HE FARMER'S MONTHLY VISITOR. 



CONDUCTED BY ISAAC HILL. 



Those who tabor in the earth i 



•- the cliose7i people of God, whose breasts he has made his peculiar deposite for substantial and genuine virtue." Jefferson. 



VOLUME III. 



CONCORD, N. H. JUNE 30, 1841. 



NUMBER 6. 



THE FARMER'S 3IONTHLY VISITOR. 



JOHN M. HILL, 



HiWs Brick Block, Concord, .V. H. 



GENERAfAGEIVTS, 



B. COOKE, Ktene, A'. H. 



TH. R. HAMPTON. Washington Cil,/. D. C. 



JOHN MARSH. Washington St. Boston. 



CHARLES \V.\RREN.Brinle:i Row. Worcester, Mass. 



A. H. STILLWKLL, Xo. I. Market Square, Prov. R.l. 



GEORGE W. TO vVLE. Portsmouth, iV. H. 



L, W. HALL & Co. Springfield, Mass. 



The Visitor will be issued oji the last day of each month 

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Six Dol- 



Three copies for Two Dollars : — Ten copies \i 

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Tile twelve numbers embracing the year 1839, or the 

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Subscribers may commence at their election, either with 

 the January or July number, in each year. An Index and 

 Title Page will accompany each half ye.ar. 



[13^ Communications by mail will be directed to the 

 Publisher, Concord, N. H. 



For the Farmer's Monthly Visitor. 



To THE HOiNORED EniTOR : — I wisli you would 

 have the goodness to publish in your e.xcelleut 

 Agricultural Joiu-nal, the follovving trifle of mine, 

 first written and published by the request of some 

 of the municipal authorities of Concord in June, 

 1825, on the occasion of the memorable visit of 

 General La Fayette to ouv mptropnlis; nnd its 

 re-publicatioii is now solicited with such addi- 

 tions and improvements as 1 have thought due to 

 the subject. This production derives all its ini- 

 portance from its having conferred on our good 

 State of New Hampshire the name of the Gran- 

 ite State, which title it has since universally 

 borne, and never before. The arrangements for 

 the approjiriate reception of the illu.strious guest, 

 were made during the administration of Ex-Go- 

 vernor Morril, who, as well as the Honorable 

 Legislature of that time, attended to the subject 

 with great spirit and alacrity. All the uniform 

 and independent companies within thirty miles 

 of Concord were put in requisition, and the com- 

 mand given to General Bartlett of Notting- 

 ham. He was received by these, and the largest 

 cavalcade (augmented by respectable citizens from 

 all parts) ever before seen in the State, on Glover's 

 Hill, on the east side of Merrimack river, from 

 whence he was escorted through immense crowds 

 to the State House. The Honorable Legislature 

 was then in session, and a public dinner was or- 

 dered for the illustrious General, to which all the 

 revolutionary soldiers in the State were invited. 

 As no Hall could accommodate the vast assem- 

 blage, the tables were spread for the purpose on 

 the gieen in the State House Yard. 



Every body knows, or ought to kuow, that our 

 popular and facetious Landlord, Gass, has two 

 pair of legs. At this time he put on his best pair, 

 and actually performed wonders. He seemed to 

 have the power of ubiquity : to be e\iery where, 

 and answer calls from every quarter at the same 

 time. His dinner was most sumptuously provi- 

 ded, and in all respects fully equal to the great 

 occasion. The revolutionary soldiers (many of 

 ■whom were pensioners) thronged to the scene 

 from every i)art of the State, and were marshall- 

 ed by the late Ex-Governor Pierce, (who had 

 been a soldier or an officer through the whole 

 wai-*Of the revolution,) and successively introdu- 

 ced by him to their beloved General with whom 

 Governor Pierce had also served in some of the 

 sanguinary campaigns that closed the war. 



Conspicuous among that brave number for his 



intrepidity in battle, and for his wit and good hu- 

 mor at all times, was Lieut. Robert Wilkins of 

 this town. He had been a favorite of La Fay- 

 ette in the service, and to Wilkins' indescribable 

 delight, he was remembered and recognized in 

 the most endearing and familiar manner. " Ah ! 

 is this you, my dear Bob Wilkes ?" Wilkins' de- 

 light and enthusiasm knew no bounds. Gover- 

 nor Pierce tried in vain to restrain him from en- 

 grossing the time wanted by others. " Don't hin- 

 der me, Ben Pierce ; I must talk with my Gen- 

 eral." 



Except these ebullitions of some of the rejoi- 

 cing and animated veterans, which could not be 

 prevented, the utmost decorum prevailed. While 

 all were seriously impressed with the miraculous 

 escape of the Great Guest through many dangers 

 and vicissitudes, and his good fortune to be able 

 to re-visit the coimtry whose freedom he had so 

 largely contributed to establish ; they could only 

 ascribe his wonderful preservation to the benign 

 interposition of Divine Providence, and in this 

 reflection they beheld him with a reverential awe, 

 almost rising to adoration. The appropriate 

 toast which he then gave, endeared him still 

 more, (were it possible for any thing to have made 

 him more dear to those present) or to any other 

 citizens of our Granite State : " The never dying 

 memory of Light Infanlry Poor and of York Town 

 Scammel." General Poor and Col. Scamniel, were 

 both favorite sons of New Hampshire, aad were 

 lost in the Revolution. 



Perhaps you remember, Mr. Editor, with what 

 enthusiasm Governor Pierce and others respond- 

 ed to this toast. My dear deceased friend, Rich- 

 ard Bartlett, Esq., then Secretary of State, 

 who had the faculty of imitating another's voice 

 and diction, has repeated this toast to me a 

 hundred times, in the same soft though bro- 

 ken tones peculiar to General La Fayette's 

 manner of speaking. Alas! both he and the 

 Great Guest to whom then every eye was turned, 

 are now no more. The lapse of sixteen years 

 over those already far down the hill of life, brings 

 nearly all to the foot. Since then, Mr. Editor, we 

 have seen the head of the venerable Ex-Governor 

 Pierce, (who figured so largely in the long war 

 of the Revolution, and in the solemnities and fes- 

 tivities of the preceding day,) covered with the 

 clod of the valley. We have also seen the re- 

 mains of Col. Caleb Stark, one of the promi- 

 nent guests of that memorable day, himself a 

 Hero of the Revolution, and son ol the Hero of 

 Bennington, af^er being brought from a distant 

 State, deposited in the Family Ceraetry prepar- 

 ed by the taste and affection of his fair daughters, 

 and the wonder and admiration of all travellers. 

 We have also seen the Hon. Ezekiel Webster 

 of Boscawen, another of the conspicuous guests 

 of the great occasion, a gentleman of transcend- 

 ent abilities but little inferior to his illustrious 

 brother, the present Secretary of State of the 

 United States, drop suddenly from life, in the 

 Court House in this town, in the delivery of a 

 most eloquent professional plea, while the last 

 syllables were quivering upon his lips. He was 

 the most intimate (i-icnd that the feeble author of 

 this poor im|)erfect tribute ever enjoyed. We 

 have also been called to the funeral of the Hon. 

 William A. Kent, who gratuitously opened his 

 capacious mansion for the accommodation of the 

 Great Guest of the Nation. 



But I forbear other particular?. Of the thou- 

 sands who participated in the social and sober 

 festivities of that memorable, pure and sinlesa day, 

 all will agree that however enjoyed, it cannot be 

 described, either in poetry or prose. It was un- 

 clouded and serene, and the air balmy and salu- 

 brious. Such a day for its physical blessings and 

 moral associations, was never before felt or seen 

 in New Hampshire, and never will be again. It 

 was happily blessed with the total absence of ev- 

 ery descriptiou of party spirit. All the guests 



without exception, felt like brothers, and behaved 

 like Christians and gentlemen. 



PHILIP CARRIGAIN. 

 Concord, June 25, 1841. 



LA FAYETTE'S RETURN. 



written BT PHILIP CARRIGAIN. 



First published in June, 1825, and now in June, 1841, 

 re-publislied with some additions and correctionB. 

 North and south and east and west, 

 With cordial welcome have address'd 

 Loud and warm the Nation's Guest, 



Dear son of Liberty : 

 Whom tyrants curs'd when Heaven approy'd, 

 And millions long have mourn'd and lov'd, 

 He comes by fond entreaties mov'd, 



The Granite State to see. 



Our Jlountains tow'r with matchless pride, 

 And mighty torrents from them glide, 

 And wintry tempests far and wide. 



Ridge deep our drifts of snow ; 

 Yet does our hard'ning climate form, 

 Patriots with hearts as bold and warm, 

 At social feast, or battle storm, 



As e'er met friend or foe. 



Nor must our State her fame disgrace, 

 Or fail with honors meet to grace. 

 The noblest of the human race. 



The bravest, best of men : 

 Since our great Washington is gone. 

 In peace and war who peerless shone. 

 And seems in his adopted son, 



Restor'd to earth again. 



Bliss domestic, rank, wealth and ease. 



This son resign'd for stormy seas. 



And for grim war's more stormy breeze. 



To make our country free; 

 And potent Britain saw dismay'd. 

 The lightning of his virgin blade. 

 To Freedom fl.ish triumphant aid. 



But death to Tyranny, 



His task achiev'd, he carried o'er, 

 The sacred tire to his own shore, 

 Which blaz'd till quench'd in human gor«, 



And crimes the world did mourn; 

 And our Guest met mad faction's doom. 

 The despot's wrath and dungeons gloom, 

 And sufferings ne'er in Greece or Rome, 



Before by mortal borne. 



Now in his life's less perilous wane. 

 He has re-cross'd the .\tlantic main, 

 Preserv'd by Heaven, to greet again 



The land he bled to save ; 

 And those who with him hand in hand, 

 Fought 'neath his mighty sire's command, 

 Alas i how thinn'd that gallant band. 



Band of the free and brave ! 

 Soldiers, your chief, to whom is due, 

 So much from the old World and New, 

 Devotes this day entire to you. 



He courts not Kings or thrones : 

 O ! who can blame the tears that roll, 

 When such braves mingle soul with soul. 

 And one more rainbow near life's goal 



Beams o'er their setting suns ? 

 Angels 'tis said at tiines have stood 

 among the great and good. 



F^or party feuds far off are driven. 

 Foes reconcil'd — and wrongs forgiven. 

 And this green spot of earth made Heaven, 



For these old heroes' feast. 

 These veterans mingling tears embrac'd. 

 The thousand dangers they had fac'd, 

 F.ndear'd this interview their last. 



And caus'd :heir hearts to melt : 

 Through many a battle's gory fray, 

 By miracle sav'd to meet this day, 

 CioD, their preserver, shield and stay. 



As all devoutly felt. 

 They 've met in peace, their country freed ; 

 They 've met in war to toil and bleed, 

 And unborn millions will succeed 



T' their dower the Rights of Man ; 

 The Patriot of both Hemispheres, 

 Though first on earth deems all his peers, 

 AVho join'd his war cry with their cheers 



Where rag'd the battles van. 

 And loud his gallant war-cry swell'd 

 O'er Brandywine and Monmouth's field, 

 And o'er immortal Y"ork Town peal'd, 



And rock'd Virginia's skiesr:* 



