The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-06-30
From he Richmond (Va.) Nag.

from Me AscnWOno (Id.) WAtS.
There has been at all times, in all countries
Of which we have ever read or heard, class OF
people whose pleasure it has unhappily seemed
TO he to pull down the reputation Of all high
and noble minds
Apart from the possession Of rank and public
trust, (whose fate it seems to be TO be fol-
lewed--as by the night the day-by unscrupu-
ious detraction,) it is enough, for such DISPOSE
tons as those we. are regretfully bordering, to
see an individual, even in private station attain
to a reputation for worth and virtue; instantly
upon which, a desire in such men il engendered &c
do It whatever damage may be possible. So II wal
in Greece, three thousand--in Rome, two thousand
years ago. We know something mdte of the ply
scal sciences, il is believed, than the Greeks anc
Romans; but in social morality il il somewhat sac
to think that there is nothing new under tho sun.
vague, purposeless envy would seem to be
with some, the motive power setting in action thii
interchangeable caballing against the good and grea
of all nations; vague and purposeless, because en-
tirely ndscrilnnating; all that it seeks for being
man for it's attack; any man, of any party, wht
may stand in public rcputc little higher than tn,
multitude.
This is the mere slandercr; honor in man, OF
chastity in woman, excitcs his ire he listens with
greedincss to any imputation against either
spreads it with chuckle; listens to its refutatior
with affected scorn; and when the falschood be-
comes at length transparent, feels something
poorer than hc.did the day before.
Others, with more consistency of purpose, appear
to fancy some good 10 themsclves--when not te
their party-from diligent misinterprstation o
the acts and motives of all men of mark Carelcs,
of the character of the community and country
they belong to, as they are of their own. they dc
not care to raise the low, long it seems more
easy TO pull down the more exalted. Jewellers
who level downwards, not upwards, they think to
raise themselves in their comparison by bring
ing all regulations down to their own worthless
grade.
Jealous, not so much Of rank and title, the gew-
gaws of mere aristocracy, of those better dis
tinctions of respect and confidence with which, for
healthful purposes, it is wisely ordained that the
well-regulated minds of all communities shall nat
urally invest superior wisdom and probity wher-
ever it appears, it is their care-self-constitued
champions of the interests Of the people-to guard,
with an anxious watchfulness, the great doctrine
of equal rights and equal merits, in the mainte-
nance of which they feel instinctively lies their
only chance, by industriousy suggesting to the
people themselves that no one who stands high in
public esteem has any rightfu title to it than
any of his neighbors.
These are the demagogues-they are found in all
countries, under different namcs-ceurtiers and pa
rasites at the court of a monarchy, "where low
browed baseness watts perfume to pride' or abject
slaves, glorying in willing servitude, at the foot
stool Of dsspotism; or iatterers of the multitude
in republic, where the people alone dispense pow
er, and patronage, and place; wherever, under a
monarchy, an oligarchy, a despotsm, or q repub-
lie hufS rH ko~ L
these are the men who throng to bow to it-that
thrift may follow fawning.
They look shrewdly through names into things
in sovereign, whether it be sovereign king or
sovereign people, they only the fountain of all
honors and power. Flatteryis profitable in either
cAse, and jealousy of every new conner whom eiihe,
sovereign appears to regard with glance of favor
arises as intuivey among the courters of the peo-
pie in republic, With the courters in the saloons
of king. To commanding public talents, they
ascribe private vices; of patriot, they suggest
ambition; if a man be marked for sterling probity
they affect to regard him as hypocrite somewhat
more skilful than the general; is he confessedly
beloved and respected by the whole community
they suggest him as a tyrantin his own household
game Of whist becomes desperate gambling; q
glass Of wine is chroniclcd as a debauch Ihi,
is what they bring to the common stock of their
country's character, at home and abroad; it being
not easy to see what Of character a country has OF
can have beyond what is drawn from the acts and
lives Of her citizens
Except detraction, what hast thou bestowed?''
''But what harm has he done you." said Arts
tides to the man who not knowing that he was
speaking to Aristides. was soliciting him to aid in
procuring his own Punishment sNone that know
Of" said the other; "but am tired of hearing SC
many people calling him the Just" fany evi
dence were wanting to indicate that some of the
lineal defendants of this demagoguc of Athens
he was one, let it be observed, who carried hi
point-have made their way to our own timcs il
is to be found in the recent attacks in of til,
public presses on the head of the Treasury Depart
ment 1t is a subject which we refer to with un
willingness, and one in regard to which we hav,
waited to see if any charges were to be preferred
which deserved answering at all. We have asked
for no information, and need no knowledge what
ever ON the subject but what we CLEAN from his rs
salants themselves. And surely ifevery one woule
read for himself the facts they charge them, anc
from them be content to draw for himself his owr
conclusions, the differences, the hints, the inuen
does of demagogues and hireling scribblers who
with no virtue Of their own, slow to infer it il
any else, the reasoning from within Of those wh
conceive that thcy make out triumphant case o
wrong doing when they establish that the charged
party could have done wrong If he would, nigh
we'll be left, like the black vapors of midnigh
swamp, to be dwelt with by the light of the return
ing day.
1t is charged that the Secretary Of the Treasury
before his connection with that Department, was at
torney and counsellor for some of the claimants be
fore tho recent Mexican Commission. This-see
ing that Mr.. Corwin is (or was) lawyer-wear
face of grave possibility. They add that his fees
some Of them, were contingent fees; which is no
at all impossible nor unusual. They urge that b
had himself become-by purchase or in some othe
way--the owner of one or more Of these claims; al
Of which allegations we propose-w without knowing
if there ia single word of truth in any of them
to admit; such property being rightfuly the sub
ject Of purchase or traffic stranded vessel
estate with lawsuit hanging over it.
At this stage, Mr.. Corwin was called to tn
Urea sury Department by wise President, VIII
saw--none more quickly-the weight which hi