Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1863-08-20
POLITICS.


article headed "Political Education" il
which, while there are many just and for
chile things, there are also many fallacies
1t is true, as is stated, that political ednca
tion in this country of ours is sadly det
Gent, and that very incompetent an'
expensive men thereby get intoPublic posi-
tons. 1t would be very desirable to have
better men in the councils of the nation
mon better read in elementary political
Iearpiug-men of more travel-of more
society and consequent breadth and culture
of mind. 1t is deplorable that We have too
many vulgar and mean spirited men in Con
Grass and elsewhere; men who are incapa-
Bile of strong pbilosophic views, and whose
provincialisms and crudities are clogs to
correct legislation and discreditable to the
statute book. But how is all this to be
'remedied? We cannot have privileged
class whose business it will be to learn
and refine politics. The writer, referred
|to. cites the excellence of the English
peers in all the learning of statecraft. he
undoubtedly correct. He might better,
however, have cited the choice few of st.
petersburg, where, what is called the sci-
knce of Craftsmanship is carried to high
r pitch than anywhere else in the old
gorld. But in this country we can be
either the one nor the other-neither Eng
aud or Russia, and for one we are sincere-
glad of the impossibility.
The point that the writer makes against
ur public men, while it has force in one
l,nse, has none in an other and more prop
sense. To show what he means and
hat we mean, we will quote the gist of
is ideas:
Our politicians, even those who claim to
tons. They were not brought up to pol.
Ike her they are very ignorant. Even in
ongress, where we should expect to see
10 best educated politicians in the coun-
", we find the members lamentably def
lent in that broad aud comprehensive
lowledge, as well as minute detail and
clinical routine, which are 80 necessary
r the starting and maintaining of a govern
entail policy. Our law makers and our
W administrators, many of them, know
Ithing about the history of their own
luntry, much less of other countries
ey are profoundly ignorant of finance and
the many questions relating to property;
they know of Political Economy is
e name, aud on all great questions
hich affect the vital interests of the coun-
y, they are blind leaders of the blind
ost of them have been educated to one
lrticular business or profession, which
,rhaps they may thoroughly understand
II they are swamped the minute anything
rms up out of their particlar line of study
nd thought. Party services have given
ZEN their position, and they are party
oliticians, working for party alone, know
log little and caring less for the real in-
erests of the country. We have pot
ouse and party politicians enough; and
hey are ready enough to talk on anything
nothing, with great semblance of wis
ON. But of real politicians, men who
ere educated to and understand their
Professions, we have very few indeed. And
Ot only do we see and observe the deth-
icncies of men whom we have elevated to
Ugh positions at home, but we are contin-
lily disgraced by the Ignorance of our
inisters and representatives abroad.
In an intellectual sense, all that the
bove quotation contains is true, and in
aat sense we thoroughly sympathise with
ne views of the writer. The abuse of the
democratic element in our national poll.
cs has always been that it operated, al
tten as otherwise, to the prejudice of mer
real merit, and was easily rendered con
ucive to the intrigues of unscrupulouI
pOilsmeu. Tho result has been that tn,
rst men of this country are not, as in thu
i'd world, to be found in the walks o
olitics at all. They take to more congen
Il pursuits; to law, to literature, to his
DRY, to editorship in all its branches, t,
gricultural and commercial life, to any
hing rather than competition with tn
ignoble herd" who trade IN politics. TIL
ssult, in its turn, of this large Withdrawal
the intellectual aud moral culture of thu
ountry from political aspiration, is seeI
the comparatively degraded status o
oliticians. Even the word is obnoxiou
|, the country. To be politician is almos
synonym with being gambler. oOrrup
ON has been so rife and so frequentl!
xpesed of late years, that the people sup
ose veuality and politics to be cOnvertibl,
rms. But it is not so. On the contrary
icy are far apart. Politics. pure and una
liberated, represents asa distinctive word
orc that is truly humanizing in the way
earthly knowledge than any other term
the language. 1t coupreheuds resources
an illimitable character, and this is
saying that its mastery is beyond the
.sp of any one man, no odds what his
santaees or calibre. AS man, how
r, need not Is a repertory Of all law.
bf the whole range OF MADEIRA 'gea'eG-
of all doctrinal theology, to be eisheFi a