564 SELECTIONS FROM ADDRESSES. 



other; the farmers of the one improving their lands, while 

 those of the other are neglecting and injuring theirs. If any 

 donbt that many of our counties are in the same relative posi- 

 tion, you can assure yourself of the fact by consulting statistical 

 and other returns. While you are about this work it may be 

 well to go even farther, and compare ourselves with England 

 and Scotland ; such a comparison will make manifest the mor- 

 tifying conclusion, that on their old land which has been cul- 

 tivated for many centuries, the crops are far gr.^ater than on 

 our new and virgin soil, where the stumps of the original 

 forest have scarcely yet disappeared. I am then right in 

 my conclusion that the state of our agriculture is not what it 

 should be. 



But we must not be satisfied with arriving at this result ; 

 let us inquire into the causes of it frankly, and without preju- 

 dices, and if we find that we have been wrong in our course of 

 procedure, make up our minds to a manful confession. I have 

 said that many of our farmers are more successful than their 

 neighbors ; their land, originally the same, is better ; their crops 

 are better ; this superiority is not a matter of chance, or of 

 luck ; there is some cause for it. Let me illustrate by a short 

 story, my ideas as to the nature of this cgiuse. Some years 

 ago I made two voyages between New York and Liverpool, 

 with a certain captain, who was then, and still is, famous for 

 his short passages. These passages became quite proverbial, 

 so much so that his arrival in advance of every other vessel 

 was considered almost a certainty. Some of the other captains 

 said it was luck ; others said that he was reckless ; and nearly 

 all united in the opinion that he would fail some day — would 

 meet with some misfortune, and periiaps lose his vessel with 

 all on board, in urging her beyond what prudence would 

 warrant. 



Having a natural fondness for the sea and for siiips, I was at 

 once much interested in his management, and finally became 

 intimately acquainted with himself. Then it was that the 

 whole secret of his short passages came out ; he was ambitious 

 to excel, and studied his ship, his chart, the winds and waves, 

 as closely and constantly as ever a scholar studied his book. 



