Convention — Conditions of Progress. 
Ill 
I shall base my words on this fundamental truth in human expe¬ 
rience: That the issues of life are ultimately with ourselves, out of 
our own heads and hearts. It may take time and patience and skill 
to reach the right end, but it can be reached. 
The thing that comes last in the growth of the plant, the devel¬ 
opment of the animal, the unfolding of human life, is often not the 
least but the greatest. The tree does not reach its best fruit till it 
approaches maturity; several seasons pass before the cow shows 
her true qualities, and man’s highest powers, those of reason and 
righteousness, do not put forth either in the individual or in soci¬ 
ety, till the lower nature, like root-leaves, has spread itself broadly 
and luxuriantly on the earth. The classes that shall play a most 
conspicuous and interesting part in perfected human order come to 
the front slowly, and take on their strength with many mistakes and 
much hesitation. 
The arts and the fine arts, the social culture and the free institu¬ 
tions of the race, have originated in cities. The cities of northern 
Italy and central and western Europe have been the nurseries of 
our modern civilization; and if any part of a country has lain 
waste, it has been its farm lands. If any portion of the population 
has shown the dullness of ignorance and suffered the poverty of 
lawlessness, it has been the farming population. Hitherto the til¬ 
lers of the soil, in most countries, have been not nature’s children, 
but her foster-children, with the largest share of work and the least 
share of inheritance. All this is changing and to be changed, and 
those on whom nature will ultimately lavish conspicuous gifts, will be 
those whom she takes to her own most immediate service and culti¬ 
vation. But this result cannot be reached till intelligence and 
prosperity flood the land, and flow^out over the entire country. The 
farmer may be the latest to share the full benefits of civilization, 
but when his portion does come, it will be the liberal one of love. 
Benjamin was the youngest son. 
Of the conditions of this prosperity, as I conceive them, I wish 
to speak to you this evening. We look forward to a good time 
coming that reaches us, like the day, long before it is daylight, and 
yet longer before it is high noon; and we inquire what are the con¬ 
ditions of its progress, and what will be the forms of its good es¬ 
tate. The first condition will be this, I think; a large division of 
land, many homesteads, many independent cultivators. Farmers 
