The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-05-14

the paSvenue WAC may 81 Vpi0 AeWyeUo oQu4Vp
for his wealth. but who would spurn him for his
worth without il, both find adulation from the sy-
cophants and courtiers OF the capital:
The evils grown in this soil, unlike the golden
fruit of Hesperides, seem to be nurtured by the
very poison OF the upas and guarded by the very
fangs of the asp. From the gentle glrl of sixteen
10 the withered man OF sixty, no one enters II but
his nature undergoes change from good to EVIL.
The trankness OF youth gives way 10 the suspicion
of age-the confidence OF men of honor to the dis
trust of villains Hence the open-hearted repre-
sentative from the South or the West, who expects
TO find In Washington a school for those accom-
plshments that grace legislator, discovers In the
course of short session, that the cordial greeting
among his native woods and generous people mas
been exchanged for the restrained clvihty OF the
molly city; and for the rehnements OF good 30
cety he has found the corruptions OF bad.
Exceptions TO the general rule OF the neglect OF
worth and the reward of worthlessness seem to be
made with skilful reference to the concealment of
the prevailing depravlty. Hence, you occasionally
find an instance of amlable merit promoted, to atone
for the osraclsm of conspicuous worth and brilliant
qualities. In the same degree is the patronage
to literary men extended The harmless madness
that periodically shows Its symptoms in fits of raw
ing poctry-the weak and sickly poemics that from
time to time take venerable strides in feeble prose
now and then find in the Treasury an asylum, and
IN ITS nutritious pap remedy tor their disease
To give appearance of health to this invald com
pany Is sometimes found the vigorous mind OF a
struggling youth of talents, the ripe experience OF
a learned man OF age, whom poverty has forced to
abandon the slow rising OF profession, or driven
from the precarous field of literature, and compe!l-
ed TO loan their able pens to the support OF feeble
men. Thus they corrupt talents before they notice
them or else they would leave these rare in
stances of patronage to the cold sympathy of the
adage which, intoxicating that merit Is Its own re-
ward" leaves the government to conclude that no
one else should think of rewarding it.
So closely linked is this political state with the
social, that the rewards of virtue and the punish
ment of vice are governed by law OF defamation.
Society, taking It's course from the pernlclous ex-
ample of government, patroniZe, with the same
indscrlminate rule, unworthy men, who are sui
fered to run riot among 1t. The. encouragement
given to profigacy, IN the one instance, affects
good morals, the qualification extended to worth
essness, in the other, corrupts good manners. The
evils resulting from this do not, most instances,
fall upon the evil-doers no, they most always
descend upon innocent heads. AS conse-
quence, SANDER upon virtue, has been found a
most omnlpotent weapon in Washington to
protect guilt, and to most relentless and savage
extent has it been used. Strangers, who find
the seat of government to carry on
season of intrigue, are very confident IN degree
of security against exposure in the existence of so
many of the remedies of the elegant Alcibiades*,
prepared by the most licentious scandal-mongers of
the capital This class hold their meetings as re.
guarly as Congress, and nominate candidates to fill
the most conspicuous positions in metropolitan
scandal. BY the unanimous voice OF such an as
sembly, the belle of the first season is too often
made the victim of the last-while all the interme-
dlate grades of fashion on the outskirts OF the tenn
pie have their yearly sacrifice to offer, mostly in
little grls-in order to propitate the great Moloch
Although these evils are apparent to every unpre-
JUDGED mind although their consequences are dis
tressngy felt by every sensitive citizen-although
they are the subject of daily conversation in every
private clrce-yet the subservency and sycOphancy
of press, and the bigotry and prejudice of ano
Their, shrink from defending, the weak for fear of
offending the strong. Hence the only exposure they
receive is from the occasional structures of the pull
pit, where, under the protection of religion, the
meek humility the devout faith of some intrepid
preacher is not fearful of attacking vices In high
places.
Every step in new path of conscientious duty is
beset with peril; but whatever may he the conse
quences of the undertaking, shall not shrink from
the responsibility of exposing these abuses, whe-
Their they are sanctioned by the bad example of
society, or sustained by the corrupt patronage of
government JET.
There is Grecan story related Of Alcibiades that
he cut off the tail Of his beautiful dog to direct public
attention from his graceful follies