76 
THE SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. 
id' crioiiS, livtcacts, 
EXTRAC rri l■'ROM AN ESSAY ONTEIE INTERESTS 
and DUl'lES OF THE AMERICAN FARMER 
Delivered before ihe Union Lyceum, of Hindi> and 
Madison Counties, Mississippi, by Gen. Patrick 
Henry, of White Hall. 
A farm t .should not only be industrious and 
economical, but he should be emphatically an 
honest man. He has less excuse for being dis- 
honest than any other man. At the same time, 
however, 1 do not mean to assert that any man 
can be e.'ccused lor dishonesty, no matter what 
nis calling or what his temptation. For if you 
admit anything to be an excuse, the whole tem- 
ple ot morality is o vet thrown at ( nee — for I re- 
gard honesty as ihe chief corner stone j it is that 
without w; icli the building cannot and ought 
not to s.and a single moment. But still, 1 con- 
tend, the farmer should be the most honest ot 
men, because he can be the most independent. 
With virtuous industry and Irugal yet liberal 
eeonomy, ne can place himself, with the bless- 
ings of LfeaviH. beyond the pinchings ot want. 
Ithasolten struck me that the farmer should 
not struggle to be rich. There is smnething 
degradin- in that feverish excitement to accumu- 
late propeity — something which cankers all 
within and prevents the existence of one gene- 
rous impulse, one high and lolty aspiration. — 
His end ana aim should be an independent com- 
petence— at once removed from the temptations 
of wealth and temptations of poverty— for both 
have their lemptatians, and through to the ge- 
neral eye, the villain in silk and satin may not 
appear as forbidding as the same character in 
rags, yet to that eye which seeth in secret, and 
not as man sees, there is no difference. Pope 
has said, the saint in rags is twice a saint in 
lawm— and this is but another illustration of the 
fact that wealth smothers up- character and hides 
its defoi unties, as well as sets forth its beauties 
in a more glaring light. But the farmershould 
repeat the prayer of Agur in spirit and truth, 
“Give me either poverty nor riches.” He 
should be comfortable and independent, but be- 
yond this he should not wish to go — and by all 
means he should not make wealth, or its desire, 
absorb all his feelings and rob him of his use- 
fulness as a man, and his peace and quiet, and 
permanent happiness. No! he should delight 
more in a good example, in knowing that his 
light shines abroad as an honest and independ- 
ent fanner, than in being called a wealthy one. 
He should be fair in all his dealings with his 
fellow men, and never demand anything, not 
the smallest cent, that was not justly due. He 
should square his conduct by the eternal prin- 
ciple ot ri-; ht, and be governed by the golden ru le. 
Do unto others as you would that others should 
do unto you. It the world were governed by 
this rule in all its dealings, how much bicker- 
ing and . strife, and low cunning and deceit, 
would be banished from the land 1 How plea- 
sant would be our abode on earth ! It would be 
like the dew that descended on the mouniainsof 
Herman, like the precious ointment that ran 
down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard, that 
ran down upon the skirts of his garment, for it 
would cause the world to dwell together in 
unity and brotherly love. The farmer should 
be above doins; a mean action— he should scorn 
with a sovereign contempt all over-reaching in 
trades, but he should be straight forward, une- 
vasive and plain in dealing. He should not de- 
sire something for nothing, and he should not 
be governed by the rule to make as much as you 
can, no matter how you make it. No! No! 
He should not frown into utter annihilation the 
infamous thought, before it was even f ully form- 
ed in hi'- bosom. He should look upon the man 
who would practice upon such professions and 
principles with unmitigated contempt, and build 
a loftier name, though it be an humble one, and 
carve it high on the tallest pillar of renown — 
and that name, though its owmer may move in 
the lowe-t walks of life, and lie upon the dead 
level w'ith the genet al mass, and be despised 
bv the dazzling sons of opulence and bloated 
ease, w'hose eyes stand out with fatness, is the 
name of an honest man — the brightest uninspir- 
ed the sun ever shone upon in his meridian 
splendor, and better far and prouder than those 
which spring from carnage covered fields, 
and all the glory of titled ancestry or regal 
fame. 
And here I might dilate with pleasure, upon 
the duties of the farmer in the settlement of ac- 
counts and collection of debts. It has ever ap- 
peared to me, that too much strictness — or in 
other w’ords, too exacting a spirit was beneath 
the real dignity cf the profession of farming, 
which is liberal and noble in its very nature. A 
spirit of liberality should be encouraged, — it 
should be taught to our children; where they 
do not naturally possess it. It should ever be 
remembered, that all men do not think alike, and 
tnat slight differences will occur, in matters of 
opinion, and especia'ly in matters of account. 
What I wish to see inculcated is, that generous 
spirit which will overlook trifles, and yield much 
for the sake of the peace of the neighborhood. 
Ido not mean that they should yield great rights 
or privileges — by no means — but I mean in the 
adjustment of small neighborhood matters, that 
it is better to lose a trifle, than to contend for it 
— it is better to yield a few dollars, than to lose 
a neighbor — it is betterto settle amicably among 
youi'selves, even at a small sacrifice, than to ad- 
here pertinaciously to your rights and seek re- 
dress in court — v/here the accruing costs will be 
greater than the original demand. It is better 
to yield it for the sake of peace — for the 
sake of your own dear interests too. — 
It used to be a common remark in JVlis 
sissippi; that I will have w'hatyou owe me or 
blood. This lawless spirit has given wmy to 
the sound dictates of common sense. Thank 
God ! those days have past, and a spirit of sound 
and liberal morality, in opposition to the all- 
grasping spirit of avarice, has been breathed 
upon the land, and peaceful quiet, and law abi- 
ding people, are now the possessors of the soil. 
The farmer in particular, has the greatest stake 
in the preservation ol order, and in the mild 
reign of the law, and he should enter his pro- 
test against all neighborhood strife, and show 
by his conduct that he places a just estimate up- 
on these invaluable blessings. 1 know it is re- 
garded by some that so a man is honest, it mat- 
ters little haw close he settles. This is not. my 
opinio.n. No man should be too exacting. He 
does not leel so well — he does not so complete- 
ly receive the approbation of his conscience, by 
being rigid and griping in bisdealings, asdoeshe 
when his conduct has been characterized by a 
generous and liberal spirit — a sjdrit that is above 
contending about trifles, and that would throw 
themraiher to ihe moles and the bats. 
In this connection, I cannot urge too strongly 
the necessity of a proper understanding in all 
eases where there are dealings between man and 
man. If this were more frequently attended to, 
our court houses would not be so frequently 
crowded with farmers and their witnesses, to 
the destruction ot the peace of neighborhoods; 
and to the pecuniary disadvantage of both par- 
ties. 
Look around you at the affluence which 
blesses your professional men, your lawyers, 
and clerks, and magistrates and sheriffs. Did 
they acquire their fortunes by the cultivation of 
the .soil — not at all. In a great measure the mis- 
understandings o! the people have caused them 
to grow rich. Are those gentlemen to blame ? 
— no ! no ! If the people will throw their honest 
and hard earnings away, they had as well get 
them as any body else. I have beard of a debt 
ofSl4, costing, by the animosity of the parties, 
$3,000 ; when the arbitration of neighbors, or 
the liberality of the parties themselves might 
have settled it out of court. 
Another thing of vast importance, in the set- 
tlement of difficulties is, confidence in the hon- 
esty of your adversary — confidence begets con- 
fidence, just as naturally as distrust begets di.s- 
trust. A suspicious and cross-grained man will 
mar the peace of families, and distrust the re- 
pose of neighborhoods, and sow the seeds of dis- 
cord broad-casnhrough the earth. Such a man 
shoLi Id be met wiih an open, frank and confiding 
spirit — and it will have the tendency to produce 
the like spirit in his own bosom. By such a 
course the whole man may be changed. 
1 have heard it gravely argued, that you 
should do as you believe your neighbor would 
do under similar circumstances. Thus you are 
to begin by attributing villainy to him, and end 
by being a villain yourself How different 
was the immortal doctrine of Christ! On how 
much more noble feelings w'as his golden rule 
based. The selfishness of the human heart was 
duly considered, and that very selfishness was 
made the test of honesty. He went into the hu- 
man heart, and inquired wha' would your sel- 
fishness and self-love dictate that he should do 
to you — that is the rule of your conduct then to 
him. 
The farmer too should renaemberthe poor in 
mercy. He should be mindful ol their interests 
on whom the desolation of poverty has come 
wiih a blight and a mildew^ He should not 
grind the face ol the poor, but should raise the 
bowed and broken down in spirit. He should 
remember the kind and gentle conduct of Boaz 
to Ruth, and leave the subsistence to the glean- 
ers. Charity is like the soft dews of Heaven. 
It is twice blessed — it blesses him that gives. 
It is the high prerogative of the generous and 
liberal farmer to ascend to the throne of Hea- 
ven in deeds ol benevolence — and to make his 
goodness and his usefulness as expansive as 
his existerme. 
But he should not only be honest and indus- 
trious, and economical and liberal — he should 
be a married man. This is absolutely necessa- 
ry for his happiness. He may live without the 
smile of partial beauty won, and may be respec- 
table — it is possible that he may practice al! the 
virtues of an honest farmer, but w'hen he turns 
to his home, how his heart sickens wdthin him, 
when he reflects that that home is nol consecrat- 
ed by the presence of one whose thoughts, feel- 
ings and taste, are harmonious to his own, and 
w'ho is ever ready to welcome him with a smile 
after the labors of the day. And then, after he 
reaches that home, follow him ifyou please in- 
to his desolate dwelling, unenliveneil by the ca- 
resses of his family, and unadjusted by the plas- 
tic hand of lovely w'oinan — all is disorder and 
conlusion — confusion worse confounded. His 
home is a dreary and unprofitable waste, a bar- 
ren gaixien where no verdure quickens, a wretch- 
ed excuse, where all the freshness and purity 
and warmth of affection, languishes and dies 
for the want of congenial objects to call it forth 
and give it life and animation. But let that old 
bachelor marry, and the whole scene is revers- 
ed, as if by an enchantress’ wand. Aladin’s 
lamp had not more power in iransforming scenes 
and giving to them beauty and brilliancy, than 
does the presence ol an affectionate and intelli- 
gent lady‘transfbrm the dullness and desolation 
of a bachelor’s domicil into the fascinations and 
enchantments ot matrimony. Order seems to 
spring up at her approach, and economy reigns 
throughout the household as a presiding genius. 
The whole scene is reversed — and a cultivated 
garden, a parterre of unrivalled flowers, wafting 
their sw'eetness through the remotest chamber 
— a well-ordered and well-set table of the choic- 
est viands are presented in the stead of barren- 
ness and scantiness, and sloven lines.s, at which 
the heart mourns in sackcloth and ashes at 
their bare enumeration. But who can recount 
the unnumbered blessings that cluster round 
that fond word home, when blessed with wo- 
man’s presence^ It would be an easier task to 
count the stars that deck the firmament at the 
midnight hour — or to number the sands upon 
the shores of the sea. It is sufficient to assert 
that no farm can be propeily conducted, without 
the aid and advice of a wife. They are our 
best and safest counsellors at all times — they 
are the truest economists, a’'d I attribute one 
half the distress of the land to a disregard of the 
counsels of our wdves and mothers. Who ever 
heard ot a wile recommending her husband to 
go in debt, or to speculate? No, no! their ad- 
vice was constantly urged to the contrary, and 
