Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1875-09-03
The Farmer.

If farming is noble occupation, as we
have attempted to show, the farmer must be
a nobleman. This leads US to discuss the
question-what constitutes the order fnobil-
ity among men?
Is it royal blood ? Is he alone a noble
man, who was born a king or prince in some
royal family? If SO. this distinction must
be applied to some Of the most dissipated,
corrupt, idiotic and despotic tyrants that the
world has ever known. The worlds history
furnishes long list of such noblemen, and
according to this standard, even Nero, the
murderer Of his own mother, may claim the
title. But we maintain that there is no
nobility of rank, founded upon the claim OF
a royal ancestry.
Or should we recognize nobility of wealth?
Is man nobleman merely because he has
inherited or acquired a fortune ? Then we
must justify the system Of serfIom that for
merly existed in Russia, where the land own
ers were the lords, and tillcrs Of the soil
were serfs-mere slaves, to be bought and
sold with the plantation then, is the land
holder Of England, by virtue Of his position
peer, and his laborer is commouer because
he labors; and then was the Shareholder OF
the south really nobleman, and the toiler
under his lash, rightfully his slave We
admit no such standard Of nobility.
Again, is there a nobility of station
May man claim to be a nobleman because
he has been elected to high Officer This
should be a reliable test, because no man
should be elevated to stations Of trust and
responsibility who does not possess so much
moral and intellectual worth as to give him
just claim to nobility. But if he proves
to be an uuprincipled scoundrel, a public
plunderer, bloated sot, employing his Office
for his own selfish purposes, may he look
down with contempt upon the honest and
intelligcntlaborer as hisinferior and servant
Never in our country.
''Nor aatter station. What is station high
IT'S proud mendicant 1t boasts and begs."
But there is nobility of character, aud
this is as often found under a rustic gart
as decked in broadcloth. Integrity lies a
the foundation of all nobility, and where
ever that integrity is found, whether in tn,
hamlet or the palace, there dwells true roy
atty.
"Our hearts meier how but to superior worth,
Nor ever fail Of their allegiance there"
And there is a nobility of labor. Indus
try is virtue idleness is vice. The on
produces, the other consumes. The homes
laborer is a public benefactor the idle spend
thrift is a burden upon society, curse to hi
race. When the one is removed from tn
sphere Of his usefulness, the people mourn
when the other dies, plague is stayed, an
people rejoice.
And all honest labor is equally honorable
The question is not in what sphere the lahore
tolls. whether high or low, but whether h
does his work we'll. We need not asl
whether he is a farmer or lawyer, bG
, whether he is good farmer or iaithft
lawyer.
And finally, there is a nobility of cultur
f Culture gives refinement aud imparts INTEL
/ gence. Hence men in any sphere of Inf
r are ennobled and elevated by education
And this remark applies to no class in soc
ETY. with more emphasis than to the farmer
B A mistaken notion has prevailed in con
munity, upon this subject. 1t has been SUI
posed that nothing more is necessary for III
labering man, than to understand his art Q
y trade, to give efficacy to his labor and
a farmers sOp has been educated, he mu
leave the occupation Of his father and emit
: one of the learned professions. But Il
fact is, the educated man is all the bett
farmer for being educated, and the occup
tion would be the more honorable aud rem
nerative, if all farmers were highly educate