Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1858-08-06
Every man should be Politician.

some men profess to have q great hatred
for politics and almost svery,hiug connected
with party organizations They would have
US believe tha, to engage In any OF the great
party conflicts Of the day, i' almost a crime,
Men Of this stamp frequently eIeIa'm' l
will have nothing to do with politics; J
have more important matters to attend to-
Under our republican institutions the people
flsus.lrs, govern, through the ballo,-bos.
In order to have good government. and
have placed upon our Statute Books good
and wholesome laws, those who elect law.
makers should 10 sufficiently informed to
act updersiAndingly. Every man who votes
should have personal knowledge OF the
matter to be affected by his ballot. Every
ballot deposited in the ballot.boS has its in
fuence in some way. Jefferson once said,
tina, "vir,ue and intelligence among the
people are the only safeguard, in a free gov
eminent" ia man !, corrupt and dishon-
ct, he viii b. very likely to carry his dis
honesty 10 the ballot.boS. hut much OF the
w,ckclncss here developed Is the direct re-
suit Of i.noran~e Men vote either rs they
choose themselves. or As other people choose
COR them. when man surrenders his per-
s,nal independence a, the pole, he loses bis
political identity; instead Of representing
himself, 10 represents another. IL is hu-
initiating fact. that We have no, few pr
sons. (for we cannot call them ne-,) that
mus, he placed in this class. They allow
theusslvc. TO become merely tools in the
hand. Of dsm'gosues. Ignorance isthe graf
cause Of all, or nearly all Of this. This class
in Consequence Of thsir isnorance, lose their
Independence. II they bad sufficient intel
liscncs 10 investigate for themselves, they
would act for themselycs. These remarks
apply not only to many native. horn citizens,
bat to the great mass Of foreigners. These
individuals come 10 our country ignorant OF
our laws, our form Of government and ins'i-
tutiou.. A largo majority Of them never
make any effort to aequain, themselves with
the institutions Of their adopted country
and in exercising the RICH, Of suffrage, they
are led up to the polls ike cattle to their
stalls. Ia ia fact too well known TO BE- de-
MED. that the foreign vote In our cities Is
given TO the black democracy. The leaders
Of that party negotiate with some Of the
controlling spirits among the Catholics, who
are Away. willing fora consideration. to
sill the Irish vote. which l. under their con.
troll. IL !. one Of the leading features in
our government, to entrust political power
in the hands e the msny, and just in pro-
portion a. citizens. whetoer native or Aiopt
ed. are pohtr1'y educated, just in the same
proportion are the chances Of perpe,uAiing
our free form OF government. Therefore We
rersat. % IS fis duiy # srrry man 20 u pol
iiad1. to study with care the theory ol
government. to make himself familiar with
political parties AMI party platforms IL
j. only by thi. course that a man can act
with a manly independence. Otherwi.s be
cannot trust himself. bu, will Re liable to
bccOns the dupe o, every designing, dishon.
80, politician that CONES in his way.