Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1841-11-24
RICH MO ID:
WEDNESDAY MORNING. NovnM,R "a
JUST SENTIMENTS WELL EXPRESSED.

JUST SENTIMENTS WELL EXPRESSED
The Savannah Republican, in the subioined ar =
,cle, exposes with irresistible force, the folly and
weakness Of that OF men, to say nothing of their
inlquIty, who are forever harping upon their con-
sisisney. This catch word has long been cloak
for political chaTatans and the public need no
better evidence Of the weakness or wickedness of a
politician, than the boast that he has always been
consistent. lie must Jc weak indeed, if he has
not grown wiser he grew older; and if he has
changed his opinions, and conceals or denies the
fact, it argues insincerity and uuworthiness Of
trust. In either contingency, e is a character who
ought TO be repudiated. BY this, however, we
would not be understood as maintaining, that there
are not Inconsistencies which merit reproba,on.
Far from 1t. Changes Of opinion-clearly referabe
to mercenary and selfish consideration, canno, b..
too severely rebuked. But discerning pu bic will
always discriminate and if Just TO themselves, will
punish the merccnary upostacy, and reward the
honest change Of opinion-which, whenever met
with, is an enrnes, of honesty, independence and
boIdness Of thought.
From the Savannah Republican
"Oh! Consistency, thou ar. a JetotI!n
The Presidents consistency, like Gov Marcy's
ineXpressiOes, has become quite national affair.
Our readers will remember that Governor Marcy.
while occupying the Gubernatorial chair of New
York, or while acting in his Judicial capacity, we
do not reeoIiee' which, charged in his bill of travel
ling expenditures, fifty cents, paid to a tailor for
re-seating his brooches. During the political cam.
palsn which came eff short time after these same
hreeches became a subject Of political discussion Of
| the highest importance. They were turned inside
out and upside down, until the very stitches in the
patch were counted. So II is with John Tyler's
consstency-although ma tier Of private concern
is likely to agitate the nation little during
the current winter. When bill is presented TO
our Wing President now, for his signature the
question which Instantly occurs TO his mind is-wil
my approval be consistent with my formerly ex-
pressed opinions mot, is 1t right is il Just will
1t promote the interests Of my country as was tn.
good old fashioned way. Not only does the Presi.
dent resolve this weighty matter through most o.
his Constitutional ten days, but all his presses 1.-THE
all, we believe, is made up of the MadisoniaB and
Benneps Hs'a!d) set TO work and hunt up his Ex-
eellencys old speeches and letters, to find out to
whatand how far he has formerly committed him.
sell Now we propose TO continue structures
! upon this unstatesmanIke course. And first, we
have 10 observe that the father Of the consistency
| school IS undoubtedly MIR john G.. Calhoun IL Is
far from our purpose TO enquire how far the head OF
| the sect himself has practIsed what he preached
We oplne that It matters very little to our readers
how often he has Changed-enough for them that
| he never changes for the better. Mr. TYLER is per.
haps. one OF his most distinguished disciples and
thoug1 he has never, 50 far we know, under
10 follow his leader through all his devious wind
/ ings, yet he has thrown sundry backward and for
! ward somcTscts on his hook. But II is not our
/ intention to follow even MIR Tyler through his
amusing performances, but 10 strike at the root OF
/ the whole matter We dCspIse and oa'ue the
whole consistency schOni. Firsj, because /, IS I'M
possible for any upr ght and honest man 10 be con
sis,ent with his previously expressed opinions
through series OF years, IT he improves at al and
because It Is sheer humDu- gerry and impos;ufe TO
pretend TO what only belongs to the attributes of
The Deity and Sc ondy, because this ever seeking
alter consistency Leuays absurd reverence for
the names n things instead Of the things Them
selves.
FIRST then, Is any mortal man, politician or not,
consistent IN all his words and acts through long
series Of years, thro' a life time 2 We say, un
hoSitaIirgy, that such mOria trod the earth
Every philosophical mind will admit, upon the
slightest reflection, that our TOId to knowledge and
I wisdom IN this lie, u over path Of errors; not
only IS It 50, but these errors are regular aud pro-
gtessvr, like the rounds Of ladder, so that each
stage Of human existence has its peculiar errors,
beginning With those Of Clry youth then with hose
Of adoiescCnce-Laen with those Of manhoOI-then
with those Of natufity-and lastly with those Of old
age. Not un!requenIy the subject apsss from a. %
highest point Of perfection, l. urlty, back agiin
into the S'si errors Uf youth, and hence the last pc
One who does not examine profoundly into the
subject ready TO soy here TIM. there then
IN striving to obtain knowledge aud wisdom, II we
only pass from error to error; nut we only call the
highest point Of huuAn attainment, (vz. the results
Of mature manhood" error, because there is such
thing as absolute mental perfection IN this world
Until a man arrives at the fullest maturity, no is
constantly abIunng gross ertors-iheso grow less
and less absurd until he arrives at the highest point
Of wisdom Of which We are psbie. JOhn G.. Cal.
hOun and John Tyler themselves will readily CON
TESS hat ~ all their mental operations Tor the last
thirty years other than political, they conscious
Of having nbjured error oitof error. Indeed this 10
the only Way We have 10 obtain wisdom. Were il
Otherwise, we should be ntutivoiy wise, which no
mere mortal has ever pretended 70 be, that We
know o. Men ascend the heights Of knowledge
&C they ascend high mountains by using the rugged
and painful obstacles IN the way rs lulcrums or
Many little vaia fools stop after having made the
very hrst s'Cp, and turning themselves about declare
that they can see the whole world. -Thesc arr, per
haps, the most consistent men in the world Tor they
never change, they logged md mulish IN their
adherence 70 hrst errors, but then they nonss-
tent fools. MI Calhoun and Mr.. Tyler will not
claim immunity with these1
| Why, even mathematical knowledge, in which
We attain the most absolute results Of any other
mental ratocnaton, establishes Hs propositions as
much or more by proving what Is not, as u does by
proving what is-by stepping fret upon tho errors
10 81 Itch AZ the truths above. The fact Il, our
whole mental machinery is imperfect our reason
ng powers are like our pbyscal-they must have
something 10 rest upon; truth must have error 10
lean upon, as the lever requires the fuIcrum
| The brightest genius that ever shot Up ne me.
teorc splendOur over our poor tame work a day
world, never achieved lie results al the first bound
| by intuition. The whole structure Of our minds
requires the constant eliminating power OF contrasts
az only know the brightness Of light Ivy the
eternal gloom Of profound darkness. Who ore
these men, then, that pretend TO an exemption from
the errors Of mental progress1 Who are they that
pretend that Trey alone, Of oil the world, obtain
pure gold without dross1 They are politicians
Politicians, quotba And is politics such pure
science that its professors must needs be EXEMPT