Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1860-10-18
MISCELLANEOUS READING.
MAN WORSHIP.

The accession of fortune makes vast dlf-
terence IN the interest which mankind feel 'n
one of their fellows, Thomas Snooks, with
limited income and large family, may be
allowed to pass through the world amidst
the most sublime Indifference Of society,"
But Thomas Snooks, If an old uncle should
die and leave him large fortune, would at
once become a parsonage who cannot sneeZe
without awakening reverberatlng echoes
through the temple of fashion, and the slight.
est movements of whose fingers or feet are
chronicled by an obsequlous press among
the Personal Dongs" of illustrious men,
As it is in the world of fashion, SO is it in the
world Of politics To-day private gentle
man, who possesses neither power nor pat
ronage, may 60 and come when and where he
pleases without exciting the slightest cnrios
ity in living soul. He may travel on foot
or on horseback; he may worship in the Co
thic Cathedral or the wooden chapel; he may
eat venison or sole leather drink champagne
or water, and the community remain in bliss
ful ignorance of his tastes and habits. But
prodigious is the change should fortune
chance to place our private gentleman upon
one of the plnnaces Of official power. All at
once he becomes, not only officially, but per
sonally, an object of the most intense ccnse-
quence. The cut of his coat and the precise
degree of polish upon his boots are chronicled
with the most insane avidity. A twinge of
gout in his extremities causes sympathetic
agony 10 the big toes of the nation, and his
faintest smile flashes along the electric tele-
graph like geam of auroral light. 1t would
not be strange if the fortunate gentleman be
gins at first to doubt his own identity and at
last to believe that he has hitherto vastly un
derrated his own excellence. A glowing
sense of supereminent greatness gradually
prevades his whole system from the crown of
his head to the soles of his feet. He is no lon
ger the same man. The magical wand of
official elevation has exercised power OF
transformation as remarkable us any record
ed in the Arabian Nights, where humble
auadrupeds are converted in u twinklipg IN
to sovereign princes and beautiful queens.
The propensity to magnify official great
ness displayed itself at an early period IN
tho history of the republic by the application
of European titles of distinction, such rs
"His Excellency," His Honor" &c., to cur
Republican office-holders. General Charles
Lee, in letter to Mr.. Henry when Governor
of Virginia, called these titles "tinsel epi-
thets, J" and says This iulsome, nauseating
cant may be well enough adapted to barbarous
monarcbies, or to crafty the unadulterated
pride of the magnifci in pompous aristoc-
racies; but in a great, free, manly, equal com
monwealth it is quite abominable; for my own
part would as lief they would put ratsbane
in my mouth as the Ercellency with which
am daily crammed. How much more true
dignity was there in the simplicity Of address
amongst the Romans. Marcus Tullius Cicero.
Decio Bruto Imperatori, or Caio Marcello
Consult, than to his Excellency Major Gene
raj Noodle, orto the Honorable John Doodle
My objections are perhaps trivial and whim-
scal but, for my soul, cannot help stating
them IT, therefore, should sometimes ad-
dress a letter to you without the Excellency
tackled, you must not esteem it mark OF
personal or official disrespect, but the re-
verse"
What would the stern old Republican have
said if he had lived to our day and witnessed
the protusion of titles and the disgusting man
worship of the times? We have at this mo-
ment more titled personages, civil and militia
ry, in Republican America; than in all the
empires Of the old world.-BaU. Am.