Grand River times. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1851-18??, 1853-07-13
DEMOCRACY AND LITERARY MEN.


DEMOCRACY AND LITERARY MEN
Among the late foreign appointments made
by President Pierce, we notice the names Of
two gentlemen well known in the literary world
as scholars and writer's. Nathaniel Hawthorne,
of Massachusetts, consul to Liverpool, and Dom
aid G.. Mitchell, of Connecticut, consul to Ven
ice We are glad to see these marks of official
favor bestowed upon those men who have won
high and honorable place in American litera-
ture, for they are certainly deserving of it, Au-
thors, as general thing, are not noted for pos
sessing superabundance of this worlds goods,
and their pecuniary circumstances are generally
far from being easy or desirable. They are not
usually gifted with the art of acquiring money
in very eminent degree by their own unaided
exertions, and, unless they are placed in posi-
tons almost certain to result in pecuniary pros
perity, are too often condemned to life of pow
erty and literary drudgery Nothing is more
certain than that pecuniary dependence upon
the whims of book publishers and sellers has an
injurious effect upon authors, who, in order to
attain the highest eminence in the noble profess
sion of letters, should be able to follow the beat
of their own genius and inclinations without be-
ing fettered by their wants to the composition
of works that shall pander to corrupt and Vi
tiated taste, simply because larger pecuniary
consideration can be realized from their sale at
the present time. He who has made any valu-
able or creditable contributions to American lit
erature has conferred great benefit upon the
country, and public official distinction bestow-
ed upon him is not an inappropriate national re-
ward
The democratic party has ever been much
more liberal in the distribution of patronage to
literary men when it has been in power than its
wing pponent-probably for the reason that
nearly all of those who have acquired any dis
tinction in our literature have been democrats.
We cannot recall at the present time the name
of any distinguished wing writer; and certain it
is that the greatest American poet, VIM. c. Bry-
ant, the greatest American novelist, J. Fenni-
more Cooper, and the greatest American histo-
rian, George Bancroft, were all thorough going
democrats; and in 1874, when party lines were
most strictly drawn, they supported James X.
Polk for President against Henry Clay then the
embodiment of wing principles. Mr.. Bancroft
filled two high positions in the government du.
ring the administration Of Mr.. Polk, being Sec
rotary of the Navy, and Minister to England
and Mr.. Bryant is the Editor of the New York
Euening Post, one of the ablest democratic pa
pers in the country. Mr.. Paulding, another Of
the stars of American literature, was Secretary
of the Navy during the Administration of Mr.
Van Buren,, and is democrat of high standing
and influence. Mr. Hawthorne, we believe,
held a position in the Boston Custom-house du-
ring the administration of Mr. Polk, but was re.
moved by the wing administration of General
Taylor. Mr.. Neal, the author of Charcoal
Sketches" which are considered by good critics
to be equal to those inimitable productions Of
Dickens called the Pickwck Papers, was for
merly democratic editor in Philadelphia. Mr.
MITCHELL the lately appointed consul to Ven
ice, is known to thousands of his countrymen
as Ike Marvel" in that popular book, the " Re-
veries of Bachelor" which has been very
generally admired as an excellent work of its
kind.
Washington Irving one Of the most iustri.
Gus OF American writer's, was appointed minis
ter to Spain by John Tyler, after his administra-
ton had assumed decided democratic charac.
ter, and we think he is also democrat in his
political opinions. The party in favor of equal
rights and the greatest liberty to the masses can
point with pride to the literary talent it has in
its ranks and when it is in power it does well
in bestowng some of its official favors upon that
class OF its supporters.
There can be but little sympathy between the
literature of the day, which is generally liberal
In its aims and tendencies, and inculcates the
doctrine of human progress, which wars upon
the errors and bigotry of the past, and is array
ed in favor of reform,-and political organza-
ton like the wing party, welded to the uphold.
ing of all political mistakes and abuses which
takes no hopeful and encouraging view of the
future, but looks to its approach with not lit
tie fear of its consequences. The fact that near
~ all of the men who have won any distinction
in our literature have been members of the dem
ocratc party, attached to its principles, is an ex-
cellent commentary upon that false and arro-
CANT boast sometimes made by our opponents,
that they enjoy monopoly Of the intelligence
of the country; and they should be occasional
~ reminded of it. as it will have tendency to
lower their ridiculous preteDsions in that re-
spect.
writer in the Daily Times, the other day,
IN an article on smoking, takes the ground that
1t the fumes of the weed were necessary for
mans welfare, the Creator would have given
him longer neck to secure better draft, put
the smoking apparatus little lower down, and
placed patent arrangement on the top of his