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

itician. There have been instances in this
country where men havesbeen great poll
ticians, in the high sense of the word, with
comparatively few artificial advantages
men of this government were
man of far seeing statesmanship,. and but
the fewest number of them were men of |
learned attachments What is known spe-
ciall y and distinctly as '4earned politics"
is a6thing more nor less than species of
Machiavellism Divine Providence never
intended this world to be governed by the
theories of closet students-men who had
great book learning, and who derived but
very little of their knowledge from an &C.
tua1 experience among the people. That
has been the curse of English politics.
Where do you ever see peer of Great
Britain, trained in all the traditions of the
Empire, originating and systematizing a
reform bill that sincerely and justly probes
any popular grievance. 1t takes your John
Brights, fresh from the people, to intelli-
gently interpret TO peer what it is that
ais the people in any given agitation
Burke, Fox, Sheridan, Grettan, Macaulay,.
Bright, Golden and such men, were from
the people, and such men as they have
made the politics of Great Britain illus
trious and simply for the reason that they
have made. the legislation practical aEEs
progressive and truly reformatory- They
Learned their politics just as all enyiable
minds learn anything, by the application
of their judgments to the common. sense,
in other words to the essence, of fittings
The Commoners-the men from the ranks |
the men who grew up within inhaling
distance of the popular breath, not
around the throne-not in the priyileg-
ed places-not in the secrets of
state-are the men who have advanced the
standard of English popular content and |
prosperity. The same is true in this coun-
try. Take Henry Clay for instance. His
political training was amidst the people of
the primitive West. His great common
sense was his Craftsmanship. In this re-
spect he excelled Webster and all the dia-
lectic men of the schools, whose fortes
were logical processes and not instructive
of the inherent practicabillty
and expediency of any measures proposed.
as he was, his judgement
had all possiblejBuperiority and weight
over the made men among his competitors.
Drill. theories-precedent -logomachy,
give men great deal of knowledge but
no wisdom. As law iE the perfection of
human reason, SO politics is the perfec-
ture Of human wisdom, and a man who is
a great politician is simply man noted
for his wisdom, and wisdom.is the begin
ming and end of all Craftsmanship worthy
of the name.
In all this we would not have our CO.
understand us as combating his
views of the desirability of the better edu-
cation of our public men. With the ex-
Dlanation we have made we wholly agree
70 teach politics a Ia mode, SO
20 speak. a man might get Chesterfield
politics in that way, but very little else
The future of American politics has got
10 be something very different from the
sffetry ofEuropean schools. And after all
the education that men get from them
selves (for that is what the word. means
is the only kind that makes lasting inn
preston on their day and generation. We
admit that a3man like Benjamin Franklin
lid make very indifferent show at
.he court of Louis 10th of France, in COM
petetion with his State officers. But what
America regrets that we had Franklin for
our philosopher, guide and friend" and
the French those shining and glittering
for theirs. e
We need men of more education in the
national councils, bat that isnot our great
est need. We need men of higher moral
range, and that is our greatest deficiency:
and it is the real reason why Congress and
congressman appear to such disadvantage
in theeyes ofthe country. Miserable swind-
lers aud lotterists like the two Woods go |
there. Corruptionists like Cameron and
Simmons go there. That is the great all
ment with our politics, and schools won't
remedy it. But healthier public seuti-
ment will. When this war is over we shall
have new era in politics. The demora-
liking causes that have under laid this war
and spperinduced it, viii be removed, and
with them will be removed great deal of
grovelling partisanism. The noblest poll
tics of the worlds history, are yet to be |
illustrated in the carter of this land.
POETRY.
We have stated, not in tones of anger