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appended: Chas. S. Ayres, M. West, George Channell, Alex. Wood, Jos. E. Ballin¬ 
ger, C. P. Shivers, U. W. Condit, Henry C. Garrison, Chas. D. Lippincott, John F. 
Musgrave, James. Cheatham, W. C. Cluly, Geo. F. Turner, Wm. T. McDanel, Thomas 
McDonald, Robt. W. Dickson, Henry E. Robertson, John M. Fine, Edward I. Gigham, 
J. Ashbrook, jr., Ezekiel Pullen, Reuben W. Clark, D. R. Clark. 
This memorial was referred to the Committee on Betrenchment, the 
chairman of which, on the part of the House, Hon. Martin Welker, of 
Ohio, in reporting adversely to the prayer of the petitioners, took occa¬ 
sion to remark as follows relative to the functions, uses, and expendi¬ 
tures of this Department: 
Mr. Speaker: At the last session of Congr^Kmemorial signed by citizens of New 
Jersey and Pennsylvania, asking the abolition W the Agricultural Department, was re¬ 
ferred to the Joint Committee on Retrench mentTof the House part of which I have the 
honor to be chairman. ‘Supposing the committee will have no opportunity to report 
upon the memorial at this session, I take this occasion to make some remarks against 
the prayer of the memorialists. 
Desirous as I am to retrench the expenses of the Government in every possible way, 
fully recognizing the fact that the heavy burdens of the people demand relief from tax¬ 
ation wherever it can be accomplished, yet I believe this Department, in view of the 
public good, cannot be dispensed with, and that it would not be wise economy to abol- 
. ish it. I regard it as a very important branch of the public service and entitled to the 
liberal support of the Government. 
Much of the legislation of Congress has been in the interest of manufactures, finance, 
and general commerce. Immense Government machinery in the different departments 
is brought to bear upon these great interests. Until the establishment of the Agricul¬ 
tural Department, the farming and producing interests were almost entirely neglected, 
or allowed to take care of themselves as best they could under the care of the States. 
' Agriculture is a national interest. The importance of this branch of industry, the 
great interests to develop, the wide field for improvement, demand the fostering care 
of the General Government. Our people are an agricultural people. With the most 
productive lands, eve ry variety of soil and climate, growing the products of almost 
every land',’we' have ttm capacity to develop the greatest agricultural resources of any 
country of the globe. • 
This "Department is organized in the interest of labor. This interest, as w r ell as eapi- 
f __ tal, must be taken care of by the Government. There is no need of any conflict in 
o' this country between labor and capital. They are coworkers ; the one cannot dispense 
^ with the other, and both must be fostered. Capital is, however, more able to take 
£ ' care of itself than labor. In the old countries of Europe capital is supreme and labor 
subordinate. Not so in this country. Here it is reversed, and labor is the great foun- 
dation of our national prosperity and advancement. 
I The Department of Agriculture has been established but a short time. It may be 
considered an off-shoot of the Patent Office. It had its beginning there. Prior to 1838 
some attention had been given to agricultural Uprests in connection with inventions 
f of labor-saving and valuable machinery. In that year Mr. Ellsworth, then Commis¬ 
sioner of Patents, impressed with the importance of the subject, suggested that 
Government should recognize the claims of agriculture, and give a more definite char¬ 
acter and encouragement to the measures he had commenced, on a limited scall^bward 
collecting statistics, and introducing a few new seeds and plants, and particu|p!y new 
varieties of wheat. The next year Congress appropriated $1,000 from the pa&rt fund 
for this purpose; and with it a few new plants were introduced, and abap thirty 
thousand packages of seed distributed. I ^ 
These suggestions of the Commissioner induced Congress to make small aTfiuafc ap- * 
propriations for several years, and led to the adoption of schedules for the lollection 
of statistics in agriculture, which were used for the first time in the census of 1840, 
and have been carried out more fully at each census since with increased sa$l§faction. 
The Department was organized by act of Congress, May 15, 1862. Its purpose was 
stated in the law to be “ for acquiring and diffusing among the people of tlid. United 
States useful information on subjects connected with agriculture in the most general 
and comprehensive sense of that word, and to procure, propagate, and distribute among 
the peoxde new and valuable seeds and plants/ 7 
In order fully to understand and appreciate the importance of the Departmaif and 
its practical and beneficial workings, allow me to call attention to its presefit -jpi^ani- 
zation, and describe the scope and purpose of each of its divisions. From tffiS-^ome 
correct idea can be formed of the great advantages the country will derive fr^ritp fos- 
Several divisions 
by legislation of the General Government. As now organized, it Mpipjises » 
isions: - Jy f 
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