24 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
farmers. Infuse into the juvenile studies of your boys, the elemen¬ 
tary principles of physical science; of those fixed laws of nature, 
which regulate and control matter, organic and inorganic, a know¬ 
ledge of which is as beneficial to agriculture as it is to the art of 
war, or the healing art. Nay, there is probably not a business in 
life which can derive higher advantages from some of the sciences 
than agriculture. “ It is not the arbitrary laws of man that im¬ 
prove the condition of man; for if they did, there has been enough 
of them, such as they are, to have made him perfect long ago. No 
_they will not do; we want the development of the laws of na¬ 
ture, in agriculture, manufactures, commerce, education, know¬ 
ledge,” to improve his condition, his habits and his morals. Excite 
emulation, encourage industry and recompense useful talent and 
enterprise by pecuniary and honorary rewards. With these teach¬ 
ings and these encouragements, the work of agricultural improve¬ 
ment will be accelerated; intellectual and moral improvement will 
receive a new impetus: science and art will consort as twin sisters, 
as legitimately designed; industry will become more honorable and 
be more honored; agriculture will assume a higher walk and 
character; and, to borrow Sully’s simile, her paps will teem with 
nutriment, that shall fill every mouth with plenty, and every heart 
with joy. These things will lead to as benign a result here, as 
they have every where that they have been put in practice. They 
are as certain as cause and effect. “ Does any one think,” to quote 
a late writer, “ that the world is travelled over, so that nothing re¬ 
mains to be explored ? So far from it, the spirit of observation, 
when under the direction of science, labors with tenfold more suc¬ 
cess, and unfolds, even in the most beaten paths, a thousand re¬ 
sources of which man never dreamed. Look, for example, at the 
progress of horticulture. How many would have laughed at the 
idea of forming societies in reference to fruit trees, of which all the 
kinds were supposed to be familiarly known I And yet who does 
not know, that science is creating new varities, by following out 
the suggestions of nature? There can be no doubt, that science 
will be continually drawing out new resources from the vegetable 
world. Fruits that are now thought worthless, will be multiplied, 
like the crab apple, into rich and various kinds; roots, like the po- 
tatoe and mandioca, which were poisonous in their natural state, 
will be disarmed of their venom, and tamed for the service of man¬ 
kind.” “ The fact is, that every man, woman and ch Id, has a direct 
interest in these studies. Every man who owns a beast; every 
woman who lives where moths corrupt a garment; every child who 
rambles in his holidays, returns burning with poison from the hedge, 
has a direct and pressing interest in studies of this description.” 
On the old continent, it has ever been the fortune of the tillers of 
the soil, though constituting the mass of population, to occupy a 
subordinate and menial station in society. Though their privileges 
have been nominal, their burdens have been onerous; they have 
been literally the tax paying class. We profess to have thrown 
off the shackles from our yeomanry, and to hail them, particularly 
when we want their votes, as the enlightened sovereigns of the 
land; and sovereigns they truly are, and must continue to be, while 
our country remains free. But are they treated as such ? Are they 
educated as such? We have established and endowed schools for the 
special instruction of the minor classes—but have we established any 
for the special benefit of the major class—the working class—the 
farmer and mechanic ? We spend millions to protect our commerce; 
and we pay other millions in the form of custom-house duties—for 
it is the consumer who ultimately pays—upon the foreign commo¬ 
dities we consume, to encourage and sustain our manufacturing 
establishments. This is as it should be. But what direct aid do we 
give to our agriculture, the business that freights our commerce, 
and feeds our manufacturers? We have no discriminating duty 
which protects this branch of our labor, nor do we ask for any.— 
But we do ask fora more equal participation in theble-sings of pub¬ 
lic education, and for legislative patronage, to enable us to deve- 
lope the natural resources of our soil. 
There is another point, I think, in which justice is withheld from 
the agriculturist—I mean in the imposition of our taxes. The ba¬ 
lance of our mercantile and professional, and I believe manufactur¬ 
ing capital, consists in personal estate. The law allows so much 
of this to be exempt from assessment and tax as is equal to their 
debts, which are too often enough to cover their personal estate.— 
The property of the farmer consists principally of his farm—his 
personal effects being comparatively trifling, or of that description 
which the law exempts; and though he owes to the extent of his 
whole farm, the assessor is not allowed to abate a cent of its value, 
in consequence, upon the tax roll. The inequality of this rule will 
appear by supposing two individuals to start in business with a cre¬ 
dit each of $10,000 1 one buys a farm for this amount, and the other 
buys merchandize. Neither are in fact worth any thing, above 
their debts. By the existing law, the farmer would be compelled 
to pay a tax on $10,000, while the merchant would not be required 
to pay a cent’s tax. Is this right ? Is it equitable ? Does this 
not savor somewhat of the spirit of the aristocratic notions of the 
old world, which imposes onerous burthens upon the farmer ? The 
impression is irresistable upon my mind, that although we have 
done much to elevate the farmer to his true rank in society, we have 
not done enough to improve the powers of his intellect—to make 
him wise in his business, and useful to the republic. 
I come now to the question, what can this convention do in fur¬ 
therance of these great objects ? To this I reply—imitate the in¬ 
dustry, liberality and perseverance of the good men who have 
achieved equally difficult tasks, in other branches of public improve¬ 
ment, in our day and country. Inform the public mind, digest your 
plans, and enlist the co operation of your fellow citizens. Petition 
your legislature for the aid which justice and sound policy demand; 
and if they deny or neglect your prayers, carry your appeal to their 
fears:— threaten , that, with respectful but persevering importunity, 
you will continue to urge your claims, till more auspicious times, 
or a more enlightened policy, shall crown your efforts with success. 
Imitate the persevering examples of Ami Dardin and Corn’s Hig¬ 
gins, who renewed their applications for legislative justice, or le¬ 
gislative bounty, for more than twenty years, and until they finally 
gained a hearing, and got their reward. There is no dishonor in 
being discomfitted in a good cause, even twice or thrice, and there 
is much pleasure in finally triumphing. 
On motion of Mr. Viele of Rensselaer, a committee of one from 
each senate district was appointed to nominate officers for this con¬ 
vention, and to report names at the next meeting. The com¬ 
mittee appointed in accordance with the above motion, was Messrs. 
A. Van Bergen, H. Holmes, P. Jones, Gen. Hathaway, T. D. Bur- 
rall, J. McCollum, Charles Livingston and P. Pelton. 
On motion of Mr. Leland of Steuben, a committee of two from 
each senate district, was appointed to report the proper business to 
be brought before this convention, and the order of business that 
ought to be adopted therein. 
The committee chosen in pursuance of the above resolution were 
H. H. Jones and J. L. Graham, of the 1st district; J. Chambers 
and W. Cunningham, 2d district; A. M’Intyre and Joab Center, 
3d district; L. Bradish and G. Wendell, 4th district; J. B. Yates 
and J. B. Lewis, 5th district; J. R. Drake and Z. A. Leland, 6th 
district; J. Hopkins and J. C. Fuller, 7th district; C. H. Carroll 
and L. F. Allen, 8th district, together with the chairman. 
The convention adjourned to meet at this place to-morrow at 3 
o’clock P. M. 
Tuesday, February 9. 
The convention met at three o’clock P. M. Mr. Van Bergen 
from the committee to nominate officers for this convention, report¬ 
ed the following names: 
J. Buel of Albany, president. G. Wendell of Washington, 
1st vice-president; J. M’Call of Allegany, 2d do.; L. Bradish of 
Franklin, Sd do. ; P. Patterson of Genesee, 4th do. D. L. Dick¬ 
inson of Broome, and J. J. Viele of Rensselaer, secretaries. 
This report was unanimously adopted. 
Mr. Carroll of Livingston, from the committee appointed to re¬ 
port the business to be brought before this convention, reported as 
follows: 
The committee of sixteen, who were appointed to consider and re¬ 
port suitable subjects for the action of the N. Y. State Agricultural 
Convention, have entered upon the consideration of the duties as¬ 
signed them, with a thorough conviction, that the deliberations of 
t his convention were intimately connected with the interests and 
happiness of the large.-t portion of their fellow citizens through¬ 
out the state. 
(For Remainder, see Cultivator for March.) 
