The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1872-08-08
THE REPUTATION OF PUBLIC MEN
A TREASURE FOR THE PEOPLE.
From the Milwaukee Sentinel 7

From the Milwaukee Sentinel
The nation has q property IN the rcpu,
tation Of It's public men that is more.
precious than silver and gold. The seem
ing leaders of the people are powerful
only as representatives of the masses The
great man of The hour is the spokesman
of many others. He who expresses or
enacts the sentiments and wishes Of lis
fellow citizens in the most acceptable
manner is made the recipient of honors is
chosen to represent constituency His
power is the power cf those for whom he
speaks and acts. His reputation is, to q
certain extent, their reputation A blow
aimed at him IS a blow aimed at the party
for which he stands.
Hence in the heat of political conflicts
the sharp-shooters of the press strive to
wound and kill the leaders. AS III battle,
an effort is always made 10 destroy or cap
ture the commanders, SO in the contests
of parties those who lead the masses are
the targets of the foe.
In political warfare, the only Legitimate
weapons are truth and argument. Hon
orable men will use no other arms. I'm
fortunately,In this country, assassins min
3
flicrs. The dagger and the bowl are free
ly used, and Public opinion does not al,
ways condemn, as it should, the use OF
illegltimate means to an end that is deem
ed desirable. The secret stab of the Sian.
derer is sometimes found more effective
than q discharge Of logic. When truth
requires the acknowledgment of an OPP
ponent's spotess private and political
character, the poison OF calumny baselv
kills the leader and thereby weakeus the
enemy. Such warfare is not only ignob!e
and dishonorable, but II debascs and en-,
dangers people. nasl
The habit Of lndulgipg in such a pro.
cedure not only brutalizes those who re,
sort to SANDER, talse{ood and calumny,
but demoralizes the mass who are prone
to san tion it in the heat of % conflict.
Difference of political opinion is too apt
to degenerate into personal hatreds Wits
out the stimulus OF the detractor's art.
We naturally look for evil instead of good
In a party antagonist If mean, coward.
ly assassin OF character assures us that our
antagonist has been guilty of crime, is
addicted TO some degrading vice, er has
officially robbed the public, we easily be
lleve what we wish to be true, and with
fstal facility became tbs instruments OF
disseminating scandal aud calumny. The
tone Of social life is thus lowered, public
morals are corrupted, and the habit Of
using the assassin's weapons is establish
ed in party strife. Les H g.u
An unjust injury to character sustained
by public man is q public loss. It con-
fideuce in his integrity is destroyed, his
power to accomplish good is also destroy
ed. 1t may happen that the very destiny
OF nation hangs upon the life and rep
utation of ono man. There is no doubt
that the cause of the American Revolu-
ton for considerable period depended
for success upon Washington. p If the
ISLANDERS of Gates had been believed by
the people OF the colonies, confidence in
the Father OF his country would have
been destroyed, aud Great Britain would
have conquered. If the detractors Of
President Lincoln had succeeded in alien.
ating tue people of the Northern States
from him, at the time of his second cleo.
.tion, there is little reason to doubt that
the Rebellion would have been q success.
All The benefit that great and good man
may accomplish for the country might be
turned to injury by the secret weapons of
the calumnia;or A nation verify has
property in the character Of It's public
men. This property is not only material
but moral. The prosperity Of a people is
closely connected with the purity of pub,
lie life and with the successful carrying
out OF great public measures, both of
which in no small degree depend upon
sustained confidence IN public men. a9'r IL
3 Moreover, the present habit, Inc this
country, Of unfortunately attacking the
private life of men who are candidates
for Office, results in two conspicuous evils
In. the first place, many capable men, Of
sensitive nature, are thereby deferred from
entering upon a political career. Thus
the country deprives itself Of the services
OF highly educated and we'll qualified
class whose services il really needs. Ia
the seeond place, the falsity of slanderous
attacks On public men has become SOAP
parent that needed exposure osaoficial
corruption has ceased to make proper
impression on the people. The depraved
political sense of the masses is blunted to
proofs of real delinquencies Scoundrels
parry charges of official crimes and mis-,
demcanoIs by a pathetic declaration that