Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1853-07-22
Good Word on Politics.

A Good Word on Politics.
B. H Brewster, ESD, of Philadelphia, delivered Q
verv able address before the Literary Society OF
Princeton College on Tuesday week, from which we
take the following extract with regard to the pur
suit of politics.
1.-THE time was in the early history of this coun-
try when great men were wanted in public places to
establish our nstitutions-good men are needed now
in the walks of quiet life to strengthen them All
the world over the trade of politician is the occu
nation of gamester it is the business OF man
whose time is spent in envy ana strlie. fuDnc s'a
tons can confer no rank and bring no distinction to
men who run after them. All great public occa-
sions command the men best fitted for the necessl-
ties of the times The emergencies that excite greaV
men to action having passed by, tranquility having
been restored order having been estaDIsneo, ne"
men-interior men-men of doubtful parts-succeed
to their masters and manage with ease, it not with
skill the vast machine which wisdom created and
industry set in motion. All history has afforded
constant example of this history may yet do
So .,
Sir Robert Walpole in these latter times, with
mastery resolution with power mightler than the
storm, the power that binds the storm-the calm
pucked up the crown of England from the hedge
wherein contending factions had flung it, establish
ed the Hanoverian succession, suppressed conpira-
cy Quoted religious discord and secured that sta
blity and dignity to public affairs, and that repose
to private life, which nurtured the strength of Eng
land, and gave her the power to resist world IN
attempts to embroil his country in war, and for
twenty long years, the first Minister OF the Crown
governed his country with heroic will. He was sue
ceeded by inferior men, but when the exlgencles OF
public life again required mantle Pelhams gave
way for Pitt-as politicians and placemen IN this
country must hereafter give way for patriots and
statesmen.
"Tho highest public distinctions in this country
can have no attraction for right-minded men, unless
they are the unsought rewards of personal worth,
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life Obtained in any other way, they disgrace those
who hold them. They were intended to be great
honors, not rich sinecures. The compensation at
tached to the best of them, will not equal the in
that any man can earn, who is tit to hold them
and discharge their duties.
If men crawl to high places by craft and low
contrivance-if they hold them at the cost of all
love of the truth and practice cf heroic virtue-if
they accept station, which they unequal to- from
want of proper tranng-from want of information
and want of mental capacity, and which they hold
Il like mposters and usurpers pulled up with vanity,
and meanly greedy for the pay of the place-they
are in a pllory. Such adventures and serving men
in their masters clothes, will be laughed at and ex
PEELED with scora by the misguided people who ex.
allied them to power to establish equality of vul
garity ostentation and wickedness Let not this be
your fate.
THUS far the great men of this land have with
reluctance and humility, received the dgnies their
countrym en- have bestowed upon them.
Washington and Jefferson and Jackson never
stopped to solicit place. accept it the result O
secret contrvance.
Let me warn you against the temptations tina
beset you to embark in this business of politics. A
life we'll SPENT in the steady pursuit of any calling
will yield you better income, will give you in
dependence of position, and manly dignity of char
acter, that no Office can ever secure for you Thu
small Offices of country always small places
and the high must be filed by men of mark
:, for little grow less in them, and dwinde int
| RoFor WI &c
respectable privacy of your calling to take of
fee be that prove not unworthy of the place
or impelIed by selfish motives-for to the most wor
thy and upright these stations bring with them tri
ais and griefs that torture men to death Often
! times persons of merit swept to ruin in thes
u high floods of vulgar excitement or stained 70
life and their usefulness hurt by STOPPING to waiv
= their rank, and be associated in those enterprise
. with mean, unprincipled men. The shores of poll
= teal lite in every country, are srewn with wreck
: like these, and many of them were rich argoses.
elf you wish to know what public fame is, re
l. member that the long line of Roman consuls an
t Grecian magistrates is now forgotten, while Esol
u slave, Socrates, mechanic and Horace, the so
!! of freeman, are immortal