Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1851-07-16
THE PLAGUE OF DEDrAGOGUEs.

verest scrutiny of political opponents
THE PLAGUE OF DEMAGOGUEs.
NioAs we read. with wondrous art oil DID,
What e'er he touched at once transformed TO soid'
This modern statesmen can reverse with ease
Touch them with god they III turn to what you please
Every one will recognize in the above
little eplgram truthful portrait OF most
disgusting class of men-a class aptly de-
scribed by the celebrated Irish orator, graf
TAN, when he pronounced his powerful RI
val FLoop, "half minister, half monkey
prentice politician and master cox
comb" The great curse of our country is
demagogueism. 1t is an evil, to some ex-
tent inseparable from republican form of
government where the high places of hon
or and emolument are in the gift of the peo-
pie, and the pathAto political preferment
leads directly through their midst. To ex-
terminate the legions of corrupt and dan
gerous politicians that cover the face OF the
whole country, like the locusts of Egypt, so
that the land is darkened, is an impossible
ity. So long as Offices exist men will be
found anxious to fill them, and willing to
use every unprincipled appliance to attain
their ends.
There are many incurable evils, however,
which admit of amelioration; and this is one.
All that is necessary to counterfeit power
fully the pernicious influence OF the dema-
gogue, is to enEighten the people, before
whose majesty he bows and scraPes with
the pliancy of Frenchman and crlnges
with the servilitv of serf. To this end the
best energies of the press should be cordial
" devoted Let the people know the true
character of those who are always prating
about their capacity and rights. To the
people they look for elevation to office, and
hence the great characteristic of the dema-
rogue is his devotion to the people. Des-
titute of every honorable and patriotic emo
ton, he seeks to accomplish his ends by adj
alation and compliment; but once In ONCE
soon shows how much superior he considers
himself to those who have invested HIM
with its robes. We, the people, cannot gov
ern ourselves wisely and well, so long as
we are misinformed and misled by those who
seek to build up their own fortunes and
carve out their own fame at our expense.
We are not so infalible as not to need cat
lion, eircamspection, and distrust OF those
who are over anxious to "serve" US.
To this miserable horde of aspiring and
unprincipled politicians we are indebted for
the deplorable and discordant state OF affairs
which still exists throughoutthe contederacy,
and threatens to sever the bonds that have
made us one people. The demagogue ig-
nores patriotism and deifes self; and aglta-
ton will never cease until the influence OF
corrupt politicians is counteracied by sound
and salutary public sentiment.
Hungering and thirsting after office, and
acting upon that odious and abhorrent prin-
ciple-''to the victors belong the spoils -
they strive only for conquest, reckless OF
results. Influenced by the hope Of reward,
and restrained by no fear of punishment,
they are active, energetic and Inscriptions.
Ready at all times to sell themselves for a
"mess of pottage." they are ever actively
engaged in buying up others, and barter, for
vote, the interests of their country and the
welfare of their kind. In word they are
positively dangerous though apparently
contemplate, supremely selfish and superla-
lively mean. If ever the glorious temple
of our liberties is undermined it will be by
the gradual but effective operations of this
self-elevating, people-serving crew, who are
gnawing like hungry vermin at its very
foundation.
In the Convention of 1890 Judge MAR
SHALL gave utterance to that memorable
senhment-"the greatestcurse an angry Hea-
ven can inhlct upon an ungratefd people
IS an ignorant, corrupt and dependent Judi
ciary." Ii, than this greatest curse, there
could be greater curse we should so re-
gard the plague already visited upon us-a
deceitful, degraded, despicable set of trad
;n0. hme-serving and turbulent politicians.