, 1859-09-16
Henry ward Beehcr ON *<the Pleas
urcx or being Public Man.s

tant pressure,
Henry ward Reehe1 q N!he Pleas
urcE or being \ Public Man.''
All men are, 70 some extent, ps.Izsc nea.
They harc PUBLIC duties TO perform. AZ kouse-
holders, voters, jurymen, in short, MS citizens.
they nre public mc,. But some men are obliged
10 perform their professional duties in open
publicity. They are always acting before men,
aud their daily life is upon exhibition. Sou,
pirate h!e who quite envy such persons rs the
peculiar favorites offortune, and not 81 mike
II an ambition to obtain such conypicusts. AL,
TO see themselves in a newspaper. plocarded
along the streets, advertised 10 hear their
names and deeds in mems mouths they think
theFe would be nothing like it! And we assure
them that there is nothing like it.
4 PnbIc Man from whom curiosity, srmpn-
thy and antaEonism, shear off all privacy, and,
almost, all true personality: Your ufnirs are
erybody's busi1ea4- Your movements nrc
eFerybody's observation. What you do, or say,
OF do not m do or say; what you wear, where you
80, with whom .you walk, when you get
10 ave aud how you get your means 10 pay for
your living; who makes your coats, or boots,
who shsves your fsec. all arc diligently observed
and reported. No privacy IL allowed TO public
man. Everybody uses him as common proper
y. Il good story needs known pe11pn 10
glEe plQuancy. his name is used upon it like
snapper on whip lash. Not only do people
use Elm up ia conversation, but it makes little
Inference At length whether be is present or
absent. ;" Oh, be is public man I" is excuse
enough Tor 81. ing the rudcst things, aud Of all
his face!
inas be is rained upon with himself. He
reads about himself runs orer himself in the
streets, 6nds himself figuring in the Newspaper
stories, aud al beggars, and errand hunters, and
solicitors Tor public service, begin by setting
Tim before himself in public punt Of view.
And. that nothing may be lacking, people Won
der no. It is that hs il ai~ays co1sriying to get
himself before the public
One Of the original faculties Of the human
mind. fundamental and universal, is the lore Of
oeAer peqp1s's pricdte afdirs. But strong az this
faculty u, its action is somewhat guarded and
concealed in the private relations Of common
c!txens: but nerer, in respect to public men!
II he does not wish to be talked about, what is
tie public man for? lie must expect people
to take IN interest in him, and everything that
belongs to him. How does he eat and drinke
What il his income! Where does he ret it and
nov spend itf The less proper it il that any,
thing should be known, the more exquisite is
relish Of knowing it.
1twas Huber, We believe, who frstconstruct-
ca glass hires, through which bees could be
seen nj ah hours and during every process Of
work. PUBLIC men are bees working in glass
1--WE. md curious spectators enjoy themselves
Ill watching erery secret movement as if it we're
study 10 natural history.
Nor is it allowed him to seem to know all
this. If people stare at him in the street. or
nudge each other in the ferry-boot and point az
him, or if a berry Of young ladies' whisper his
uause SO that he may hear It at ten steps off, he
yet must keep on look Of blessed unconscious
ness! II he takes q lunch at restaurant, and
twenty gentlemen subside from their knives
and FORKS, TO watch, B4uare-faced and stirring
", what he orders, and what becomes of it if
be looks up and faces his spectators, Of course
they Will not shrink or look down. One might
Us well try to make battery Of cannon wink
with look. At length public man submits
and comes to think that he has no privacy. He
PLACED upon pivot Of observation, like
whiriigig on steeple, watched in all weather,
ior mems amusement or convenience. People
expect him to be peculiar. They ara waiting
Tor something characteristic. They hope for
some remarkable speech, some eccentiicity,
some oddlty, OF striking conduct, or miscon-
Duct:
But these things are only the fringe of the
garment. Who can register the solicitations to
%hich be is subject! Is be .reputed wealthy.
Men swarm upon him as summer flies upon
honey.- Is he Influential" aud "popusar !"
Who can euumerate the rariety and humber Of
"a uses TINT entirely live upon the help derived
from tue "int1uence" of those that are called
to help them; BE is assailed for autographs.
for signatures to all sorts of commendatory let
ters: One man wants his name to petition for
pardon1ng man who WAS sent to the State
prison for arson, and who, having experienced
religion, it is supposed would now be useful
member OF society. Another man wishes bis
name to Recommendation Of insect powders
aud ratpllls, or to good nnd pious book, or 10
.ct man whom be does not know place in u
store Of which be never heard, or to put n wor-
thy man into the navy.:yard, or on the .' watch,"
or "po1ice," or into the railroad service.
But all these things are Light in comparison
with the expectations Of charity at his hand.
For public man is expected to pay libera]ly
Tor a1l the annoyances which are heaped upon
antn- He is kind Of public fountain, md every
oody has right to fill bis cup or bucket If 30
eau. After he has given, and gisen till the
pump. sucks, and the pocket well is dry, he is
crarely Tcprored for not filing another bucket
by being told, Persons in your situation arc
expected to be lbczal;" or. "PubIic men owe
their standing 10 the public favor, and ought
not to be niggardiy :" Or, "Men arc expected to
pay tax for their greatness."
besides all this, there is the newspaper part
ofapublic mans experience. 1t is 50 delight
ial to lind your atfairs arranged for you, and to
learn for the frst time, in the papers, where
you have bean, what you have said, and what
has happened to yon! 4 man finds that he
has hnd many remarkable experiences, Of which
be be "puhic man." in political affairs, be
"iil hare an Interesting opportunity Of finding
out what people think Of him! He will see
himself daggelated through the land, his words
distorted, bis actions tortured and misrcpre-
sented, or, if his politics are theological be wilt
md greater opportunities Of selfezanination
IN the religious newspapers.
At length man grows nerrous. The sound
ot Lis bell makes hun stnrt like pistol shot
He longs for rest. No luxury seems to him