Democratic banner., 1849-08-20
WHOLESOME TRUTHS BRIEFLY TOLD

Reader, cast your eyes over the following ex-
cellent article from the Newt orleans Delta, an
able PAPER, but neutral in politics, and your at
tenfion will be secured for an attentive perusal.
The Delta is a good judge Of human nature, and
expresses our views in the following remarks
to a T:
Old POIiticians--Their Baneful lnfiu.
ence.-NepOtism.
The addresses of Benton and Calhoun,
exposing each others Inconsistencies and
errors, serve at least, one good purpose
they illustrate the folly of the people Of this
Union submitting to the control, the dicta-
ton and influence of old politicians. These
ancient politicians are becoming clogs, nuis-
ances, membranes, who keep the govern
ment and the people in perpetual excitement
and turmoil, by their selfish schemes and
.sqabbles. They seem to think that the coun-
try was made for them, and that the whole
world must stand still until their personal
grievances are settled. Here we have two
gentlemen of high talents, great experience
and venerable age, who might devote the
small fraction of the life left to them to the
advancement Of the honor and prosperity of
their country, employing their time and tai
ents developing their own unvarying homes
ty and immaculate purity, and ~denouncing|
the unheard-of villsiny, treachery, and dis
honesty of their opponents. All Missouri is
kindled to a white heat, BY the egotistical
assumptions of superior wisdom and patri-
otim of Mr.. Benton, and his furious and viru-|
lent abuse ofMr. Calhoun. ALI Carolina is
is in a blaze of indignant horror at the at
tack on Mr.. Calhoun, and exults, in fierce
heroics. over his mastery expose of Ben
toms follies and his own unswe, wing pro-
priety and consistency. What barbarian
folly and madness is all this! Thank God,
Louisiana is not afflicted with any particular
great men, who think themselves of such
Importance as to Justify their ~monopolizing
the attention Of the whole people with their
biographical and auto biographical sketch
es! We may have a few great men in en-
bryo-there is n in our eye, who does
sometimes play on this limited sphere, an
Indifferent imitation, of these great actors
on the national stage; but our great men are
either cut down in early bloom, or mature
so early that they soon fall into decay, or fly
to climates and countries more congenial to-
humbuggery.
Now, Of what importance Is it to the PEG.
pie, and what ~justiiss their feeling any deep
interest or passionate excitement on such
subject, whether Thomas H. Benton is what
he declares himself to bs,-a man of I'M
varying constsncy and consistency, Of un-|
failing sagacity and profundity, and Of ter
rible courage and iron frmnsss; or whether
he is, as Mr.. Calhoun represents him, a man
full Of Inconsistencies and bad qualities
So, too, of MIR. Calhoun. Do not the PEG.
pie see that these quarrels proceed from q
miserable sel6shnsss and egotism? Do they
not see that these old politicians have been
too long INDUCED in their selfish game,-|
that they ought to be laid aside, or taught
to make better use oftheir talents, and new
men and fresh men brought forward into the
political world?
The possession of power, dignity, and
place, is calculated to make the wissst Of
men proud, vain, selfish and consequential
not to say corrupt. They get to imagine
that the place was made for them-that they
are essential portions of the governmental
machinery. But this is not the worst view
of the influence of these old politicians
They introduce into the government q sys-
tenn of nepotism, which is growing to a fear
full extent in this country. They fill the
public stations with members of their fami-
ly, most of whom possess no other merit
than distinguished relationship At each
successive distribution Of the spoils, they
crowd into the White House and the de-
|partments, begging something for a son or
~aon-in.law. We believe that there is hard
ly a distinguished politician in the country,
who has not thus provided for every male
member of his family. Mr.. Benton has both
of his sons-in-law in lucrative Offices. Mr..
Calhoun has ason in distinguished and easy
post in.the army, and a son-in-law q foreign
Charge;M Mr.. Clay has a son aforeign Charge
appointed by Q president whose election he
strongly deprecated; Mr.. Webster has two
of his sons in Office, and lately applied to
General Taylor for a third-to Gen. Taylor,
whose nomination he considered "not ft to
be made" Prompt and decided was the
response of the old General. "Sir, I con-