SECRETARY'S REPORT. 9 



steadiness of progress nnparallelecl in histoiy ? And it is be- 

 lieved that a careful comparison of different sections in our otto 

 country will, to say the least, prove exceedingly suggestive on 

 this point. To what is the more rapid development of the free 

 states, in all which constitutes greatness, and which has given 

 us a name among the nations of the earth, to be ascribed ? 

 How is it that with generous soil and genial climate, the older 

 slave states arc steadily tending to exhaustion and barren- 

 ness, while the North, with fewer natural advantages, still 

 succeeds in extorting from reluctant soil, and in spite of chil- 

 ling blasts, such abundant harvests as to effect this great and 

 constant growth in wealth and power ? The answer is obvious, 

 and indisputable — agriculture is here the chosen occupation 

 of the educated citizen, and not as tlierp^ of tlio unwilling slave. 

 The sweat of the brow is bestowed alike by both ; but here is 

 added earnest and careful thought, and consequent skill. The 

 labor is intelligent labor; and honce the more rapid improve- 

 ment in iiifii-ci-L-il -vrcaltii and power, and of refinement and 

 civilization among the masses. 



But to be more specific, we will examine a few of the points 

 wherein the importance of agriculture is especially mani- 

 fest,- and first, it is important as being the foundation upon 

 which are based all industrial arts and the entire business of 

 the world. Whence comes the food to sustain the toiliuir mil- 

 lions in every calling, as well as the drone and the profligate ? 

 Obviously, as the result of agricultural pursuits alone. And 

 not only does it sustain existence, but upon it depends the 

 prosperity of every other branch of business, from the humblest 

 day laborer to the princely merchant whose sliips visit the 

 ends of the earth. If agriculture be successful, every other 

 branch of business prospers ; but if it meet with disaster, all 

 others are depressed. A few years since, the failure of a single 

 crop, and that a comparatively unimportant one, in a portion of 

 the kingdom of Great Britain, produced a general derangement 

 of the business of the entire nation in its varied ramifications, 

 and was seriously felt abroad in the disturbance of the ex- 

 changes of other nations. 



The business history of our own country goes to establish 

 the same fact. Every one acquainted with it knows that there 



