Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-10-21
POLITICAL INDEPENDENCE.

Burr entered upon his new office with the reputation
of balsd intriguer. The cupabe silence which he a
ways preserved under just unjust mpuaton has been
his most formidable Before legal tribunal the
want of conclusive testimony of guilt usfes assump
ton Of innocence but at the bar Of public opinion
who fails to repel suspicion and reproach virtually
dorses the correctness of the popular verdict
The above is embodied in very interesting and in
structive article Burrs Conspiracy in the October
number of the North American Review. We hold the
opinions Of that quarterly generally in high esteem but
coincide with the reviewer to the Of
the broad rule he has laid down. wholesome regard for
the public opinion is undoubtedly conimendable. Men,
with exceptions if indeed with any desire the good
will of their felow-men. But silence under calumny is
by always atculpable !" is it always con-
sstent with true independence and selfrespect repe
every accusation imputation, just unjust" That
man is indeed to be ptied who cannot sereney trust
the inherent consciousness of rectitude and to the
spouse Of his tried character to silence Unjust i'm
putatons and, far from mans silence under
pcon reproach being virtual endorsement of popu
lar verdict against him. it ought to be construed except
under very circumstances, into proud conscious
ness that the reproach is unmerited.
We have regarded super-sensitiveness to popular
opinion q defect in mans character, indicative
either of guilty conscience Of vain and feeble
mind generally the latter The teachings of the
North American Review therefore regard heresy,
and calculated to foster disposition already far
prevalent among deeper concern respecting the
respecting the recttude propriey Of the act itself
Wherever this disposition prevails it incapacates
for high, chivalrous, patriotic actions The possibility
Of msinterpretaon by the people deters him from pur
suing lofty independent which could by any
means be liable to such msinterpretaton Had Daniel
Webster acted upon the rule laid down by the reviewer
he had never thrown himself into the gap when that
slavery agitation raging which led to the adoption of
the compromises Of 1850 lie braved the opinion of his
constituents remained silent under imputations as foul
they unjust and declined to come down to
rec.ness Of the popular verdictf
Instances not in which men of eminence have
made themselves udcrous before the people by being
constant fever Of alarm lest the world should conceive
it possible for them to be guilty Of folly of
Of any other drawback upon the perfection human
character. We hold several illustrations in perfect re
membrance, and smile at the gentlemen's weakness as
think Of them. groundless imputaon of political
regeneration will them seepless nights and la
bored either through the press or on the
floor Of the State Federal Senate should they have
reached that sunnum bonum of the politicians hopes
This is in fact become vast evil that legislators
almost every cabre in the habit Of Fostering
their Neutrality-suspicious. and the public by personal ex-
plantations as set-of against the most trivial mputa
tons upon their political consistency honesty. Diff
ferog from the reviewer toto, hold this
tiveness with respect to public opinion with regard to
simputations just unjust " in great contempt and
find it extremely difficult to avoid regarding the subjects
of it with the same feeing.-Procidence Journal