The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1878-08-08
Cirolina before il was forwarded
r. IL destination. as follows:

Deur Sir und Br0. My cher
i,hcd friend and brother, Doctor
MlIi.. has requested me 10 give
YOU our views on Il question con
In ned in Your late kind letter -
him. The question 10 which
refer IN YOUR, is. '':>hali We, If the
Southern States. OF the MISSISSIPPI
Valley. and the Pacific, abandon
the great enterprise-acqulesce IN
the bad faith of the National
Grange: or shall We organize a
Go operative Congress, to CORES
pond with that on the other side
or shall we wait for better counsels
I'm the National Grange under the
changed basis of representation
which we are struggling for.
With regard to the considerations
contained in this comprehensive
question, especially its first part,
we are free to say, that the action
of the National Grange e with
our unqualified disapproval, as we
believe it will of the State Grange
with which we are connected.
Abandon this comprehensive
scheme of National good doing
give up the advantages offered the
States indicated IN the proposed
great international fraternity ):
Never. Aside from the bad faith
inevitably involved IN such a course,
it would be suicidal to the highes.
material interest of u common
brotherhood in this land.
Whatever concerns the true IN
terests of any large section OF II
beloved country alike ncern the
whole,i whether it shall be clearly
apprehended or not. The man OF
general intelligence does not live
sou,h of Mason 4 Dixon's Line and
west of the Ohio who a be lgno-
rant of the incalculable advantages
of such international cooperation
as is proposed, at least to the pro
ducing classes of the South and
West. Nor can it fail ultimately
of similar advantages to the North
and East, whether they can now
see it or not. Cooperation is fun
damental to our Order, and the
more comprehensive its application,
the better for US, and for the world.
We should deal fraternally, and
tenderly with our brethren; but
give them to understand that there
is too much at stake in the propo-
sed scheme of cooperation for us
to abandon it, or even to regard It
with any other than the highest
consideration. If our brethren on
this side of the waters shall decline
to unite with us in correspondence
with a congress of brethren on the
other side, we believe that we should
not delay a moment IN slgnlfyIng
to them our readiness to unite IN
this great scheme. If our brethren
around the Northern and Eastern
centres of trade shall see our up
neutrality-suspicious. to carry this
great scheme into effect, they are
too sharp and farseeing to permit
us to 90 alone. They are not igno-
rant of orr great natural advanta-
ges in such system of cooperation,
and will for once come to us. Our
cherished Order eschews all anita
gonisms of feeling and interest IN
all that relates to our well being as
a great National family of farmers;
but it certainly guarantees to any
and every pant of the family, sover-
eign and eternal right to devise and
act for ourselves in all that relates
to our local interest and that in nc
way embarrasses or Injuries other
sections of our common brother
hood. Believing as we certainly
do, that such international CO.
operation would not only facilitate
commerce between foreign nations
and ourselves, but create and per
petuate bands. that would guaran.
tee fair and honest dealing in inter
national trade-give stability tC
grounds Of international peace, and
50 strengthen the ties of common
brotherhood, us to make serious
misunderstanding almost impossi
BILE. We should not delay to IN
rorm brethren of the North anC
East of our views and intention,
on this subject. To await the dis.
cussion of another National Grange
might be fatal to the whole promis.
ing enterprise in which we certainly
have most to lose.
Fraternally yours,
j. b. DAVIS.
Read before the North Carolin;
State Grange, at its Fifth Annua
Session and endorsed as the senti
ments of that body.
j. T.. PORTER.
Sec. \. {. State Grange.