THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



367 



rangement of animals and articles, the pre- 

 servation of order and the protection of the 

 property on the ground, without charge. Yet 

 such is the fact, and still more creditable if it 

 is considered that some of ihem, as Colonel 

 Haskins of Richmond, and others, had not 

 even the honor of being seen by the crowd, 

 but worked silently and unknown. 



It will be observed, in another place, that 

 Richmond contributed not less than ten thou- 

 sand dollars towards this Fair, in grounds, 

 buildings and police expenses; and we are 

 happy to know that, in a mere business point 

 of view, she lost nothing by it. But, in fact, 

 her object was higher than to fill her coffers 

 by the pageant. Her enlightened Council 

 sought to break down that barrier which has 

 heretofore separated her from the country, and 

 to give as well as receive the benefits of closer 

 intimacy. This object she has gained; but 

 she has done more. She has demonstrated 

 that no man need go north of Virginia for any 

 thing he may want, whether it be an article 

 of merchandise or manufacture, and that we 

 may at once begin to assert our independence 

 without the least danger of inconvenience or 

 fear of loss. Nor, in the pursuit of this object 

 has she begrudged a fair rivalry. Soaring 

 above the narrow views of monopoly, she 

 united with the Society in inviting competition 

 in all things from all quarters, and whilst her 

 money was expended as freely for her rivals 

 as for herself, her hospitality, both public and 

 private, was not stinted to the strangers that 

 overflowed her hotels and thronged her streets. 

 The result was what might have been expect- 

 ed, though few did expect it, and Richmond, 

 casting her bread upon the waters, in the true 

 spirit of wise munificence, has the honor of 

 having enabled the State Agricultural Society 

 to begin a revolution in the public mind of 

 Virginia. Confidence in her resources, in 

 whatever department of art or industry? now 

 animates all breasts, and buoyant hope has 

 taken the place of fiat despair. All honor, 

 then, to Richmond. 



But other interests had also to be consulted. 

 Strenuous efforts, ceaselessly made, had failed 

 to add members to the Society, and without 

 them nothing could be done. The public spirit 

 of J. Ravenscroft Jones had, it is true, given 

 a brief impulse to the movement, but the mass 



to be aroused was too large, and the body of 

 the farmers had not shaken oft their lethargy. 

 In this crisis the rail roads of the State, with 

 one exception, came to the aid of the Society 

 with a liberality which, as our friends of the 

 Dispatch said, proved that corporations had 

 souls — with a liberality which was neither 

 asked nor expected— and offered to bring peo- 

 ple to Richmond for nothing if they would 

 only consent to give two dollars to the Society. 

 It were unjust and uncandid to deny that to 

 this, much more than to enthusiasm in the 

 cause, was due the vast concourse which filled 

 our show grounds. Thousands embraced the 

 offer, and for several days the cars were 

 crowded almost to suffocation. Once assem- 

 bled, and in sight of so much to look at — so 

 much to astonish them— so much to rejoice 

 at and be proud of, it is no wonder that the 

 feelings, both of the farmer and the townsman, 

 at once mounted to the pitch of excitement 

 and enthusiasm. 



The Executive Committee, looking upon 

 exhibitions as only part of the benefits that 

 the Society was capable of rendering, had in 

 their report recommended, in addition to their 

 present executive machinery, the creation of 

 two offices, one that of Secretary, charged 

 with organizing the Society and executing its 

 functions under their direction; the other, a 

 scientific department, which should embrace 

 within its sphere of action an investigation of 

 the laws of chemistry and geology in their 

 bearing upon agricultural pursuits, and, as far 

 as practicable, an application of them to those 

 pursuits. But the means were wanting. The 

 Legislature had turned a deaf, or, at best, a 

 heedless, ear to suggestions made to them as 

 to the proper endowment of the Society, and 

 it was poor in all but zeal. But, taking ad- 

 vantage of the feeling that prevailed, an ap- 

 peal was now made to the Society to give the 

 funds, either by personal subscription to any 

 amount the respective donors might see fit to 

 bestow, or by a pledge of their counties or 

 towns for such sums as they thought they 

 ought, or could be made, to raise. The appeal 

 was not made in vain — merchant vied with 

 farmer — town with country, until, in two 

 nights, responsible men had paid or pledged 

 the sum of forty-five thousand dollars. This 

 was a creditable performance to whatever 



