National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1873-10-18
THE FREDERICK COUNTY FAIR.
visit OF the Governor Of the District and
Party TO Frederick.

The lover Of light and lively reading
had better skip this column and turn to
some other portion OF the REPUBLICAN. 1t
Is all about agriculture, about Durham bulls
and Marino sheep, about Berkshire hogs,
short crops and long crops, short horns and
long horns. At the present time these cx-
citing subjects arc tho grca. topics Of discus
sion In our leading journals and political
conventions. Day after day, and night after
night they are the objects Of profound analy-
sis and investigation on the part Of our
statesmen; the deep aud impcnetrablc mys-
terics which bcwilder the gigantic intollccts
Of our Senators and Congressman. During
the last six months agriculture and all that
pertains to farms and farming has become
most attractive and enchanting study.
Gentlemen who live in brown stone fronts,
who ride over wooden pavcments, whose
well-polishcd boots never touched the morn
ing dews, have conceived sudden and unac-
countable love for cows and COW sheds, for
patent gates and improved mowers, for the
best kinds Of winter wheat, the relative
claims of the different descriptions Of clover
and the merits and dement's Of this and that
manure. That the citizens of the capital are
| not behind the West and tho South and the
North In their love and admiration for the
hardy husbandmen who till our golden acres,
| who form the foundation of this mighty
Republic. Is plainly shown by the visit
this week of Governor Shepherd and a
distinguished party Of well-known gentlemen
to the Frederick county fair. The world of
Washington has very little idea Of the keen
interest felt by our leading officials In this
fascinating subject, Of the vast amount Of
Information which fhay N rd IN
1t, Of the thought and the study they have
given to the elucidation Of the mysteries Of
the farm and the potato patch.
Mr.. John W. CARROTS comfoi table railroad
car which conveyed the party to Frederick
had scarcely rolled out Of the Baltimore and
Ohio depot, at eight In the misty morning, when
Mr.. Thomas L. Hume drew forth an essay OF
one hundred pages on the turnlp crop, and
| read Ii, to the intense delight and cdihcation
OF N. B. Fugitt, Richard Harrington, our
Granger secretary, Colonel Amos. Webster,
John A. Baker, Colonel Payne, Major Van
dcnburg, DR.. Barnes, Colonel Wall, DIR. Cox,
George s. Gideon, George s. Koontz, Joseph
Mattingly, Major Fleming, Mr.. Carver and
Joe Williams. Judge Bradley, who Is rs cm-
inent at the plow as at the bar, the president
| OF the Montgomery County Agricultural So
ciety, declared 1t was one Of the best things
he ever heard, and at the close Of the reading,
which was greeted with immense applause,
l
WEEKLY NATIONAL REPUBLicAS, the best
agricultural paper In the country, and the
metropolitan organ Of the Changers.
Mr.. Humes eruditc address was followed
by an interesting discussion, which VIC ex-
ccedingly regret the limits of our space will
not permit us to report. John 4. Baker
spoke at great length upon new patent
| reaper. Col. Webster, In immaculate Jouve-
nal gloves, told, In low Dutch, what he knew
about this years crop of cereals; while Sec
rotary Harrington made an eloquent dis
| course upon the proper treatment Of beets
| Uncle George became so excited and en-
thusiastic that he proposed the immediate or
ganization Of the Capital Grange" nomi-
mating Nat. Fugitt as patron, Richard Har-
rington US secretary, and himself as treasurer,
q proposition which was carried by acclama-
ton. Uncle George declared that II there
was anything in this world which he loved IL
was buttermilk. He believed In buttormilk.
Buttermilk was big thing, " and II all his
young friends would only take his advice and
stick TO buttcrmllk human nature would un-
dergo an organic change; that with butter
milk as steady drink we should all be vir-
tuous and happy. Attorney Harrington could
see no force whatever In Uncle Georges re-
marks. Buttcrmilk was all very well In It's
way, but If we all drank buttermilk what
would become Of District attorneys, to say
nothing about their assistants'
At this point George &. Koontz broke up
the interesting meeting by announcing the
arrival at Frederick.
IL had evidently been pretty well adycr-
tised that two Governors would be In town
that morning. Mr.. Shepherd and his grangcrs
were received by committee, headed by
DR.. Fairfax Schley, and escorted to carriages
In waiting TO carry them to the fairgrounds.
The party, however, was too numerous for
the vehicles, and the larger portion were
| slowed away In an express cart. II was an
Inspiring and stirring scene, that procession
TO the fairgrounds, about a quarter of
mile from the clustered spires, and In tho
midst of the meadows rich with corn"
First of all there was Lieutenant Colonel
Fleming, with the valiant company ID, pre-
coded by Donchs baud Governors Shepherd
and Whyte, Ex-Governor Bradford and the
Hon. Richard Harrington In q carriage, the
dimensions Of which were rather too re-
stricted for so much official avoirdupois.
The express wagon, filed with the grange,
brought up the rear, attracting universal at
tenti0n from the thousands on the sidewalks,
In the windows, on the housctops and In the
stately trees which looked down upon Lees
dispiriled, retreating army, and saw the
loyal troops follow In swift pursuit. The
resolution was formed, but It must be broken
the resolution to Lot Barbara Frietchic sleep
undisturbed her patriotic sleep. The fact Is
there Is good deal Of poetic license In that
poem Of the Quaker poet. In the first place
there were two flags and the dear old soul,
whose memory becomes more and more fra
grant with the flight of years, never waved
the alag the men hauled down." but another
flag Of much smaller dimensions Then,
there was no shooting at the old lady, and
Stonewall Jackson's little speech Is as purely
fictitious as q good many things In this col
umn. All vestigc Of the little house has
passed away. II stood at one corner of the
bridge, and, q red-hot Republican assured
me, q Democratic city administration found
il cxpedlent to improve Il ont Of existence,
and turn the waters over Its foundations u
few wears ago, The band, the military CONE