Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1853-07-13

b n Brewster, Esq. u Philaaeiphis. do
liyered very able address before the Ltera.
Iry Societies Of Princeton College on Tuesday
last, from wbice we take the following extract
with regard to the pursuit Of politics. Il Is
true aid timely counsel. and we hope sunk
deep into The minds Of bis young listeners
"The tire was in the early history Of this
country when great men were wanted IN pub
lie places to establish our iostisutions--good
men sreueeded now in The walks OF quiet
life to strengthen them. All the world over,
the trade Of politicians the occupation OF a
gamester it is the business of a man whose
time is spent 10 envy aud strife Public sta
tious eau confer no rank and bring no dis
tinction 10 men who run after them. All
great public occasions command the men best
fitted for the necessities Of the tunes. The
emergencies that excite great men to action
hav Ing passed by, tranquility having been
restored. order having been established, new
men-inferior meD--men Of doubtful parts =
succeed to their masters, and manage With
ease. ifnot with skill the vast machines which
wisdom created and industry set 10 motion.
All history has afforded constant example Of
this--our history may yet DO so.
'Sir Robert Walpole 10 these latter times,
with mastery resolution, with a power
mightier than the storm the power that
binds the storm--the csm--plucked up the
crown of England from the hedge wherein
contending factions had flung it. established
the Hanovorian succession. suppressed con-
spiracy, quieted religious discord. and secured
that stability and dignity to public affairs.
and that repose to private life, which Durtur-
ed the strength Of England. and gave her the
power to resist world in arms. With ia.
flexible purpose be suppressed all attempts to
embroil bis country in q war and for twenty
long years, as the first Minister Of the Crown,
governed his country with heroic will He
was succeeded by inferior men, but when the
exgeneies Of public life again required man
the Pelhams gave way for Pitt-as pol
iticians and placemen in this country must
hereafter give way for patri OTIS and states
men.
The highest public distinctions in this
country can have no attraction for right
minded men. unless they are the unsought
rewards Of personal worth dignity Of cbarac-
ter. mental ability and blameless life Oh
tanned in any other way, they disgrace those
who hold them They were intended to be
great honors, not rich sinecurss. The com.
pensation attached to the best Of them, will
not equal the income that any man can earn,
who is fit to hold them aud discharge their
duties
''lf men crawl to high places by craft and
low contrivance--if they hold them at the
cost of all love of truth and practice ofheroic
virtue If they accept stations which they are
unequal to, from want Of proper training
from want Of Information and want Of mental
capacity. and which they hold like impostors
and usurpers pulled up with vanity, and
meanly greedy for the pay VI the place they
are in pillory. Such adventurers and serv-
ing men in their masters clothes, will be
laughed at and expelled with scorn by the
misguided people who exalted them to power
to establish an equality of vulgari,y osten-
tation, and wickedness. Let not this be
your fate
sThus far the great men of this land have
with reluctance and kamility received the
dignities their counfrg4aep bave bestowed up
on them.
Washington and Jefferson, and Jackson,
never stopped to solicit-plaee, or accepted it
as the result of secret contnvance.
Let me warn you against the temptations
that bcset you to embark in this business Of
politics. A life well spent, in the steady
pursuit Of any calling, will yield youa better
income, will give you an independence ofpo-
siiion, and manly dignity of character. that
no office can ever secure for you The small
offices of country are always small places
aud the high ones must be filed by men of
mark. for little men grow less in them, and
dwindle into pigmies. Before you will con
sent 10 step out of the respectable privacy of
your own calling to take Office. be sure that
You are not unworthy of the place, or impel
led by selfish motiyes-for to the most wor-
thy aud upright these stations bring with
them trials and griefs that torture men to
death. Oltentimes persons of merit are
swept to ruin in these high floods of vulgar
excitement, or are stained for life and their
usefulness hurt by STOPPING to waive their
rank, and be associated in those enterprises
with mean. unprineipled men. The shores
of political life. in every country, are strewn
with wrecks like these, ind many of them !
were rich argosies
"lf You wish to know what publa fame is |
remember that the long line Of Roman con
sHs aud Grecian magistrates is now forgot.
ten, while Esop. slave, Socrates a mechan-
ic' and Horace. the son Of freedman, are
immortal"