NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



375 



Much of the progress which has been attained in 

 our country is the result of individual enterprise, 

 aided by the agricultural press; but the great motive 

 power is confederated action, is associated effort. 

 Gentlemen, we have met on this occasion to avail 

 ourselves of this powerful impetus. At no period in 

 the history of our countay has there been such an 

 assembly collected for the purpose of considering 

 those objects for which we are brought together, and 

 there has been no opportunity which is so favorable 

 to the interests of the farmer. 



Permit me again, gentlemen, to tender you my 

 thanks for the distinction you have conferred upon 

 me, and to say that in the course of our deliberations 

 I may, with your permission, participate in your de- 

 bates. [Applause.] 



It was then moved that a committee be appoint- 

 ed to prepare a form of constitution for the organ- 

 ization of a United States Agricultural Society, 

 and to report such other business to the conven- 

 tion as may properly claim its attention — said com- 

 mittee to consist of seven members. 



Hereupon along debate ensued, which ended in 

 negativing the motion. Another motion was then 

 made that a committee of one person from each 

 State be appointed, which was agreed to, and 

 thereupon the President appointed the following 

 gentlemen to constitute said committee : — 



Messrs. Holkham, of Delaware; Douglas, of Il- 

 linois; J. A. King, of New York; Dawson, of Geor- 

 gia; French, of Massachusetts; Steele, of New Hamp- 

 shire; Thurston, of Rhode Island; Hubbard, of Con- 

 necticut; Stevens, of Vermont; Elwyn, of Pennsyl- 

 vania; Calvert, of Maryland; Campbell, of Ohio; 

 Hancock, of New Jersey; Call an, of the District of 

 Columbia; G. W. P. Custis, of Virginia; Burgwyn, 

 of North Carolina; Taylor, of Alabama; DeBow, of 

 Louisiana; Spencer, of Indiana; Mallory, of Ken- 

 tucky; Bell, of Tennessee; Weston, of Wisconsin; 

 McLane, of California; Pickhard, of Maine,; Seaman, 

 of Michigan. 



Several subjects were then referred to the commit- 

 tee just appointed, and the committee was instructed 

 to prepare a memorial to be presented to Congress 

 relative to an agricultural bureau. 



During the absence of this committee from the hall 

 of meeting, several gentlemen entertained and in- 

 structed the Convention by delivering interesting ad- 

 dresses on the condition of agriculture in their re- 

 spective States. 



Mr. Caluoun, of Massachusetts, announced the 

 Marshfield farmer, Daniel Webster, as a delegate 

 to the Convention; which was received with much 

 applause. 



Mr. Er.wTX, of Pennsylvania, from the committee 

 appointed to prepare business for the Convention, 

 and report a constitution for the National Agricul- 

 tural Society, submitted a constitution, which was 

 read, and considered by sections. 



Some discussion ensued as to the time and place 

 where the Society shall hereafter meet, when an 

 amendment was adopted providing that the meetings 

 of the Society shall be held on the first Wednesday in 

 February, in the city of Washington, the Executive 

 Committee, with the assent of the Society, to have 

 the power to call meetings elsewhere. 



The Convention having adopted the constitution, 

 then adjourned until seven o'clock in the evening. 



REPORT OF THE BUSINESS COMMITTEE. 



The undersigned, in order to improve the agriculture of the 

 country, by attracting the attention, eliciting the views,_and 

 combining i lie effort of thai great class composing tbeagricul- 

 t ii ml community , and to secure the advantages of a ! etier or- 

 ganization, and a mine extended usefulness among all State, 

 county, and other agricultural societies, do herehj form our- 

 selves into a society, and for iis government adopt the follow- 

 ing 



CONSTITUTION. 



Sec. 1.— The name of this association shall be "The United 

 States Agricultural Society." 



MEMBERS — DUES. 

 Sec. 2. — The society shall consist of all such persons as shall 

 signify to any officer of the society a wish to become a mem- 

 ber, and who shall pay two dollars to the tieasurer of the so- 

 ciety and a like sunt hereafter, of delegates from the Stale kg- 

 ricultura! societies in the States and Territories and District 

 <> Colombia, who may be appointed to attei d the annual and 

 oilier meetings of the society, and who shall pay the like sum, 

 and also of such houoran members as the society maj see lit 

 to elect. Each member shall be entitled to receive a journal 

 or publication of said society, containing an account of its pro- 

 ceedings and such additional matter as shall be deemed wor- 

 thy of publication, free from any expense except postage. 

 Twenty-five dollars shall entitle any one to the privileges of 

 life membership and exempt him from any annual taxation. 



OFFICERS. 

 Sec. 3. — The officers of this society shall be a President, a 

 Vice President from each Stale and Territory in ihe Union and 

 from the District of Columbia, a Treasurer, a Corresponding 

 Secretary, a Recording Secretary, and a Board of Agriculture, 

 to consist of three members from each State, Territory, and 

 the District of Columbia, to be appointed by the Executive 

 Committee of the societies of such Slates, Teiriioiies, &c, 

 and where there he no such State Societies, to be appointed 

 by the Executive Committee of this society. The 1 resident 

 of the society shall be, ex officio, a member and President of 

 this board and of the Executive Committee. 



DUTIES OF OFFICERS. 



The President shall have a general superintendence of all 

 the affairs of the society. In case of his death or inability to 

 discharge the functions of this office, the Hoard of Agriculture 

 shall select a Vice President to act in his stead, and clothed 

 with the same power, and shall perform the same duties as 

 the President until the next annual election. 



Vice Presidents. — It shall he their duty to advance all the 

 objects of the association, in their several d stricts; to explain 

 to agriculturists the character and objects of this association 

 and endeavor to gain their co-operation and supi oil; to watch 

 ihe advance of practical agriculture, snd to make known the 

 results of the same by report or otherwise, from year to year. 



Board of Agriculture. — It shall be the duty of this Board to 

 watchlhe interests of agriculture, as they are or may be a fleet- 

 ed by the legislation of the country, and to make such reports, 

 memorials aid recommendations as may advance the cause of 

 agriculture, and to promote and diffuse agricultural knowl- 

 edge; to examine, and when necessary, report upon the prac- 

 ticability of establishing agricultural schools, colleges, and 

 model farms; to set forth the advantages of agricultural and 

 geological surveys, and to show the importance of the appli- 

 cation ol science to agriculture; to represent through their re- 

 ports the relation of our agriculture to that of foreign coun- 

 tries and to endeavor to obtain information from such coun- 

 tries, to point out the advantage of introducing any new sta- 

 ples, seeds and plants, to obtain, so far as practicable, annual 

 statistical returns of the condition of agriculture throughout 

 the different Slates — all which information shall be published 

 by said society, and form part of its transactions. 



The Executive Committee, shall transact the general busi- 

 ness of the society; it shall consist of five persons, who shall 

 lesignate the time and place for exhibitions, regulate the ex- 

 penditures, and take such supervise ry chaige of the business 

 of the society as may best promote its interests. This body 

 shall elect its own chairman. Three members shaH consti- 

 tute a quorum. 



Treasurer— The Treasurer shall keep an account of all 

 ...onies, and shall pay bills only after they have been audited 

 by the Corresponding and Recording Secretaries, and a mem- 

 ber of the Executive Committee, and countersigned b) the 

 President of the Society or Chairman of the Executive Com- 

 mittee. 



Corresponding Secretary.— The duty of this officer shall be 

 to correspond with persons interested in agriculture; at each 

 stated meeting he shall read such portions of his corresp< n- 

 dence as may be of »eneral interest; and it shall he his duty to 

 carrv out and advocate the views of the Board of Agriculture 

 n obtaining arranging, and publishing any information they 

 may desire to have laid before the agricultural community. 



The. Recording Secretary shall keep a record of the minutes 

 of the society and of its Executive Committee. 



