The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1885-10-08
ASraAAn Llncels su Agricultural
Tsirs.

Bsa: Perley poore. ia the cslarascr
quotes from an address made by Abraham
Lincoln At the Wisconsin state fair ID,
fall before he was elected President. ~ FOL
lows:
agricultural fairs. said Old Aba. "ar.
becoming an institution OF the coantry
They are usefnl in moro ways thae one
they bring US together, and thereby make
as better scqusinted aud better fsiepdi
than we otbcr~ise would Ia From ihl
frat appearance Of man upoa earth dowr
10 very recent times, the word stranger
and enemy were almost or quite synony
uous Long after civilized nations had
defined robbery and murder ~ high crimes
and had alfixed severe punishment h
them whom prscticed upon and among
their own people respectively, II VA
deemed no oHsnse. bat even nsrtoeious,
y rob. murdse and snalsvs slsenesss,
whether - nations " - individuals. Ev'
On yes. this hss not totally disappeared,
The man Of the highest moral cultivation.
In spite Of all abstract principle can do,
likes him whom he does know much bet
ter than him whom he does not know.
To correct the evils, great aud smsll'
which spring from want Of sympathy aud
from positive enmity. among strangers. as
nations or rs individuals, is one OF the
highest functions Of civilization. To this
end our agricultural fairs contribute 10 no
small degree. They make more pleasant
and more strong aud more durable the
bonds OF social and political union among
us. Again, II, as Pope declares. 'happi-
ness is our beings end and sim.' our fairs
contribute much tu that end and aim ~
occasions OF recreation as holidays
Constituted as man ia. he has positive
need Of occasional recreation; and what
ever can give him this. associsted with
virtue and advantage, is . positive good.
Such recreation our fairs afford. They
are a present pleasure, making the future
more pleasant. But the. .chief use Of agri.
cultural fairs is TO aid in improving the
great calling Of agriculture in all Of its de.
psrtnents and minute divisions; TO make
mutual exchange of agricultural discov-
cry. information and knowledge; SO that,
1t the end, all may know everything.
which may have been known to but one or
to but few at the beginning; TO bring to-
gether especially all which is supposed
not to be generally known, because Of re.
cent discovery or invention"
Instead Of administering the usual
amount Of "tsffy." Mr.. Lincoln quietly
II presume am not expected TO en-
ploy the time assigned me in the mere
flattering Of the farmers as q class. My
opinion OF them is that, in proportion TO
numbers, they are neither better nor worse
lhan other people. In the nature Of
Ehings they arc more numerous than any
other class. and believe there are really
more attempts at fsttering them than
my other, the reason OF which / cannot
perceive. unless it be that they can cast
more votes than any other. On reflection,
am not quite sure that there is not canse
II suspicion against you in selecting me.
n some sort a politician and in no sort
armer, to address you"
When elected President. Mr.. Lincoln
proved true friend to agriculturists.
Under bis administration the agricultural
bureau of the Patent Office, which occu.
,ied two dark rooms in the basement OF
he department Of the interior, WAS eleva-
cd into department Of agriculture. Ih
luties were to acquire and diffuse among
he people Of the Uuited States useful in.
ormstion on subjects connected with
griculture 10 the most general and com.
,rehensve sense OF that word. aud TO pro
ure, propagate and distribute among
he people new and valuable seeds aud
'lants. The building now occupied by
be department OF agriculture was COM
'Ieted in 1868.