230 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER, 



JAN. 84, 18 8. 



AND gardener's journal. 



Boston, Wednesday, Jan. 2-J, 1838. 



!p-j»Tlie Cominissioner of Agricultural Survey will address 

 the members of the Legislature anil others concerned on the 

 Agricu'ture of the State, this evening, Wednesday, 24th inst. 

 iu.the Representatives Hall, at To'clock. 



EDUCATION. 



On Wednesday evening lOth inst Horace Mann, Esq. 

 Secretary to the Board of Eilucalion, delivered an ad- 

 dress to an assembly of the members of the Lcgislstnre I 

 and others on the subject of Popular Education. Mr 

 Mann spoke of the power of Education in forming the 

 character; its influence upon individual virtue and hap- 

 piness ; and its cunne.xion with the public welfare; its 

 great consequences ujjon the present generation : and 

 those, who, in the long line of time, should succeed the 

 present. He pointed out the important objects of public 

 education ; the defects or faulls but too generally preva- 

 lent; and the amendments and improvements practicable 

 and consequently desirable. Of a discourse occupying 

 in its delivery nearly two hours it would be vain to at- 

 tempt to give any just account in the short space, which 

 we can spare. It was listened too with profound and 

 well-merited attention. Of the justness and truth of its 

 sentiments in the main we entertain a strong conviction ! 

 of its pathos and eloquence, and especially its lofiy moral 

 tone and bearing, we can only express oui delighted ad- 

 miration. If we should find any fault we should say it 

 was rather too gorgeous and too elaborately beautiful ; 

 and in its v.iried and prolnse illustrations resembling 

 those occasional showers of rockets, that are sometimes 

 sent off suddenly at a pyrotechnic e.xhibition, which for 

 a moment render every object visible and show the depth 

 of tlie darkness by which wo have stood surrounded ; 

 but at the same time, flying in every direction, and de- 

 scending in innumerable exquisitely ibeautiful forms 

 and colors, leave rather a vague feeling oX their splen- 

 dor, than individual and strong impressions of their 

 shape, their size, their color, or their direclion. 



The subject of popular education is to ino class in the 

 community of more im[)ortance than to the fiirmers. — 

 That all improvements in their art .depend on knowl- 

 edge we shall not undertake to argue. Knowledge lies 

 at the foundation of improvement in any thmg and 

 every thing ; and in no art or profession more than in 

 agriculture, where almost every branch of human 

 knowledge may be made to have an influence and tie- 

 come subservient to good. 



The connection of knowledge and education with the 

 improvement of the art of husbandry and the elevation 

 of the agricultural profes^ion is a large subject, upon 

 which we are unwilling at present to enter, when we 

 have no space to do it even u tithe of justice. But this 

 we remark by the way, that education and knowledge 

 are important to the Farmers, as aiding them in the sys- 

 tematic and intelligent maiiagerjient of their concerns • 

 as excitmg a spirit of observation and inquiry which is 

 the essential element in improvement; in giving to the 

 fiirn^ers that respectability of standing in the community, 

 which they might claim, as due to this important art of 

 life; as highly desirable in order to attach their 

 children to the profession; and valuable especially as 

 openmg resources of innocent and useful recreation and 

 pleasure in llie long evenings of winter; and al those 

 other frequently occurring seasons, when the inclemen- 

 cy of the weather puts a stop to out-door labors. 



Education is most important in iinotlier point of view- 

 In a republican community where our legislaiors are 

 selected from the mass of the people it will happen, and 

 it is most desirable it should happen, that the agricultu- 

 ral profession will be fully repiescnted and many of our 

 Legislators be taken from the plough. A largi' number 

 of our laws diiectly bear upon the agiicullural interests. 

 Under these circumstancns education and knowle.dge are 

 essential that they may discharge their. civil and legisla- 

 tive duties in an' intelligent and useful manner ; and 

 that this great Estate should stand -dt lea:-t upon a foot- 

 ing of equality with the ollici professions, which are 

 commonly so fully and often so ably represented in o.ur 

 legislative assemblies. 



But it is idle to attempt to discuss in this brief space 

 the a(lvanlaf;is and importance of edueation and knowl- 

 edge to the agricultural community. The farmers how- 

 ever are most particularly concerned in the condition of 

 our common schools ; because those are the places of 

 education of whose advantages they are most likely to 

 avail themselves, being most accessible, and open at 

 that season of the year, when the labors of the field are 



interinitied. 



We shall close our remarks with a sinjrle observation in 

 regard to the nature of education. Education then is not 

 so much concerned in communicating knowledge as in 

 exciting the desire of its attainment and putting its sub- 

 jects in the way of acquiring it for themselves. Its great 

 object is 10 show us how and in what manner we may 

 best educate ourselves ; so we send an apprentice 

 to a carpenter for example, not that he may at once be 

 employed in building houses but mainly in learning the 

 proper use of the tools and the great rules of the trade. 

 That education therefore is best, which teaches us the 

 best use of our own powers ; calls them out ; shows us 

 their proper application ; makes the exercise of them 

 agreeable and delightful -, and by every proper means 

 stimulates and encourages their exeition. Education, 

 when this is made its object, does not cease with our at- 

 tendance upon school. We cany this impulse with us 

 into our fields. We go on as long as we live in the ed- 

 ucation of ourselves. In the prosecution of our agricul- 

 tural labors, our busiest hours are usefully filled up ; and 

 the delightful exercise of our minds alleviates and cheers 

 our toils. Nature then every where opens to us her 

 ample and varied pages, eloquimt with lessons of wis- 

 dom and piety, written in bold and brilliant characters 

 by a divine hand. The mind is then avv.ike to the va- 

 ried objects, which fill the crowded and mysterious lab- 

 oratory in which the husbandman finds himself a co- 

 worker with an invisible and almighty Providence. — 

 The Simplest operations of nature become matters of 

 the most exciting interest and curiosity. The 

 consciousness of intelligence and intellectual power, 

 which then begins to be felt, kindles a self-respect most 

 favorable to moral improvement and elevation and re- 

 spectability of character. Man recognises in himself 

 the privileged almoner of the divine bounty ; and every 

 curious operation in natuie in which he is called to assist, 

 the in-gathering of the fruits of the divine beneficence, 

 which seen) to be matters of Jiis own spontaneous crea- 

 tion ; and tUe countless and varied testimonials of the 

 divine care and kindness, which crowd upon him in all 

 the varied departments of nature where his labor.-i lie, 

 are nil-powerful means of virtue, affecting excitements 

 to piety, and sources of some of the purest and richest 

 pleasures, which man can enjoy this side of heaven. 



so- 

 ith 

 in- 4 



REVIEW OF THE WEEK. 



CoNGBESS. — The Senate of the United Slates have at 

 length passed the Pro Slavery and Anti-Abolition reso 

 lotions with some unimportant modifications; and wi""^ 

 the exception of one which is coi.nected with the A 

 nexation of Texas to the United .States. This is reset v- 

 ed for discussion when that subject previnls itself alone, j 



They have since been engaged in discussing the re.'; 

 ception of resolution? passed by the Legislature of Ver- | 

 munt of an anti-slavery character. A diversity of opin-'' 

 ion on the matter of receiving these resolutions prevails ; 

 with those even who are opposed to the sentiments ex. , 

 pressed in them. That the voice of one of the sover- ij 

 eign states ol the eonfedeiacy should be refused even a I 

 hearing is not an inconsiderable event in our eventful j 

 history. By what means the abolition fire can be put 

 out it is not easy for the most sagacious to discover ; 

 unless this could be done, all attempts at smothering it 

 will only increase its strength, and it will find its way 

 throu<rh ihe surface in some new phice with more vio- 

 lence. It is not easy for peisons at a distance from the 

 scene of action to perceive the object of these resolu- ' 

 tions, unless it be to overawe public opinion in the free 

 states. The attempt, we apprehend, without meaning 

 to commit ourselves in any measure in the case, will' 

 prove, as in every such attempt in the history of man. 

 kind, perfectly futile. It could only, we think, have 

 been engendered in ininds aceustomed to the submission"! 



t<K PLCS ULTRA IN TuRMiPs. — We liave ii from a gen- 

 tl> man in whom entire confidence may be placed that he saw a 

 Hal lurnip raised in Harnstable County this season (1837) 

 which after the tops were cut oft', weighed thirtynine pounds. 



of slaves and lamiliar with the exercise of despotic | 

 power. They might as well attempt to chain the ligiit>j 

 ning or smother a volcano, as to attempt to arrest by any J 

 arbitrary measures the progress of opinion and the right , 

 of free discussion in stales, where that progress goes on 

 with a daily increasing impetus, and those rights are 

 deemed the essential elements of civil liberty. 



In the House discussions have been carried on respect., 

 ing a doubtful election in Mis.sissippi. The debates 

 have stinietimes been mingled with an asperity and vul. 

 garity highly derogatory to the character of gentlemen 

 and statesmen. Legislators should have no passions. 

 They should permit no other feelings to pass over the 

 th;eshold ol the Hall of Debates, ihan a sacred regard to 

 the honor of their country, and a spirit of entire devotion 

 to its true glory and v\elfar(! as c»»incidrnt with the glory 

 and welfare of mankind and the universal happiness and 

 advancement of human nature. 



The arrangements for receiving all the revenue and 

 making all the payments of the United States in specie, 

 and ol keeping the public treasure in locked-up vaults 

 and chests IS now presented to public consideration ; and 

 will occupy the deep attention of the people and fif Con- 

 gress. It must tiffect strongly all the financial arrange-' 

 ments of the country. 



Massachusetts — The State Legislature have taken 

 the Banks under their special care ; and seem dis|)osed 

 to make a serious matter of it. Many have been found 

 ver}' severely diseased — some have died ; and otiiera 

 seem to be given over by the most skilful physicians. — 

 Quackery in this matter will no longer tinswer. The 

 most thorough Ireatment alone will save the sound ; and 

 as to those who if restored, would not be able to pay the 

 physicians, apothecary's and nurses' fees, it may be a 

 liard sentence, but it would be best to serve them as Na- 

 poleon served his incurable prisoners at Jaffa. W'hy 

 should the sympathies of the community, or in plain 

 language, the purses of the community, be constantly 

 taxed in this way .'' 



This Northern Fiiontiers.— The disafTected have 

 evacuated Navy, or as some of ourcontemporaries choose 

 to denominate \i. Kjiavery Island; and have restored 

 the cannon and arms, which they had stolen, to thtf 

 United States. A more unprincipled combination iC 

 seldom to be found. Their i'uture movements are not 

 cotijectured. If the old proverb be well founded, that 

 ' birds of a feather flock together, 'wc may next expert to 

 hear of them united with their virtuous compatriots, who 

 are struggling for Liberty to establish Slavery in Teias. 



Messrs Eilitors : — Much valuable information is ub* 

 tained through the medium of your publication. ^Vill 

 you allow mi^ to call the attention of some (tf your coD» 

 tributors to the subject of garden walks, arenas, aisleJ, 

 or whatever they may be called. I would like to know 

 of the best method for constructing garden walks at » 

 moderate expense. For the best method, Mr Cusliing'l 

 at Watertown, I presume would be referred to ; his ar« 

 indeed what every person would like, and there is but 

 one difficulty in the way, that is the expense. If some 

 of your contributors will suggest some method at a mod' 

 ernte expense, particularly lor the surface that will make 

 a good finish, it will much oblige one of your patrons, li. 



