KEPORTS FROM COUNTY SOCIETIES. ^05 



should push on, rather than obstruct the majestic march of state and nation 

 to glory. We cannot fail discovering, even in these darksome days, that there 

 is not only a healthy growth in population hut also, a healthy development of 

 resources. 



Let those birds of ill-omen who constantly croak '' nevermore," as regards 

 future success, plume their flight on the line of any or all of the roads that 

 lead to and from this city, for instance, and they must discover evidences of 

 improvement and growth. Slight though such evidences be, they effectually 

 dispel the tlieory of retrogression. As it is contrary to the genius of the 

 people as well as the republic, to stand still, we must either advance or go 

 sideways, for we never retrograde, and I need not endeavor to impress upon 

 the minds of this assemblage the well known fact that one of the peculiarities 

 of this government and its people is that if a move is made at all the move- 

 ment is invariable forward. Let us, therefore, though temporarily "under a 

 cloud" as to business projects and prospects, have faith in the recuperative 

 forces of the people, as well as in the stability of the government. If we add 

 to our faith ivorJcs, there can be little doubt but that the cloud will, in good 

 time, pass away, giving place for the sun to burnish and bathe high and 

 humble spots alike, as with a golden flood ; bearing a blessing of God in each 

 scintillation; calling into life, by its light and warmth and revivifying 

 influences, the most latent powers of the nation and throwing a glorified 

 pathway through the vista of the future wherein the people shall walk with 

 peace and with thanksgiving to the great dispenser of good, who paints the 

 violet with a touch of His finger and holds the earth as it goes thundering 

 through the spheres, yet knows our infirmities and marks the fall of a spar- 

 row. From the time of Adam to this hour man has been required to labor. 

 Labor is an essential to the scheme of the creation and destiny of the world. 

 It is just as necessary as an element in the consummation of that scheme as 

 the law of attraction is necessary in holding the universe together. "Without 

 the labor of mankind all of the plans of creation would be frustrated. In 

 short, it is a part of creation. There can be no excellence without it. It is 

 to the world as harp-strings are to the harp; destroy either, and all harmony, 

 time and tune are gone forever. It dignifies mankind ; it ennobles the human 

 race; it glorifies Jehovah ! We of this country have been blest, indeed, com- 

 pared, at least, ^Yith many other countries, in that our labor has generally met 

 witli commensurate returns. Such returns can be made more certain, first, 

 by educating all classes of society to fully appreciate the true importance of 

 labor in developing and working out the higlier aims of creation and fore- 

 ordinations of Divinity; and, second, by teaching certain classes that it is a 

 duty as sacred as prayer to see that labor receives proper compensation, and 

 that it is far easier and safer to undertake to haul down a nation's flag than to 

 attempt to lower the standard of labor or degrade those who toil. 



Well directed labor, in the ordinary vocations of life, goes much further and 

 produces better results than herculanean efforts without (so to speak) proper 

 objective points. In other words, though we toil untiringly, except our efforts 

 are well and wisely directed we can expect but slight returns. 



The three great secular pursuits with enlightened nations are agriculture, 

 manufactures, and commerce. Each is subservient to the others. As vigorous 

 life cannot be obtained without full and free action of the several organs and 

 forces of the body, so our condition as a nation cannot be vigorous or healthy 

 without the full and free action of these pursuits. Agriculture is creative ; it 



