The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1858-11-25

A Plea for Po.isives and Comparative.

Plea for Positives aud Comparative.
We can remember that 10 our schoolboy
days. adjectives admitted Of three degrees Of
comparison, all Of which we're supposed to
have valuable use 10 the language. In the
progress Of things, however, two Of these
have been nearly overwhelmed and destroyed.
10 the columns Of the political press, espe-
cially, the modest, frank, and honest Positive,
is, to all practical inteDts, obsolete TO call
man simply "able," nowadays, is to
damn him with faint praise it is even held
to carry with it more than slight insinua-
ton that the person described lacks the or.
binary qualities Of good sense and sound
discretion. And the Comparative is held in
but little better estimation. It is used only
with reference TO men OF the commoncst
brains and the most limited requirements.
And even they, nine times out Of ten, will
feel themselves disparagtd by it's use.
Nothing really satisfies such, and the friends
Of such, but the extravagant, sky-scaling
Speculative. So We see every political
scribbler in the land writing as if his quill
were pucked from the spread tail Of pea
cock. Ills pen spurns the good old fashion
ed terms which were wont to express com.
incubation and compliment, and without dis
elimination or justification, it employs every
opportunity to wait its subject up to the
third heaven Of sycophantic adulation.
A late case Of our own has revealed to
us the danger Of INDUCING in language so
tame az that which expresses only rational
and warranted praise. Upon the sugges.
ton Of the name Of prominent politician in
this State for the VicePresidency, we EN-.
braced the opportunity to speak of him as
valuable man TO the State in his present
position as one who had rendered great
services TO his constituency as one, there
fore, richly entitled to their respect and gra
tiude but, at the same time, az one, who
lacked the culture, the commanding ability,
aud the national reputation, which would
justify him in aspiring to, or in being nomi-
mated for the Office OF second dignity in the
government. We did this as his friend,
knowing his parts and We thought while
We were rendering him service in bestowiDg
upon him the degree Of praise to which he
was justly entitled, We were rendering him
higher service by declining to support him
for a position beyond the limits of his rea
sonablc aspirations. But our good inten-
tons have not been properly appreciated.
The Whole list Of adjectivcs which admit Of
comparison was oyorbaucd-the peacock
quilts were set to running of their superla-
tives Of hdulation for the Senator, and of
depreciation Tor the Editor The same
terms were employed in praise Of Senator
Rec, as would have been used by the warm.
est admirer in praise OF WASHINGTON, or
JsFFERsoN, or WEBSTER, or CLAY. We
need not say that the style of writing which
cxhausts the language OF compliment on the
really fair and sound but not trauscendant,
abilities Of Henry NJ. RICE, and which
leaves nothing Of higher import in the voca-
bulary OF praise to describe the difference
which really exists between him and the
majestic characters We have named-we
need not say that such II style Of writing IS
absurd aud ridiculous on il face that il
deprives compliments OF their meaning, and
language Of its force.
We therefore beg TO remind some Of our
contemporaries that there are in fact, if
not in use, Positive and Comparative, as
well as Superlatve degrees Of comparison
and that the force of the latter as medium
OF compliment, will be immensely enhanced
by an occasional use Of the former. The
man OF talents can receive through the use
Of the moderate forms of speech all the
praise that he can justly claim, or to which
he is justly entitled aud there will then be
language lcit To apply TO those who by the
aids Of great genius ard patriotic service,
stand out from the mass OF their fellows as
the superior men OF their time
The Political lier.s,es OF the Washing