Idaho semi-weekly world. (Idaho City, Boise County, Idaho Territory) 1867-1868, 1868-03-18

ACH1T1CIsM>O - THE TIMES.
The following; lengthy but Y very i il
tteresting and senerall wholesome crit
icism, on the degenefacy which has fol
years gone onin the social and political
condition Of the country, and from; the
effects Of whichs the, greatness now
bitterly suffer ID copied from 2 late
:numbeEoft thesNew York Round Table
After some prefatory remarks, it says:
/ TAings are well enough as they are,
we are told, and so let them remain
Let as examine the facts little. There
is at present more corruption in:high
places, more intemperance in Legislators
and all officials. more disregard OF the
dignity of the nation-as instanced IN
sending black-legs and prize-6ghters to
Congress-more moral laxitY and In
telleotual debility among the masses Of
the people as shown by their most
cherished literature illustrated and
otiier) and their most eagerly -sought
ainusements more peivasive inscnsi.
bility to the claims Of national and in.
dividual honor than have existed among
us at any period Of our history. And
yet the people have been made more
and more free" The franchise has
been progressively extended SO as to
take in wider and wider circle. Pres
emily all the blacks are to have it, and
then surely it cannot be withheld from
white women; and ifwhite women have
it, no contemplate distinction, based
upon the accidental color of skin, will
be permitted to prevent its extension
to black w0men.9 Thus we shall arrive
at not universal, but adult suffrage, ex-
GLIDING only minors, lunatics, and per-
haps paupers. And with changes, as
certainly as like cause produces like
effect, we shall proceed, we fear, still
further on the same road that we are
now travelling, and witness still more
positive and deplorable accessories by
the way. uIn1
That we are already in q position to
Judge with approximate accuracy the
results of the government ofmerc num-
bers intelligent thinkers will generally
concede. What comes by insensible
degrees is, of course, less keenly appre-
ciatcd than what comes abruptly and
at once. The canker, however, that is
destroying the healthfulness OF our
social and political life can be readily
traced through its main effects. The
idea Of shaping all policy, all DISGUISE
ton, all public speaking or writing,
everything indeed that is to come be-
fore the general eye, with q view not
towhat il right, pure, elevated in NOR
ais or aesthetics, but to what will best
tickle the ears. of the mob, is. gaining
greater acceptance and usance among
Us day by day Our most successful
clergymea are those who are best ca
pable Of disregarding good taste and
the sacred dignity Of their Office, and
who as compounds of huffoon and dem
agogne secure q firm hold on the esteem
of the greatest number of their hearers.
Our strongest politicians are those who
in like manner pander to the lowest
stratum. Of their public for the. simple
and manifest reasons that this stratum
includes the greatest number. In this
there is no occasion for surprise.
Neither government nor leaders can
well be syperiorTto2 the people who
create and acknowledge them. The
greater the number of ignorant or inn
mature intelhgenees admitted to the
franchise, Stha lower win be the stan
dard of all which the power thus given
can affect. If the voting unit is desti-
tnte of Judgment, taste, and clearness
Of discernment, it is vain to hope for
those qualities from . mass. however
huge, Of similar units, You may even
get worse results proportional, from
the mass thanfrom the unit. For igno-
rance breeds land:onceurages ignorance
and, working on y large SCALE it has
q faculty for elf-worship which intens-
lies and concentrates its power for.
mischief. Moreover, the possession Of
the franchise by the least Intelligent
classes Of a oommnnity has the tenden-
cy te l0wrr.respcct for and ultimately
todissooiatethe idea of responsibility
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