378 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
the question. He asked for his due privileges 
The Chairman replied, the privilege would 
be given. 
Mr. Taylor (Ohio) said that during the last 
five or six years he had received seeds from the 
Patent Office which were of great value. Wheat 
from the Mediterranean, California, and various 
parts of Europe by being transplanted here had 
introduced a more useful produce than we have 
at home, at all events the seeds had prompted 
experiments, and they thus did good. The Sec¬ 
retary of the Treasury had, estimated fifty-one 
millions for the support of the Army and Ataxy, 
and other branches of Government for the next 
year, and certainly this paltry sum of ten thou¬ 
sand dollars would not be denied for agricul¬ 
ture. He was in favor of an agricultural bureau, 
the establishment of which has been recom¬ 
mended by all the Presidents. [No!— Eds.] 
Mr. Houston said he would speak for one agri¬ 
cultural part of the country. It is not too late 
to sow seeds in the South and South-west, and 
he suggested whether it would not be better to 
amend the amendment so as to provide the 
seeds shall be distributed next fall. 
Mr. Sage said if any people more than another 
were entitled to protection of Congress, it was 
the agriculturist and farmer. Instead of de¬ 
creasing, he would increase the appropriation. 
The gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Jones) said 
this was a humbug system. If so, there were 
greater humbugs legislated on in this hall. 
Mr. Hunt remarked that if it was too late to 
serve one part of the country with seeds, was 
that a good reason why the other should not be 
supplied? Should that keep us from doing 
right? When he heard the friendship of the 
gentleman from Alabama expressed he dis¬ 
trusted it. Congress is bound to promote the 
interests of agriculture, and this is the way to 
do it. 
Mr. Houston said the gentleman might enter¬ 
tain whatever opinion he pleased relative to his 
friendship. He presumed other gentlemen un¬ 
derstood he did not oppose the amendment. He 
merely made the suggestion, which he thought 
was proper. 
Mr. Clark repeated that the different European 
Governments have sent seeds and bulbs to the 
Patent Office for distribution, and thus an obli¬ 
gation was imposed upon it to reciprocate, and 
this appropriation is to carry out that object. 
Mr. Jones (Tenn.) said the gentleman had 
given one of the best reasons which, to his mind, 
was conclusive against the proposition, and that 
was, the Commissioner of Patents has agreed to 
interchange seeds with foreign Governments; 
thereby he has incurred a responsibility which 
is not authorized by law. For one, he did not 
intend to vote to comply with the obligation of 
any executive officer, from the President down, 
who has contracted it without the authority of 
the law. 
Mr. Chamberlain said that seeds could be 
planted in some portions of the country in the 
spring, and in other portions all the year round. 
Had it come to this, while we are expending 
millions of public money for every conceivable 
purpose under heaven, we cannot even appro¬ 
priate ten thousand dollars for the great agri¬ 
cultural interests. 
Mr. Gerrit Smith said, no doubt the farming 
interests would greatly benefit by the inter¬ 
change of seeds, and no doubt the mechanical in¬ 
terest would be greatly benefited by the inter¬ 
change of mechanical products, but the question 
was whether Government was the fit agent to 
do this. His firm belief was that Government 
has nothing to do with this class of subjects. 
In attempting to do this it would grossly violate 
its office and transcend its legitimate province. 
So long as Government confines itself to its own 
work it does that work well, and when it de¬ 
parts from its true and only province, there is 
great danger of doing all its work ill—hence the 
great abuse of Government. The only office of 
Government is to hold its shield Over the heads 
of its subjects to shelter them from foreign ag¬ 
gression and protect them from aggression upon 
one and another—therefore he hoped the amend¬ 
ment would fail. 
Mr. Wade said that Government could not be 
better employed at present than in promoting 
the agricultural interest which lies at the foun¬ 
dation of its prosperity. This Government un¬ 
dertakes to uphold every thing but agriculture, 
while it has established the Patent Office to 
serve the purpose of mechanical industry. He 
represented an agricultural people who were 
anxious that Government should act to promote 
their best interests. Commerce is fostered by 
subsidizing the steam marine of the country, 
and this kind of proceeding gentlemen think 
right. Commerce can put its hand into the 
Treasury and recklessly scatter the money of 
the people, while the. gentlemen are parsimoni¬ 
ous as to agriculture. 
Mr. McMullen was grateful to the gentleman 
for taking care of agricultural interests. He 
represented an agricultural community, but 
thought the appropriation rather extravagant. 
It is too late in the season to scatter seeds, four- 
fifths of which will not sprout. 
Mr. Middlesworth supported the amendment, 
coming from an agricultural district in which he 
knew that the seeds from the Patent Office had 
been of great benefit. Formerly the farmers 
were looked upon as unworthy of attention, but 
this honest and industrious class are now res¬ 
pected as they deserved to be. 
Mr. Campbell was in favor of the proposition. 
He could not concur in the remarks of the gen¬ 
tleman from New-York (Mr. Smith.) It is the 
duty of Government to protect agricultural and 
industrial arts. He disliked to see a want of 
harmony among the friends of freedom of any 
party. This is a time when they ought to cul¬ 
tivate harmony. He should regret to see that 
party burst up on the seed question. [Laughter.] 
Mr. Simmons said the House would recollect 
the South has profited by receiving germs of 
rice and cotton from abroad, even from the East 
Indies. The promotion of such exchanges is a 
kind of regulation of commerce. He supposed 
some gentleman would be coming forward with 
their grammars and their dictionaries to prove 
such an appropriation as the amendment pro¬ 
poses is unconstitutional. Government receives 
all the revenues from duties on imports and the 
public lands, amounting to fifty millions annu¬ 
ally. It discourages the grower to make inter¬ 
nal improvements, and is trying to throw on 
other localities that duty by tunnage duties, 
while at the same time it sends examiners 
abroad to search for some nook or corner in 
South America or Asia for a consul to fill his 
pockets with the public money, but the States 
are to do every thing without funds. 
Mr. Florence said there was in his District the 
richest neck of land for supplying the Philadelphia 
market with vegetables. It was called Passa- 
yunk, and was renowned in the political history 
of Pennsylvania inasmuch as it gave him a ma¬ 
jority of votes to send him to Congress. [A 
Voice —A pretty good vegetable specimen—and 
laughter.] The people get no protection on 
God’s earth but the little pittance of seeds. He 
did not like innovation, yet he thought he 
should vote for the Nebraska bill, but he did not 
care much for amendments. He stood flat- 
footed on the Constitution, but this had nothing 
to do with seeds. [Laughter.] He repeated he 
wanted to distribute seeds among the reckers to 
enable them to improve their vegetable pro¬ 
ducts, now the best in the Philadelphia markets. 
Mr. Pratt said this seems to be a fruitful 
theme of debate, and affords political capital for 
those who talk for buncombe. All are friendly 
to agriculture, while professing to be economists. 
It is said “time is money.” Would it not then 
be as well to vote the money at once and save 
that amount in time. 
Voices—Yes, yes; question, question. 
Mr. Clark’s amendment was adopted. 
For every dollar that Boston spends upon 
her city government, she spends a dollar and 
thirty cents upon her public schools. 
LIST OF PREMIUMS AWARDED 
AT TIIE FIRST ANNUAL FAIR OF THE NATIONAL 
POULTRY SOCIETY, 
Held in New-YorTc , on the 13 th, 14 th, loth, 
lGth, 17 th, and 18 th of February, 1854. 
Class I. 
For the best and largest variety, Silver Cup, 
$50, to Richard C. McCormick, Jr., of Wood- 
haven, Queen’s County, Long Island. 
For the second best do., Silver Cup, $25, to 
J. W. Platt, Rhinebeck, New-York. 
For the third best do., $15, to B. & C. S. 
Haines, of Elizabethtown, N. J. 
For the fourth best do., $10, to H. Johnson, 
of Paterson, N. J. 
Asiatic Fowls. 
For the best pair of Asiatic fowls of whatever 
sub-variety, Silver Cup, $20, to John McGowan, 
of Philadelphia, Pa. 
Shanghais —For the best pair or trio of Red 
or Buff, $5, to James Sherwood, of Norwalk, Ct. 
For the second best do., $3, to Henderson 
Greene, of Poughkeepsie, N. Y. 
For the best pair or trio of Black do., $5, to 
George P. Burnham, of Boston. 
For the second best do., $3, to Richard C. 
McCormick, Jr., of Woodhaven, Queen’s County, 
Long Island. 
For the best pair or trio of White do., $5, to 
Richard C. McCormick, Jr., Woodhaven, L. I. 
For the second best pair or trio of do., $3, to 
J. W. Platt, of Rhinebeck, N. Y. 
For the best pair or trio of Dominique do., 
$5, to R. C. McCormick, Jr., Woodhaven, Long 
Island. 
For the second best do., $3, to Sherman 
Smith, Portchester, N. Y. 
For the best pair or trio of Cochin Chinas, $5, 
to George P. Burnham, of Boston, Mass. 
For the second best do., $3, to J. W. Platt, of 
Rhinebeck, N. Y. 
For the best pair or trio of Brahma Pootras, 
$5, to B. & C. J. Haines, of Elizabethtown, N. J. 
For the second best do., $3, to Henry S. 
Freeman, of Cumberland, R. I.; $3 to Bennett 
& Plaisted, Great Falls, N. H.; $3 to R. C. Mc¬ 
Cormick, Jr., of Woodhaven, Long Island; $3 
to W. L. Wilson, of New-Britain, Ct. ; $3 to D. 
B. Haight, of Dover Plains, N. Y.; $3 to George 
Smith, of Valley Falls, R. I. 
For the best pair or trio of Chittegongs, $5, 
to H. S. Ballou, Blackstone, Mass. 
For the second best do., $3, to G. B. Prindle, 
of Norwich, Ct. 
For the best pair or trio of Javas, $5, to Dr. 
G. W. Lawrence, of Catonsville, Md. 
For the second best do., $3, to J. W. Platt, of 
Rhinebeck, N. Y. 
Special premium of $3 to George P. Burn¬ 
ham, of Boston, Mass., for gray and bronze 
Shanghais, of great merit. 
On All Other Gallinaceous Fowls. 
Black Stanish— For the second best pair or 
trio, $3, to B. & C. J. Haines, Elizabethtown, 
N. J. 
For third best pair or trio, $2, to Dr. H. H. 
Porter, of Bushwick, Long Island. 
Dorkings —For the best pair or trio of White, 
$4, to R. C. McCormick, Jr., of Woodhaven, 
Long Island. 
For the second best pair or trio, $2, to J. W. 
Platt, Rhinebeck, N. Y. 
For the.best pair or trio of Grey or Speckled, 
$4, to R. C. McCormick, Jr., Woodhaven, L. I. 
For the second best pair or trio, $2, to Sam¬ 
uel Faile, Westchester County. 
Polands —For the best pair or trio of White, 
$3, to J. W. Platt, Rhinebeck, N. Y. 
For the second best pair or trio of Black, $2, 
to S. S. Berden, of Paramus, N. J. 
For the best pair or trio of Silver, $3, to J. 
W. Platt, of Rhinebeck, N. Y. 
For the second best pair or trio of do., $2, to 
S. S. Berden, of Paramus, N. J. 
Game —For the best pair or trio of Earl of 
Derby Game, $5, to J. K. Twambly, of Dover, 
