1856. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



535 



•!;rasses and grains, and cotton, rice, hemp, fruit, 

 cattle, slieep and plows. Suppose they are vulgar 

 thing.?, we cannot, somehow, well get along with- 

 out them. When will wise men learn that the 

 threats and bluster about dissolving the Union are 

 the capital of knaves and mere trading politicians, 

 who hate a \)\ow more than they do the works of 

 the devil, and that this hue and cry is the motive 

 power of their profession. The Union is safe 

 enough. There is as much danger that all that ga- 

 laxy of beauty before me two hours ago, all that 

 noble band of mothers, shall go home and dissolve 

 the nuptial ties which they have worn and graced 

 £0 long, as that the union of these States shall be 

 dissolved. Political adventurers can never dissolve 

 and separate the principles and interests which 

 bind such hearts together as gathered in the tent 

 to-day, and then sat down to that Banquet Board. 

 Never ! The idea which it is desired the child should 

 not receive, should not be uttered in his presence. 

 That of disunion must be spoken only in council, 

 on grave occasions. It is already too familiar to 

 the young. Nothing vsdll better tend to bind the 

 States, than associations and gatherings like this, 

 where hearts will touch as well as pockets, and 

 where a thousand sharp corners will be knocked off 

 by this national attrition. The premiums award- 

 ed by the committees were proclaimed at the table 

 by Mr. Stockw^ell, the accomplised reporter for 

 the Boston Journal, who did yeoman's service 

 throughout the occasion as the private Secretary of 

 the President, and then the big tent gave up the 

 thousands that had thronged it but a moment be- 

 fore. 



During my stay here, I have had opportunities 

 of meeting old friends, and renewing friendships 

 with gentlemen from many States of the union, 

 and of taking by the hand several agricultural Edi- 

 tors whom I had not met before. At the table, in a 

 conversation with Mr. Barringer, who I had known 

 for many years, we spoke of the happy influences 

 arising from this mingling of our people, and of 

 their energy and persistence in their favorite pur- 

 suits. "Opposite us," I said, "sits a gentleman who 

 has come to the Exhibition from the green hills of 

 Vermont, with a flock of the fme-wooled Spanish 

 Merino sheep, a man of energy and integrity, and 

 who will do much to make the world better than 

 he found it." Yes, re])lied Mr. Barringer, that en- 

 ergy is characteristic, particularly of your people at 

 the north. While at Madrid, he continued, two 

 Vermont gentlemen called on me for some advice, 

 neither of whom could speak a word of Spanish or 

 French, but yet who appeared confident and at ease 

 everywhere ; and the gentleman before us strongly 

 resembles one of them. I called to Mr, Campbell 

 and inquired if he had been in Spain ? Yes, was 

 the reply. Did you meet this gentleman there ? 

 pointing to Mr. B. The recognition was instanta- 



neous, and the renewal of an old acquaintance, in 

 a far distant land, was exceedingly interesting. Mr. 

 Campbell's travelling companion was Mr. W. 

 Chamberlain, of Red Hook, N. Y., both of whom 

 purchased and sent home some of the best merinos 

 we have had. Mr. Barringer, being Minister to 

 the Court of Spain, from the U. S., was enabled to 

 be of essential sei'vice to the sheep-purchasing Yan- 

 kees, who were among a strange people ivithout a 

 tongue! He afterwards met Mr. Chamberlain in 

 Rome. I also had a pleasant chat with Gov. Pol- 

 lock, and several others, upon our agricultural inter- 

 ests, and siLh rosa, a word upon some impending 

 matters, not easily at this juncture kept down. 



And so I leave the Fourth Annual Exhibition of 

 the U. S. Agricultural Society. It has been truly 

 National, — having representatives from the ex- 

 treme portions of the Union. The utmost harmo- 

 ny and cordiality has prevailed throughout. The 

 Grounds have been free from all indecencies and in- 

 toxication, and the men and women have been well 

 clad, mannerly, and highly intelligent in their ap- 

 peai'ance, at least. President Wilder has gained 

 golden opinions on every hand, While he has 

 shown great povyers in conceiving and executing, 

 he has been attentive and courteous, mingling with 

 all who participated in the Exhibition, either as ex- 

 hibitors, or as visitors, unravelling the knotty ques- 

 tions of the one, affably leading the other into the 

 pleasant paths of the great gathering. We know 

 of no other man who could conceive and so success- 

 fully carry out the plan, and no one who would be 

 willing to incur the labor and responsibilities, if he 

 could. 



As a v/hole, the exhibition had great merit. 

 Much fine stock, of every kind, was presented. 

 The horses, as I have mentioned were numerous, 

 and many of them of great value. But the pres- 

 ence of the agricultural implements, the fruit, 

 flowers, vegetables, grains, honey, and machines, 

 made up a part which commanded undivided ad- 

 miration, and which will prove of more service than 

 any other branch of the exhibition. But, my dear 

 sir, I shall have some fault to find with it, — with 

 defects that should not have existed, and that are 

 defects in the conception of the plan. But I will 

 not mar the page with them now. 



Returning, I shall pass a few daj's in Western 

 Massachusetts, and then hope to see our friends 

 again at my usual post of duty. 



Very truly yours, SiMON Bkown. 



Joel J^,''ourse, Esq. 



1^° George W. Johnson, one of the large sugar 

 planters of the Mississippi, below New Orleans, who 

 died recently, has left an estate valued at not less 

 than $.700,000. He has by his will manumitted all 

 his slaves, 20t) in number. They are all to be sent 

 to Liberia ia four years from his death, and each one 

 is to be furnished with !$oO. 



