STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 187 



raucously, an eloquent encomium upon agriculture — such as he alone 

 could pronounce. He closed in these words: 



We are the first peojjle on earth. Let us he tlio most grateful, the most industrious, the 

 most vii'tuons. Let us to the capacities oi' our soil, our glowing climate, our peaceful political 

 condition, add industry, honest labor, a love of peace, a capacity for war, a regard for every 

 social duty ; and al)ove all, let us add to all this a consciousness of the dignit}' of labor — tlse true 

 dignity of labor, whether social or moral, or intellectual or physical. And if we do this wo 

 shall hand down to posterity the blessings that are heaped up arovmd us on every side — our 

 fruit, grain, flocks, and herds, fair and fertile fields — everything that makes one comfortable, 

 haf)pv, and blessed. Shall we do more? Yes, far more than this. We shall hand down t(^ 

 them the recollections of the manly attributes, tlie manly actions of their fathers, which shall 

 go with them as a guide, a warning, and a blessing, to continue throughout the generations, till 



'• Wrapped in flames, the worlds of ether glow. 

 And Heaven's last thunder shakes the world below." 



The amount of premiums awarded in 1859 was $8,139. 



The first annual meeting of the Society under the new charter and 

 constitution, was held in the Pavilion, in Sacramento, January 18th, 

 1860, and was the occasion of much interest and no small degree of 

 excitement. The meetijig was largely attended and lasted four days. 

 The principal exciting cause was the location of the fair for 1860. A 

 large number of places in the State were desirous of securing it, and 

 had representatives present to press their claims and advantages. 

 Upon a final vote being taken the location fell to Sacramento. The 

 new Constitution prohibiting the holding of the annual fair of the 

 Society two successive years in the same place having been adopted 

 after the location of the fair in 1859 at Sacramento, she was held inel- 

 igible as a competitor for 1860. The effective argument in her favor 

 was the unexampled accommodations she had provided free of cost 

 to the Society. At this meeting an amendment was proposed and 

 j)laced on record striking from the Constitution the prohibition 

 above referred to. 



Another amendment was proposed and placed on record in effect 

 locating the annual fair of the Society at Sacramento. The election 

 of officers of the Society resulted as follows: 



T. G. Phelps, of San Mateo, President; and J. J. Warner, Pablo de 

 la Guerra, Cary Pebles, R. B. Woodward, Caswell Davis, L. B. Harris, 

 Nathan Coombs, J. T. Ryan, P. B. Redding, Chas. Justice, S. S. Curtis, 

 Wm. Rabe, Wm. Thompson, A. J. Laird, R. J. Walsh, E. B. Plarris, 

 G. W. Coulter, the gentlemen representing the judicial districts of 

 the State in the order of tlieir names. Corresponding Secretary, 0. C. 

 Wheeler, Sacramento; Recording Secretary, N. A. H. Ball, Sacra- 

 mento; Treasurer, D. O. Mills, Sacramento. Additional Managers, 

 Wilson Flint, Sacramento; P. J. Devine, Sacramento; T. Ogg Shaw,. 

 San Francisco, and the three last Presidents of the Society. 



The natural effect of the location of the fair for 1860 at Sacramento, 

 where the last preceding fair liad been held, was to greatly exasperate 

 the people of many other localities in the State against the Capital 

 City, and to alienate many of the theretofore earnest friends of the 

 Society from its support. 



In some of those places that had hoped to secure the fair of the 

 State Society, District or County Societies were organized, not as aids 

 to the State Society, but as rivals to it. The press of some localities 

 probably spoke the feelings and perhaps the hopes of some of the 

 people of the localities, when it spoke of the State Society as the " late 

 State Agricultural Society." The Board of Managers, however, 

 appointed a visiting committee and got it in the field at an early 



