The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-04-18
SPIRIT OF THE PRESS.
Editorial Opinions ofthe Leading Journals
upon Current Topios-Compiled Every
Day for the Evening Telegraph.
PARTISAN CALUMNY.

PARTISAN CALUMNY.
From the Chicago Post
The late General Thomas, in replying to a
suggestion of his nomination to the Presi-
dency for 1872, thus spoke to his intimate
friend and old comrade, General Negley:-
''rhe profession of arms is most congenal to
me. 1 do not wish to be connected with
politics as now conducted. No matter how
irreproachable the conduct of a man, or how
distinguished his services, he cannot hope to
escape calumniation at the hands of parti-
sans" The evil of which General Thomas
here spoke is surely 80 nearly universal in
this country as to amount to national
fault. Vituperation is vice of our politics,
both journalistic and official, to q greater de-
gree than, il is believed prevails anywhere
else outside of the crazy Rochefort circle in
Paris, and filibuster and army circles in the
island of Cuba.
IL is one of the many i'll results Of slavery.
The Quaker, whose team banked in q mud
hole and then upset his wagon, pitching him
under the load of manure, with just enough
of him outside for the free use of tongue and
smelling powers, and who wanted to swear
fearfuly, was in much the predicament of
honest men in this nation during the era of
the reign of slavery and slavocrats Here
was an institution accurately described as the
sum of all villainies, which, by hook and
crook, had got to be the chief concern of all
politicians. In its defense every branch of
government was arrayed and in full force.
Not only so, but the press and pulpit
generally defended it. Those who preached,
or wrote, or argued against it., were con-
stantly denounced in the most opprobrious
language. When the truth began to pene-
trate the public mind retaliation was not un-
natural, and one of the saddest, if not one of
the worst, works of slavery on this continent
is that, in respect to the discussion of politics.
we are a nation of blackguards.
The evil is not confined to one party,
though truth compels us to say that in great
and versatile accomplishments herein Demo-
cratic journals and speakers, upon the whole,
surpass those of the Republican party. We
have to acknowledge the superior capacity of
the Democracy in this respect, but without
intending thereby to admit that the Republi-
cans have shown any stupidity in acquiring
the art
There is, perhaps, no evil now having full
sway in the country, which accomplishes
more harm than this of which we speak. If
it deferred General Thomas, as brave man
as ever lived, from all thought of political
life, we may safely conclude that it deters
hundreds of true, able, and patriotic men,
who might do the State some service, from
all ambition in that line. We may safely
conclude that but for this many of the worst,
and but precious few of the best, men of the
country would be in office; that men of nota-
BILE talents, of culture and refinement,
nearly all avoid practical politics as they
would a pest house, and are found engaged
in commerce, the learned professions, bank
ing, architecture, farming, journalism, etc.
National habits no more than national
Institutions can be put off like garment.
So long, however, as the simple fact of can
didature makes target of the best man in
the country, at which the public shoots off all
sorts of guns, loaded with all sorts of foul
missiles the public may expect to be ill
served, or at best to have for public servants,
in many instances, men of little merit and no
modesty. There is courage of the highest
and most admirable order, which dares oblo-
guy and repels calumny no less steadily an ]
grandly than Thomas drove back the Rebels
from Chickamauga. We have some such men
in the public service now. But not so many
as there ought to be. Whilst the evil of uni.
versal calumny exists, it is demanding too
much of men of talents and refinement that
they shall submit to be assailed in the style
of Chinese warfare on being candidates fol
Office. While other honorable and inhuen
tial vocations are open, they will prefer them
and have a right to-.
The remedy, we need hardly say, is with
the people, and particularly with the intelli
gent and thinking classes. These are, aftel
all, the ''floating voters" They do not exer
their influence, they do not assert thei
power in practical politics. 1t is the hardes
thing in the world to get thousands of then
even to vote, except at Presidential election
And then they complain, and with truthful
ness. about ''the dirty pool of politics"
is their business and their duty to cleanse it
to take the political machinery of the lam
from the corner groceries and set it up il
better places. The reformation of politics
in the hands of the decent people of tn
h11t fhotr off
so long as they fail to take active part il
affairs which SO much concern them.