451 



And here is the great secret of American success. We are a reli- 

 gious, trained, educated people. The church and the school-house are 

 the cause of our success ; and in no better or more patrioiic manner 

 can we expend the fruits of our labor, than by endeavoring to render 

 still more efficient these humble but most powerful instruments. 



The position of the farmers of America, is peculiar and different from 

 that of most agriculturists throughout the world. They are the owners 

 of the land ; dependent on no one but themselves for a comfortable liv- 

 ing ; and exercising all the rights and privileges of citizens and free- 

 men. They are educated and intelligent ; and I honestly believe, as 

 free from prejudices as any other portion of the community. Our Ag- 

 ricultural Societies and Fairs ; our own peculiar newspapers, proportion- 

 ably more in number, it is beheved, than those of any other profession; 

 our implement manufactories, all bear witness to the onward force of our 

 class ; while great Republics, not only governed, but well governed, in 

 peace and happiness by farmei-s, is what the world has never witnessed 

 since the days of the Patriarchs. Farmers, beyond all others, sufFerfrom 

 the evils of a solitary and unsocial life. Separated far from each other, 

 confined year after year to steady toil by themselves, they have few 

 opportunities of mixing with other men, unlearning error, and acqui- 

 ring the truth ; rubbing off the indolence of mind natural to humanity, 

 and becoming inspired with ambition and zeal to excel. As has been 

 beautifully written, " of all inventions, the alphabet and printing press 

 alone excepted, these inventions which abridge distance have done most 

 for the civilization of our species. Every improvement of the means of 

 locomotion benefits mankind morally and intellectually, as well as ma- 

 terially, and not only facilitates the interchange of the various produc- 

 tions of Nature and art, but tends to remove national and provincial 

 antipathies, and to bind together all the branches of the great human 

 family." And considering the many hindrances in the way of social 

 improvement which beset the life of the western fai-mers, it is difficult 

 to express too high an admiration of the intelligence, vigor, and onward 

 progress which they manifest. It is rare that comparisons can be fairly 

 drawn, but deprive the city man of the daily society of his fellows — 

 of his hourly risks, competitions, and emulations — take from him his 

 daily papers and correspondence — his evening parties, and social recre- 

 ations, and we greatly doubt, if placed side by side with the Michigan 



