MAINE STATE SOCIETY. 53 



merchant labor to impose duties upon foreign grains, so long as that 

 statute book is not yet half full of acts in addition to acts against 

 hawkers and pedlers ? Even the doctor can hardly find time and 

 strength to put down the dreadful quackery that threatens his craft, 

 so that simple minded people may put down the more of his valua- 

 ble remedies ; and the reverend clergy, whom an exacting public 

 has somehow or other always constrained to be pretty well repre- 

 sented in legislative bodies, have always more than they can do to 

 select a candidate to preach the next election sermon, from our 

 denomination! The craft that "feeds all" has no place there ; or 

 if, to use its own phrase, it shows a "small patch, " the season of 

 "short feed " is sure to find the " bars down, " and when the yeas 

 and nays are called, upon questions that bear upon the farmer's 

 interests, where do these interests go to ? Where the anti-slavery 

 petitions used to go — under the table. Lawyers, doctors, clergy- 

 men, merchants, mechanics, all could not save them. Did they 

 try ? — would they naturally try 7 Just as the constable tries to 

 catch the man who is found running away from the poor-house. 



But how naturally the question suggests itself, — Why is not the 

 farmer there to attend to his own interests ? What has become, in 

 this most democratic age, when nothing is lacking but lungs to 

 make all men democrats — what has become of the favorite motto of 

 all men- and all parties, "The greatest good of the greatest num- 

 bers. " Can this give no protection to the farmer ? It gives the 

 humblest Irishman, if he be a voter, "two dollars a day and roast 

 beef. " — Can't it save the sturdy farmer from the calamity of 

 "sheep's head and pluck. " Are three quarters of the "bone and 

 muscle of community" unable to protect themselves against the 

 other quarter? Are these three quarters asking protection, and 

 complaining to each oth«r, and to the other quarter, that they can't 

 get it ? Who does not impulsively exclaim, Farmers, protect your- 

 selves ! 



But we must press this question — as the good surgeon presses 

 the probe, — Why does not the farmer, in this land of freedom and 

 equal rights, legislate for himself? Does he lack any of the natural 

 faculties necessary to make a legislator? Has he less common 

 sense — that most necessary constituent of the man — than the pro- 

 fessional man or the mechanic ? We tell you he has more ! The 



