Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1860-05-16
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The Deeenerncy Of American Politics Con-
adhered. Id


The virtue and purity Of the statesmen and
politicians that have preceded those now on
the stage of action are made an exhaustless
theme for our press and orators who seem
never satisfied with comparing IL TO the de-
generacy exhibited in modern times. Nervous
old gentlemen survey the field of politics
and nothing but disunion, ending in civil
war Of the most horrid character, meet their
excited vision. They long once more for the
fraternity and harmony exhibited by Feder-
alists and Republicans, or Democrats and
Wings. These parties differed somewhat
about measures but their intercourse was
conducted with decorum; and the most scru-
pulous integrity invariably characterized
them in their efforts either in Congress, or
out of it. Corruption-the purchase of votes
the bribery of Congressman, State Legis.
lators, or Executive officials, were things un.
known. They are exclusively modern, and
certainly foreshodow that the end Of the
republic, and Of liberty, is at hand. The Ex-
their political services, but for their honesty,
capacity and fidelity to the constitution and
laws. Neither party ever sought to dissolve
the Union, or to destroy the fundamental
principles of the Government. There were
neither disorganizers, nor monarchists, and
every man scrupulously avoided impugning
the motives Of his opponent which were
supposed 10 be ABOVE suspicion.
We wish, for the sake Of ourselves, that this
pleasing picture Of our early politics was a
correct one, for il would have been an exam
pie to us that would not have been without
its effects. But, unfortunately, it is all an al
lusion, arising from two sources: The first
that we are apt to remember the good, men do,
while we bury their faults with them; and
the second, that we magnify the Importance
of a contest while pending, while it is seen
in its true light only when ended There
are three distinct periods at which menjudee
of the Importance of any great struggle; one
when it is just arising in the distance, and
before it is fairly begun. 1t is then that il
appears most terrible, and the consequences
that are predicted are indeed fearful. When
it comes halfits terrors have vanished, though
still its Importance is usually greatly over
rated, But when once il is passed, we can
look back and smile at the the childish fears
that agitated us, and magnified to mountain
size that which was but one of the drops that
unite to make up the great ocean of events;
and when compared with the mass which his
tory records, it will compare with them only
as one of the sands on the seashore; will COM
pare with the innumerable atoms that com
pass the whole earth.
We look forward to the great conflict upon
the slavery question, Just as our fathers
looked upon the struggles of l7S0-l9l8, and
lS24-50, with forebodings when it reaches
its maximum, we shall modify our Judgment
as they modified theirs; and when it is
passed, we shall laugh at our folly as they
did at theirs.
There have been three grand periods Of
political excitement since the adoption OF
our Federal Government, the two first of
which lasted about twenty-five years each,
and then were succeeded by calms of perhaps
half decade, during which time existing
parties become entirely disintegrated The
first of these commenced with the beginning
of the administration of Washington, and
continued until 1918; the second had its
origin in the great quadrungular contest of
1924, and ended in 1880; the third, which is
now pending, commenced with the passage
of the Nebraska Bill, in 1854, and may per-
haps end twenty years hence.
[To BE CONTINUED.