The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1855-02-21
"Pigmies nre pigmies still though pc erched o,

1t is lie om:Ec matter CT serious
concern that 81 mary mcn Of inferior
minds are filing tic hi.Ecst official
stations in our CO u;.try.
Let any onc look in upon our u. 8.
Congress, and, with very few exccp
tions, he will Sad second or third rate
men assembled there, to transact the
business of this great and growing ma.
tfon. 1t is u matter of common re-.
mark, among the obscrvant and judi.
cious, that the intellectual standard of
both State and Federal officials, has
been greatly lowered within the last
twenty five years. The death of Cal.
houn, Clay, and Webster, seems
almost to have put an end to the race
of political giants. Where is the man
in our Legislative Halls TO be com
pared with either? They were, to be
sure, extraordinary men, and would
have ranked among tn. foremost in
any age of the world. But thcv had
their competitors in their day of re.
nown. There were men who could
grapplc with them, although, perhaps
not quite their intellectual equals.
Clay felt the dalccticaI prowess of n
Randolph, and Webster, that of q
llaync. They all had those near at
hand, "ho commanded their respect,
and who were prepared to face them
in debate upon terms approaching to
equality.
Hut we lament the death Of great
minds in our dclibcrativc Assemblies.
we lament still more, the absence of
That sterling integrity, that wide reach
ing patriotism, which characterised, as
general rule, the Statcmcn of former
days. The fact is, men for the most
part, obtain their political elevation in
these days, by trckcry, and it is moth.
Ing surprising that we should find Them
practising the same thing on higher
scale when in office. We glory in our
free constitution-wc can never sufi
ciently admire the symmetrical struc.
turc Of our government. the nicely bal
anced powers-an asscmblage of
Sorcreigns, with general agent, with
specific and well defined powers for
the conduct Of the genera! ;mseres: {.
Sovcreigns. The world never vet
saw SO much political wisdom and
and integrity as arc cvinccd in the
struc'nr" Of The government. u these
United States. But of what avail is
all this, if by political chicancry and
mountcbankisun, our admirable uoy.
ernncnt is cmasculatcd and perverted
from its plain intent.
Cannot our country produce strong.
er and better men than most of ,hoss.
in power? mqucstionabIy she can.
There is no dearth of talent in The land,
neither is there an unusual deficiency
OF mcorrnptible integrity. But the
very men we need, are, Tor the most
part, in retrc' cnt. They scorn tic
means necessary To be used in order to
get into power. They abhor the party
shackles which arc immediately
attempted to be thrown upon man.
when he enters public life, and there.
fore, they choose to spend their days
in seclnsion. It is notorious fact too,
that great men are modest; they are
scarcely conscious Of their supcriorit ty,
and power is generally forced upon
them, rs it was upon our own Wash:
ington, and others tf Revolutionary
memory.
1t has been said, that circumstances
make men, and that grea! circumstan.
ces generally bring before the world,
great mon. W.. have no doubt of the
general truth Of these propositions.
The most contemplate questions, in
themselves considered, have been agi
tating our country for years past, and
they have been originated and agita,cd
by contemplate men. But these
questions will shake the pillars Of this
government, ut no distant day, if
greater array Of mind and Of weight
Of character, is not opposed to them
in our dclibcrativc Assemblies.
The money changers and dcsccra.
tors ofour political Temple must be
expelled, and, if need be, with scourg.
cs. Our sleeping giants must be
sought ont, and compelled to do their
duty to the country and the world.
The trickerics of mere demagogucs
Il