The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1850-10-17
How to Cure Diseased Politicians.

HOW 10 NuIc OlSedScU 1-OlltlCluuSs
The snbject of party politics does not
properly come within the scope of our pa
per, but in looking over our exchanges some
thing beside railroad matter will OCCASION
ally meet the eye; such for instance. us the
loud complaints which are uttered by the
South at the aggressions of the "Northcrn
barbarians," md the threats of disunion
which are now SO common in that quarter.
BY far the largest part of these complaints
and threats, we believe to be the stock in
trsde of political aspirants; who, to bring
themselves into notice, adopt the hyper-su-
perlative in action and speech, just as ultra
abolitionsts at the North do, for the same
object. These tricks on both sides are pret
ty well understood, and excite but little at
tention or concern on the part of the COM
munity. But we are hound TO believe thar
in both parties there are some sincere per-
sons who are really convinced of the truth
of all they say. In the North, where polit
ical ideas connect themselves with the re-
ligious views of a person, we frequently
find a very great pitch of fanatcism; but
upon purely political subjects, the South
outdoes us completely. The reason of this
is very obvious. With us, our greater fa-
CllltICS IOT SDCiti lUtcICOuTSt, UdS a Sttbilg
effect to correct and soften individual idi-
osyncriscs: and the busy and active business
habits Of our people, allow but little time
or opportunity for metaphysical specu
lations. And hence at the North we are
more moderate in the expression OF our
opinions, simply because conviction with us
is less intense than at the South. The
Southerner does not enjoy these correctiyes
to the same extent. The planter is COM
paratively isolated from the world. BY
fortune of birth, very like, his position and
pursuits in life are determined. In business
affairs he has little to do, but 70 jog along
in the same track that his father followed.
He has ample time for study and specula
ton, and in pursuing the bent of his own in
Iclnation, he has no corrective in the cir
cumstances by which he is surrounded to
prevent him from running to an extrav CANT
pitch. He lives in his own ideas. His
mind reacts upon itself, increasing the in
tenseness of his own convictions; so that
when he comes into public life, he presents
marked contrast to the sober, ploddiEg,
calculating Northerner. The former, there
fore, is bold, and emphatic, and states his
view in formulas, which are as rigid and
precise, as if they were used to express a
mathematical truth: and is governed as
much by them in the one case as in the 9TH
er The greater experience of the North
ern man teaches him him to state things by
pothetically, as experience has taught him
! that in business matters, probabilities on
either side always very nearly balance each
other, he carries the same cautious mode
of reasoning into bis political speculatons.
With him .a
1
sFThe native hue OF resolution is
Sickied DER with the pale cast ofthou.ht"
So that if the question of the dissolution
of the Union were presented 10 him, he
would deliberate so long upon the advan-
tages, pro and con, Of such a step, that the
time of action would l,ass by long before he
had made up his mind. The Southern man,
from his mode of reasoning, has all these
questions settled at the start. He has dem
onstrated them TO his satisfaction, and this
gives an emphasis to his conduct which
we rarely witness in bis more phleg,natc
neighbor.
| Now, as we want to see the Union pre-
served--or rather, since there is no danger
of this, we are desirous Of seeing the prop.
er remedies adopted for the purpose oi
bringing the eXtravagance of some Of the
Southern hotspurs to a comfortable anG
quiet point, both for the peace Of the com.
munity and their own good, we would sug-
gest to the more moderate of our Southern
friends, TO place such persons in positions
where their attention will be turned to, and
occupied by practical affairs. The advan,a
ges of such a course will be two fold. 1t viii
create distaste for theoretical speculation
from the superior charms that an active lift
possesses for most men; and it win at tn,
lsame time show these men that, in the pres
ent condition Of society at least, theory ant
the operations Of natural laws, are often an
ttagonistical; that in affairs, concession mus
be made to both; and that he is the wses
man who has discovered the true medium
allows TO each its legitimate and proper in
lfuence. This medium can only be discover
ed by great observation and experience; aut
lin efforts to find il we are often misled an,
often mistake the apparent for the real
This not only begets a distrust in the cor
recfness of our reasonings, brt our obser
varions. The most sagacioas man, there
fore, is the most diffiden, as to the correct
mess Of his own conclusions, or rather, per
lhaps, the most cautious in asserting thei
correctness. Upon every subject about a
lmuch may be said upon one side as tho 9th
b ter. II is the balance Of evidence that turn
the scale. His0egd ~ s
/ 81 The application of these remarks is YER
easy. If a man appears to lie running ma,
upon political topics, make him president, O