1826.] 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



21- 



I intended to have spoken of some of the va- 

 rieties of gnsses, grains, and roots, which are 

 not in g-eneral use ; particularly of Lucerne, 

 millet, and mangel wurlzol. But as time uill 

 not perniit, I can only recommend them; and, 

 from my own observation and experience, lean 

 do this in the highest terms. I intended, too, 

 to have spoken upon the suhject of fruit trees, 

 the soiling of cattle, and the importance of pro- 

 curing the best breeds of dompstic animals; but 

 when 1 reflect, that I am addrcS'-ing those of far 

 greater wisdom than myself, on all the subjects 



rested from his toils; and his pious tnaster unit- 

 ed religion with rest. Tven irrational and in- 

 animate nature appeared to syn)palhizR with 

 the surrounding stillness ; and to pay homage to 

 its great Author. The sky seemed more serene, 

 and the winds to he borne on softer pinions — 

 the ocean to roll its dark waters wilh a religious 

 solemnity — and the brook to murmur in devo- 

 tional accents: an<l man was lel't to himeplf and 

 his God, to enjoy a foriastc of an eternal sab- 

 bath of peace, joy, and blessedness. 



was too much foundation for the remark. And 

 how Can wo expert lliat ths public morals will 

 be presorveil, when distilled liquors are per- 

 mitted by oar wise rulers to be almost as cheap, 

 and almost as common, as the juice of Ibc ap- 

 ple; when the means of intoxication are placed 

 in the hands of the most indigent of our citizens 

 — when the day labourer, for a single day's 

 work, can procure 3 or 4 gallrns of ■»»• lent spir- 

 its ? We fear and tremble for the virtue of that 

 country, where, for eight farthiiigs, a man may 



As tbo 



need not tell you. that a general disregard sink himself to the lefel'of the brute 

 of Agriculture,! do not so much regret Ihe , and violation ot the institutions of religion can- very existence of a government like ours de- 

 omis-ion ot these topicks. , , . , . T"' '"" ^''■'''"' ''"= P'""""' ""'' f^'l'inser the ex- pemls on the virtue of the people, I call upon 



You will permit me, Cxontlcmon of this Soci- j istoncfi ol religion itself Let the sabbath be Congress to strike, at once, at the root of thi.s 

 fity, to call your attention to a subject, which, it | gencrtilly disregarded,and public worship would evil ; to impose duties upon this enemy of hu- 

 appears to me, is not unsuitable to this occasion; , soon be at an end. And if you pull down our ' m;,n happiness, till, if ! may be allowed the ex- 



a subject connected with the best good of sode-: temples, you overthrow our family altars. Ban- ' ,.,-n?sion, it shall stagger with the weight. 



ty, the peace and happiness of a large porton ish religion to the shades of domestic scolu«ion, j When this is done ; w^h^en the means of fntcm- 

 of our fellow citizens. You have all witnessed, [ and you banish her from the world. Besides i p(.p.,p(;e;,re made expensive, then, and not be- 

 and, 1 doubt not, as often lamented, a violation the violation of the sabbath, of which 1 have j Cjre, may we hope tor an effectua'l remedy of 

 of the Sabbath by the modern custom of driving been speaking, there are other violations,wliich this vice. The law that would make ardent 

 live stock on that day through our lownsand we cannot witness but with the deepest regret, : spirit, „ 'niinca a "lass, should be written in 

 villages, to the no small annoyance and grief of and which call loudly for redress; but as it is : letters of gold. And ha'ppv, thrice happy would 

 the better part of the community. During a no. my object, at this time, to speak of them, I it be for our country, if there were "uch a law. 

 considerable part of the year that holy day is ; wnild only remark, that tor a remedy of all ( I know well, that to make men morally good, 

 ushered in with the mingled noise ot man ar.d such evils, we must look more to moral, than to we must look to something else besides laws; 



legal restraints. 



With respect to the sniijoct under considera- 

 tion, it is said, that, as the market day is on 

 Monday, drovers must bo on the way on the 



beast, and with almost as much confusion and 

 uproar, as if an army of soldiers were marchiig 

 through the country. How painful to the feel- 

 ings of the pious and devout christian, (o see 

 the sabbaih thus profaned, and its duties tram- 



yet laws, although their immediate effects may 

 be only nesrative, may save them from many 

 positive etils. But it is said, that Congress 

 ought not to la)' oppressive burdens upon any 

 Sabbath, and cannot, or will not, be at the ex- 1 particular class of citizens ; that heavy duties 



pled upon! They, who would walk in peace ponse of laying by during that day. Lft this j could not he laid upon ardent spirits, without 



and silence to the house of God, with thei 

 thoughts intent upon the momentous concerns 

 of religion; holy men, bearing the sacred ves- 

 sels of the Sanctuary, repairing to the coiipecrat- 

 eil altar, to spread that table, on which i*brok- 



day, then, be altered. Let it be changed from i materially injuring those who are concerned in 

 the first to the last of the week, and the evil 1 1 its manufacture. Suppose that companies should 

 am complaining of, is, in a great measure, rem-! be formed throughout the country, for the pur- 

 ediedatonce; for a very large jiroportion of j pose of manufacturing a delicious, but most dead- 

 those droves I am told, are not on the road j ly poison ; that the inhabitants, notwithstanding 

 en the bread of life, must have their modila'ions more than four or five days. As this allera- 1 iho voice of reason and of revelation sounded 

 interrupted, and. be compelled to fight theiirway , tion would not affect the consumption of animal' in their ertts. and death and ruin stared them in 

 througli hosts and phalanxes ol honied cat?S».-:-' food, nor the sale of animal=, it is impossible | the fice, 'purchased and devoured it greedily, 

 The minister of religio,). too, in his ro!.es,.Snils ; that it should unfavourably aflTect the interests ' and died by thousands; it is very obvious what 

 his path molested; and experiences no maiks of anv cla^s of men, or of anv individual. And j the duty o'fgovernment would be in such a case. 

 of favour or respect t'rom those beast-devoted I feel conlident, that thev, who established this ' And yet there appears to be no very material 

 men, those unblushing enemiesof religion, who Hay, or who have the control of it, will not re- 1 difference in the two ca~es, excepting that the 

 seem neither to fear God, nor to regard n,an. 1 fn-e their consent lo have it changed. Ft seems ' - - . 



, And bow can childhood, that would renem- very extraordinary, that i! has not been before ; 

 her its Creator and hoaour God's hoasc; the (hat a practice so hostile to religion, and against 

 timid and the defenceless, who are solicitous to: which there is such a wrijhf of public senli- 

 know the things that belong to their everlasting ; mrnt, shoul.l have been tolerated so long. Ye^ 



peace; the blind,who would have their steps di-j This .Iny can he changed; and th^s practice can ! ever to regard the virtue, more than the weafib, 

 lectedtolhehouseof prayer,that Ihcy maj look ; be. and "it shall be, abolished. The best means i of thoir constituents. 



beyond the darkness of the world for divine iHu-jto be used to elTect this important object, I re- j It has even been said that duties could not be 

 mination, and behold the light, and feel l^-c in- fer to your better judgement. But, that there laid upon domestic spirits without causing an 

 fliiences of religion; and tottering age, that j are ofTectual means to be used, is my firm belief, ; insurrection. Is it possible that the people of 



maginary article of death is quick, and the real 

 one slow, in its etlecls. I mean by this com- 

 parison no reflection upon those who are enga- 

 ged in the manufacture of spirituous liquors, 

 but only to show the duly of rulers, who ought 



wniilil make its last oSering to Heaven, and 

 gather strength for the final conflict ; how can 

 such with all these difticullies to encounter, at- 

 tend public worship? How must it shock the 

 feelings of persons from other parts of our coun- 

 try, where the sabbath is yet a day of silen(7e 

 and peace, to witness the noise and confusion cf 

 an Autumnal Sabbath in Middlesex; to bear the 

 lowing of herds, the bleating of flocks, the re- 

 soimdinsr lash, and the drover's voice and whis- 

 tle, discordantly mingling with the songs of the 

 temple and the worship of the Most High ! O, 

 how unlike the calm and peaceful sabbath of 

 T^ew En^hmd, in New England's better days; 



that sabbath so cnn?enial with the best feelings j frpg nse of ardent si>irits in our country. A 

 of the heart, and so favourable to piety and de- , (]js|ing„i«hed statesman and orator lately declar- 

 volion! Then universal silence reigned. Noprlin Congress, that our counirv was a nation 

 hum ol business, no noise of worldly pursuit, no , of drunkards. The assertion, was not, indeed, 

 unhallowed sound was heard. The patient ox strictly true ; yet, I regret to say, that there 



my devout wish, ray fervent prayer. I blush to the United Stales are so corrupt, that laws to 

 think of this foul blot upon the religious char- guard the public morals cannot be enacted with- 

 acter of New England. And let me entreat out the hazard of an insurrection ? But this ob- 

 you, one and all, as Christians, and as citizens, jection, if true, should be of but little weight, 

 to use your individual and j'our united influence Better to suffer some temporary public calami- 

 to remove this disgrace iVom the far-famed ty, than the ages of wretchedness intemperance 

 land of steady habits, the country of the Puritan might bring upon us. Better, far belter, that 

 fathers, who left us our good institutions and some of the members of the body politic. should 

 who seem to call to us from their graves to sup- 1 perish, than that the ^y hole body should he in- 

 port them, fpcted with this liquid lire. Yes. Give us in- 

 .4nother subject, to which I would call your surrections; give us the sword, pestilence, and 

 attention, anil one, if possible, of still greater j famine ; give us the plagues of Egypt, all the 

 importance than that which we have just con- natural evils that "flesh is heir to," all thtj 

 sidered, is the rapidly increasing habit of a too j judgments with which offended heaven visits a 



sinful world ; give us these ; but save us, O save 



is, from an evil like this; this earth-cursing, 

 heaven offending, hell-exposing vice. 



Seveial Agricultural Societies, in some of the 

 Other States, have oflered liberal premiums to 



