The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-08-10

POLJTICAL CHANGEs-LEvELLIN0 EXPECT or
RErrBIIcAN INSTITUTIONS OF the most
cnrion- Ihsses il cur system OF government -
The laxDDtr in which popular fayofises are ex-
Allied or ,depr, SEED in tie political world &c
cCding to The fancy Of the people. The Con-
gr,s sman who has, perhaps served several
itIms at Washington, retires gracefully for
ssme mere youthful aspirant, aud serves his
constituents in toe Stale Legislature or sits on
The bench OF the county court or lie elected to
the dignity Of an alde,m; mic chair, or one at o
county c, mmissioDers' board. lie must accept
any Of these or ortally offend his towns peo-
pie OF course there is no positive infractoa
Of dignity abou. ibe matter; 1t only seems
1.-THE OCULAR and very democratic, when COM
pared with the precedents Of older and more
aIistocratic. governments.
There are many instances extant Of this
levelliDg system; and in the late election in
Nor Carolina, Gov Graham, late Secretary
Of the Navy; Hon. D. N. b. rringer, late Minis
ter to Spain; and Hon. Kenneth Ray ner. late
III, mber of Congress, were chosen members of
the State Legislature; and we have no doubt
that TIT will fill their seats with credit to them
selves and their constituents. 1t will be re-
nembercd that John Quincy Adams, after
serving one term as President Of these United
States, accepted a seat In Congress from his
district, and served it for many years, until he
died with armor on" So with Mr.. Benton
after serving thirty years in the Senate, he has
now returned to the lower Hense. John Tyler,
after the expiration of his Presidential term,
was chosen Oversetr Of the Roads In the
neighborhood Of bis estate, and faithfully
executed the duties Of bis Office. There are
scores OF instances where Vice Presidents,
Senators and Ambassadors, have returned to
the practice ofthe law, and we often see Judges
pleading before the bench where they formerly
presided. Among the names Of the delegates
to the Wing State Convention shortly to be
holden in Boston, We notice those of Edward
Everett and Robert c. Winthrop, late Senators
from that State.
On the other hand, the way to political pre-
ferment seems really to be open to all, and we
frequently iDd practical mechanics occupying
those seats which men educated as law
yers alone expect to fill. Here is queer Incl
dent growing out of something Of this kind =
singular exchange of courtesies took place short
time since between Judge Topper Of Seventh Judicial
State. Judge Pepper, who was blacksmith presented
TO Governor johnson nre shovel made BY the Judges
nand IN, ss sns ans
tebtpe to Judge Pepper "a black cloth sack which
was drafted, cut, tewed, and pressed, with his own
good ht In his life"
The Governor johnson above referred to was
poor boy, and had no opportunities to obtain
even the rudiments of an education. He tri-
umphed over all difficulties, and taught himself
What a forcible lesson should all these things
teach to the youth of America! How dearly
should they prize the educational advantages
now almost universal, when they read Of the
difficulties under which their fathers labored
Other peopl, and other governments might
also learn something by the application Of that
part Of our political economy which makes
public officer truly the public's servant.
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NEWSPAPER SCANDALs.---lt is very fortu-
nate for the New York press that the
monarchs and notabilities Of Europe decline
to avail themselves Of the laws of libel in
force in this country. Crowned heads have
not always been go patient. A legitimist news
paper formerly published in London once irri-
tated Napoleon to such degree that he had
the editor, Lepelier, indicted, and punished,
In spite Of one of the most famous speeches of
Sir James Macintosh, who was counsel for the
prisoner. The experiment has not had many
imitators One Journal in this city draws an
elaborate picture of the social Irregularities of
the Queen Of Spain another harrows our fee!
ings by description of the merciless cruelty
Of the Gear Nicholas third publishes story
Of Prince Albert locking up his old tutor in
madhouse to prevent his disclosing his know
ledge of the Princes early peccadilloss and
q fourth enter tains its readers with On absurd
tale of the financial embarrassments and dis
honest shifts Of one Of the very few living au-
thors who is far beyond reach of the one or
need Of the other. The object Of these titbits
Of scandal is too transparent to need a second
inquiry and as falsehood, when covered
command as ready sale as truth, we
must not be surprised to find that nine out
of every ten stories of the kind are stamped
as false the moment they reach The ear OF any
one who knows the real state Of the case. 1t
often happens of course that the falsehood cir
culates uncontradicted, because no one thinks
1t worth while to deny it. There are organs OF
public opinion here as elsewhere which might
give utterance to any vile calumny, without
any 6ne noticing II. But where the source of
tales Of this class is not beneath attention, We
may rest assured that their publication, in nine
cases out of ten, will be followed by an author
tative denial Of their accuracy. Nor is the re
traction necessarily sacrifice to The journal In
whose columns it appears Like the original
falsebood, it arrests public attention for me
ment, the paper sells, and thus one piece OF
gossip Ferves the journalists purpose twice.
This is u. doubtedly fine business opera