The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1867-04-26
SeIrttrd SelistelIaug.
from the New York independently
Political IFcggnry.

From the New York independently
Political Bcggnry.
When will the societies "for the sup.
preston of street begging" try their hands
upon our Ioltciaus2 Is that process any
more respectable ,''bhcause the streets on
which il is practiced may happen TO lead
to the post.ollice or custom.hQuse II
poor man hegs for copper, tho police tell
him TO "move on; hut it welldressad
man holds ont his hand for place in the
United Statcs courthouse, he is only told
to move up. We boast that we have 90
little disreputabe bcggary, while there is
not auother nation so bored With the dis
Greet and reputable species.
The war, to all appearance, has made the
matter worse, 10y bringing into the field 4
new army of meudicants. We boasted OF
the prompt way in which the great army
of volunteers was reabsorbed Into the ranks
of civil life. Really, il would seem as il
they werc now reoprearing from tho paths
OF peace, to demand the olices. Not that
it is worse business for them than fot
the civilians but we thought they, at loast,
had learned better business.
When we see the rare spectacle OF d chs.
! legged soldier begging his way, hat M
hand in q railway car, it gives sense OF
| dceradauuu. But il is really not 30 de.
grading as to see tho daily reports in the
Washington dispatches of the progress OF
| the contest between General Gordon. for
! instance. and General Deveus, and Major
Church Howe, and we know not how many
other cx.heroes, great and small, for tho
petty office of the [. S. marshalslip in Bose
ton. All these gentlemen were no doubt
respectable, though not brilliant, military
officers, aud had a certain dignity of their po-
SiJion when they wore their Country's uni
form Is there no honorable professional
pursuit to which they can now revert, III
which with the added prestige of their
military laurels) they can obtain an honest
living ? 1t is shame TO subject them ID
the degradation of being obliged TO beg
thus oUsCqnjously for an humble office, en-
dcavoring meanwhile to stretch their pos
litical couscicuces to suit the President on
one side and Congress on the other.
With thousand manly aud generous
qualities we are yet, as n nation, siugularly
deficient in personal delicacy aud a liigll
souso of individual honor. We complain of
our congressman as wanting in self respect
when most OF them bad to begin by laying
their sclt.rcpect aside in order to obtaih
IA nomination. We please ourselves &ith
laciug our feet on the neck of public
servant, and then reproach him for not
standing upright. We denounce our for
eign ambassadors for crmging before what
may be called the McCrackeu of Sewards
whip, Just as if we had not been training
them to tho lash ever since they entered
public life. The reason why Mr.. Motley
stood erect when Messrs. Clay and Halo
covered was simply because they were
professional politicians, and he was not.
1t is the ottenexpresscd theory of our
government that office should neither DO
sought nor declined" But in practice, even
Il
that every man who wishes promotion
Should push lol it. not wait for It. There
are undoubtedly instances where a man att
tains high political rank 10y simply grdritdt'
) ing to it without private wire'puling.
CHARLES Summers career has been Il remark
ablo ms,auce of this but there are very
few such. That n member Of Congress
should leave his duties for a time to look
aftor his reelection is taken as matter
of course. On the other hand, that sensi-
! tiveness of personal pride which would for
ever abstain from honors and emolaments,
sooner than ask for the smallest is a quality
which Americans find it very hard to un-
lerstand. II is called haughtncss, over
lOsudious' ess, aristocracy, and dozen
other hard names.
! 1t is this fastidious self-reSpect, rather
than any indifference, which produoea
among us that aversion to politics which is
said to mark our most cultivated class. Tho
evil is not increasing; but it is far too large,
; Thousands of men now live a precariohs
) life, in official positions, who after sacri-
fcing their manhood to get those places,
find that they would be hotter off without
them. Every good citizen ought to frown
I on this Unsuitable eagcrness after Office,
Every man sets good eXample-be he sol.
0 dier OF civiliau-who holds to his legiti.
e mate business, aud refuses to lift finger
= for ally advancement outside OF IT. Let u
! man make himself so ploiuly servi cable and
: useful that he will not seek Office but Office
d will seek him. if it comes at all, There is
no other way to keep clear of that habit of
l political lnendioity which borders so closo
5 on mendacity that 1t is hard to know them
t apart at last.