Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1862-10-02
BRAXTON BRAGG.
From Jhs KlChnOnd y 81!
Ehs Pres and The Politicians.


1t used to be admitted as SORT of axiom in mecan-
tbrOpy that there three kinds of great men-thOse
WHO born great those who achieve greatness, and
those who have greatness thrust upon them. No doubt
this classification embraced all wEo could lay claim to
present or historical preemnenCe. The proportions it
is trGe very unequal Few men achieve greatness;
fewer, still, born great but the number of those
who have staggered under the weight of snperimposed
greatness is comparatively large. Modern times have
developed an entirely class CT great men-the
men who are made great by the newspapers. These
probably, exceed, IN numbers the aggregate of all the
others. Newspapers have made an intellectual Her.
cules of many man, who, otherwise, would scarcely
have been able TO stand alone. he press is, indeed,
sort of Frapkenstein with this difference. however, it
l3 never afraid OF Its creatures. They may, sometimes
inspire disgust, but never horror Newspapers have
a good deal to answer for in this way They lave
managed to crowd into the pages Of c0ntempOraneous
history vast number Of characters who really have
no business there at all. Sometimes they may have
done this through charity and commserator for
some aspiring but bel plcSs politician sometimes for
the sake OF trying their power and testing their in
1uence. The power of the press is universally admitted
to be very remarkable but IFS extent cannot be more
emphacaly illustrated than by the vast number Of
great men it has succeeded in creating from very
slender stock OF materials They are TO be found in
every department Of life in the walks Of literature and
of, science, Of art and of politics. But they are
especially numerous among politicians. Legislatures
and Congresses repcte with them. Offices OF all
kinds are filed with them. Everywhere arc to be
found very able men, very distinguished men, even
very great men who all their ability, their dstinc-
ton, their greatness to the newspapers II is said
that no man is d hero to bis valet. Probably not
proximity destroys tie Illusion. Ia the way when
the public has had fair opportunity for examining
the professions Ct many men who pass fer remarkable
statesmen AID distinguished politicians, ii generally
detects their true character, and finds them TO be moth
, ing betttr than charatans and quacks.
1t is not strange that when this discovery is made
srument Of humtug and deception. Ia truth, as WE
have very reluctantly admitted, newspapers justly
amenable to ceLsure on this ground They have beer
far charitable, Or too fond exercising th5ir in
Haence over the popular mind Nevertheless it ght
be supposed that the persons who have proed by the
charity or the influence OF the press would be ANNA
by some feeling OF gratltude-WOud least IN s0mt
manner, recognize the instruments OF their elevation
, Not at all-With the assurance to preenderS
and the presumption characteristic of quacks they
s sumo all the dignity and all the arrogance of nhereu
genius There is ntalibe test OF these poliuca
e cbarlataDs. We have never know public man to pre-
}, tend a contempt for the presto speak OF it slight
g lngy and dlsparaglngly, who was not etbtr q ner
preender who entertained no hope OF the assistance
O newspapers In imposing himself tie public or Cn
It who had attained distinction by means Of the very IN
dences he affects to disregard and c0ntemn For suc
people there is nothing but total failure In thel
Efforts to achieve distinction a sudden tall from th
N height :hey may attained. 1t may good eXpedien
!, for who has cIbed by OF ladder, TO klc
: the ladder away when be has reach the top but sine
be must ultimately down, the inevitable result wi
be- sudden and disastrous fall. Those politician
, who are just now amusing themselves and the publ
with ribad denuncaOns OF the press affected sneeG
at its conductors, would DO well to reflect upon thes
principles, If they are capable OF rejecting on an
" truths whatever 1t would be slightly ridiculous in
man. who might scarcely be able to stand alone to esa
experiments is equilibration it is equally absurd tC
ID men who have had to be held up before the public to
"a tempt Congressional performances OF the tight rop