156 



THE FARMERS' REGiSTEK. 



I charge again, that the legislature, instead of 

 correcting these oppressions, has aided and abet- 

 ted the same by maicing it lawl'ul lor the banlis to 

 commit them, and that this tiling hns been in 

 operation so long, that it now ainonnis to an in- 

 tolerable grievarice. But I shall be told, compel 

 the banks lo pay, and the brokers will get all ihs 

 specie and carry it olh To this I reply— let the 

 brokers gel it and carry it oIF. 1 1 will even in 

 that eveni be put no lunher out of my reach than 

 it now is. As to all praciical purposes, the specie 

 might just 33 well be in Guinea, or in the mooii, 

 as in the Virginia banks. In either event, it is 

 where we farmers can get none of it. 



I charge, further, that the legislature is ruining 

 us by their immoderately long and expensive 

 sessions. The ^ast legislature was in session a 

 hundred and ten days'; the present a siill longer 

 time. Now let it be borne in mind, that every 

 day thus spent costs us tax payt-rs, including all 

 expenses, nearly or quite ^1,000. We pay 

 therefore, annually, for legislation, upwards of 

 ^100,000; and what do we get for it 7 Itamounis 

 to simply this. Our laws are regularly overhauled, 

 some are made and then amended, but finding 

 that they are worse than belbre, they are wn-made 

 and then made over again ; and this making; un- 

 making, and re-making, together with a great 

 many long speeches, consumes a vast deal of lirne 

 and money. Indeed, speeches are n'early the only 

 palpable thing that they do make ; and how much 

 the speeches are worth every man will judge lor 

 himself. 



I charge thai this legislature is extremely ten- 

 der of all expenses except their own. As an 

 illustration, I state that a number of poor clerks 

 have been docked 10 per cent, in their salaries, 

 whilst the legislators did not dock themselves 

 one single copper. It is true that a solemn fiirce 

 to this effect was acted by the present legislature. 

 But what was the issue ? 1 am mortified as a Vir- 

 ginian, when 1 am obliged to say, that a great 

 majority in both houses, when brought up to 

 their fodder, started back Irom the rack. 



I charge that a great portion of the clamor 

 and noise made by the legislature, about re- 

 trenching expenses, is nothing but a solemn 

 mockery. Some lime ago, they spent a whole 

 week in trying to make a senator, and after squan- 

 dering avvay so much time and money, they 

 adjourned, and no senator was made. This ses- 

 Bion, they spent three whole days, and of course 

 ^3,000, in making agovernor, but the state is siill 

 without its governor. At another time, they did 

 make a judge, whose salary is ^2^500, but it cost 

 our economical legislature three whole days of 

 hard speaking and voting, and the stale ^3,000 

 to effect it. Now, if the legislature did really 

 wish to retrench expenses, why deal in such small 

 fry? Why seize upon poor clerk's wages, and 

 make them still poorer? Wliy not reach forth 

 a strong hand, and throttle the monster at once ! 

 Why not adjourn at the expiration of thirty days 

 or less, pocket their money with a clear conscience, 

 and go home to their wives and children, and 

 mind their own business? 



1 charge, lastly, that this same body has lost 

 nearly every feature of that primitive simplicity 

 which once so nobly characterized a Virginia 

 legislature. The lime tvas when the legislature 

 had its pious chaplain, and those great men, John 



Marshall, and James Madison, and Patrick Hen- 

 ry, and every other member of that day, weie not 

 ashamed to be seen upon their knees, humbly 

 asking wisdom li-om the Gon of wisdom. When 

 I see men thus engaged I can easily believe that 

 ihey are jn earnest. They meet in legislative 

 assembly, not lo exhibit themselves — not lo carry 

 any pany point, but to do the bu>;ines3 of their 

 constituents, and then go home. 



Now as we can expect no re'brmalion in the 

 banks until the legislature compels it, no more 

 can we expect any reformation in the legislature 

 until the people arise in their majesty and demand 

 it. It is (or this purpose, that I, an aggrieved 

 sufferer, have performed the painful task of writ- 

 ing the above. Located as I am, near the legis- 

 ture and the banks, I see a great raanj' evils 

 which lall not under the observation of the moFe 

 distant larmers. I have waited so long, that my 

 patience is now exhausted, ibr a more competent 

 person to lake this matter in hand. As no one 

 has eomc forward, 1 have reluctantly resolved to 

 apply the trumpet ol alarm to my own lips. I 

 havi! condescended to no personalities, I have 

 sought no man's disgrace, 1 have sought for re- 

 formation, and relbrmation 1 will have. It is pro- 

 bable that i shall not stop here ; but through our 

 agricultural societies and agricultural papers, shall 

 continue to sound the alarm uniil there go up one 

 universal shout — reformat ion ! reformation ! 



At the beginning of this paper, I begged for 

 quarters whilst I took a short excursion on my 

 liivoriie pony, economy ; but the jade has proved 

 herself of much better wind and bottom than I 

 had any idea of. She even ran away with me. 

 I have now come fairly to the end ol' my course ; 

 whether with safe bones remaii.s yet to be seen. 

 And now Ibr the matter in hand. 



In my course of cropping I aim at no wheat 

 nor tobacco. My farm is loo small lor the former, 

 and the latter I consider too troublesome to be 

 remunerating. In attempting these crops I should 

 moreover meet with competition fioni all the 

 J'armers within filly miles or more of my market. 

 In determining on a main crop, therefore, it has 

 been an object with me, lo fix on that one in 

 which I cuuld most nearly enjoy a monopoly. 

 And as hay is a bulky article, compared with its 

 weight and price, so much so that it will not bear 

 transportation to any considerable distance, 1 have 

 raide that my chief crop. All my farming ope- 

 rations are therelbre subservient to the cultivation 

 of the grass crop. 



In looking back to the lime when I commenced 

 farming, I think it a little remarkable that, with- 

 out any previous experience to guide me, I should 

 fix on the very crop whii-h, upon trial Ibr fifteen 

 years, I am still convinced was the very best (br 

 me to cultivate. I had observed that but little 

 hay was brought to market from the neigh- 

 borhood, and that most of that little was of very 

 inferior quality. Mr. Porter and others, who 

 were then in the habit of keeping large numbers 

 of horses (or the stage and other purposes, de- 

 pended almost entirely upon the north (br their 

 eupplii's of hay. This was a matter of necessity 

 with them, for the country supplied perhaps not 

 one twentieth part of what was needed. Ob- 

 serving this, I concluded that if 1 could succeed 

 in raising hay of a good quality, I should have 

 no difficulty in finding u market (br it. Nor in this 



