Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-01-18

tired of politics; that they are weary aud
disguised with the chicanery and demagogu-
ism of politicians; that political Journals
are bore; that they rightly attribute the
evils and distresses of the times, To the per-
nicious sway which policies has exerted on
the public mind and conscience; that fpoli-
tics ever was any thing else, il has degen-
Grated into species of gambling, as intoxi-
eating as cards or dice, and is inevitably cor
rupting in its tendencies and influences that
il distracts the attention from business pur-
suits, and is altogether pro6tless; in word,
lhat they want to think, TO read, to hear no
more of the detested subject; that political
discussions and disputes have recently fur
nished this country with supper of horrors,
from which it should rise, full to safety,
and utterly nauseated.
This may be stating the case strongly, but,
that these reflections or something like
them, have passed through the minds OF
many, there is little doubt, and just as little
question too, that many have promised
themselves to have nothing more to do with
the accursed thing. Good, and grave, and
clever citizens in the pursuit Of their pro-
fessions and vacations, when they take up
their morning paper, avert their eyes from
whatever touches the subject; and mentally,
if not orally, damn all illusions to recon
struction," RESTORATION" "the Presidents
policy" "the schemes of the radicals" the
action of Georgia or Ohio, or Tennessee,
&c. &C., or anything indeed that savors Of
what is termed politics. An article on any
other topic will give them more interest, and
if the political intelligence is read at all, it
is at a chance leisure hour, and then perhaps
carelessly, and the paper is laid down, with
more of an emotion of wonder that the edi-
tor is not tired of the everlasting subject,
than any other feeling or thought that it
has excited
Now we are willing TO admit, that this
current of thought and feeling is natural,
and to degree, excusable. We will not
say how much of it we have ourselves ex-
perienced. But is it right to indulge it too
far? Would it be proper discharge of duty
for virtuous, well-meaning citizen to lose
his interest in the political condition of his
country, and resolve to permit the manage
ment of public affairs to pass into the hands
of professional politicians, and that class OF
the community, which for want of something
else to live on, subsists on sensation and ex-
element? Is the good citizens whole duty
done when he deposits his vote and can he
vote intelligently without first informing
himself of the bearing of the matter in issue
and il he likely to do this, if he divests him
self of all Thought or care of the thing until
election day? We opine not; but dis
astrous train Of consequences will be the
result, if the many people, of whom we
speak, should give way TO the impulse we
have described.
Instead Of attributing the present calam-
ities of the country to an overzealous par
ticipation in politics, Though much OF IT Is
due to the abuse of the popular tendency to
excitement on this subject,) we are rather
Iinclined to ascribe them to want of the
proper amount Of rational interest," on the
part of the class of men to whom these re-
marks are specially spplicable-we mean
those who are called "the good citizens
the sober, thrifty, upright men, who are the
thews and sinews of society. The adoption
of hurtful public measures-the passage OF
unwholesome laws-the installation of In
competent and corrupt men into ofiice-the
progress of vicious political principles-and
the present general wrenching of the timbers
in the Ship of State, are, in our opinion,
mainly due TO the fact that Il e manufacture
of public sentiment in regard TO govern
mental affairs, has been matter too little
thought of by these our good friends. In
the recent CONFUSION, they scarcely seemed
TO realize the condition of affairs, until they
felt the ground moving under their feet.
They found il easy enough to sit in their
Offices, and stores, and on back piazzas, COM
placentiy viewing broad acres, and ridicule
and ieer at, and despise the taste which
prompted their neighbors to manifest deep
interest in the pending political questions; but
they found it somewhat more difficult to
manage, or avert the fury of the storm,
which timely action on their part, might
greatly have contributed to prevent. We
trust they will learn from experience, and
watch the politi, al barometer little more
closely in future. 1t will well pay them
to spend little time and thought onpolitics,
If they can escape for themselves or their
posterity. a repetition fothe scenes so freshin
their memory.
This scheme of government Is, as our
fathers intended it, and in theory, if not in
practice, government of the people; and
each individual is charged with his share OF
the responsibility for its wise management,
He cannot without culpability, and risk to
his own dearest interests, evade or avoid
that duty. The privilege of participatingin
this form of government is a distinguished
blessing, and il is hishig and solemn dutyto
qualify himselfto doitwisely and well. Every
man of intelligence, holding stake in
the country, land who does nOt?) should be
his own politician. He should not trust TO
Others to form his political opinions. TODD
so, is an unworthy abnegation of the chief
es. of his civic rights, and the abandonment
Of principal part Of the political estate be-
oueathed to him; and when the mass of the
true citizens of the Republic shall come TO
forget their interest in politics, "chaos will
come again"
OF course we do not mean to urge that ev-
ery citizen shall become an active and ardent
partizan eanging at ward, and town, and
county or even State conventions, or that
he shall be punctual member of a back-room
caucus; or that he shall name his propis-
sing son for his fayorite stump speaker, and
bring himup in his nurture and admonition.
But we do insist that each citizen Of this free
Republic shall have a politics, and that he
hould read, and reflect npon passing political
events, and keep an intelligent lookout on
the signs; and there has never been peri
cd in the history Of this country when this
duty was more clearly demanded than now.