, burden
the soul with sorrow, and depress the spirit
with rejection are we to wonder that reared
with their Intellectual inclinntons thus cuTbed
their minds thus tettered their phy sical organ
izations thus taxed, and their liberty thus i'm
paired they should be the pack horse Of all
other classes, the dupe OF designing men aud
! vii lains2
The great eyilthat besets farmers, is that they
cultivate the soil tho much and their brains too
9 little; devote too much time to the development
, of their MUGS es, and notennugh to the develope-
ment oftheir iutellects. The day when muscle
eehee'fs Wl9 9Ps long since passed: l1!el ut In
qures, and easily retains, the ascendancy over
muscle. Whatcan muscle acquire when pitied
, against intellectY A skilfnl hand a strong arm
and yigiant eye, are not the only things need
/ n YFn Il .NuI
brain is ten times more needlul The farmers
need and mist have mental trainIng-tbey must
De learnt to think and reason for TthemselVes-be-
fore they can successfully cope with the as
tute minds, and Michiay elisns, with whom
they must necessarily compete. Though en-
dowed With the strength of the earthborn An-
t@usor or the invunerability of Achilles, il de-
: void OF the shield of intellect aud the armOr
OF culture, thsre will always be found Ju-
piter-sustained Hercules to strangle them iu
mid-air, or an intrepid and sagacious Paris TO
direct bis fatal shaft at the vulnerable heel,
BY working like oxen and not like men--by
depending on their muscles alone aud not ma =
King them an auxiliary Of the mind-by strain
ing them to their utmos: tension aud allowing
no time for recreation and recuperation---m men
engender poor health; break down their consti-
tutions; stunt their souls; make their women
slaves to the habits OF excessive labor, which
are FAR more pernicious than the Justly and
much co ondemned custom of fashiona BILE societ :;
ana render their children prematurel ly decrepit,
extinguishing the bright light OF happy child
hood, and everywhere destroying that cheer
fulness which gives life its greatest charm and
ehet attractions. Is such excessive labor nec-
essasy or proutauieI OrrraiuIr uOt. riIeIe 10
nothing honorable or noble in this sacrifice Of
BODY and mind to the Unsuitable, voracious god f,
MAMNoN.
As a class the farmers exceed all others in
number and wealth, and claim superior ecOnO-
my, industry, frugality, aud morality. but be.
cause OF their mental poverty there is but a
very, very small number Of them occupying
places OF honor, trust, or profit. These places
are generally filed by lawyers, doctors, mer-
chants, or mechanics; not because the world is
partial to those Of these classes, but because
these classes furnish the intellect. What the
| world wants Is intelligence, mind and brains.
| II there be men found among The farmers, or
| even amongst street scavengers, with superior
minds, clear heads, sharp Wits sound iudg.
ments, aud such business habits as will insure
certain success in any enterprise In which they
| embark, these are the men who will be sought
| aftrr-will be singled out-aud the posts Of
| honor trust, aud profit committed with conf
| dence to their care. The Grange designs to
make such men Of the farmers by inducing
| them to give liberal share of their time and
attention to recreatons thought and study. lt
aims to make agriculture respectable, remuner-
| alive, and desirable; farmers intelligent, con
| tented, and hOnored; farmers homes happy
and attractive; aRd the hands of farmers sous
| and daughters earnestly sought by the beaut
ful, the good, the honored, and the wise of
our land.