Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1870-06-02
Congressional Succcssion-A View Of
the GrOund-HOn. j. Allen Barber.
written for the Mineral Point Tribune. }

Through the papers under his control, to
excite sectionniism, an6 to array one coun.
ty against other counties of the District
in this matter Of Congressional success
sion. II matters not to US from which
county Of the District the selection is
made, PRECEDED that the person chosen
Is II tit and proper one having the requi-
site ability to be the successor of our
present worthy representative; and pros
pided also, he has the confidence and
support Of the whole District Here is
The rub. If it can be made to appear
tbat any one person has merits and
claims superior to all others named in
connection with the Office; and if il can
also be shown that by choosing him as
our standard bearer we shall best con-
serve the true interests OF the Republic,
can party, in whose name we are TO act,
Congressional legislation, he is the man
to be chosen. Or in other words, it is the
man, and not the county to be considered.
We hear Of certain very SLY and I'D
cdptandum pleadngs being made use of,
to control the sentiment of certain local.
tiles supposed to be particularly inter>
esled in the proposed Wisconsin River
Improvement. The people of such To-
calltles, both direct and tributary, are,
with immense palayer given to UNDER
stand that ii the person making the sug-
gestion is chosen to Congress. that work
will OF coarse immediately 90 on, and as
consequence, each property holder
therein will have his property in very
brief time vastly enhanced in value -
We have observed, that with the mass of
mankind, these special and well disguised
appeals to their pockets, are always pos
tent for the time being; but when used
by demagogues and politicians for selfish
ends, we have never seen any good come
from them. A high toned malone tit
to be trusted with the management oil
important interests as connected with
legislation, will never resort to arts like
these, alike personally discredihble and
publicly demoralzing, to secure private
ends. Is it to be supposed that a member
OF Congress chosen from either Green or
Lafayette Counties, would in matter
OF SO much consequence to this Congress
sional District, as the friends OF this
Wisconsin River improvement urge it to
be, deliberately violate the will Of the
mass of his constituents by voting
against the measure in Congress-be>
cause iOrsooth, his own county is but
slightly if ut all interested in it2 1t is
idle and preposterous to suppose such a
thing We may as well dismiss all fears
and all anxiety even on this subject then,
Tor III any event, it cannot fail to be well
looked after; but if we would also do
something to cleanse the highways and
byeways Of our primary politics Of their
accumulated filth, let US not fail at the
same ume, 70 dismiss from our conii>
dence and support all demagosues known
to be responsible for the filth, We may
with some discretion and little exertion
just now work radical cure of the evil,
which, unrebuked must soon utterly de-
moralize and ruin the party in this Con-
gressional District.
We come now to our needs--to a con-
sideration Of the qualifications upon
which in our judgement the selection of
the candidate should turn. First then -
We need man vlose political sound
ness cannot be called in question "a
man, whose every impulse is loyal and
patriotic "a man, who learned his love
of political equality and his hatred of all
things slayish and tyrannical, in the
school of minorities and Of adversely I'm
short died.in.the wool Republican,
We have such men, 1t was very easy
and is yet easy, for ambitious politicians
to gather up an evanescent popularity by
street corner displays of trumped up APP
proyai Of that which, for the lime being,
merits the clamor of the multitudnous
tongue" but, it is not easy for one to
advocate extreme sentiments hostile to
those advocated by the mass; and it is
less easy for such IN one to carry out his
views practically in his social and politi-
cal relations, especially in times of pop
ular excitement We have those whose
htpuDlICuUlSH Is uU llstIlCJ VI LHtlI
nature, and their good faith and consis.
tency may always be relied upon, in Of
fee, or out of Office, all the same We
lear that this cannot be said Of all who
are ambitious for General Cobb's place.
2 1t is important, if not indispensable,
that the candidates character and habits
are such AS to command the esteem of all
good citizens; and that he is free and
unspotted from everything like venality
in the procurement and dispeusation OF
patronage in Office Washington is no
place for man of loose habits or weak
virtue and if these are coupled with
talent of high order, so much the
worse. The selling of Cadetships and
the purchase OF votes ut high rates, we
are told are not uncommon incidents in
the National Capitol We have men
whom neither the private pimp nor the
corrupt lobbyist dare approach, whose
very expression and manner keep Mt a
,.istance all base associations We shall
nnt uo amiss If our candidate is chosen