The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1869-05-15

sTATEsMAHsHIR.
There Ia much lamentatlon In these limos
on account Of what Is alleged to be the CON-
elusive evidences Of the decay Of staiesman-
ship In this country, and men will tell you
with sad countenanoes and with sort Of
forlorn grief struggling In their hearts that
we shall never again SEQ such statesmen In
the United States as Clay, Webster and CAL
houn. Perhaps, mott still we Yield no crcd-
cnce to these notions.
Every age and time and generation has Its
questions, and the public man and politician
who understands these the most thoroughly
can grapplc with the difficulties presented
and solve the problems Of the hour and lead
the nation In the paths of peace, progress
and the national greatness--ls the statesmen.
Some people appear to think and believe
that 1t is the highest craftsmanship to main.
tain for the nation a sort Of stately conser-
vatism, a position 30 to speak Of "masterly
inactivity" So long as laws, institutions
and forms are preserved unchanged, II Is all
well, all as It should be. Tho publclst and
politician who can contribute most TO this
end Ia In the estimation Of many the greatest
STATESMAN
nv ono ''iho, "uu ior yo"rs o'on' III 'a's
country 'n'0e "uu o"'s ."o'' WIZ 'u' s''a'
pctuate human slavery. Was II not in the
ID" anu 'ho Nons'i'"''ou 'u"' 'n's ius'''u'ion
found its bulwarks, and would not our
Government come tumbllng Into fragments
about our cars we disturbed In the
shghtest degree tho existing relation between
master and slayef Notions Ike these con-
stltuted the acme OF craftsmanship In the
days OF Polk, Fillmore, Pierce, ard Blu.
chanan, and the whole power Of the Govern.
ment was welded by these Presidents In do
fence OF slavery, and all the people said,
amen. These we're our statesmen, but such
statesmanship came mighty noar running the
nation.
When 1t was proposed 10 put Abraham
Lincoln into the place which mon like those
named above claimed on the score of states
manship, the attempt was denounced as
thing but slight remove from madness
Itself. Ueyas A baokvoodsman. n thIrd-r,te
Illinois LAWYER. ga bore and n iokern e.c.
and will Won nut such n man into such an
ov,r,o1 s,a,,on ,,noro or,v yor sbor,a H.
s,a,osr,on, W. boyo socr Tho ,vorL ~ ,hI.
,,r,I.I-r,,o u,,,o,. !, 49, ;, ,ho ha,or.s -
tho ,corIo =, No man yas .vo, h.Iov.d hs
TO- ,rbo.o ,,r,o YOU s,.nds onroI,o, IT.,
on tho scrolI of f,n,o nv tho sIdo of Wasb-
Irc,on ~ mo, avon higber mn s,a,osmar
ia ono Yho 400. ,ho ,yor,, n, s,o,osro.n
MT = r,oIa,r, h,,ra ho,.lr,o Corsoryo,,vo
hv, ono SNo Socs .onno,h,rg for b,s ,Imo a ma
,onoro,,or somo,h,ro far nj. oorn,rv ns
norL,nd. ,vbo oortribr,os 10 IN a -,
on, or Tho oId mt. ~ or.,or, and ooroai,
and docs somctbing sor which a : or oorcra'
,io,s ri,I rorrorhor hin, ond Loo,, ~. 49,,
nv crcor
y,o,roa T., ,,,,. u,,,, ,,o u,,,-, ,o III,
nols lowvcrm wos a statesman. and an m,
imnortial bi.torian will dac,,ro wbjlo IN,
others will have no p,aco bevond Tho com
monest noItIcIons ~ the borr
Tho Democrats r,r,v In m. ,o., c,r
noIgn nominated for il; Presidential cond
date Uorotio sovmour whom II pronounco
"the foremost statesman - in the land
What had Mr.. Seymour ever done to entitl
him 10 this high compliment The fore
most statesman, forsooth! He is q mere poll
uclap, and had the cunning of bis cram, n
getting the nomination shows. To be sure
he is cultured gentleman, a good speaker
and a very respectable man, as the worl
goes; but what single thing has he don
which after generations will recognize A
placing him among statesmen 7
In 1868, as in 1860, we were told that W
should not place such man as Gen. Graz
In the field for President for though O GOO
enough soldier, and entitled to great cred
for his achievements in the war, still he
no statesman. One party Journal insist
that statesmen must do the work OF states
men. Precisely; but how can we know
statesman till We see his work ! The iii
nols lawyer wrought in the furnace of tria
and achieved his work. What wonder, Their
should the Illinois tanner, passing throug
no. H. ~ l. Lit r..