The Kalida venture. [volume] (Kalida, Ohio) 1841-1865, 1852-07-23
rr.rals Of Public MEN.

The 100 common idea that the private !
morals OF The individual can be separated
from the influences which guide the dis
charge Of his public duties, has permitted
men Of evil and corrup, life and morals
to shed the baleiul influence Of their
character upor Society. Yet morality is
a uni,y--it applies 10 all principles Of
action, all emotions Of being, and though
an in,elllgen, consideration Of interest
may enable bad man to live up to the
conventional morality which his position
demands, nevertheless, if his private life
is stained with secre. debauchery or any
form Of immortality, the public have no
security tina, he will not sell his prin-
ciples, forget his honor, or abandon bis
morality, whenever his ambition, his pas
sions, or his interest dictates such q
course. Liceniiousnsss in private life
and unsulied purity in public lite is i'm
possible. The reckless abandonment TO
vice in the secret recesses Of Society, is
often united with the madness OF pariizan
demagoguism and venaliIy in political
sphere, and loose regard for personal
justice blunts the perception OF great
duties, and produces an equal disregard
for tho rights Of mankind. He who
plumbers and dcfrauds individuals will
never be safe depository Of the national
purse, and he who tramples for his own
pecuniary benefit upon defenceless po,
verly can never rise 10 the true dignity
Of defender Of his country's rights. He
may float on the surface Of popular
tide, and appear 10 regard a nations veal ,
but he wants only sufficien, motive 10
become like Arnold OF Burr, a traitor TO
lis country, or betrayer Of misplaced
public confidence. That political action
has become synonymous with trickery
falsehood, and every kind Of deception, is
from the public carelessness, too long and
TOO generally manifested, to the grossly
immoral lives Of many of our public men,
ill il has falsely become an axiom, that q
man cannot be a politician and remain
faithful to religion, as il Of necessity the
care Of the public interests was insepers-
lhlg interviewer with such pollution, thai
all elevated sense of duty, oil purity ol
action, such as religion rightly inspires, is
incompatible with The care Of public bust
ness and The discharge OF public duties
Though the idea is part and parcel o
old monkish superstition and pharisait
holiness, yet that such an idea can hav,
a tolerated existence, is abundant evi
dence that there is much 10 be don,
towards the elevation of the political sys
fem on which is based our freedom ant
happiness. q
In fact there is much in the recen
history Of politics and politicians, in th'
loose regard for public pledges, in tn
contempt exhibited for an elevated con
scientiousuess, in the ready plunder unde
color Of law Of the public Treasury, an
ia the growing wastefulness, extrava
gance and public corruption, that ca
only be explained by a very low mora
standard on the part Of public officers !
every relation of political life, and whic
demands Of the people Of all parties
closer censorship over the acts Of the
public Servants Of every grade.
National prosperity may exist for
time independent Of high moral ton
governing National and State affairs, b'
the prosperity can never be general, ca
never be that Of a people. The humbl
The poor, the adeduca,ed, all those who's
, interests are in need Of protection, wi
{ fail 10 be duly carod for whenever thos
who profess to do so, are men, who's
selfish passions are stronger than the
sense of right and their fear from r.
: sponsibility, which must always be Il
, case whenever The people are indiffcre
, to the personal morals Of public men, al
, when party can present for the acce
tance Of the people without fear OF the
! condemnation, drunkard, debauche
or man known 10 be dishonest in |
|oIdinary dealings:
We do not urge the mixing Of q
ordinarily disputed transactions Of life
i our political elections. Il would lead
u con fusion and distract from true polite
}, issues. When mans morality ho
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