18 [Senate^ 



perplexities incident to overgrown wealth, more than counterbalance 

 its seeming advantages. Health of body and competence of estate are 

 all the requisites for organic happiness that the world can bestow .> 

 And to say that agricultural pursuits are eminently calculated to insure 

 these, is only to reiterate the language of past ages, and to repeat the 

 testimony of our own. If you leave such pursuits, the hazard 

 increases as the profit augments. The amount of the premium is 

 always proportioned to the greatness of the risk. 



But health and the conveniences of life are not all that a man 

 requires to make him happy. He desires to be useful, he wishes to be 

 esteemed. And what profession can boast of a higher claim to utility 

 than that of the farmer 1 The greater part of mankind must be agri- 

 culturists, and on their character the well-being of every state must 

 depend. Our free institutions are valued, but how shall they be pre- 

 served ? By the virtue of the people. History gives no other answer. 

 No truth is more clearly emblazoned on her pages than that if a nation 

 would be free, they must be intelligently virtuous. And here the 

 agricultural class become of the first importance to the State. The 

 influence of a virtuous yeomanry on her character, like that of the air 

 on the individual, are seen in the strength of those who are unconscious 

 of its presence. 



But they have still a further power. If, " when the righteous are 

 in authority the people rejoice," they, who h\ their numbers hold the 

 gift of office, have an influence second to none in the republic^ 



The political influence of the agricultural class, is an important but 

 a dangerous topic, before an audience like the present, as particular 

 applications may be made of general observations. To prevent such 

 a consequence, I would illustrate my meaning by reference to the old- 

 est political disquisition in existence, which is remarkable as showing 

 the similarity of political aspirants in all ages ; and which, as it was 

 written two thousand years before the discovery of this continent, can 

 hardly be supposed to refer either to the advocates of Texas or the 

 tariff. 



It is more than three thousand years since Jotham called to the men 

 of Shechem, to listen to a parable: " The trees of the forest went out 

 to choose a king over them ; and they said unto the olive tree, reign 

 thou over us." The answer shows who was meant by the olive. 

 " Should I leave my fatness wherewith by me they honor God and 

 man, and go to be promoted over the trees ?" It was the answer of a 



