482 The Claims of Agriculture, etc. [November, 



more capital invested in the single item of fences, according to cen- 

 sus reports tlian there is in every department of manufacture com- 

 bined. As far back as the census of 1850, the cash value of farms, 

 and the fixed capitol employed thereon, amounted to five billions of 

 dollars, and during that single year there were produced one hun- 

 dred millions bushels of potatoes, three hundred millions bushels 

 oats, one hundred and fifty millions bushels wheat, eight hundred 

 millions bushels corn, one billion six hundred millions pounds cot- 

 ton, and fruits and vegetables in untold quantities. Since that time 

 these very products have been immensly increased, and vast quan- 

 tities are now exported to foreign countries. We could now feed the 

 starving millions of earth on the corn converted into whisky and be 

 better off in the aggregate by the donation, than we now are by its 

 consumption. It would be interesting to give the tunnage of these 

 States, but it is aside from our present purpose. What a picture could 

 be here drawn of our developed, and rapidly developing agricultural 

 resources ! They are literally incalculable. Yet this is the mighty 

 giant interest concerning which we propose to venture a few strict- 

 ures, and to condemn the policy that has been pursued in a national 

 point of view in its behalf. Who will say that justice and sound policy 

 do not alike require that our State and national governments should 

 use all the means authorized by their constitutions to promote the 

 object and secure the prosperity of this paramount interest, and 

 have a provident eye to this largest class of our citizens. 



Is it not a singular and significant fact, that while the manufactur- 

 ing and commercial interests have engaged and engrossed the atten- 

 tion of our legislators, and the general government, and while our stat- 

 utes abound in provisions for their protection, that encouragement, al- 

 most amounting to nothing, has been done for the advancement of the 

 interests of agriculture. While agriculture has been in all our past 

 history a most fruitful theme of the political declaimer, to win votes 

 and gain the spoils of oSice, all, thus far has ended in talk, if we except 

 the appropriations made to our patent ofiice in its behalf. We might 

 here also incorporate the earnest sa^'ings, and appeals, and recom- 

 mendations of sages and Statesmen, of Governors, and Presidents in 

 favor of legislation, decided legislation, to note with what heedless 

 and stolid indiff'ereace the whole subject has been treated. 



The cry has been — and is — agriculture needs no governmental 

 patronage ; it is unconstiutional to make for it any such provision. 



