THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



239 



the world. You will see them seated around his 

 board with their families and friends, and it needs but 

 a loving-cup to pass round to make the similarity 

 identical (cheers). Well may we rejoice that we live 

 in a district where the good feeling is such that we can 

 thus revert to ancient practices. Although I believe 

 much of our success is attributable to the constant 

 patronage and support of Lord Howe, that success is 

 embodied in the fdct that by the conduct of your meet- 

 ings you show yourselves wortliy of the presence of the 

 ladies. Long may you continue to do so ! Long may 

 the ladies continue to come here, to enhance the honour 

 you do to successful industry ! Long may they, by 

 their presence here, tender their cordial respect to the 

 persevering services of the long-tried labourer! In no 

 other country couM such a meeting as the present be 

 found. 1 have known much — perhaps more than most 

 men — of the tenant-farmers of this country. I have 

 been identified with them in various ways, and I do 

 feel more and more from day to day the value of that 

 class. The existence of an independent body (if tenant- 

 farmers is proved, not only in this country, but 

 throughout the world, to be the type of agricultural 

 prosperity. If you look at Ireland, or the United 

 States, or where you will, the growth of an independent 

 tenantry is the type of agricultural improvement. It 

 is better there should intervene some capitalist between 

 the landlord and the labourer. Better there should be 

 'two intellects applied to the improvement of the land 

 than one; two capitals : the one directed to the perma- 

 nent improvement of the soil— the other directed to the 

 attainment of an immediate return. It is better for 

 the tenant-farmer that he should have the landlord to 

 back liim ; better for the labourer that the landlord 

 should stand as the mutual friend of himself and his 

 employer, and, in case of diffL-rcnce, as their referee. 

 Why, there is a magic in odd numbers 1 — and I will 

 tell you what it ii : it proves the dominion of opinion 

 as conti'a-distinguished from an arbitrary power ; it 

 proves the dominion of the majority. You do not ap- 

 point two referees, but three, and then abide by the 

 decision of the majority. Tliis is the government of 

 opinion. By the existence of a third class in agricul- 

 ture we obtain this great advantage : we obtain as 

 between each class — the landlord, the tenant, and the 

 laboiyer — the power of opinion as expressed by the 

 majority. I think I need not prophesy the continuance 

 of this club ; for you have seen the admirable arrange- 

 ments made to-day, and must be convinced that you 

 have among yourselves energy and talent to continue 

 these meetings. It remains for otlicr districts to prove 

 whether there is in them such cordiality and good old 

 English feeling as is prevalent among you— among the 

 three classes of the agricultural body— as will enable 

 them to imitate your practice, and emulate your great 

 success (cheers). I beg to thank you for allowing me 

 to preside. I may have been a prosaic president, but 

 I am a president in earnest; and I trust that in what- 

 ever concerns the interests of the Sparkenhoe Farmers' 

 Club, you will find your president of to-day your 

 willing servant in the promotion of so good a work !" 



In giving the concluding toast of the evening, Mr. 

 Newdigate further remarked : " Of one thing I am 

 sure : if anything could promote the prosperity of agri- 

 culture — if anything can cement the interests of the 

 various classes engaged in agriculture — I have ever felt 

 it my duty to seek its promotion ; for, depend upon it, 

 it is the staple interest of this country ; and whether 

 you look upon it in its industry — whether you look at 

 it in the connection it produces between the various 

 classes of the community — or whether you feel the 

 cheering influence of its sports — agriculture lies at the 

 foundation of the greatness of this country ; and with 

 it must rise or iiill, fail or prosper, the interests of this 

 mighty empire (cheers). I know not whither the 

 Sparkenhoe Farmers' Club may take its course next 

 year : jierhaps at Tamworth. With all my heart, I 

 trust its witty baronet (Hear, hear!) will lend his aid; 

 and that all recollections of former differences will 

 fade (cheers). We bear no ill-will, and if we have 

 been at times somewhat roughly used, we have given 

 as good as they brought ; and let us in return tender 

 them the hand of fellowship, believing that by the 

 collision of opinion, truth is struc'ic out, asfiie from the 

 flint ; and that it is the very essence of free institutions 

 that there should be diversities, while it is the security 

 of the constitution that those diversities should all be 

 merged in that common national feeling which, I re- 

 joice to say, the troubles that have come upon this 

 country have renewed (cheers). I believe that the old 

 feeling of English honour is revived, and I believe that 

 England is stronger for the revival. Catherine of 

 Russia — no meanjudge of human nature — said external 

 wars were necessary to levive internal national fueling. 

 We have passed through troublous times, and found that 

 mere cheapness does not bring prosperity. Our strength 

 has been felt, and though perhaps in Europe that 

 strength is not yet recognized as fully as it may be, the 

 time is not far distant when, if occasion callj^, they shall 

 know again that England is strong as she was under 

 the Protectorate — loyal as when she reverted to the 

 happy constitution under which we now live (loud ap- 

 plause). Allow me to give you— "Our next merry 

 meeting !" We have shown that we know how to meet 

 our adversaries — that we know our differences are but 

 superficial. Long may the organization survive that 

 has brought us together, and which carries us round a 

 district to which we must all feel it an honour to 

 belong !" 



The other speakers included Lords Denbigh, Howe, 

 and Curzon ; Colonel Kingscote, Mr. Spooner, M.P., 

 Mr. Cope, and Messrs. Bracebridge, Burberry, Swin- 

 nertou. Chapman, Cradock, and Valentine Barford. 

 The last-named of these, in returning thanks for the 

 judges, forcibly denounced the over-feeding of breeding 

 stock, and urged the attention of the Royal Agricultural 

 Societv to the abuse. 



THE QUEENS COLLEGE, BIRMINGHAM.— 

 From an announcement in the Times of this day we 

 observe that the Examiners for Honours in the respec- 

 tive departments of this College have conferred, after 

 mature deliberation, the degree of Barhelor of Civil 

 Engineering (B.C.K.), which the Council under Royal 

 Charter is empowered to confer, on jAMEi5 George 

 TuxFORD, the youngest son of William Wrdd Tux- 

 ford, head of the firm of Tuxfokd & Sons, Agricci- 

 TURAL Engineers, Boston, Lincolnshire. 



