Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1847-04-01
THIRD-RATE MEN.

ohap'er OIL hii1l-rate men appears i'll the St.
Louis Reveille, neutral paper. The editor starts
with the text that the elevation Of third rate man
to first-rae office destroys the natural equilibrium
of things, and, if ill balanced and vacillating po
Icy be the result, in the administration of the 90
vernment, it may at least as caution for the
future. Upon this text we find the following com.
ment:
''Ihere must ever be lack of force and direc-
ton evlnced, during times ofexcitement, in the
sures Of The H,ird-Tate man. 1t is not he who thinks
it is not he who acis-and, consequently, no
other two among these who assume direction think
Ing alike, or having the same interests in view no
progress is made. The ''first man" should be the
head man, and where this is not the case response
biliy simply becomes net in which to enmesh and
render coniempble the incumbent In matters of
action, better be wrong than be feeble.
Another evil is that the elevation of ssthrd-rate
man. not only yor the time dissipaes that charm of
majesty which should surround important office,
but also sets the other third rate men on first rate
footing-in their own estimation. And first-rate
time they have of it !; increasing their dimensions,
after the Of the frog in the fable, and en-
tightening with their startling rslsilights, to
the infinite editication of the expectant myriads.
who mutely inquire-'Wha t'll they do next?o
All this, and infinitely more-which would be
amusing if it were not disastrous-is daily exem-
pfed lii the action. inacion of parties at Wash
ington. Without that weight of personal charac-
ter which, as by a law, conpels lighter minds to
cling it, the President is handled as puppet by
leading Senator of his own party, treated with
contempt by another, with indifference by another,
and so on these again, each king of his clique and
himself acknowledging no king whatever, openly
giving the country to understand that it can't be
saved, }" and stant be saved, unless by their re-
spective and peculiar prescriptions. The smaller
nrfnr Y,nl, f,ost lnxv ..,ll,,
quallv independent, patriotic and sagacious and the
best way Of proving this is, of course, to thwart or
embarraSs every step that might promise to be a
forward one. In the mean time, trouble abroad
confusion at home, triumph in the opposition, and
impotence on the part Of the people, the dominant
party are daily frittering away power, which, di-
rectcd by one whose grasp upon the helm would be
tet-by first rate mmt--coud not fail Of at once
reaching its object. We should like to see passed
some sort of jVilmot prouiso against any more
new men, being made Presidents !"
! The election of Mr.. Polk was gorified in some
quarters as special triumph of the democratic prin-
cpe IN this, VIZ that the less his claims might be-
OF grounds Of deserving, the more signal was the
! exercise of the power which elevated him by its
own strength. Democracy, grown jealous Of its
! distinguished men, ostracises them without cere-
mony and makes them stand aside for new man,
! not distinguished thus humbng the aristOcracy
| of talent, and showing the wantonness of absolute
sovereignty which delights in doing unreasonable
things to demonstrate its freedom from responsible
! ty Of any kind.
| IL the laws relating to the moral and intellectual
nature Of man were papable to the sense as those
which prevail in physical things, the caprice to
which We have just alluded would appear as OF n
| piece with that which would impel man to stand
upon his head TO show his agility. The posture
might show agility, but it would not be we'll suited
for walking or for making any kind Of progress in
scemly manner.
The relations of things according to fitness, pro
pTlety, and proportion, are regulated by laws per
tanning to the inward nature Of man-laws which
may be violated, in the fulness Of our moral free
dom, as the laws of physical nature may not always
be. yet which never fail to vindicate themselves IN
= the end - Baltimore ,americon.