offered up a devout and fervent prayer for the peace and prosperity of our country and the happiness and success of this society and all its members.

The President then announced that Daniel Shepherd, Esq., who had been selected to deliver the annual address, on this occasion, was confined to his room by Ill-health and could not attend, and that the Hon. Reyerdy Johnson, of Maryland, and the Hon. A. B. Conger, of Rockland county, New York, would address the Society at 2 o'clock, the next day (Friday), from the speaker's stand.

The President also announced that the premium list, as awarded, would be read by the Secretary, at the business office, at the close of the addresses.

The Society then took a recess until 2 o'clock P. M., on Friday.

Friday, Sept. 4.

The exhibition was continued during the 4th or last day, although the crowd was somewhat diminished from the preceding. The Superintendent's programme was carried out as nearly as it could be to the announcement, and everything was conducted to the entire satisfaction of the large concourse of people there assembled.

The Society was called to order at 2 P. M., when the President introduced the Hon. Reverdy Johnson, who delivered one of the most eloquent and patriotic addresses ever listened to by the members of this Society

Mr. Johnson was followed by Hon. A. B. Conger, who held the audience in almost breathless silence, by an able address apon the subject of agricul ture and the practical duties and relations of agricultural life.

At the conclusion of these addresses, on motion of Dr. Boughton, it was Resolved, That the thanks of this Society be tendered to the Hon. Reverdy Johnson, of Maryland, and the Hon. A. B. Conger, of New York, for the able, interesting and instructive addresses delivered by them on this occasion, and that they be requested to furnish a copy for publication with the society's transactions.

Extracts from Mr. Johnson's address is hereto annexed, but we regret that Mr. Conger did not comply with the Society's request.

The Society then adjourned, sine die.

AWARDING THE PREMIUMS.

The exhibitors were called to order, at the business office, at 3 P. M., when the several awards were read by the Secretary, and the prizes distributed to those who were present on the show grounds, with their prize animals, to receive them.

As soon as the reports were read, the Treasurer commenced the payment of premiums, giving a preference to those who lived most remote from hist office, and continued to pay until 7 o'clock, when it was announced that the remainder would be paid at any time at his office, on Broadway, Saratoga Springs.

Thus closed the 23d Annual Fair and Cattle Show of the Saratoga Agricultural Society, long to be remembered for what it had as for what it had not on exhibition.

The weather was exceedingly favorable, neither too hot nor too cold, for the comfort of everybody present.

With all the adverse influences which the Society had to encounter, the occupation of its grounds and buildings as a military encampment; the indifference and perhaps the hostility of many of the citizens of the village towards the exhibition, on account of the letting of the show grounds for warlike purposes; the want of sufficient time after the show was officially determined upon and announced, to make preparations for bringing forward the animals and articles which the farmers and mechanics had ready for exhibition when time and opportunity are given them for making a fine display of their property, and the prevailing doubt which seemed to pervade all over the county-the exhibition was successful.

Receipts, $1,664.20; disbursements, $1,645.20; balance, $19.00.

Besides the money premiums, 29 volumes of the Transactions of the State Society and of the American Institute were awarded, and 5 diplomas. The executive committee was in session from day to day during the exhibition.

The salary of the recording secretary was fixed at $100 per annum, payable quarterly, and that of the treasurer at $50.

The next meeting of the executive committee, being the regular one, was held in the village of Saratoga Springs on the 14th day of December, 1863. A resolution was adopted at this meeting, petitioning the next Legisla ture to amend the law imposing a tax on dogs, so as to require the county treasurer of this county to pay over to the supervisor of each town, the moneys collected from the dog tax therein, to be applied by such supervisor in the payment of all claims for damages arising from sheep-killing by dogs, duly certified in the manner now required by law, and the surplus, if any, to be applied to the temporary relief of the poor of such town; and the secretary was directed to transmit a copy of the resolution to the senator from this district, and to the two members of assembly from this county.

After voting down a proposition to ask the Legislature to repeal the law passed April 17, 1862, for collecting the agricultural statistics by school districts, the board appropriated this society's portion of the State fund, in addition to the books, to defray the incidental expenses of the recording secretary in taking the statistics.

A committee, consisting of seven practical farmers, was appointed to prepare and report, at the next May meeting of the board, a premium list for the next annual fair.

The following were duly elected general officers of the society for the year 1864:

President-Edward Edwards, of Corinth.

Vice-Presidents-Chauncey Boughton, Waterford; Samuel Hoyt, Sara

toga Springs.

Corresponding Secretary-James Thompson, Milton.

Recording Secretary-John A. Corey, Saratoga Springs.

Treasurer-Milo J. Jennings, Saratoga Springs, with an executive committee of two members in each town.

All which is respectfully submitted.

J. A. COREY, Secretary.

SAMUEL J. MOTT, President.

Dated SARATOGA SPRINGS, December 31, 1863.

ADDRESS OF HON. REVERDY JOHNSON, BEFORE THE SARATOGA COUNTY AGRICUL TURAL SOCIETY, SEPTEMBER 4, 1863.

Mr. President and Gentlemen of the Society:

In yielding to the request you did me the favor to submit on yesterday evening, it was with an understanding that you were not to expect an agricultu ral address. A practicing lawyer, though he may be the owner of a farm, is rarely, if ever, a practical farmer. In my case, I have not been able to take the time to make myself even a theoretical one. To excel as an agriculturist, requires devotion to study, as well as practice. All the elements of nature, as far as possible, should be understood-chemistry in its various branches mastered, the whole vegetable kingdom appreciated, animal anatomy comprehended, and the eye and the ear, as well as the understanding, disciplined to perfection by observation and experience. The seasons are to be watched and soils to be analyized; in a word, every mental faculty is to be improved. These things all accomplished, (and care and study can accomplish them,) the agriculturist becomes the most useful, virtuous and happiest of citizens. The very life he leads promotes and secures the highest morality. It is spent, more especially with him than with others, in the felt presence of Deity. He sees Him in the morning sun, feels Him in its genial and fructifying heat. Every breeze that blows, every drop of rain that falls, every grain that ripens, every flower that blooms, are witnesses of His existence, His power and His goodness to man. In the setting of the sun, as it is often seen departing in subdued but radiant glory; in the soft and beautiful light of the moon; in the stars that spangle the heavens, each a world in itself, he recognizes the grandeur and benevolence of God, and proof that "the hand that made them is divine."

Surrounded by these constant testimonials of a superintending Provi dence, and of the rule of order which they inculcate, a sense of responsibility can not fail to fasten itself upon his soul, and teach him that obedience to Heaven is man's first and most imperative duty. And with such a Teacher always impressing upon them order as "Heaven's first law," all civilized governments have found in their rural population that virtue most generally prevails, and all free governments have found in them their best and surest support. Happily for themselves, removed, however moral a majority of their citizens may be, from the thousand temptations to error with which cities abound, they hold the vantage ground of morality. The life, then that it is your good fortune to lead, you should especially esteem for its moral influence. And, if you have good cause to value it, what good cause has not the nation to be proud of it. Cities are necessary as marts of commerce. Of themselves, however, they are powerless. Not a merchant thrives but by means of the industry and skill of the husband

man. Not a table is otherwise supplied; not a ship sails that is not freighted with the proceeds of his labor. And if, in peace, his contributions to the general wealth and power of his country are so important, how vital are they to its support and defence when foreign or civil war raises its dreadful front. When treason strikes at the nation's life; when madmen, or the wicked ambitious seek its destruction, the chief support of liberty is with men of your vocation. And should our constitutional freedom ever expire, the fields and the mountains will be its last resting place, and their inhabitants its last votaries and defenders. In the wholly unjustifiable rebellion which is now causing the entire land of our southern sister States to tremble under the tread of hostile armies, as numerous as Xerxes ever marshalled, and visiting its people with afflictions that no language can truly depict, our hope of its early and complete extinction rests upon your pure and stern patriotism, and your love of regulated freedom. Your devotion to the constitution that our fathers gave us, the wisest and best with which any people was ever blest, is so fixed and immovable that no traitorous power will be permitted to destroy it. I am sure that you think and will continue to think as I do, that this cursed rebellion must be put down, now and forever. At present this can only be effected through the union of loyal hearts and the power of loyal arms. So long as the bad and reckless men (few in number), who for years plotted and instigated the rebellion, have the control of armies, the deluded but honest masses of our southern brethren will be kept in awe, and prevented from exhibiting, what I believe already exists to a great extent, their love of the Union, to which they must know that all their past prosperity is to be referred. But these armies dissolved, and they promise soon to be through the skill and valor of our troops, the authors of the afflictive strife will be seen seeking safety in exile, even from the indignation of the people they have so ruined, and the restoration of peace, fraternal affection and union, will, with one voice of gladness, be found filling the entire land. But to this end, moderation after victory will be found absolutely necessary.

[Mr. J., after discussing at length the condition of our country and the questions arising from the state of our affairs, concludes as follows:]

I hope that the time is near at hand, when the President will be able, through the result of the conquering progress of the nation's flag, and will be willing to issue a proclamation of amnesty to all but the leaders, who produced the fratricidal strife, inviting the people, our misguided brethren, to return to the family mansion. And if this should occur, and they should come, I am sure they will be welcomed back (in that opinion I anticipate your concurrence), with the same joy that filled the national heart when the tidings of the consummating of our independence reached our fathers in '83. That effected-and may it be at the earliest moment-we shall again start on a career of prosperity that will once more amaze the world, and of power that will effectually preserve us and our policy from foreign encroachment or insult.

Your labors, too, will then receive an additional impulse. You will then know that you will have secured to you, through all time, a country to be cultivated by yourselves and descendants, and a government to which you can look for every protection that a free people have a right to expect and

demand. Every sea will be more than ever alive with our commerce; every land filled, with admiration at our progress, and every government careful to observe toward us every national duty. We may then feel confident and happy, and fear no danger from foreign or domestic foes.

"With freedom's soil beneath our feet,

And freedom's banner waving o'er us,"

We will then be the rival and the envy of the world, and carefully abstaining from interfering with the rights of other nations, be found ever determined and able to protect all our own.

SCHOHARIE.

The second annual joint fair was held by the Schoharie County Agricul tural Society and the Schoharie Valley Stock Growers' Association, on the grounds of the Association in the village of Schoharie, on the 23d, 24th and 25th days of September, 1863.

The custom of changing the place of holding the fairs of the County Agricultural Society, yearly, caused much dissatisfaction among its members, in consequence of there being no grounds suitable for the uses of the Society. Three years ago the Stock Grower's Association was formed, and leased in the village of Schoharie, fifteen acres of ground, which has been fitted up with suitable buildings-and substantial fence-where the joint fairs of the two Societies have been held during the last two years; both of which were successful and satisfactory to our farmers and mechanics. At the last exhibition the shew of horses was good considering the draft made on our county for army and carriage horses. The show of cattle was very good. Mr. George Manning exhibited a string of six yoke of working oxen from his own farm, drawing a large cart loaded with a variety of farming implements, one of each, from a plow to a manure fork.

Mr. Joseph J. Brown had on exhibition twenty head of fine fat steers, from his farm in Carlisle.

Our farmers are evidently progressing in everything that tends to make them better agriculturists. Their buildings are being improved by painting and the erection of good barns and outbuildings, adding to the appear ance and convenience of their farms; their lands are being under-drained to a much greater extent than formerly; their fences are being straightened and made more durable, and their grass lands are better preserved from the cold frosts by a good covering of straw or manure; and now that we have the benefit of a railroad through our valley, our people are looking forward with a prospect that they have scarcely dared to anticipate-but in a fair way to realize all their hopes.

SCHOHARIE, Dec. 1, 1863.

TOBIAS BOUCK, President.