The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1870-10-06
TFrom Every Saturday.
'it,e neoIifIcnI Evil.

There is but onein this country ,-in-
difference, inaction, absence Ofmind and
absence ofbedy, or whatever other form
of expression may be used for general
neglect of political duties. Talk ofleg-
islstiye corruption, of chicanery in the
caucus, of money at the polls, Of the
tlespotism Of parties, of the increasing
ascendency ofbad men and the displace-
nent Of good; what are these but the
twip, flower aud fruit Of the one under
ground root of listlessncssl lnnumer-
able bodily distempers are traced by the
physicians to "a bad state ofthe blood"
The old moralist thought there was but
one primeyaisin, laziness. The troubles
of the body polite seem capable Of a
like simpliication. Why does the rogue
come into the party caucus? Because
he knows the honest man is staying at
home,-that is, the honest man who
would detect or battle him. Why is
the corruptionist installed in the lobby 7
Because, through the indifference of
constituencies, purchasable maierial'has
sliDped into Congress or the State Leg
isIature. Why are wrong notions crys-
talIized into party platforms aud narrow
ness and prescription made features of
the party rule? Because an intelligent
interest on the part OF all intelligent
men does not, as it should, breathe the
breath of life into all political Organiza-
tions. And SO we might run the entire
round Of alleged political evils, to find,
after all, that we were chained to but
one of central importance.
This, however, though simple in its
substance, is ,bewilderingly varied in its
notifications of form. That of most
freduent occurrence Is downright lazi-
ness Mr.. Smith, having ordinarily as
much business on his hands as he can
comfortably attend to, and not being
paid to discharge his political duties,
and not seeing how he or his family are
to make anything out of it, lets politics
take care Of themselves, as he phrases
it. Smith is rather apt to get confused
AZ to the distinction between goods and
goods, but his real difficulty as we have
said. is sheer Incidence. The Smiths
were always very numerous family
MIR, Browns case is different. He is Q
very refined man and passes for schol'
ar. He is interested in the age Of Peri
cles and studies its political squabbles il
the purest Greek But he cannot abide
the coarseness and vulgarity of Ameri
can politics, especially the prevalen
neglect of men Of ofrefnement, and so h
is rarely seen at the polls and never il
the caucus. Mr.. Thompson is a ricI
man, and therefore he begins to hay
doubts about "this letting everybOd
vote, YOU know; talks about weigh
ing votes, rather than counting them
fears we are rushing on from bad t
worse, and SO withdraws his valuab
presence from the downward tracl
Mr.. Jones is in some respects the hard
est case of all. He is moralist, an
he has actually discovered dishonesty !
politics and 80 he stands aloOf, as if b
might aggraVate the evil.
This is something, we confess, thi
always strikes us with amaZement mr
pled with curiosity. Here is, perhap
physician who has been dealing all b
life with the bodily results of wicked
ness; or lawyer, who has supporte
q growing family on the growth
crime; or merchant, who would laug
bitterly at young man for trusting
his fellow.men when he could have Il
benefit of any Of the mercantile secur
ties against OverreaChiDgj or a clerg!
man, whose very vocation is a testimOu
10 the sinfulness ot the human heart, !
ana vet this man, when he finds tn
everything is not perfectly upright
the domain of politics, and that polil
clans are not exactly what they seen
becomes sick at heart and wants TO {
home and 90 to bed! Whence tn
childish inconsistency and weakness
this contemplate but most grievous +
creancyi Is it Tor this that the be
government on earth,--Old but solem
y true words,-iust redeemed and r
generated by awful sacrifices Of bloc
and treasure, must be given over to il
competent or unworthy men in any
its departments, or must be cursed vii
system Of politics having no relate
TO the amount Of good citizenship real
existing in this country, If it were on
ayanabIe7 And that, too, when u
steady exercise of political rights al
duties would be found agreeable az
edifying to nine-tenths of right-mind'
men, ifthey would but resolutely Gu
tiVate their American privileges in 4
right spirit.
We are about to enter upon the u
campaign in most States ofthe Unio
II is not the vocation Of this journal
take sides on the political questions
the day or to assume the functions oI
party organ. But we have polili,
duty, and we mean to execute 1t. v
turn, therefore, to Republicans,
Democrats, to third--and if necessar
thirty-third--party men, and we s
with the most impartial and imploril
earnestness, ~
Organize
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