The New York herald., 1867-03-13

Parties and Candidates Dissected and Ana.
lyxed.
from The Nation. March ~

Connecticut Representatives. IN Congress sug-
the effect which the crisis through which
tho nation is now passing Is producing and is
encies in the selection OF public men, The may be
said 10 have completely destroyed what remained among
Us when the struggle commenced OF the old European
faith In the value Of political leadership From first
almost 10 last people hungered and murmured for leader
70 supply them with plans and policy and ideas and to
years. at least, the 'coning mani was daily
expected but he never came. Eycrything
persistence the foresight the orttude the Ingenuity
had to BIO supplied by the nation at large; and when the
last shot was Cred people amazed to find that
ception as well execution had In this supendous
dertaklng been the work OF the unknown multitude
and thai In short the Of the Washingtons and Pitts
and Napcleons seemed to have passed away The re-
suit Is that sgreas statesmen" perhaps Just now In
lower rcpue all tho world than they were bc.
FORE and in this country the public may said to havo
not only given up wishing for them but almost to hold
them In contempt Whether the experience OF our war
usdes this state OF feeling 1t impossible to say
is hardly sufficient basis for generalization This
much is cerain that in all civilized countries Bismarck
and Cavour 10 tho coptrary Notwithstanding, the
dency Is to rely moro and more popular good sense
and popular morality, on popular aspiration aud on
the national vitality, aud not on individual genius for
the solution OF great political problems
But il Is impossible not tn that along with this
low estimate of the valuc OF individual leaders there
creeping In also low estimate Of the value Of ndi-
vidual character. The struggle through which
passing Is severe tho danger to the national
cnce against which fighting II great and the
the habit Of caring little for public mans life and an.
tecedens provided that the day Of battle lie keeps
his place in the ranks and acts chccrully with the mass
in other words provided he shares opinions we are
not disposed to inquire very closely into the reality Of
his conversion, surposing him % have been suddenly
converted TO our way of thinking There have been
numerous illustrations OF this within tho last three or
four years. VIC could mention half dozen very s.rik
Inc If cared to be what the reporters call in
vdious" The most prominent is Andrew johnson
himself. His loyalty to tho Union during the war
enroT sa q overlook MS
his coarseness, his profanity his foul moulhed
devotion to slavery during his whole public lie;
and not only TO overlook these things, but to
conclude that his loyalty indicated radical extirpaon
Of his faults. We now know that It indicated nothing
notwithstanding Andrew Johnson Of 1869 was just the
Andrew Johnson oflS56 only somewhat older and
self sutcicni We Shall not run any further along tho
list should bc forced TO speak evil some other
dgnitares whose shortcomings not yet apparent
and whose usefulness, whether II be little or much, VIC
ore unwilny to impair Tho fate which has overiaken
Honrv Ward Bcecher Is in different way, nm example
also OF the s;errness with which tho public s disposed
70 uphold at this crisis uniformity OF political doctrine
Just Mr. Johnsons pro- oas bad education counted
Tor nothing long as he hed appeared to hold sound
opinions MI Deechers GOOD character counted for
nothing when he fell suddenly into ursound ones The
has labor ID through long II for slavery the other
has abored through long life for freedom; but their
Tho question ci reconstruction has caused
them 10 BIO thrown overheard together Bocchor f any
thrg, being visited with the heartcr roprooatIon.
his may seem expcdIent just at this crisis, but
not afraid say that think in the long will
be found that this mode OF estimating pablc men Is
based fatal r, and that If rersevercd in
became fixed habit OF the national mind 1t will work
more mischief than n tho heterodcx opinions In reli-
gion, morals or politics that can be preached caro-
whom discussing the prevalence OF political snalics
the character Ct public men, not their opinions. is tho
most valuable Of natioas possessions Opinions pass
parcs dissolve platforms abandoned the wisdom OF
to- day becomes tho foolshress OF ten years hence but
character remains the yesterday to-day and for
ever No nation which cherished and maintaincd II has
utterly peri-hed. Territory may be lost armies
ma, aTss and sa S
their public men might lack thoy should st
least DO truthful, courageous high 'nindsd; III. how
ever they might differ from the majority Ia opinion thoy
should fear dishonor a. Z wound and should approach
the national service with clean hands, clean condolences
ara dignity and self.rsspcct, has ever been utterly
that nations dic and o. the symptoms OF moral do
cac in all ages has been the indifference with witch tho
Intrusion of and humbucs and cheats into prbc
sfces wo have witnessed this spectacle in this country
already but II has reyer been witnessed by tho great
body OF tho people with ind florence Tho dcnocia,ic
party the rst to treat character as II II were OF
party on this point in its later and more desperate
years was ono OF the most revolving phenomena Of
During the Buchanan administration this practice was
elevated into principle until by sach appointment: as
dlsric. Of New York. the party openly proclaimed that
party Gdey would atone for any amount OF rnianIsm
But the rcpublcans to their honor fought AGAINST this
democratic party and It's contempt for character
almost prominent count In the indictment against
H. and bad nearly much to DO with its overthrow at
tho North its devotion 10 slavery The whole country
was shockfd aud dsgraced two months ago by the oec-
ton OF pugs aud gambler from this city to the House
or Representatives. 1t done by the votes Of the
igncrant forcigners and can anybody wonder A. II or
severely blame the electors who knows that eight years
prev ousy they had the Pfesiden. Of the United
States appoint another rowdy, and leader OF rowdie
pothouse bully 10 one OF the most responsible olces
in the Gift the governments
Il NAV seem hard on Mr. B,rnum to make his nomi.
nation the for remarks OF this sor Bat wo do not
seek o place him n the sns ensgS Wi sh r Or
somc service 10 the antisavcry casc In ConIecsiclt
that be did good work on the right side doring tho
war; that he s friend Of s,brioty aud good order,
and that he public spirit and is good nckbbcr But
VIC shall never admit that long carcer like his can
bc atoned tor by merits OF tnls kind lie Is the
pcrsonihcation 80 far from conceans denying
II, he boasts OF it--of ctran low kind OF hum
bug huulbug so petty and producing 50 li,tle apparent
In their way Of judging IT, and sc at 1t. II Is kind
OF humbug, too into whci the Yankee ''smartre's" In
which, funny often appears oats out tito heart OF
religion and morality even more clectusy than tho ds
play OF great crimes great vices and which, II II were
10 spread might easily end n presenting rs with CON-
uny regular In its praying and Singing, and decen. In
external crust bnt IN when an Deow WAS Io,tenness
aud the without virtue. He has passed his life
In rausacng the world for curioses to exhbt-or In
the low estimate In which showmans calling Ii ropu
larry held If bo honorable or instructive 70 60 and
see trance queer things Ia honorable 10 collect and
exhibit them; and if Barnum had confined himself to
ths though might not select him as legislator or
W
for twenty thirty years dcpravng ani ccmoralzing
influence HIS success 10 moncy.gottng, SO far from
atoning for his oences those who have nominated
him seem TO think IL docs, only aggravatcs them; be-
cause II makes bis example the corrupnr 10 tho
thousands OF yognz who leave homo every year In
New England with money-getting set before thsm as
their mission In life. Wo all laugh over tho wooy
horse tho mornads, the Crcassian girl and the dozen
other devices which every resorts TO extract
quarters from tho country people who visit New York;
and there has been so much laughing about H.
and he himself joins IN the laughing readily tha
we forget that Il Is simply swindlIng small SCALE and
that the spirit which prompts and sustans the very
spirit which ls the ais witn orgcs aud embczzere
and "sncsk theves.n What makes II all the more
vong too, Ia fis efforts to deceive himself and his
victims the belief that he makes his trade moral by
keeping up appearance OF responsibility 10 bis mu
ssum and excluding al 'fndocnt allusionp gestures
piousy In his play bills from the stage
Of what with all humbugs doIerence for tho preu.
dIccs Of tho religious world he calls hts ecturo roo
We say nothing hore OF the intense and concentrated
vu'garty-ye do not usc the word as the anhcsis Of
"rentlliyn. Of tho amosphcrs which surrounds him,
though II ought TO be, and We hope one day will be,
when have entered on higher state Of culture, an
objection to man who offers himself as candidate
for tho national legislature. Nor would We dwell