36 [Senate 



The farmers' cattle were of the ordinary kind ; a few valuable 

 for milk, but none peculiarly so for the carcase. Common horses 

 were raised in unknown numbers, and I have seen the whole side of 

 many a large barn consisting of horse stables filled with them from 

 one end to the other — the consequence was, that the horses emptied 

 the barn of hay and grain at the approach of spring, and the cattle 

 the straw. The first was an unprofitable animal j they were raised at 

 a ruinous loss. 



Such was the course of farming, when our land was cultivated by 

 slaves ; it was an old adage, that " the hogs ate the corn, and the 

 negroes ate the hogs." All this was literally true, as I have often 

 been a witness of the fact. Could our farmers by such farming, be 

 otherwise than poor 1 Could they be otherwise than indebted for 

 many of their annual and family expenses 1 And do not all know, 

 that many farms in those days were encumbered with mortgages '? 

 The persons of property at that time were professional men ; they 

 were considered the gentlemen of leisure, respectability and charac- 

 ter. The farmers looked up to them as a superior class, for they had 

 not received the advantages of education, nor had they the means of 

 acquiring a fortune. These were the halcyon days of the profession, 

 when that class of men monopolized not only almost the wealth, but 

 the respectability of the whole community. Living under a free 

 government, where every man has the full benefit of all his faculties, 

 and can own the land he tills, if by industry he will earn it, — within 

 the last few years, the mind of the farmer has been directed to the 

 improvement of his condition, and to raise himself by education, intel- 

 ligence and industry to a higher, if not the highest rank in Society. 

 What is the first step he takes to do this ? He wisely frees his slaves 

 and turns his sons from the taverns, the race-course, and the haunts 

 of idleness and vice, where formerly most of their time was spent — • 

 to take their turns at the plow ; to sow in season ; to work in harvest, 

 and lay up for him stores for winter. This was a great step, and a 

 thousand other blessings have followed in its train. He looked upon 

 his condition as a farmer. It was work without profit — labor with- 

 out reward. What next 1 He brings into action the thinking mind, 

 and naturally asks himself — cannot the intelligent mind be called to 

 aid the industrious hands, to the improvement of my class, and re- 

 lieve me from debt and embarrassment 7 



View my state. It is land impoverished, fences prostrate, stock too 



