Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1866-02-16

The |. ). COMMISSIONER OF AcRIcULTURE.
The country at large docs not understand,
. probably, the amount Of talent 1t takes to
FIJI the position Of head OF bureau at
Washington. Certain it is, that the chief
OF the Department Of Agriculture is not
properly appreciated ls it known that we
have IN that responsible post an Isaac New
ton and that be Is a much bigger man,
unless be Is mistaken than Sir Isaac Newton
was ? II not, Is it known that the country
is dissraced by the placing and continuance
at the head Of the Department Of Agricul-
ture. Of a coarse, ignorant, utterly illiterate
man, who iawns on his supcrigrs, and
abuses his subordinatcs with equal meanness
who cannot write an English sentence, and
whose spelling would consign any Vermont
school boy Of ten years old, to a birchen rc-
fresheulns Such however IS the case. He
goes by tie name Of "old Peanuts'at Wash
ington, ami cold Peanuts last is "a much
quoted and laughed over there as Mrs Part
Ington ever was One Of the last which comes
to Us in roundabout way. but isundoubtedly
currently reported, is an order by Mr. New
ton, for a new "classifcation" Of the stuffed
birds in the Cabinet, on the principle that
those with the shiny foliage" be placed
in front SO as to hide the ugly ones behind.
We cut the following from a first rate
notice of this worthy, in the last American
Ayriculurist
If the Commissioner doesn't know that when
he visits the other Departments, it is a signal
for all the clerks 10 look out for fun We will let
him know it, When We wonder at the small G
suits Of the propagating garden, being q gov
ernment establishment with a most capable
hor;iculturist in charge Of it, we know that the
fault is not the Superintendent's. Other people
tell US. that every pear grape.and other fruit as
soon as il shows any signs Of ripeness, is picked
by the Commissioner or by his orders, and sent
to some Senator or other public functionary and
the whole purposes Of the garden, that Of test
ing and comparing fruits, etc, Is perverted.
Almost daily We see Gin some paper some eI-
preston Of the contempt in which the head Of
the Department is held, Of which, this from the
Washington correspondence Of morning paper
will serve as a specimen
"Among the visitors recently at the White
House was the Commissioner Of Agriculture,
who made brave speech to the President as
suring him of his ssnguine expectation for the
early conglomerstion Of the States through the
efforts of the Department Of Agriculture -
''The people has laid down their spears and is
beginning to take pruning hooks; and although
the fields is wasted and the land mourns,'
quoth Isaac, placing one hand patronizingly on
the Presidents shoulder, ''yet we will distribute
the seeds of harmony, tine fruits of concord and
garden sass generally, so as to let the South see
the effects Of good government and the wisdom
Of your administration Upon concluding his
remarks q oopious dew was observed to be shed
over the beaming countenance of Uncle Isaac;
but the President preserved his usual equani-
nifty and made no effort at reply. The employees
Of the department breathed easier upon the
Commissioners report Of the effect of his sd
dress upon the President, and their appreciation
of his abilities experienced no diminution.''