Year: 1869

] ''Ns - " Eop't Noit uDph III


mind unknown TO other men, and con


scious that not only the American Revo


luton, but the whole great experiment o


self government was dependent in no small


degree upon him, yet gave throughout hi


life more of his time to agricultural stud


les and operations, than to any other OBJ


ject, and when the last grim messenger
come to summon him to his reward, h,


was found in his farmers garb amid the


shades and soitudes of Mount Vernon


And nearly all the successors Of Washing


ton in the Presidency, passed the closing


years of their eventiul lives in the digni


fed tranquility of a farmers life. and il


the quiet pleasures of rural pursuits


Adams, Calhoun, Clay and Webster, the


four great statesmen OF the North the


West and the South, whose names are the


pride and boast Of the last generation


forgot the colossal anxieties, the stern


contentious, the herculean abors and their


thankless sacrifices to the public service


in the retirement of the country and the


calm and healthful pursuits of farmers


life. Thus, if we study the history Of


the wise men Of all these master spirits,


whose wills have moulded, and whose


hands have guided the destinies Of man.


kind, have been more or less engrossed


in the pursuits Of agriculture and that


it has afforded them a solace and re-
spite from the cares and turmoils of more
active life. Proud, happy, intelligent,
patriotic farmers Of Vermont, there is not
population on the face of the wide earth
so highly favored in all the substantial
blessings of life as you are nothing but
this explains our history and makes us
fully comprehend the secret of our own
strength. The officers and men who


Ought through the Revolution, the war
of 1912, and the accursed rebellion which
has just closed, were farmers and the sons
of farmers, who owned the soil for which
they fought. Yea, our o,cn Mupt,1ous
Grant, who crushed the Rebellion, and
who has been elevated by your free suf-
RACES to the first place in the Republic,
was but few years ago quiet unassum-
ing farmer upon his narrow acres in Mis-
souri,. But, Mr.. President, | have not
come here to hatter the farmer, or to tell
him that his calling is the only one to
which we should give our attention. And
if | desired to do so, it would be rather a
dangerous experiment, at a moment when
We are within ear shot of yonder vast and
extensive manufacturing and commercial
and where so many of our
fellow men are engaged in those pursuits.
60 hand in hand with agriculture, if we
would prosper as a people, and one must
not be allowed to thrive at the expense
of the others. The people of Vermont
are in the main an agricultural people
and yet it may admit of very serious
doubt, whether we would not be the gain
ers, if we gave more time, attention and
money than we now do, to the business of
manufacturing. In no State in the
Union, according to her acres, are there
more natural facilities for manufacturing,
than in Vermont. There is water power
enough upon the Winooski ifproperly ap-
to run more spindles than is
run to-day in the whole Island of Great
Britain. And more than this, with our
valleys and our streams lined with mills
and manufactures as they might be,
would it not be an inducement for our
sons and daughters to remain with US at
home, who are now, for the want of en-
ployment, and an opportunity to increase
and spread out in business, seeking homes


in the South and the West ? have not
time to dwell upon this subject, but | ask
you seriously to reflect upon it, and see
If something may not yet be done, either
by Investment or legislation, to stop this
tide of migration, and give our people
chance to live, and thrive and die upon
their native soil. We can i'll afford to
swap off our own children for Cinnamon
and Negroes. desire in very few
words, to call your attention to the dan.
serous doctrine put forth by leading
politician at Worcester few days ago,
md that is that all capital, and associa-
ions OF capital, are hostile to the best in
erests, not only of agricultural labor, but
'f all labor. You, my friends, know by
observation and happy experience that
Inch proposition is false and dangerous.
Jast your eyes about you. Does not the
'ast accumulation of capital which is nec-
'essary to carry on yonder extensive mills
md lumber yards, bring into your midst
hundreds of men, woman and children.
Who have to be clothed, fed and shelter.
ID? And does not this large addition to
our population make ready market for
very dollars worth of produce you can
aise upon your farms2 And do yon
lot by selling your produce here at home,
ave the price of shipment to distant
market? 1t seems to me that it requires


nly this simple illustration, to show the
liter iallacy and absurdity of such a'dog-
ma. There certainly can be no occasion
o excite any prejudice, on the part of
he laborer against the man who is lucky
nough to have money, The two should,


nd generally do, work and live together
harmony, and when they do, they mu-
ally aid and assist each other. 1t is true
hat at times, one class may for mo-
nent' get the advantage of the other, but
he people make the laws, the laborers
re majority, and therefore all evils
viii be speedily remedied. Associated
apital may employ large numbers of
men, but they can not compel them to
york without pay, and they are compelled
o pay them their price. Thus in this
,reat and complicated machine OF human
.ction, and progressive developement,
me wheel fits to another, and one power
balances another, and all work together a
,erfeet harmony, unless perchance some
oreign substance gets in, and for the
moment disturbs the regular motions.of
he machinery.


We cannot consent, then, that the great
avs which govern the commerce of the
world should all be abrogated to please