512 [Assembly 



But we need not pro'o.ig the discussion on this point: a word can 

 settle the whole matter: we know that young men go home to play 

 and not to workj and they are right. The committee may manu- 

 facture able sophistry as much as they please; but they cannot re- 

 make the human constitution. The Creator has stamped upon it the 

 necessity of recreation. 



But one word more as to this report. It says, " It may, and 

 doubtless will, be thought by some, that your committee are too 

 sanguine in their expectations of the success of their plan for the 

 great diffusion of agricultural knowledge through the influence of 

 the smaller incorporated institutions of the state." The committee 

 are perfectly right. They are too sanguine. Their plan is imprac- 

 ticable. Can it have even a trial. Who ever saw a plan for bring- 

 ing about new measures adopted and acted on, which was recom- 

 mended by a committee that reported against the plan proposed by 

 petitioners? The petitioners throw their whole souls and energies 

 into the project. The committee are but the cool, although able and 

 honest oi>ponents, who only exhibit manifestations of a constructive 

 genius while under the excitement of opposition. This is not said 

 in any spirit of hostility. It is simply truth. 



So much for this report. It is deeply to be regretted that the 

 ability of the writer had not been displayed in a more worthy 

 cause. Large as are the strides, and splendid as are the triumphs of 

 the spirit of progress in the nineteenth century, she still numbers her 

 enemies by thousands; and these foes will draw aliment from Mr. 

 Beckwilh's production. Chinese walls and Chinese hatred to im- 

 provement still hold some sway among many of our people. They 

 love and would foster " the good old way!" Why, in the meridi- 

 an-time of" the good old way," ships required mouths to perform a 

 voyage from Liverpool to New-York; now the winds and tides, held 

 in vassalage by the god-like spirit of progress, waft the vessel from 

 world to world in a single fortnight! By " the good old way^'' a 

 barque was polled and coaxed from New- York to Albany in twenty 

 days; now the superb vessel asks but ten hours to accomplish the 

 same journey! According to ^Hhe good old way,'" a press which 

 could strike off a thousand newspapers in a night was viewed in a 

 light but little removed from the marvellous; oiow a press in the same 

 time hurls from its great iron hands fifty thousand sheets! By " the 

 good old way,'' nice old ladies, who happened to be blessed with 

 ugliness and black cats, were hung up or drowned as witches; 



