The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1855-03-23
FATE OF AMERICAN STATESMEN.

FATE OF AMERICAN STATESMEN.
This is the caption Of truthful article in
the New York Times, and the substance OF
which the Commercial Advertiser reproduces
as worthy Of consideration. The pith of il
is, (says the last paper,) that there has been
a great change in American sentiment with
regard to political life. The best talent Of
the land, notwithstanding the honors Of sue.
cessful craftsmanship, is no longer ambitious
Of that kind Of distinction. It seeks Other
channels for the exercise Of its powers
There is nothing to attract talent and merit
into the field of politics. The rewards oil
other professions are won without self-abase.
ment and the rivalry Of more honorable
kind. Politics are becoming odious; public
honors are distasteful. All that once warm
ed the bosom Of young ambition, and plum.
ed its wings for lofty fight; all that made
the rewards of political distinction honorable
and worth the labor Of attaining, has been torn
from it by our abominable system of per.
hitting small men tie manage the politics OF
the country. These men occupy the field
and like the harpies of Virgil, sit in the high
places, and by their foul presence and croak.
ings drive away every honorable competitor
from the feast. Moral power is great, and
when brought into exercise with resolute
vigor, il is always successful. Let it seize
upon the field occupied by these demagogues
and small light politicians. It can do it; the
resolution to do so is al! that is necessary,
and the right action will follow. Principles
and not men has been the motto of party.
1t is found that men are quite as necessary
MS principles. Principles and men should
hereafter be the motto Of all parties. Men
true men-men of talent-experence;-
men of integrity; the best genius of the ma
ton; virtue, morality and honor-all are ne.
cessary in the men who are to exempfy and
establish the principles Of party. We kill
off our great men--kil them to make room
for small men, on the ground of expediency,
Of policy, and what not! and bring forward
men Of no talent-no capacity-simply be-
cause they are unknown, and cannot easily
be made the subject of positive affirmation
in respect to anything except their obscurity.
"Princples, not men"-"new men" are the
cries which demagogues have yelled ont as
they rushed on at the head Of their partizans,
and slashed down the great leaders, who had
done or said something, which, no matter,
how true, might render them obnoxious to
those miserable fac,ionists. 1t is death to be-
come great, really Us statesman. Such m
one is dragged to the gullotine 'expediency,
and off goes his head, or the new man rem
ders him ifeless. A country which refuses
to take care of its best men, will soon lose
the power to take care of itself.
Thia is the general purport of the Tines
article, written with special pertnencyat this
time. There is nothing more true than that
the country is in great danger when the real.
ly great statesmen, who have been for years
acquiring experience, knowledge, skill, are
summary laid aside, on the ground of ex-
pediency, or to take up some new man whose
best recommendation is his obscurity. The
nation has had enough of this; the expert.
ment has been made to the loss of national
honor almost, and certainly the public detri-
ment A small man cannot guide the desti-
MES of this great nation, or govern a state
without loss to the people. Everywhere the
principle should be--in the State in all its
departments; in the judiciary in all its branch
es; from tho highest to the lowest, in the
Legislature; in municipal nffars-give to the
service of the people the best men, and ADAM
don the miserable policy of discarding char
aeter, moral worth, talent, experience, know
ledge, on such miserable pretenccs as have
distinguished all parties within the pas. ff-
teen years.