NEW ENGLAND 1<ARMER. 



549 



Speech of Mr. Wilder. 



Ladies and Gentlemen— We meet to celebrate 

 by the festivities and social services of the pass- 

 ing hour the interesting exhibition which has 

 brought us from our dilJ'erent and distant homes, 

 to this fertile valley, and to this beautiful and 

 thriving city. 



In behalf of the local board of managers and 



1853. 



" attached " to the slightest, fra, est skeleton Iwg- '''\™' J"Jfc ' „anT had partaken of the viands 

 giesand.gigs by almost «'« f ^ '-"".'SSl set b L^^^^^^^^ P- Wilder arose 



ItgllX if 4^°rptX°;ridra^d1io=|a„d addressed the asse.bl, as follows : 



displayed by the owners. After passing round the i - ,,_ w„„„„ 



rine twice, the procession broke up, and the cer- 

 emSnies continued by the exhibition of pomes, ot 

 which there were about 30. 



Springfield, Oct. 21, 1853-5 30 r. m. 

 Meeting of the Board of Managers and Commit- 

 tee of the Exhibition, and of the officers of the I^a- 



tional Agricultural Society— a large number oi , j^^ ^^^^^^^^ ^^ ^ne locai ooaru oi mauugeiB «|"v* 

 whom were present— were held upon the ground Uj^^j^. associates,— whose wisdom devised the plan 

 on Friday morning. The first named body unaai- Lf ^j^jg exhibition, whose liberality secured the re- 

 mously . :,a. . quisite ^^ans for its accomplishment, and whose 



Resolved, That we present to the United States L^gj,gy ^^^^ pgrgg^erance have carried it torwara 

 Agricultural Society our hearty thanks for their L^ this happy consummation,- 1 bid you welcome. 

 co-operation in carrying forward to its successtul j^ h^haXf, also, of the United States Agricul- 

 terniination, the First National exhibition otL^j,,^igQg;gty^ under whose auspices this exhibition 

 Hor'^es in the world, and that we respectfully re- ^^^ ^^^^ i^gi^^ I present you our most cordial salu- 

 auest them to unite with us in promoting a second L.^^j^^g . ^nd I am most happy to express my sin- 

 exhibition of a similar character, to be held under -.:n-.:.„ „. .u. ^„.c.„.o ..f «« mnnv ot 

 their auspices, in this city, in the year 1854, at 

 such time and under such arrangements as may 

 be deemed expedient. ^ t -r. ttt 



In the other body, on motion of J. D. Weston, 

 of Washington, D. 0., of the Executive Commit- 

 tee of the U. S. Agricultural Society, it was 



Resolved, That the thanks of this Executive 

 Board be, and are, presented to the editors ot the 

 Spring6eld Republican ; to the several reporters 

 of the city and county papers present ; to the iiiX- 

 ecutive Committee of Springfield ; and to the citi- 

 zens of Springfield in general, for their attentions 

 and hospitalities during the stay of the Executive 



Committee of the U. S. Agricultural Society in ^.j^g ^rt wnicn uniuns uuc do-ho w. ^ r^r^V 



their beautiful city, and for the conception and L^^jch makes the flag of a nation the symbol ot 

 perfection of this magnificent Exhibition. wealth, prosperity and power, and which turns 



A little daughter of Mayor Rice presented aLj^g jj^achinery of the world, 

 beautiful bouquet to Hon. M. P. Wilder, who re- j congratulate you upon the i)resence of our 

 plied in a brief and pertinent speech. honored f^uests, of gentlemen distinguished m the 



Aft-a,. f.irt.ViAr tr^nls of sneed of some of the best ^^^.j^^g departments of politics, literature, science 



and religion, who have assembled to encourage by 

 their presence, approbation and speeches, the 

 worthy cause which we seek to advance. I con- 

 gratulate you, also, on the increasing zeal exhibit- 

 ed throughout our country by the various local 

 a<^ricultural associations, which are laboring with 

 laudable ambition to promote this world renown- 

 ed art — on the improved system of cultivation, 

 and the relief which genius has brought to labor 

 by the invention of new and far-famed implements 

 of modern culture. 



I observe favorable omens in the general appre- 

 ciation and patronage of our County, State and 

 National societies, harmoniously and systematic- 



tuLiuuB . c^^ ^ c^ ^^.- happy to express my 

 cere gratification at the presence of so many ot 

 the fiiir helpmeets of man. 



Ladies, I greet you with a right hearty wel- 

 come. Your presence adds beauty and brilliancy 

 to such scenes. The smiles of your approbation 

 imparts encouragement to our efforts, confidence 

 to our hopes, and- success to our labors. We 

 therefore bid you thrice welcome to the joys and 

 pleasures of this festive board. 



Friends and fellow citizens : we have assembled 

 to honor the great cause of agriculture, that most 

 important pursuit upon which depends the weltare 

 not only of one art or profession, of an individual 

 or nation, but of all classes of civilized society ; 

 the art which unfurls the sails of commerce. 



After further trials of speed of some _ _ 

 horses upon the ground, and the final examinations 

 by the Boards of Judges, the procession was form- 

 ed at the Judges stand for - 

 The Banquet. 



The following was the order of procession :— 

 9jhe Siirincrfield^BrassBand ; the president, officers 

 and members of the National Agricultural Socie- 

 ty • Deleo-ates from Agricultural Societies ; Edi- 

 tor's and Reporters ; Boards of Judges ; Unat- 

 tended Ladies ; Gentiemen with Ladies ; Exhibi- 

 tors, and Citizens generally. „, . , . f 



The dinner was provided by John \\ right, ot 

 Boston, under his large tent. Plates were laid 

 for 1776 persons, and they were nearly all filled 



for 1776 persons, and they were nearly all failed ^o-operating in this worthy cause, and in the 



The dinner was well got up, and there was enough |-caij^ .^ j^^^^ manifested in this and other annual 



to spare. • j x <• +i ^ I exhibitions; these gala days of the farmer, where 



Hon. Marshall PWipEE, P^^dent of the exa ^mo^^^^^ exchanged 



National AgriculturalSocety presided at the ban- par t^7^^^^^^^^^ salutations and the kindlier amenities 

 quet, assisted on his rightby Hon. John MBotts, J ^^^^^ ^^^ ^^^^ the common 



ofVirginia,andonhi8leftby Hon. Abbot Law- o^ ^ . j ^^^^5 ^^ ^^^^ and improve 



rence, of Boston, and by the Executive Commit- gjounaog ^j^^/ ^ ^ of men. 



t^X^:^r^' ^£rvi^dtuesJ;°S^ In the annual exhibition o'f these societies we 

 fu"ie^Ldsea^ts,^whichwereprettilySecoratedare^^^^^^^^^^^^ 



-^::s;!^ httrb'eS^sSed, ti. ^.^^^^11;^^^^^^^^ 



Blessing was implored by Rev. Mr. Seelet, ofldo justice to every part. But on the present oo- 



