The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1858-09-21

maintenance of party fidelity, and the severest
''eXactions of penance for offences committed |
against the common organization Here then |
is question for the casusts and another for the
public. We leave to the former to determine how
far the obligations of party are binding on the
conscience of public man; but it is for the latter
to say how far their enforcement shall interfere
with his duties and their rights. According to
the theory of the Union the constituents OF
public man are the members of the poliucai
party to whose votes he may be indebted for his
place To them he is primarily accountable Tor
his stewardship, and by the rules which they lay
down. he must strictly walk. TO have served MS
Marty diligently and well, entities him to the
reward of good and faithful servant; but to
offend against 'the common organization Is, IN
the language of our contemporary, to forfeit all
confidence in his integrity and virtue" We
quoted, the other day. the remark of an English
writer to the effect that the ablest and best men
in America stand aloof from politics altogether,
and that the noblest duties of social life are
thus abandoned to Adventures of lower pas
sons and narrower opinions. We acknow-
lodged the substantial truth of the state
ment, but refrained from entering into any
discussion of the causes which have led to SO NOR
tifying result. Have we not in these teachings
of the UHiOn an explanation of the mystery? Is
it any wonder that the best men in the country
decline to engage in political life long its re-
wards and honOrs to be had ony at the sacrifice
of all personal independence, and at the price OF
| blind unquestioning obedience to party? Is it 10
! be marvel.ed at, that good men refuse Office and
the worst men struggle for it, when place and
power thus degraded to be the prize of the
INSCRIPTIONS and the servie? Or is it matter fol
establishment, that the country should be badly
served, when the interests of party are made para
mount to those of the public, and party fidelity il
held the cardinal virtue of public man? Already
the once honorable designation of politician ha
fallen into disrepute, and become a synonym TO
everything that is base and vile. Statesmansh
and patriotism seem to have gone out of fashio
together and politics, no longer the noblest {
human sciences, but the meanest of vulgar arts
instead of being the chosen vocation of the beS
men in the State, has become the last refuge of til
worst. 1t is the common arena where the loves
passions strive for the mastery-by the Ill
fairest means. Nor-until purer councils an
higher motives prevail, than the spirit
partisanship is likely to foster can any chang
for the better be hoped for. There is an unsavor
r Florentine proverb which tells US that ''the ifs
t ''begins to stink from the head" Let the remed
then be applied where the evil first develops itsel
Emancipate public men in high station, or rath
let them emancipate themselves, from the clogs an
t trammes of party discipline and the debasir
and corrupting influences that at present pervaC
the entire administration of government, in all i
branches, will soon be dissipated and banishe
Not until their official chiefs and superiors thus
them an example of manly honesty and indepe
dence can we reasonably expect from the mere IL
r derlngs of power that they should be other than
e flce tools and instruments of party. In orde
also, that the whole current of political life m,
flow free, it is necessary that the springs of poll
) cal action should first be cleansed. A high
standard of morality and a nobler rule of acti,
) must be presented than is to be found in t
|, promise of party popularity on the one hand,
y in the fear of party disapprobation on the otht
Is The people must assert a claim TO the allegian
of their representatives superior to that of part
Is and the obligations of dut and patriotism MI
} be recognized as paramount all.