Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1858-09-01


our street and stump politicians, politics called
a science isH paradox. Listen to onr politicians,
Z hear them make their speeches, observe their
schemes and plots and maneuvres, and politics
is trade. or, at most, an art Yet-and it
seems almost like uttering new truth to say
it-pOlitics is science, grand and noble
science,-one that touches the happiness of man
and his high interests as n member of civil
society.
Civil government is an institution of necessi-
ty, and is, our ablest Law writers lay it down,
founded upon the wants and fears of indvidu-
als. Politics is the science of government, and
hence teaches what those wants and fears are,
and how the wants are to be supplied, and the
fears provided against. In the progress of a
nations Advancement in wealth, refinement and
civilization, it is evident that there must be
constantly arising new wants and new fears
As new territory is acquired, as new states and
territories come fOcking into The Union, as
commerce increases and our intercourse with
the world is extended, as new sources of wealth
are discovered, and as the spirit and genius of
the age advances, who can tell to-day, whilst
these changes constantly go on, the wants and
necessities of a year hence? The legislation of
this year may be totally unfit for next, and that
which next year will imperatively demand may
not at all be suited to the condition of the
present Hence is the progressive doctrine of
the fast age in which we live, that the policy of
ournation, as amongst the worlds family of
nations, mustsadapt itself to the varying state
OF our relations toward them, and that our
internal policy as an individual nation, must be
lnew-modlede and bent whenever n new step in
advancement or a new change in our condition
may demand it.
In thus frequently altering and adapting our
policy to the existing times, it often happens
that old principles becoming useless, must be
dug up and cast aside, whilst. new ones must be
invented and supplied. We do not mean by this
that good principles are perishing-th they never
die; we only mean that certain principles, good
in themselves, by the altered condition of the
nation, become inapplicable to its government.
We would be understood also to mean Tint there
are certain fundamental principles which must
be adhered to by every government in every
revolution whichsare universal in their appl-
Dan oset.o1aa--4,a0fliiea4in
either by time or circumstances. Such are
those ifnmutabic principles of right and Justice
1t will thus be seen that there are certain eIe-
mentary principles politics, as a science, which
can no more grow ontiquated or napplicable !.
than the prime clements of morality or religion.
The true politician will therefore study faithful
ly these foundation principles, and he must have
courage and and integrity enough to constantly
adhere to them. lie must have them close to
his heart and must never allow any temporary
consideration to pervert them for one moment.
We have been led to the above reflections by
reading an article which appeared day or two
ago, in the Cincinnati Gazette Our cotempor-
ary touches upon the subject of the politicians
requisites, with thoughtful pen, but scarcely
hints at the great importance of having fixed
principles, or rather seems to overlook the fact
that i'll politics theresdr0 any fixed principles
hence our comments above. The Gazette con-
cludes its article as follows:
In. reference TO the present talents required
OF politician, recent remarkable writer in
England BUCKLE on Civilization says:
His business is to follow the age, and not
Mt all to attempt to lead it. He should be sat.
lshed with studying what is passing around
him, and should modify his schemes not ac-
coTding to the notions he has inherited from his
fathers, but according to the actual erigeHcies
or mas OIon time. For he may RELY upon it.
that the movements Of society haze noio become so
rapid that the wants of one generation are no
d measure Of the scaRtS or QnOtAer.''
The italics IRE our own. This is, we grant.
very much the Young America doctrine; but,
then it is true. We cannot anticipate a single
political Issue FIVE years hence because we can
not anticipate inithe rapid strides, and restless
movements of the american people what new
events, new interests, and new theories NAV
arise to modify political action.
The career ola young man ambitious of polit-
zeal distinction can-no longer be regulated by
the Virginia Resolutions of 1893, nor the Gin.
cinnati Platform of 1856. They are both obso.
lete. What shall guide him? Never has there
been so good an opportunity in the history of
our nation for young man to study, as Mr..
B1cklesays sreqqired, the erigencies ofdis time
in other words to study the merits ofeach case
and decide and act nponits merits. Thirty
millions of people, and thirty two States can no
longerbe governed by a caucus The millions
of the people, like the vast waves Of the Sea.
cannot be controlled by mere breath; but thew
are governed by the great natural laws which
bring them under the Influence oftruth, of good
sense, of puhlicsinterestsS and of national ambi
ton, Whoevens tndies the public need adheres
to the great laws of social progress; rejects the
cant Of political hypocrisy, and treats both the