efforts will bring to you a deserved reward, in the advancement of your individual prosperity, in the exalted position of your county, in the additional strength of your government, the increased brilliancy of its example, and the advancement of the cause of good morals and free institutions throughout the world. And now, Mr. President and fellow citizens, allow me to congratulate you upon the success of that spirit of American enterprise, which, after years of exertion, has opened up to the markets of the world the products, and brought the citizens of the county of Shiawassee in close proximity to those of all the cities and States in the Union. The pioneers of Shiawassee have felt the adversity attendant upon agricultural pursuits, in being so far removed from market that their labors have been unrewarded. But the morn of Shiawassee's resurrection has dawned, and now we hear the shrill whistle of the locomotive as it traverses the iron road through the heart of your county. In a very brief time another link in the iron chain which binds together the East and West will be supplied, and the greetings of Genesee and Shiawassee, twin sisters of Northern Michigan, will be exchanged upon the great thoroughfare which will unite upon a direct line the waters of the St. Lawrence and those of the Mississippi. ST. JOSEPH COUNTY. J. C. HOLMES, Esq., Sec'y Mich. State Agricultural Society: SIR-The annual meeting of the St. Joseph County Agricultural Society was held at the Court House on Tuesday, February 5th, 1856. In the absence of the President and Vice President, Samuel Chipman was chosen Chairman of the meeting, and the Society then elected the following persons to fill the various offices of the Society for the ensuing year; President-M. H. Wakeman. Vice President-Erastus Chapin. Recording Secretary-Cyrus Foreman. Corresponding Secretary-H. W. Hampson. Treasurer-Wm. McCormick. Managers-Joseph Horton, H. Jacobs, H. Van Buren, H. K. Farrand and Richard Dougherty. On the 18th of March, 1856, the Executive Committee met at the Court House. Richard Dougherty was chosen Chairman, in the absence of the President and Vice President. The following claims were then audited and allowed against the Society, to wit: To P. M. Gray the sum of $92 75, for carpenter work done on fence and Fair building. To Cyrus Foreman, $27 96, for services done as Secretary and for cash paid out during the last three years. To Wilson Bishop, $3, for mason work done for the Society. Resolved, That the proceedings of the meeting of the Executive Committee, held on the 26th day of November, 1855, allowing Sam'l F. Goss $400 13, and Martin Emons $84 27, for services done and materials furnished on the Fair ground and buildings, be and are hereby sanctioned and confirmed. Adjourned. AUGUST 1st, 1856. The Executive Committee met pursuant to adjournment, M. H. Wakeman in the Chair. The 14th and 15th days of October next were appointed for the next annual fair, and the following list of premiums was then adopted and the meeting adjourned. LIST OF PREMIUMS To be awarded at the Sixth Annual Fair of the St. Joseph County Agricultural Society, to be held at Centreville, on Tuesday and Wednesday, October 14th and 15th, 1856. |