150 



GENESEE FARMER. 



Oct. 1845 



From the KocliPsfer Daily Dpniocrat. 



SKETCH OF JOSIAH QUINCY'S ADDRESS. 



Mr. Quincy addressed himself to the President and 

 gentlemen of the New- York Agricultural Society, and 

 remarked that if there was any position in this world 

 which should inspire a man with eloquence, it was that 

 which he now occupied — the position of a speaker on the 

 subject of agriculture. He was standing in the centre of 

 the agricultural population of the greatest State of our 

 Union. Before him the lovely valley of the Mohawk was 

 stretched out in the distance — a valley celebralerl in his- 

 tory, and rendered glorious in song. Before him were 

 thousands and tens of thousands, who had felled the forest 

 and made the wilderness bud and blossom like the rose. 

 He stood amidst the evidences of unequaled skill and 

 industry. Beneath him was a soil, rich in its products : 

 and above him a Heaven which kindly watched over all. 

 We stand in the great temple of Agriculture — a temple 

 at the uprising of whose columns, the morning stars sang 

 together. It is a temple not made with hands, but is as 

 iiish as the heavens and as broad as the earth. But 

 alas I the a^e of inspiration is passed, and he never rose 

 to address an audience when he felt more sincerely to ask 

 indulgence than now that he was about to address the 

 members of the New-York State Agricultural Society. 



He thought that the agricultural society had made a 

 great mistake ; for he thought it an absurd thing to send 

 to Massachusetts for a man to teach New-York Farmers 

 how to manage their farms. He wished to be understood 

 at the outset of his remarks, that he did not believe that 

 what he should say, would make two blades of grass 

 grow where one did before, or add ought to the product of 

 wheat or corn. All these things must go on in their old 

 fashioned way, for aught he had to say. 



He proceeded, however, to remark, that all must feel 

 that the Farmer is more than the Farm, and the influence 

 of his vocation upon the mind of more consequence than 

 the vocation itself. 



The position of the American Farmer is one of im- 

 mense importance, and the true influence of that position 

 should be understood. It should be understood, that the 

 individual may know what course to pursue. To the 

 public it is of the highest importance ; for every thing 

 which relates to agriculture has an influence upon the 

 State. 



" Princes or Kings may flourish or may fade ; 

 A breath ran make them, for a breath has made; 

 But a bold yeomanry, our country's pride. 

 If once de.stroyed, can never be supplied." 



Mr. Q. said that many farmers were dissatisfied with 

 their position, and often contrasted their condition with 

 that of the successful merchant and politician. This is 

 wronsr. The farmer should be content to enjoy the ordi- 

 nary blessings of life, and to transmit the enviable heri- 

 tage of industry and a good name to his posterity. 



What, he asked, is the great object of pursuit of man 

 on earth ? It is happiness — happiness here and forever ; 

 and the great question is, whether agricultural life offers 

 as great opportunities of happiness as any other ? To be 

 happy is, unquestionably, the great object of life ; and 

 thf greatest blessing that the external world can give 

 is Health. " Health of body," says the son of Sirach, 

 " is above all riches ;" and wh^re best is health to be 

 found? Look around you, and on the countenances of 

 the tillers of the earth you will see bright eyes and blush- 

 ing cheeks, as well as strong muscles and brawny arms. 

 These tell us that the first of earth's blessings belong to 

 those who till upon the earth's bosom. But health is not 

 always appreciated. Very many prefer wealth to it ; and 

 it is not unfrequent to hear the farmer complain that the 

 merchant sometimes makes more money in one year than 

 he can in a lifetime, and inquires whether that vocation 

 is most to be desired which is thus slow in accumulating 

 wealth ? But what price does the merchant pay for this 

 rapid accumulation of wealth? He sacrifices health of 

 body and serenity o£ mind. Follow him through the 

 crowded streets of our commercial marts. Trace him to 

 his counting room or his workshop, and learn the difficul- 



ties which he encounters. For a time, his health con- 

 tinues ; but premature decay is often his portion ; and 

 what is worse, with his health, vanishes his peace of 

 mind. Those engaged in hazardous vocations do, he 

 conceded, sometimes get rich rapidly. But there is great 

 risk. When the farmer plants his seed he expects an 

 abundant return in kind ; but the merchant often " sows 

 the wind and reaps the whirlwind" — a very bad system 

 of agriculture. 



Few merchants can carry on their business success- 

 fully upon their own means. They must borrow ; and 

 Solomon says, " The borrower is a servant to the lender. " 

 If success conies, does it often come quickly ? Possibly 

 years of labor may be rewarded with riches ; but how 

 seldom is even this seen ? In the great commercial 

 cities of the land, at least 90 per cent, of all engaged in 

 mercantile pursuits, fail. The fortunate holder of a lot- 

 tery prize is placarded at everj' corner of your streets ; 

 but what becomes of the ninety and nine who draw 

 blanks ? 



After all, a farmer may ask, what is the advantage of 

 great wealth? And what is wealth? "A man is as 

 well off," said a great New-York capitalist, " who is 

 worth half a million, as if he were rich!" Punch says 

 that when Rothschild was told that Louis Phillipe's in- 

 come was but $50 a minute, his eyes tilled with tears, 

 and he remarked, " I was really not aware of the King's 

 destitution !" " We will conquer all India," said Perus 

 to his Prime Minister; " we will then cross over to Asia 

 and conquer that. We will then find other nations to 

 conquer ; and when all are subdued, we will then sit 

 quietly down and enjoy ourselves." "But why," said 

 the Minister, " may we not now sit down and enjoy our- 

 selves without going to so much trouble?" It was the 

 prayer of an inspired sa<xe, " give me neither poverty nor 

 riches," and the great Bacon said, "seek not proud rich- 

 es, but such as you can gel honestly, spend frugally and 

 leave cheerfully." Could there be a better definition of 

 contentment found ? "Tell your master," .«aid a Roman 

 General to a Persian embassador, who found him cooking 

 his frugal meal with his own hands, "Tell your master, 

 that all the gold in Persia could never bribe a man who 

 is content to live on turneps ;" true as it was patriotic. 

 If a man would be happy, he must have limited desires. 



Health of body and contentment of one's state, is all 

 that nature can give, and to say that agriculture is best 

 adapted to secure this result, is but saying what has been 

 a thousand times said before. If you have these certain 

 rewards, you are rich. You need not covet the riches of 

 the merchant. The amount of premium is in proportion 

 to the risk run. 



All men v-'isli to be esteemed, and all should desire to 

 be useful. Who more than the farmer, can be gratified 

 in both ? The great mass of the human fatnily must be 

 farmers : and upon them rests the destiny of the nation. 

 They have the power to give direction to those upon 

 whom is devolved the immediate guardianship of our 

 institutions. To do this right, it is desirable that 

 they should be intelligent, for the continuance of our 

 institutions depends upon the virtue and intelligence 

 of the people. If a nation would be free, it must bo 

 first intelligent and virtuous. The farmers hold, by 

 their numbers, the gift of ofHce. If they distribute 

 these gifts discriminatingly, our Republic will long con- 

 tinue. If they play falsely, they will find, when it is too 

 late, that they have sold their birthright, and have no 

 room for repentance. 



But it may be said that although collectively Farmers 

 have power, individually, they are of little value like the 

 ocean ; in its combined majesty, it has power to bear the 

 mighty fleet, but in isolated drops, it is of no service. 



Some find fault thai Fanners are not sufiicicntly 

 noticed and admired. But all such should remember 

 that notice and admiration are not essential to happiness. 

 Still even here, farmers have as little to complain of aa 

 any other class of community. Almost every Chief 

 Magistrate has been a Farmer either before, during, or 

 after hif elevation. Wo have had the Farmer of .Mount 



