Mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado Co., Cal.) 1854-1860, 1860-06-16
Po1rT1cs va THE ALMIGHTY DOLLAR


Asa people. Americans are regarded by foreign
nations as peculiarly thrifty. They are suecTingly
said always to have an eye to the man chance
TO bend the knee TO mammon-to have an unholy
affection for the Almighty Dollar Such repu,a.
tion would seem 10 justify the notion, that never,
with their ewes open, would they seek any employ
ment or make any venture, in which increase Of
dollars and cents could not be clearly disccrned.
All these imru,Suons uro SlandcrouS and unjust.
lfnot, how account for tho anomaly presented IN
their everyday actonsi II is beyond controversy
that this So-denominated nation Of ShyockS, with
this imputed Acquistive and Avariccus disposition
possesses Unsuitable desire for political place and
distinction IL this charge, Of the national love of
gain. be well founded how can the singular corunc
ton Of conflicting aims and tastes be explained
1t S Undcniabie that three fourlhs, possibly four
hChs of the American people proper, have an un.
eNuqu"raels itching for dabblinE in politics. The
approach "f every election, whether of a President
Of the United States. or the most inconsdcrablc
offce in country. town, proves the truth Of this
Avermcut, Nor are they inStgated, in the great
majority Of instances to their interference IN public
affairs BIZ inclination to enlarge their stores of
worldly wealth. or course there are vena specula.
tors in such field but they constitute the excep.
tons the rule. The great body Of those nm xious
tn obtain political place. desire it because Of the
honor, real or imaginary, which attaches to it, To
contend that they have shy other motive. would be
to insist that they are blind not only to the facts Of
history but incapable If approaching evidences Of
the ruinouS effects Of political Iutermeddling upon
the prosperity OF hundreds Of their friends and
neiGhbors, brought into daily contact with them.
What are some Of tho best authenticated data Of
history, demonstrating the iucompatibility of polti,
cal distinction 10 this country, with pecuniary sue
eesSs Look AT those who have attained the TOT, most
round Of the ladder In the language of a dstin.
EuiShed writer. look II, the case Vt Mr. Jefferson,
than whom no one that ever existed on Gods earth
were the human family more indebted to. His fur.
ni,ure and his estate sold to satisfy his credi.
tors, Hrs rcstcrrtv was driven from house and
home. and his bones now Law in sni owned by n
stranger, HIS family are scattered some Of his
descendants are mar RED in fnrcign lands Look a,
Monrcs-,ae Amiablc, the patriotic Monroe, whose
ser'icrswerc revolutionary. whose blood was split
in the war Of Independence, whose life was worn
out IN civil service and whose estate has been sold
for debt his family scattered and his daughter bur
| led in foreign land. Look at Madison, the mode
IT every virtue, public aud private, his 1--we Of or
der. his economy ard his systematic regularity ir
all his habits Of business, lie, when bis term n
! eight years had expired, sent letter to a gentle
n,An, enclosing a note for Eve thousand d,llars
which he requested him 10 endorse, and raise the
money to enable him to leave tho seat Of govern
mcnI and return TO his modest re,reai,-his ratr
monial inheritance. General jackson drew upor
the eonSiGnee Of his cotton crop in Nav Orlean.
for sx Thousand dollars. to enable him to leave the
seat Of government, without leaving creditors be.
I bind him.
Again, il 10 wei-known, that the whig Concrcs,
in lS4l, had SO keen nm appreciation Of the impov.
erished condition Of the family Of President Harri.
son after his death, that they voted the sum nj S2S.
ooo from the federal treasury to his widow vet
General Harrison had been an occupant If offices
tnr many years prior TO his election to the Prcsi.
dsncy.
Numerous other examples might be cited iu illus.
'raion Of our position that money making and pol.
| tics are utterly Inconsistent. Undoubtedly, many
men have held high and others, subordinate offices,
who were men Of wealth. But they were the pos.
SCISSORS Of such wealth prior to the attainment q
sueS Offices, or acquired it by successful transac
t'uS N"'S'NS va A'S H'OHtS pi pOillcal
, place. The neediest men in every community, are
those who devote the main portion OF their time
aud attention 10 political affairs In their zeal to see
| tina; the country is wellg,verncd, they neelcc,
the government Of their own household and suffer
their individual interests to fall into ruins while
they seek TO conserve the general welfare forget
iGl that the man who enac,s the good citizen. and
'erupuously fnlhls all The obligations Of private
life, is more estmable IN point Of moral worth and
true desert, than the mere politician who nscends
the heights Of political agGrandzement, = the rabid
rlhceseeker rushes after Jack with. a.lantcrn
Whi>h lures him into the qnagmires of dependency
aud destruction.
! While such continues Is be the mournfnl picture
presented by the American public Of The national
disposition let it no longer be denied that passion
for politics triumphs iu the popular heart over love
| for the Almighty Dollar.