Washington sentinel., 1854-05-05
FED aRAr AM STATE HoNoRs.

E1I6AAr AN AAoAoINSs
A few days since, we made some remarks on
the public mon of our country. They were
few and general. 1t would require more space
than can be spared in newspaper to be minute
and particular. Each public man of promi-
nence has a history, and the histories of all
would fill the shelves Of a large library. All
that we designed doing was to indicate the
characteristics of the public men of the United
States as distinguished from those of other
countries.
1t is instructive to trace the pro yress of such
men. A young man feels the strvings of am
bition. He applies himself to politics. He
reads the newspapers, and the speeches and
papers of our statesmen. He talks politics in
the countingrooms of country merchants. He
attends public meetings, and begins to argue
on the court green. He goes around with his
eering. He next gets on a small committee,
when he ventures to make q motion. Not
many months elapse before he ventures to offer
resolutions before public meeting. He at
tcmpto ~ oLOIt opCcSHs upiiS o1eSusAoA -
drawn to him. He makes longer speech.
Visions of seat in the State legislature break
upon him. Some kind friend, after many inge-
nious but delicate attempts on the part of the
ambitious aspirant to draw him out, at length
makes vague allusion to his running for the
legislature. His breathing grows thick. If
he chews tobacco, land that habit is almost
necessary to the aspiring young patriot ne
convulsively bites off huge piece and chews
it nervously. Another allusion is made to the
same subject by another friend. He takes oc-
casion to mention to his friends that application
has been made to him by several influential
persons to offer for the Legislature, and modestly
suggests that others are better qualified and
have stronger claims than himself
But, to cut the matter short, after much
anxiety and many small disappointments, he
finds himself elected, after terrible struggle,
to seat in the Legislature He feels happy.
He thinks he is "the observed of all observers"
He serves his time out and is reelected. Mean
while he has spoken on various subjects, and has
become quite prominent. He is, when a State
representative, a State-rights man; he abhors
federalism and breads consolidation. After
serving in the Legislature several sessions, he is
elected to Congress. His ambition continues
to increase If man of mark and abilities,
his circle of aspiration widens and extends.
He looks to federal promotion, and he attempts
so to trim his sails as to get it. He must relax
somewhat the rigidity of his creed, and become
more liberal and latitudinous. Has he grown
so important as to think of, or to be thought OF,
for the Presidency? Then must he seek to
"catch birds of every feather" He must look
to the north, to the south, to the east to the
west. He must drop some of those useful
principles that are called by many distractions.
He must adapt his creed to the large arena on
which he stands.
There is the fatal error committed by many
of our public men. They value federal more
than State honors; and, in order to secure
them, they are too apt to grow loose, plant, and
accommodating. To satisfy their people at
home, and to increase their popularity through
out the country generally, they have to resort
to many shifts and ingenious contrivances
They are oftentimes sadly perplexed, so to
manage as to "take tithe of mint and rue"
and yet neglect the weightier matters of the
law"
They commit great and grievous error
The more closely they keep to their creed,
the more open, honest and straightforward
they are, the better they will fare, and the less
trouble they will have
If politician gets the reputation of being
a trimmer, shufler, and a trickster-if he
takes too much trouble, and feels too much
anxiety to please everybody-he will stand but
poor chance before the honest masses of the
people. If they find him out-and sooner or
later they inevitably will-he will be condemn
ed and scorned by them.
The most successful politicians and states
men have been those who have firmly and
steadfastly adhered to the strict line of duty; !;
who have not courted every breeze, and sought
to curry favor with every clique, class, and
ism. 1t is not more true in the ordinary af-
fairs of life than it is in politics, that honesty
is the best policy"