170 



New ENGLAND FARMER. 



peaceful conflicts of the Piouffh, which, begin- 

 ning in a spirit of generous and patrietic emula- 

 tion, invariably tend to the promotion of the 

 pul'lic welfare. Gen. Lafayette, accompanied 

 by the Hon. Robert Smith, president of the So- 

 ciety, arrived on the ground about 1 1 o'clock. 

 He was escorted to the field of Exhibition by 

 Gov. Sprigg, at the head of a detachment of his 

 ■»vell-di*ciplined Volunteer Cavalry, accompani- 

 ed by his Son nnd Secretary, by the Mayor of 

 Baltimore and the Cimmillee of .\rrangements, 

 by W. W. Beaton, Esq. on behalf of the Corpo- 

 ration of ihe city of W !sl)ington, by Gov. Bar- 

 bour of Virffinia, Gov. Dickerson of New Jer- 

 sey, Dr Kent of Ihe Hui!=e of Representatives, 

 Col. Emory of the Executive Council, — with 

 many members of the Legislature of Maryland, 

 and an honourable and numerous body guard of 

 subslantial,, sitn-burnl farmers. 



On his entrance, a long avenue was formed 

 by the membara, through which he parsed to the 

 head of the enclosure, where plain and suitable 

 arrangements had been made for his accommo- 

 dation. 



In a short time Gen. Harper, by appointment 

 of the Society, rose and delivered a very able, 

 eloquent, and highly instructive and 2'ratif\ing, 

 practical Address; ivhen he finished, the Chair- 

 men of the several Committees came forward 

 and read their Reports, and the fortunate com- 

 petitors being called, appeared and passed thro' 

 a large circle, formed hy the members, (o re- 

 ceive the trophies of their industry and skill, 

 from the hands of the gallant, the disinterested 

 Soldier of Liberty,— ^the veteran companion of 

 Washington, — and the unvarying Friend of A- 

 merica. 



It would be diffioult to de6ne the impression 

 made by this part of our ceremiftiie?, as it would 

 be to anticipate and describe its s.ilulary effects, 

 in favour of the general husbandry of the state, 

 and the particular objects of our Institution. — 

 Here, for once at least, AaRicviTiRE saw her 

 importance recognized, and her dignity confirm- 

 eij — more than live hundred of her hardy sons 

 beheld the very man, — the same Lafayette, — 

 whose disinterested patriotism and chivalrous 

 sacrifices by the side of their fathers, in the 

 cause of .American freedom, is associated with 

 all they know of their country's independence 

 -^-there he stood, full in years, yet fuller in vir- 

 tue, as if waking up from the slumbers of half a 

 century, through which a benignant Providence 

 bad |)reserved him, to realize the vision of his 

 immortal compatriot Franklin! and to contem- 

 plate with benevolent delight the increase of 

 his countrymen in numbers «nd in strength ; — 

 enjoying all the means of national happiness, 

 and all the resources of national power & safety, 

 —appearing amongst us now to give his bene- 

 ('lictions, especially to the plough, and to receive 

 ;hc benedictions of those, who now, more than 

 ever, will be proud to follow the Plough. It 

 'vas, altogether, a spect;icle so fascinating, so 

 impressive, so productive of strong and inter- 

 esting emotions as we can never again hope to 

 witness. How striking was the mixture of alac- 

 rity and diiiideiicc, of pride anil of reverence, 

 witli which every one stepped forward to re- 

 ceive his pn^mium, with the smiles and the good 

 wishes of one of the noblest champions that ever 

 drew his sivord in defence of human freedom ! 

 Ij^i. then tlie>o premiums be inscribed, " By the 

 Agricallural Socitty, through the hands of La- 



rAYETTE." And let them be handed down from 

 generation to generation, to bp cherished still 

 more and more, till the time shall arrive, which 

 God forever postpone, that the American Farm- 

 er shall cease to sing at the tail of his plough, 

 of Liberty and Lafayette. 



After the delivery of the Premiums, the 

 Farmers on the ground, at the invitation of the 

 Editor of Ihe American Farmer, formed them- 

 selves into two lines, through which the General 

 passed, shaking each one by the hand, and then 

 he was invited to a seat at the head of the table, 

 on the right hand of the President of the Soci- 

 ety, supported by the Mayor and Doctor Kent 

 on his right ; — on the lel't of the President, sat 

 the Orator of the day, Governor Barbour, of 

 Virginia, Col. Emory, and other practical far- 

 mers of distinction, whose presence gave coun- 

 tenance and encouragement to the view^ of our 

 association. 



It was a source of regret, that Col. Powell, 

 the Coresponding Secretary of the Pennsylvania 

 Agricultural Society, who had on this, as on 

 previous oocasions, favoured us with his com- 

 pany and his judgment, was compelled by other 

 engagements, to leave vacant Ihe conspicuous 

 seat which had been assigned him. 



After a substantial farmer's diuner, the follow- 

 ing toasts were drank : 



Otir Coiinlri/ — A store-hoiise to wlilcli the world may 

 resort for the seeds of republican institutions, national 

 independence, and private virtue. 



Our Counlry^s Father — His first care was jiven to 

 his country's safety — his second to its cultivation. 



Our Countri/''s Friend — The Nation's Gii»st — Like 

 Washington and C'incinnatus, he beat his sword into 

 a plough-share, when it was no longer wanted for the 

 defence of libci ty— u;//i t/iirleen cluers .' 



Whereupon Gen. Lafayette rose, and said^ — 

 that in his double capacity of an .American pat- 

 riot and practical farmer, he had the most affec- 

 tionate aclvuoivledgements to proffer for the 

 honours and gratifications conferred Ihis day on 

 him. He begged leave to propose the follow- 

 ing toast : 



The Seed of American Liberty, transplanted on the 

 other Shore, oppressed, not destroyed, tiy every sort of 

 European Weed — may it rise again vigorous, and pure, 

 and cover the soil of both Hemispheres. • 



Tlic President of the United States — He has done a 

 2;ood day's work. — The flock which he has tended has 

 increased and multiplied, and its condition is his pride 

 and his reward. 



The Plough, the Loom, and the Ship — All indispen- 

 sible for prosperity ; — the first for existence. 



Roads and Canals — Which increase the products of 

 industry, by bringing the farm, the workshop, and the 

 wharf, nearer together. 



Household Manufactures — The National Savinys' 

 Bank, where all the scraps of industry are colletttd 

 and turned to account. 



Tlie Ox — Most useful in life, at the smallest cost— 

 which he repays at his death. 



The Coif— The best emblem of abundance, wliich 

 she contributes most to create. 



The Slieep — Which supplies our best clothing-, while 

 he is prtpaiing our best food. 



The Farmer of La Grange — Let the gratitude of Ihe 

 sons of his fellow labourers in the field of our revohi- 

 lion, secure to him a rich harvest of reuovvn from the 

 seed then sown. 



The Principhs of Free, Government — The liglit 

 gleams through the night of Slavery, and will increase 

 to perfect day. 



fKornan— Heaven's best gift here below— the far- 

 mer's toils, like the dangers of the soldier and the 

 statesman's cares, are sweetened by her smile, and re- 

 warded by her affection. 



VOLUNTEERS. 



By Gen. La Fayette— TAe Maryland Farmers .- The 

 plough-share, into which their sword, after the revolu- 

 tion, had been turned, became again in the last war, a 

 victorious sword. 



Gov Barbour next rose, and after a few ap- 

 propriate remarks, delivered in his own impres- 

 sive manner, thanking the Society for their kind 

 intentions, and declaring the peculiar pleasure 

 which he always feels in the company of those 

 who, like himself, rely for their support exclu- 

 sively on the cultivation of the soil, gave 



The Agricultural Society of Maryland — May its lib- 

 eral example be an object of universal imitation. 



By the Orator of the day — Brother Jonathan'^a three 



Daughters, Agricullure,Manufucturts, and Commerce : 

 Lei not the first born, who nursed her younger sisters, 

 and feeds the whole family, be neglected by their 

 father. 



By the Editor of the American Farmer — T/ie Ladies 

 V'hu sent ttieir beauUful Manufactures to our Kxfuhi' 

 lion: Of such It may be said, as of the virtuous wo- 

 man in holy writ, " she looketh well to the ways of her 

 household ; and eateth not the bread of idleness."' 



By James Howard — Our distinguished agricultural 

 guest : Our country has richly profited by his practical 

 knowledge of the drill system. 



By G. W. La Fayette — The favourite motto of A- 



Dicrican and French farmers — Liberty. - 



By W. C. Somerville — Our Goternmenf : May she 

 .:eep the beams of our ploughs, the beams of our ship». 

 and the b(^am3 of our looms in motion; never forget- 

 ting that ploughs, ships, and looms, are like the sun, 

 which, when shorn of his beams, sheds "disastrous 

 twilight'' on a nation. 



By an officer of the Society — Col. J. H. Powel, 

 ■whose excellent knowledge, like his excellent stock, 

 is diffused through the country for the improvement of 

 its best interests. 



By Mr Chubb, of Richmond — Our mother Earth — 

 Like fair woman, the source of our greatest joys, if 

 treated with atttution and tenderness. 



By H. V. Somerville — Agriculture: The favourite 

 pursuit of Washingtcn and I^a Faytttc, who like Reg- 

 ulus of old, preferred the cultivation of their farms to 

 the command of armies. 



By U. Schrofder — Liberty, genuine rational liherfy : 

 May the universe become its temple, and the heart of 

 every man its altar. 



By Isaac Munroe — The Presidential Ploughing 

 Match : Le t the best ploughman have Ihe premium. 



By J. S. Williams — The products of the seeds which 

 our guest assisted to sow in our revolution, they have 

 well repaid his labours. 



By Bobert Riddle — J] gricuUure, ancient and honour- 

 able : Productive of peace, independence and plenty 

 its pursuits are alike innocent, useful and happy. 



By W. F. Redding — The Foreigners who, in '7C, 

 helped our Fathers to beat and drive off the mischiev- 

 ous Bull, that broke into our national inclosures, to gore 

 our people, and eat up their corn. Friendf in 7ietrf, »re 

 fritnds i7irf£trf. 



By the Society — Wr Coke, nf Hulkham : The friend 

 of farmers, the friend of Americans, and the friend of 

 mankind. 



By E. H. Cummings— jT/ic Maryland Agricultural So- 

 f ,f/^_pritrons ol Ihe noble art ; that rrjclces rather in 

 creating, than di^troying, the comforts of life. 



The memory of Cot. John Taylor, of Virginia, the 



great American " Arator." 



