408 HISTORY OF THE GRANGE MOVEMENT; OR, 



farming interest, not only of the South, but of the 

 whole country. There were evils from which this 

 class was suffering, and which all acknowledged, but 

 there was no remedy to be found for them. The far- 

 mers were scattered, divided in opinions, almost indif- 

 ferent to their condition, and without any means of 

 expressing or enforcing their views as a body. 



It seemed clear to Mr. Kelley that if a remedy was 

 to be found for the evils that he encountered, it must 

 be in the associated and harmonious action of the 

 farming class. In order, however, to bring about such 

 action, the farmers must be given an opportunity for 

 association, and he conceived the plan of bringing 

 them together through the medium of an order devoted 

 to their interests, and affording them the means of 

 taking the best measures for furthering those interests. 

 He did not propose to limit the new order to the 

 Southern States, but his plan embraced the union of 

 the farmers of the entire country for social and educa- 

 tional purposes, as well as for the protection of their 

 interests. 



Mr. Kelley returned to "Washington in November, 

 1866, and mentioned his scheme to several friends, 

 prominent among whom was Mr. William Saunders, 

 then and now, the Superintendent of the Gardens and 

 Grounds of the Department of Agriculture. He also 

 communicated it to Mr. William M. Ireland, Chief 

 Clerk of the Finance Office of the Post Office Depart- 

 ment; Mr. John R. Thompson, of the Treasury De- 

 partment ; Rev. Dr. John Trimble, also of the Treasury 

 Department ; and the Rev. A. B. Grosh, of the Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture. 



The matter was discussed by these gentlemen, and 



