ANNUAL ADDEESS. 159 



supporting those mental and pliysical- labors wliicli are devoted 

 to the elevation of the pursuit in which he himself is engaged. 



I would say then, support your county papers. The editors 

 of this county, are, if they will not accuse me of flattery, "clever 

 fellows," and competent for the positions they occupy; though 

 they do sometimes, in their zeal for party, indulge in personal 

 remarks towards each other, which might better be left unsaid, 

 yet I can most cheerfully commend them to your confidence and 

 support. 



In conclusion. Farmers and Mechanics of Eock county, I can- 

 not but congratuhite you upon the enviable position you enjoy 

 — upon the fraternity which characterizes your intercourse with 

 each other — in your friendly feeling to every other calling — on 

 the independence of your position which enables you to feel as 

 well as anybody else, but no better, and upon the laws of amity 

 which mark your intercourse and business relations with the 

 rest of the world. 



We Jiave reason to feel proud of the exhibitions which have 

 graced this county fair. It has exhibited what an influence this 

 association has upon the community at large. It has inspired 

 the smiles and assistance of our wives and sisters, and daughters, 

 who have encouraged us by their presence, and taken part in its 

 exercises. It has brought to see the products of our soil, men 

 of all clases and of every calling, and has convinced us of this 

 fact, that everybody is friendly to the farmer and mechanic, not 

 even saving and excepting the politician and candidate for office, 

 who generally, and about this season of the year in particular, 

 seem to enjoy with a peculiar pleasure, a hearty shake of the 

 hand of the hard-fisted farmer and mechanic. 



But while we thus congratulate ourselves that the horn of 

 plenty has been poured into our laps, we should not be unmind- 

 ful of the fact, that in other portions of our goodly heritage, fam- 

 ine and disease are afflicting our friends and kindred ; while sick- 

 ness and death are comparatively unknown among us, " the pes- 

 tilence which walketh at noon-day" has been desolating our 

 Southern cities, and sweeping its thousands of victims to the 

 grave. Even now, the cry of the widow and fatherless reaches 



