The Shasta courier., 1867-11-23
SEperfuous Vigilance

Certainly no country in the world affords
an example Of such severe, constant and in
discriminate abuse and criticism of officials
as our own State Reckless charges. sweep
ing assertions and suggestive inuendoes are
flung at the luckless heads of public officers,
little and great, with profusion and appa-
rent thoughtlessness which would b. anus
ing if it were not SO wicked and m.schievous
To such an alarming extent has this sort of
thing been practiced, that Eastern people
very naturally believe that we have the worst
set of Federal, State, county and city officials
of any State in the Union. Every Cali
ifornian who has mixed much with Eastern
people who read California newspapers,
knows the truth Of this assertion.
One class Of newspapers watches for every
opportunity to say an evil thing of an official
unless hired to keep still, simply out of de-
sire to crafty malevolent disposition. Un-
successful in persuit of Office themselves,
they cannot bear to see any man remain un-
disturbed or unassailed in a position of hon
or emoument Another class, conducted by
men who are themselves dishonest, or are in
flated with the notion that they are the sole
and only guardians of public morals, pounce
upon every official at the slightest warning
that all is not right, banging away Justify,
as if plumng themselves on their superior
honest and watchfullness, and making haste
to earn the reputation of honest vigilance
unmindful of the slaughtered regulations
that have gone down under the first breath
of their SANDER.
1t is easier to blame than praise; the in
born ''pure cussedness' of human nature.
and especially of newspaper human nature,
makes assault a more congenial persuit than
defense. So it comes to pass that every Of
fcer, however honest and capable he NAV be-
considers that in accepting his commission,
he sets himself up as target for the sings
and arrows of every malicious or conceited
scribbler in the land. He will be set down
as nave or an idiot, and there is not much
incentive-except in his own conscience-for
him to do well. lie is convicted in advance,
and will never be praised if he does his du-
ty ever so faithfully. The days of giving
public servants their just need of praise
have gone out, and it is fashionable now to
say everything that will encourage them to
deserve the i'll reputation prepared for them
nothing to strengthen them in the path of
duty.-Alta.
AcTs, NOT WoRDs.-General Grant is not
given to much speaking after the manner of
politicians. lie does not appear every other
day in print at the solicitation Of some ear.
nest friend, giving his opinion upon every
topic that may turn up, from an extraordi-
nary change in the weather to the last man.
ifesto of Antonelli Every mOusing pol
itician within hundred miles of the head
quarters of the army, for the last two years,
has been manufacturing platforms for him,
and endeavoring to drag him thereon. All
this while the we'll balanced General Of the
army has been quietly building up his own
platform after his manner Of working, that
is to say bv acte and not words thrown out
for the most part as electioneerlng kites
lie has Just added two planks to 1t, which,
we are satisfied, hot even the keen-scented
Fornev ever suggested. He has established
two rules, that no application for furlough
will be attended to unless they come through
the proper channels, and that no employees
of the War Office shall act as Claim agents.
One is intended to relieve himself from the
importunities of the politicians, and the
other TO secure greater efficiency in the War
Department These are the sort of practical
blanks which will be more acceptable to a
practical people. Administrative ability of
the first class is one of the first essentials in
a President of the United States, and Cen
eral Grant is every day giving the nation
proofs that be possesses that ability in civil
in as eminent degree as in military EN-
ployment.-Daily Alta.
IT is said that domestic affairs are i'm.