ADDRESSES 269 



measures for their mutual advantage, and for the promotion 

 of the cause of agricultural education." At the morning 

 session of that convention, held at the State House, March 

 20, 1851, the president, Marshall P. Wilder, announcing the 

 subjects for discussion, spoke as follows: "It is also to be 

 hoped that the cause of agricultural education, now about to 

 receive the consideration of the Legislature, will not be over- 

 looked in the deliberations of this body; and, if it be the 

 opinion of this convention that agriculture may be pro- 

 moted by the application of science, that such a sentiment 

 may be expressed in terms so explicit as not to be misunder- 

 stood, and that the aid of government may be solicited for 

 this purpose." At the afternoon session Mr. Sewall of Med- 

 field, from the business committee, presented a preamble 

 and resolutions, the fourth, fifth, and eighth of which bear 

 directly upon the subject now under consideration : 



Resolved (4), That agricultural schools having been found, 

 by the experience of other nations, efficient means in pro- 

 moting the cause of agricultural education, which is so es- 

 sential to the prosperity of farmers and to the welfare of 

 communities, it becomes at once the duty and policy of the 

 Commonwealth to establish and maintain such institutions 

 for the benefit of all its inhabitants. 



Resolved (5), That the several plans for an agricultural 

 school, recently reported by the Board of Commissioners 

 appointed for that purpose, are worthy the profound con- 

 sideration of the people of Massachusetts and their repre- 

 sentatives in the General Court, as indicating the feasi- 

 bility and practicability of an establishment worthy that 

 exalted character which the State has secured by the en- 



