Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1865-06-29
RUTLAND HERALD.
Hobbies and ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
and Practice. f


reading books of a boy by the name o
Frank, who on certain occasion read q
fine composition on the subject of self
denial. His younger brother Charles
who was present, was very much inter,
ested and impressed with the subject
matter of the essay, and resolved at
once to put its principles into practice,
On all occasions he was devising ways
and means of practising selfdenial. The
older brother, who seemed 10 have lost
all interest in the subject when the eX-
ercise was over, was not little annoyed
with the constant reminders which he
received from the other and was as far
as possible from pratislng his own pre-
eepts.
This illustrates in small way trait
of human character which, If not uni
yersal, is at least very prevalent.
People for the sake of gaining notori-
ETY., ACKNOWLEDGEMENT or some advantage
over others will assume to be the especial
champions of some particular cause. In
casting about for a proper subject of ag
itatlon they will perhaps fix upon one
which is commendable in Itself If at
the same time it is one which has been
neglected by those who ought to have
done differently, or who stand in antag-
onistic relations to the party in ques-
tion, so much the better. 1t is but JUS
tice to say that this trait Of character
is not confined to any one political or
religious party, although it stands out
more prominently in some than in 9th
ers. ...e.
We propose to give few instances not
so much for the purpose of hitting any
body, which we have no particular de-
sire to do, as to illustrate a principle,
and to communicate as well as receive
useful and practical lesson
Soon after President Jackson had
made his attack upon the National Bank
and taken the responsibility Of re-
moving the deposites, the opposition
became the champions Of that afflicted
institution, and for several years they
made it their special hobby. As late as
the Presidential campaign of 1874 this
subject was one of the main topics in
all the stump speaking in the West and
Southwest. Meanwhile the leading
financiers of the country had found no
great difficulty in devising ways and
means to regulate the currency, and
finally some of the Eastern politicians
told their Western friends that they
cared nothing about National Bank.
They advocated it becauseit was good
party watchword, and because the
Western people thought they needed such
an institution.
In 1848 the motto of the Democrats
was Polk, Dallas, Texas and Oregon"
The subject of the admission of Texas is
a very suggestive one, but we shall not
now undertake to set forth either the
sincerity Of Northern Democrats in ad-
vocating the measure, or of Southern
Wings In opposing it; but in reference
to Oregon, who now believes that Demo-
Gratis either North or South cared O FIG
about their "Fifty- four forty fight"
hobby The whole thing is shown up
in it's true colors by the fact that a trea-
ty was concluded under Folks admins
tration, by which all beyond the 49th
degree, including Vancouver's Island,
which extends south of that line, was
very quietly coded to the British.
We had it in mind to adduce other ex-
amples drawn from moral, social and
religious subjects, but we are apprehen-
sive Of getting long and tedious.
We ought not to be too uncharitable
but all such instances naturally lead us
to one or another of the following con-
illusions, which indeed have already been
limited at. rs
When men are found dwelling con- |
stantly and very earnestly upon one par
tioular subject, they may be very sin
cere in SO doing Doubtless great |
many are sincere, and the subject may
be one TO C0dlleuSc oh VhS ~ ''tNY
and earnest attention that can be be-
slowed upon it. But it will always be
prudent and right for us to institute the
enquiry whether these very earnest and
Jealous champions have some axes to
grind. Have they by their antecedents
or their known characters given evil
dence that they love the public good any
better than do the rest of mankind?
If we fail to discover any far-reaching
designs of selfaggrandizement, than we
may profitably enquire whether they are
not riding their hobby merely because
they can thus get along easily and rap
idly. We have all heard the story OF
the Doctor who was something mex
pressible on fits, and who, on being asked
why he gave certain medicine, replied
that he could not cure the patient as he
was, but he had given him something to
produce fits, which he knew he could
q x,,:4l oil r,an,Jira boblNtv