216 [Assembly 



I feel authorized to declare, that the American Institute feels no 

 truth as being better settled, than that our continent can and ought, in 

 justice to the natural qualities with which our Creator has endowed 

 it, to be the greatest silk growing country on the face of this globe ! 



But I console myself — although I shall not see it, perhaps — that 

 the day will soon come, in which this happy land of ours luill receive 

 ^OT her silk alone, fifty millions of dollars a year. 



. Let no man be discouraged in his efforts to make the soil of this 

 country productive ! Industry has a power which may almost be 

 deemed magical. Who would expect, from the granite hills of Mas- 

 sachusetts and of Maine— looking, as they do, as if in the tremendous 

 upheavings of a deluge, they were rocky waves suddenly cooled while 

 yet they were rolling in that transforming revolution of the surface of 

 our earth — who would look to see those rocks, lately bearing but 

 mosses and shrubs, when struck by the wand of Pomona and of Flora, 

 (as Moses smote the rock for waier,) pour out flowers and fruits like 

 Damascus or Canaan ! 



I saw that triumph lately ! and like victories will be achieved over 

 all our most obdurate fields and hills by our posterity. 



Omnia vincit labor. Labor conquers all, must be inscribed on our 

 standard. 



Ladies, permit me now to say in parting, so long as your smiles 

 shall cheer the ardent laborer in the great cause of American industry, 

 depend on it, that ardor can never cool ! And we of the Institute 

 invoke those smiles as our greatest reward for our own labors. . 



o' 



As to you, men of America, for us to urge you to persevere with 

 unrelaxing energy in this mighty cause, which is fast bearing upward 

 our beloved native land to the loftiest heights of weaUh and power, 

 and glory ! I would as soon, standing on the banks of our cataract 

 of Niagara, tell that vast headlong torrent to go ahead ! 



