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humanity improved. Thus, all the material surroundings of 

 civilization — all that distinguishes our enlightened community 

 from a savage state, are directly the outgrowth of the soil — 

 springing from agriculture, as much as does the farmer's crop 

 that is gathered into the cellar or barn. 



THE RELATIONS OF AGRICULTURE TO GOVERNMENT. 



Now, let us consider another relation of agriculture to 

 society, in government. The first idea of law is suggested by 

 I^roperty ; and the first property to be protected by law is in 

 land. To the savage who lives by hunting and fishing, pursu- 

 ing his game at will over vast territories in common with his 

 wild brethren, the ground is no representative of value. He 

 derives nothing from it, and he claims ownership in it, no more 

 than he does in the sunlight, air or waters. It is when he 

 makes to himself a home, and sets apart a portion of the foot- 

 stool for himself and his family, baptising it with the sweat of 

 his brow, and sanctifying it with his toil ; it is when he has 

 learned to plant it in the spring, and watch the growth of its 

 products in the summer, and gather the harvests in autumn, 

 and enjoy them in winter, that he desires the uninterrupted 

 possession for liimself and his children, and sees the value of 

 law to secure the permanent enjoyment of his own — to prevent 

 trespass and thefts, to decide questions of boundaries, and to 

 regulate the relations arising out of the new order of things. 



But not only does agriculture inevitably suggest the idea of 

 law, but it favors the highest, freest and most permanent forms 

 of government — always and ever being the enemy of despot- 

 ism where the husbandman tills his own acres. What of 

 government there is in a savage state, is despotic. One man 

 by superior strength, courage or wisdom, becomes the absolute 

 chief of his tribe. So at the other extreme, we find the 

 tendency in manufacturing and mercantile States, is to aristoc- 

 racy and monarchy. Great wealth accumulates in the hands of 

 the few ; they enjoy learning and luxuries and grow proud, 

 wishing to domineer over the masses whom they employ and 



