National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-01-13
RECALLED TO LIFE.
AN OLD SOCIETY REoRGANlzED.
The Seventy-ninth Annual Meeting Of the United
States Agricultural SOeiety-The President
Gives an Interesting Review Of the
History Of the Organization.

John Carroll Walsh, and Eli J. Henckle, OF Mary
land; Ex-Governor Fred Smythe, of New Hamp'
shire; Hon. George B. Loring, and Ben: Perley
Poore, of Massachusetts, General A. E. Burnside,
of Rhode Island; n. T. Sprague, of Vermont; W.
G. Markham, of New York; E. p. c. Lewis, OF New
Jersey; W. W. Hubbell, of Virginia Allen Dodge
and William NJ French of the District of Column
bia; James G. Rapley, of Georgia; James Hamil-
ton of Texas William Evans, of Iowa; James Far
rem of California, and George W. Canning, OF
Illinois
The president of the society, Hon. John Merry
man, presided, and Ben: Perley Poore, the secre-
tary since 1856, at his post. After calling the
meeting to order, Mr.. Merryman delivered
THE PRESIDENTS ADDRESS
GENTLEMEN: Itgives me great pleasure to wei
ored association here to-day as many OF us are be-
coming advanced in years, and unwilling to under
go the hardships of journey hitherin the present
| inclement season. Several who up to the last
moment, had intended to have been with us to-day
were induced by the storm which prevailed early
! in this week to change their minds. But they,
with Others have written me to assure he and you
all that their interest is undated i'll the only Ma
tional Agricultural Association ever chartered by
the Congress of the United States. The war may
have prevented its usefulness for some years, but
1t still lives, ready to enter upon new career OF
prosperous action.
| "Our society was. organized as some of you per-
sonally remember, by national agricultural con-
yentiOn, which met on the 18th OF June, 1851, at
the Smithsonian Institution in this city. ThatcOn-
vention was composed of 153 delegates, represent
ing twenty three States and the prominent State
agricultural societies Among those who were
present during the session were President Fill
more. Senator Douglas, Secretary Daniel Webster,
| and the venerable g. W. p Gusts, the adopted son
of the illustriouS farmer of Mount Vernon.
The society having been organized, held its first
annual meeting in this city in the winter of 1852,
| since which time they have been regularly con-
tinued. Up to 1861, when the war forced the So
| ciety to suspend active operations, these annual
meetings constituted in reality the central " Board
of Agriculture" recommended by Washington.
| Gentlemen from the different States-many of
| them accredited delegates from agricultural Or
enthusiastically assembled TO discuss such
| topics as were presented calculated to advance
| the cause OF agricultural improvement. Interest
| ing and valuable lectures were delivered by prac
teal and scientific farmers, reports submitted
| by committees specially appointed to examine
new inventions and theories, and there was gem
| eral interchange of opinions
THE society held its first annual exhibition at
Springfield, Mass, ON the 18th of October 1853 and
| its subsequent exhibitions at Springfield Ohio;
Boston, Mass; Philadelphia, Pa. Louisville, KY;
Richmond, Va; Chicago, Ill, and Cincinnati Ohio,
besides national trial of reapers and mowers at
| Syracuse n. Y. Generally selfsustaining the re-
ceps on these occasions enabled the society to dis
burse upwards of $4,000 for premiums and ex-
penses and they not only increased the efficiency of
State and local associations, but called together
larger aSSemblages of people than have ever been
convened upon other occasions; embracing not
only our most Intelligent yeOmanry but gentlemen
OF every art and profession from every portion OF
| the widespread Union eyincing that the national
pulse beat i'll unison with our own, and that the
public voice was responsive to the call.
when the operations of the society were sus-
pended by the war it published Quarterly Journal
0f Agriculture, and it had at Washington secre-
tarys Office and readng-r room, where the members
OF the society and Others interested in agricul-
tural improvement could meet brothers
at common home, and find collection
of objects in which they have common
interest Many State and county socie-
ties contributed published transactions prem
iumlistS, the names of their officers and other in
formation, which were registered, and they re-
ceived the publications of the society in return
publishers contributed their periodicals and news
papers, and thus aided in forming free agricul-
tural library at the National Metropolis.
The preparations made by the society for ma
tional exhibition at Washington in 1861 which
could not be held exhausted the small balance in
the society's treasury at that time. The society
ward of two hundred and fifty thousand dollars
was received and discussed by ii between 1852 and
1862, and of this the highest sum ever received by
any one of its officers in year was six hundred
dollars, which barely betrayed his personal ex-
penses while attending to the business of the So
ciety:
Having thus, gentlemen briefly reviewed what
the United States Agricultural Society has done l
appeal to you to say whether its active operations
shall be Tesumedand it be made worthy Ofthe great
interest upon which the prosperity and happiness
of our country is dependent. II is also for you to
say whether you desire its officers to confer with
the officers of the rccentlyfOunded American Agri
cultural Association, with a view to the consoida
ton of the two organizations.
Renewing my welcome to you all, and trusting
ready TO proceed with the transaction Of business"
\ QUESTION OF CONSOLIDATION
After some informal discussion, which showed
general disposition to have the society resume its
active operations the question of consolidation
with the American Agricultural Association was
referred to the president and secretary with full
power to take such action Us they might deem
proper.
On motion of Dr. Loring Messrs Loring of Mas
sachusetts, Lewis of New jersey, Hubbell of Viz
GINA, George Merryman of Maryland, and Dodge
of he Of hin ,feI
mltee to retire and report list of officers for the
ensuing year. The committee retired, and on re-
turning its secretary, Mr.. Dodge reported the fol-
lowing list Of officers, who were unanimously
elected
OFFICERS FOR 1SSl-'S2
President, John Mcrryman, of CockeysyilIe Md:
Bdwell, California; Roger ". Woodbury., Colo
RADIO; E H. Hyde, Connecticut: John Potter. Da-
kota Henry N. Ridgeley, Delaware; WV Corco-
Florida; Alex H: Stephens, Georgia; John Went
worth, Illinois, Claude Matthews, Indiana; c. c.
Carpenter, Iowa; T G. Henry, Kansas; C. NJ. Clay,
BaTdWeIl, Name; Ezra Whitman Whitman MARY "
land =, George B. Loring, Massachusetts;
j. C. swallow, Missouri D. H Wheeler, Nebraska
John P. Jones, Nevada John B. Clarke New Hamp- |
New Mexico; J. w Wadsworth. New York; Robert
b. Vance, North Carolina; Mr. Robinson, Ohio; !
Sc: Reed, Oregon; David Taggart, Pennsylvania |
a. Z. Burnside, Rhode Island; D. Wyatt Aiken |
South Carolina; J. B. killegrcT. Tennessee: Ash |
bel Smith, Texas; George O. Cannon, Utah: NJ T. |
Sprague, Vermont; Josiah W. Ware, Virginia; |
Thomas H. Brents, Washington; Henry NJ Mat |
thewS West Virginia; Chester Hazen, Wisconsin. |
Executive cOmmittee-Fredcrick Smyth, of New /
Hampshire, chairman; J. T. Updegraff, Ohio; /
Robert Beverly, Virginia; William S. King Min
nesota; n. NJ. Curtis New York: ID. W. Seller !
Pennsylvania; A. NJ. Fulford, Maryland secretary,
Ben: PeFiey POOre, of Massachusetts office at Wash
ington; treasurer, William NJ French, of New
Hampshire, Office at Washington. /
On motion of Governor Smyth, it was resolved /
that the congratulations of the United States Ar
riCultural Society be conveyed to the Hon. Mar |
shall p Wilder, of Massachusetts, its founder and
friend.
ADDRESSES.
DR.. George B. Loring delivered an eloquent and !
able address on agricultural education, contrast
ing the past with the present. and showing what |
should be done in the future
Professor Peter Collycr of the Department of /
Agriculture, narrated the result of his researches
into the manufacture of sugar from sorghum and /
coruStalks When he had concluded there was a /
running collo4uial debate on this interesting tonic
in which number of the gentlemen present par
ticipated.
On motion of Dr. French it was
Rssored, That the thanks of the United States
Agricultural Society be presented to C. C. Willard
esq., the proprietor of the Ebbitt House. for the use
of the hall which he kindly gave the society for its
meeting.
on motion of Mrlwhitman. the society adjourned
sine iie.
Old YaIe's Alumni.
The annual meeting of the Yale Alumni Asso-
citation of Washington, for the election of officers
and the transaction of other busina.c, was held
last night at the Circuit Court rom in the CITY
Hail. The president, Colonel Garrick Mallery, |
presided. The following officers were elected for
the ensuing year: President. Colonel Garrick NAL
lery: ,lce-preSident, Francis Miller esq; secrc- !
2Iy, William A. Meloy; treasurer FrIncke : |