gift to man, as did England, France, and Russia. That a government
should interfere in the breeding of horses is no new thing. The Arabs
of the desert boast to this day of King Solomon's stud of horses; but
in each and every instance where a nation has regulated and encouraged
the breeding of the horse to a high standard of excellence, they have
all begun at the primitive, or Arabian. Thus England in boasting of
her thoroughbred race horse admits it to be of Arabian origin. Russia
in boasting of her Orloff trotting and saddle horse tells you it is of
Arabian origin. France boldly informs you that her Percheron is but an
enlarged Arabian, and offers annual special premiums to such as
revitalize it with fresh Arabian blood.

After the war of 1812 our forefathers imported many Arabian stallions
to recuperate the blood of their remnants in horses. From 1830 such
prominent men as Andrew Jackson and Henry Clay said all they could by
private letter and public speech to encourage the importation of and
breeding freely to the Arabian horse, and specially did the State of
Kentucky follow the advice of Henry Clay, so that from 1830 up to 1857
Kentucky had more Arabian stallions in her little district than the
combined States of the Union. Kentucky has had a prestige in her mares
since the war, and it comes in the larger amount of Arabian blood
influence she has had in them, than could be found elsewhere. Kentucky
is shut in, as it were, and retaining her mares largely impregnated
with Arabian blood, all that was necessary for them to do was to get
trotting-bred stallions from New York State, then eclipse all other
States in the produce. While I cheerfully award to Kentucky all credit
due to it, I am not willing that Lieut. Robertson should make his base
for government breeding establishment sectional, nor would I submit to
England through Kentucky. I am too American for that.