REPORTS OF DELEGATES. 231 



Governor Andrew responded, lie spoke eloquently of the 

 importance and influence of the farmer's calling, and of the 

 virtues and advantages which clustered around it. He consid- 

 ered agriculture as the great promoter of civilization, the 

 bulwark of our government as well in time of war as in peace, 

 and urged the necessity of following up the war to a successful 

 issue in vindication of the integrity of the Union and the Con- 

 stitution. He loved the Union because it was peace, and hated 

 disunion because it would certainly lead to war. His speech 

 was forcible and gave general satisfaction. 



Your delegate was next speaker. He cordially concurred in 

 the views of His Excellency the Governor, both in relation to 

 the farmer and the Union. He urged a vigorous support of the 

 government, and believed that He who rules in mercy as well 

 as in justice, would eventually bring us out of all our present 

 trials and make us a wiser and better people. He alluded to 

 the first exhibition of the United States Agricultural Society, 

 held in Springfield, and to its influence in giving character to 

 that society. He spoke in praise of the exhibition, and of the 

 liberality and enterprise of the citizens of Springfield, and 

 expressed the hope that the efforts now making for the estal)lish- 

 ment of the Massachusetts School of Agriculture here would be 

 successful. The subject of agricultural education had ever 

 been one of the dearest objects of his heart, and he was rejoiced 

 to meet here by his side a venerable and beloved citizen with 

 whom he had in past times labored for the advancement of this 

 cause, and whose Report to the State on the industrial schools 

 of Europe was one of the most interesting and valuable State 

 papers on record. 



Dr. Hitchcock, ex-president of Amherst College, responded to 

 the call of your delegate, and spoke at length of the project of 

 the Agricultural School at Springfield, which he came there to 

 endorse. He gave a very interesting account of his examination 

 of the schools he visited in Europe. There were more tlian three 

 hundred of all grades, and every one is in some way connected 

 with a farm whose cultivation is required to be superior to 

 that of the region in which it was located. Dr. Hitchcock 

 felt confident that with an earnest and yet economical effort by 

 those now moving in the matter, success would be sure. 



