Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-02-16

goes, was by no means credltaple 10 tnelr
chief. This affair had hardly passed on
when Gen. Hazen came to the font with
scheme of n different sort but which reflects
no more credit on his brains than the other
thing did on his character. he has issued
volume VI ninety-three closely printed pages,
and distributed it 10 the officers and soldiers
under his orders, with the following injunct-
ion pasted on the fly leaf "The text OF this
book will he committed to memory by (here
the name of an observer Is iuserted), who
will be guided by the directions 1t contains
Inspecting Ulcers will report If the order Is
not Observed" Now this delightful little
volume which Santa Claus 1lazch has lnser-
serted in the stockings of all his legionalies
contains the constitution of the United States
in full with the amendments and the names
of the sgncrs; the articles of war, with many
references TO decided cases, extracts from
army regulations and statutes, besides the
orders and rules pertaining specially to the
signal service. The minute details OF army
and navy etiquette in all circumstances, the
rules for laying out camps, posting sen
tincls, detailing and conducting courts
martial, and, in fact, the whole du-
ty of soldier and sailor, with the
penalties for misconduct, and much other
information of an equally pleasant and valu-
able character, is given in this 'Wca,her
MANS wade mccum." All this stuff, it is to
be remembered is to be committed to men,
o,y By each und every signal service ooscrv-
or. In his exalted and solitary eyre with
the winds and stars for companions the OBJ
server cons the precious book and learns by
ro,e that immortal document the constilu-
ttion of the United States, its amendments,
and the names of all its signers-a venerable
and illustrious roll, without memorizing
which. it is too obvious 10 require
argument no man is capable of prop
cily observing the weather OF the coun-
try which the siguers founded. Hav-
ing concluded this slight aud easy task
the observer next turns his attention 10 the
articles Of war, and thence amblcs his peace
full way through the remaining contents OF
this useful book, paying of course especial
attention to the elaborate rules of etiquette
for the soldier, the sailor and the weather.
wise man-the whole thin. Icing committed
to memory under the stern and watchful eye
of the inspecting officer.
Thus in the budding mind of the weather
observer are implanted the principles OF free
dom and constitutional government The
theory of the art of war, on land and sea ;
and above all, the elements of politeness. 1t
is undoubtedly this latter object princi-
pallv, that General Hazen had in view
in this business. De Quincy says that
many man dates his ruin from
some murder which lie thought little OF, at the
time but by easy and almost imperccptible
gradations he committed crime after cline
until at last he was guilty of the awful and
objectionable crime OF unpolitencss. Gen.
IIazcn evidently regards the possibility OF
such decline aud fall among his cohorts
with horror. and is doing his best to prevent
it. 1t is, however, great mistake That Ills
| book does not contain the words OF wisdom
on this subject uttered by his immortal pro-
to,ypc and cNcmpar, MIR. Turveydrop, ms
chronicled in the vcracious history of "Bleak
House" In so important matter it is well
to st at the feet of master; and such was
Turvcydrop- according to the llazcn idea,
In the meantime, pending the awful de-
struction of lrain-phosphorus by the
weather Observers in their heroic struggle
with the new gospel of llazep, the public can