Dr. Jno. A. Warder, Cincinnatti, Ohio. F. W. Rennick, Bloomfield, Ohio. Andrew Y. Moore, Pres't State Agr. Soc., Schoolcraft, Michigan. Samuel M. Bartlett, La Salle, Monroe county, Michigan. Gov. K. S. Bingham, Green Oak, Livingston county, Michigan. Geo. O. Tiffany, Cor. Sec., Madison, Wisconsin. J. P. Lapham, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Hon. Edward Bates, St. Louis, Missouri. M. M. Marmeduke, Arrow Rock, Missouri. Henry Ward Beecher, Brooklyn, New York. D. J. Browne, Washington, District Columbia. Com. Shubrick, U. S. N., Washington, District Columbia. Mark Miller, Madison, Wisconsin. Lawrence Young, Louisville, Kentucky. Wm. R. Prince, Flushing, L. I., New York. H. P. Hanford, Bristol, Elkhart county, Indiana. Geo. Graham, jr., Cincinnati, Ohio. Capt. Geo. Barrell, Brooklyn, New York. Col. Musgrave, Sulphur Springs, Ohio. Chas. Carpenter, Kelley's Island, Ohio. Gen. Jas. T. Worthington, Pres't State Board Agr., Chillicothe, Ohio. Choate Burnham, Hamilton, Massachusetts. Caleb Lyon, Lyonsdale, New York. Dr. Brewer, Ed. Boston Atlas, Boston, Massachusetts. CORRESPONDENCE, FAIR 1855. The editor, having determined against publishing all the available correspondence of the society, has taken, at random, the halt dozen replies following from those invited from other states to attend our fair at Chicago and the proposed railroad excursion thereafter. These few replies are a fair sample of the whole, and are given to show the general appreciation of the principle then adopted, and the feeling in regard to our society and state, as well as the great west at large. From J. H. Alexander, Maryland. JOHN A. KENNICOTT, ESQ., Cor. Sec., etc., etc.: MONTROSE, 13th Sept., 1855. DEAR SIR-I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt, yesterday, of your favor of the 5th, inclosing tickets for the Illinois state agricultural fair, which followed me from Baltimore to an estate here, where I had come for recreation. It would give me very great pleasure to be able to acknowledge your courtesy in person; but unfortunately for that, engagements already made will take me elsewhere during the period of your exhibition, and thus deprive me of an opportunity both of im- . provement and satisfaction. What is deferred, however, is not necessarily lost; and if a hearty appreciation of the objects of associations like the one you represent and good wishes for the successful attainment of its aim can avail anything on the part of an absentee, I may venture to hope that I co-operate in this regard almost as effectively as if I were personally present. Accept, I beg you, of those good wishes in behalf of the society, and for yourself the assurances of the respect with which I have the honor to remain, dear sir, J. H. ALEXANDER. From Allen W. Dodge, Massachusetts. JOHN A. KENNICOTT, ESQ., HAMILTON, (Mass.,) Sept. 12, '55. Sec'y Ill. State Agr'l Society: DEAR SIR-I have received from you a card of invitation to your fair, in October, accompanied by one from the Central railroad, for a trip on their line, directly after the fair. It would give me great pleasure to seo, with my own eyes, your magnificent west, destined to be-if not now-the garden of the world. I have been a constant reader of the reports of the Michigan, Indiana and your own state society, and have been profoundly impressed with the agricultural resources of those states, and also and equally with the zeal, enterprise and skill of the farmers who are engaged in developing those resources. My regret is great that my official business, as treasurer of our county, will not admit of my being absent long enough to visit you. Accept my thanks, both for your society and the railroad, for the invitation you have extended to me. Very truly yours, ALLEN W. DODGE. From Daniel Cummins, of Delaware. SMYRNA, October 8th, 1855. MY DEAR SIR-Your invitation to attend the Illinois State Agricultural Society, postmarked 5th ultimo, accompanied with a free ticket over the Central railroad, came duly to hand. For the honor please accept my thanks. My intention and arrangements were made to have met you this day, but owing to the sudden and severe indisposition of Mrs. Cummins on Thursday last, the 4th inst., I was compelled to abandon the tour, as well two or three gentlemen, who designed taking the trip, and adding to it a tour through Ohio, Kentucky, Virginia and Maryland. Our state society meets to-morrow, and I apprehend I shall not be able to attend it. The subject and practice of agriculture have engaged my constant energies; and, although the most important and most noble pursuit, seems to have the least protection. The improvements of our little state have been beyond all expectation, but I must acknowledge your superiority in the mechanical arts, industry and enterprise, for which you deserve high commendation. Please present my highest regards to the executive committee for the honor extended, and say to them if in 12 months hence such an inducement should be offered me I certainly shall make another effort to attend. I have for the past two years been very desirous to procure a machine, to be worked by one horse, to cut down corn, and, if I mistake not, saw such a machine upon exhibition at the Crystal Palace, New York. Frequent inquiries have also been made of me for such an article. Information has reached me they were manufactured and sold in your state. If such should be the case no doubt they will be exhibited at your fair. In case they are, and it would not be intruding too much upon your valuable time, it would confer upon me (as well as many others) a favor if you would have me placed in possession of a general description of the machine, with price, and instructions how to obtain them. Please excuse the length of my communication, as I yield to the disappointment with much regret. Yours very resp❜ly, DEAR SIR-Please accept my hearty thanks for your kind invitation to be with you at your forthcoming show, and be assured that nothing would afford me greater pleasure, were it possible. As circumstances out of my control will probably prevent my enjoying the rich treat you offer, and as you very justly require an early reply, (it ought to have been earlier,) I must, for the present, decline. And yet, such is my desire to visit your great state, with its 50,000 square miles-large margin for an empire-with its vast agricultural and commercial capabilities, and with railroads long enough to reach one-tenth round the globe, that I cannot close this brief communication without saying that if, beyond my present expectation, I should find it possible to leave home at the time, I will be on hand, hoping that you will consent to receive me at the eleventh hour. I will thank you to communicate my regards to R. B. Mason, esq., and assure him that a ride through your state on the great Central road would afford me the greatest pleasure, but that probably I shall not be able to enjoy it. This, if it is convenient for you to see him; if not, please drop the accompanying into the of fice for him. Very respectfully yours, J. A. NASH. From Edward Bates. ST. LOUIS, Sept. 10, 1855. To DR. JOHN A. KENNICOTT, Cor. Sec. Ill. Ag'l Society, at Chicago: DEAR SIR-I have just had the honor to receive your invitation to attend the fair of the Illinois State Agricultural Society, and, as requested, I hasten to send my answer. I grieve to say that this is the second time I have been thwarted in my strong desire to witness the exhibition of your very interesting and useful association. My official duties will begin on the second Monday of October, and will require my presence in St. Louis every day till mid-winter, and so I cannot possibly indulge myself in a visit to Chicago from the 9th to the 12th of October, (the time expressed in your invitation,) nor avail myself of the free ticket of the Ill. Central R. R. from the 8th to the 20th of October, so kindly and liberally sent to me by that great railroad company. It is a great disappointment to me to be obliged to forego the pleasures so courteously and generously offered me, both by the agricultural society and the railroad company. Although I cannot be with you to be an eye-witness of the amazing growth in quantity and improvement in quality of your productions, I can mingle my warm sympathies with your honest exultation in view of the wise zeal and persistent energy with which your state is making her rapid way to greatness. Production and locomotion and education of the industrial classes will assure to Illinois a development as rapid as that of her own roses of spring, and a maturity as solid and useful as that of her own golden harvests of summer. |