General and Incidental Views upon Agriculture [pp. 741-744]

VIEWS UPON AGRICULTURE. 743
Congress with so much wisdom that the intellects of Webster and Clay are completely thrown in the shade. As a legislator he interprets the constitution
according to his own pure and exalted ideas of philanthrophy; denies the constitutionality of the fugitive slave bill, and brings forward or sustains legislative
enactments by which this bill is rendered a nullity in his own State. As a judge,
he also denies the constitutionality of the fugitive slave bill, and discovers that
under the operations of the "higher law" there is no perjury in violating his
oath to sustain the constitution and laws, and therefore refuses to execute those
laws which do violence to his tender sympathies.
These are some of the ways in which the mind is unfortunately drawn off from
the useful and practical pursuits of life to gratify those vain and mistaken aspirations which afford but a poor compensation to the individual himself, while they
tend to disturb the domestic peace of the nation. In many of the thickly settled
parts of our country the greatest vagabond is found to be the most brawling politician. And even many of our humble but honest class of citizens are found
neglecting their farms to engage in political wrangling, or straining every nerve
to promote the election of a favorite candidate, upon whose success they appear
to think the very existence of our republic depends. If half the time and energy
which is now spent upon these profitless and exciting subjects was bestowed upon
that pursuit which, while it secures a calm and healthy action of mind and bodyr
provides liberally for the comforts and necessities of life, how much would individual and social happiness be promoted.
In many of the thickly settled parts of our country the greatest vagabond is
found to be the most brawling politician; and even many of our humble, but
honest class of citizens, are found neglecting their farms to engage in political
wrangling, or straining every nerve to promote the election of a favorite candidate, upon whose success they appear to think the very existence of our republic
depends. If half the time and energy which is now spent upon these profitless
and exciting subjects was bestowdd upon that pursuit, which, while it secures a
calm and healthy action of mind and body, provides liberally for the comforts
and necessities of life; how much would individual and social happiness be promoted!
The opinion obtains with many that the cultivation of the soil is a species of
drudgery, which cramps the mind and affords no opportunity for literary, politi cal, or scientific distinction. But this is certainly not the case; for our greatest
statesmen were farmers; and, when temporarily relieved of their official duties,
always returned to this pleasing occupation with more than ordinary zest. Even
the poor man who has to labor daily on his farm finds many moments of leisure,
in which he may store his mind with useful knowledge. Indeed his very occupa tion, promoting health, also gives vigor to his mind, and enables him to grasp an
idea with greater solidity of thought than the pampered bookworm who deals in
theory, and whose practical knowledge hardly extends beyond the art of tying a
cravat or making a mint julep. If then the poor farmer finds leisure to acquire
information from books, how much greater must these advantages be enjoyed by
him whose amount of means relieves him from the necessity of working with his
hands, and whose superior education affords him a groundwork for prosecuting
literary and scientific researches. Agricultural pursuits are not only attended by
a high degree of interest and pleasure, but may be varied by the enjoyment of
other tastes and amusements. Farming operations create no barrier to study or
the acquisition of a liberal education; but on the contrary repay the farmer for the.
knowledge he may obtain from the experience of others.
It is also a common belief that agriculture is so simple in its nature, that any
uncultivated mind may pursue it successfully. It is undoubtedly true that under
favorable circumstances of soil and season, with the necessary labor, fair crops
have been made without any regular system of culture. But it is equally true
that these very same crops would have been much augmented by the aid of the
improvements in agricultural science. And he who, wrapped up in his own con ceits, jogs along through life without availing himself of these improvements, or
profiting by the experience of the past, becomes a mere cipher in society. But
this is not all. The importance of a knowledge of agricultural science is chiefly
shown in its power of enabling the planter to contend against adverse circum stances.
By aid of the improvements which are now known, and which yet remain for
the intelligent mind to discover, vast changes may be effected, and great increase
of products obtained, even under unfavorable conditions of soil, season and cli