The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-06-02
lFor the Dispaich.l
Relation OF the City OF Richmond 6,
the state Agricultural society.

The city is the fired capital OF the Society
as il j. Of the state. In proper sense this
relation can have no sectional or local sig
ni6catiOn. ID Is the centre from which and
towards which all influences for the ad.
vancement Of the material interests Of The
Commonwealth, through the agency Of
the Society a. Of the State government
itself, must tend and be disseminated.
II j. unjust aud unwise 10 say. as has been
said. that the Society may become a local
sffaIr. The people OF the city have sense
and discretion enough not TO desire snch
result. They know that agriculture. horti-
culture. and mining must yield their pro-
duets in the country, and as these are sue.
cessful 20 will their trade and manufactures
be prospeTed. At the same time they are
entitled 10 participate in the Society's man.
agement In proportion 10 their membership,
and in ike manner will be expected 10 con-
tribute to its substantial support. In this
latter respect, as we have shown in our
former numbers, the city and her people
have acted in he most liberal manner in the
past. and there i. no fear that this liberalily
will be withheld in the future.
II may be interesting 10 refer to The spirit
which animated the founders Of the Soci-
ETY.. and for this purpose We extract from
the second annual reports Of the president
and Executive Committee twenty-seven
years ago:
Your first exhibition and your lat
great annual meeting impressed the minds
OF all with the conviction that the perma-
nent establishment of the Virginia State
Agricultural Society was no longer a mat
ter Of experiment or OF doubt. They de-
mon.tatod that we 20. sessed all the mate
rial. the mind, and the spirit necessary to
the building Up Of the noblest institution Of
the kind But II ever the Society is 10 rise
in its efforts above the merely secondary
object Of getting up exhibitions; If ever it
i 10 enter with success upon The great work
Of collecting and d'fusing agricultural IN
formation, and thereby materially improve
the agriculture Of the state, il can only do
20 by means Of al executive department,
located in the city Of Richmond, thoroughly
Organized. and acting with entire unity, g.
we'll A. with energy and ability"
"In our last annual report il was sug-
gesfed that there should he established 10
the city Of Richmond 4 suite OF agricultural
rooms. in connection with the secretary
Office. AZ soon as either the unaided funds
OF the Society, any appropriation Of the
Legislature, or the enlightened policy Of
the City Council, might render the same
practicable. And II was further sug-
gested that the secretary's otfce-esiab'
lished in Richmond as the headquarters
OF the Society-woud Of Itself constitute
bond OF union between the widely
scattered members Of the Society that
II would become also a medium OF commu-
nication between tn, various individual or
associated members Of the agricultural
community; that It would be. too, the
farmers intelligence ofbce-!he depository
OF seeds. plants, &c, Of new and valuable
varieties for distribution Of model, Of USE
ful machines: OF specimens Of soils. marls,
mauures. minerals-in short. central point
for collecting contributions TO useful Know
ledge. from wheDce 10 diifuse the same un-
der The auspices OF the Society. one Ol
the suite OF ROOMS proposed would be oecu-
pied bv the secretary a. an office. Another
should be- a large bail for general meetings
Of the Society and for agricultural lee
lures"
The enlightened and public-spirited ob-
iecis indicated by these extracts were never
lost sight Of bv the officers Of the society,
but the great political troubles which very
soon Overw belmed the state and country
prevented their accomplishment. After
the civil war and the r. establishment Oi the
Society. President Knigbt called the at-
tention Of the Executive Committee 10
these important objects, and in connection
herewith 10 the publication and dlstrlOu-
ton in some regular form Of the society
During the active and efficient
OF his successor MslOr
DreWry. the work seemed 10 be fully ac-
complished. New and cOnyenienily-locaied
rooms OF the kind indicated were secured
and neatly furnished, and the publication
Of the transactions commenced: but for
some strange reason. if there could be
lny reason at all, during the succeed |
ng administration all these long-desired I
)bjects were blasted by The dismantiement /
IF the rooms ana taking for the secretary 5 /
lfjce room in hotel. Many, II DOT all, /
IF the best friends OF the Society regret |
his perverse action Of the president and /
certain members Of the Executive Commit I
ee. which action has been yisibly damaging |
o the interests Of the Society, but the false |
iep NAV he retrieved, and possibly it may /
.esult in awakening more active effort |
Imong its members to guide and direct rs
.ffairs.
RICHMOND, May y.