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tion of government, its great men, led on by our Washington, have done 
much to encourage agriculture, and to make it what of right it should 
be, the twin sister of commerce, manufactures and trade. The govern¬ 
ment has also done much to advance this, the leading pursuit of its 
subjects. 
Societies for the promotion and study of agriculture have sprung up 
in all parts of our land, and the result has been greatly beneficial to the 
producing classes. They have been the prime means in bringing about 
that advancement and progress in agricultural pursuits, which the last 
half centuary has witnessed. Other means too have done much to aid 
the same cause. In every direction the arts of peace are extending the 
strong arm of help to those who depend upon the cultivation of the soil 
for a livelihood. One of the most powerful of these is the railroad, with 
its iron horse, traversing and re-traversing the broad acres of more than 
five millions of farmers in the United States. It brings a market to 
every man, or if you choose, brings every man to market. Even here, 
where less than a quarter of a century ago, the white man had no fixed 
habitation, no fields of waving grain, or roving herds—the untiring en¬ 
ergy and enterprise of the day has discovered important channels of 
trade, and is fast putting upon them those conveyances that bespeak a 
ready market to every producing man in the country. 
What—with the agitations that are moving the old world, and are 
likely to continue for years—the wars and rumors of wars, like those 
predicted to come in the latter days, all tending to the benefit of the 
American farmer, so long as peace stays at home; what—with all these, 
over and above the natural opportunities for securing wealth, possessed 
by producers at all times—you may not expect of benefit, advancement, 
and ultimate success in your occupation, I leave you to judge. Of one 
thing you may rest assured, that all your labor to promote the interest 
of agriculturists will be a thousand times repaid, not only in your own 
day, but in years to come when your descendants shall fill the places 
you now occupy, and meet to celebrate for the hundredth time the anni¬ 
versary Fair of your society. 
Long ere then—bonded as she is—on the East by Lake Michigan, on 
the North by Lake Superior, on the West by the Mississippi River; all 
navigable waters, that connect, or soon will, without interruption, with 
