The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1872-09-27
p0llIical GraVeyards and Who FIJI
Them.
,vsrulSo FOR YOUNG MEN OF POLITICAL
ALTERATIONS.

Tie political gTAVeyhIuS hLe PVPuAV'ui7
rah ,bs failures of ambitious men. TIC
=, ~, among them and read their epitaphs
nav ~ pPOdtable for some OF those young
NJ, 5 who think political Office and dlstinc'
Inn something to be coveted. The true
lea LEA Of republican government in practice
IA Ia choose fl men TO do public service
.,l 10 consider that service as a public
o,y 10 which every citizen is liable, but
rbtrb a not to be the reward OF a selfish
,nbjIion. But this IS an idea which, like
o,Der ideas, is to be taken with the draw.
b,rk, Of q selfish human nature. Men
viii sspire to political Offices, either from
ambitious or mcrcenary motives, and al !
,bAt we can secure for the republic-and
,yeu,hst seems very difficult to gets a
MI and honest attention 10 public bust
ma But, IS VIC said, the political grave.
y,rIs are pOpulous. It may be At least
digestive to young men to inquire for a
moment why they are so. In the case Of
neu who, with only common talants, get
gtO the Legislatures or Congress only be-
Cause their fellow citizens want them for
,be time being, Il Is not strange that they
lnp oul and arc heard no more. For
success in political life THAT is, any sue
ccs beyond mere temporary Office two
things are absolutely necessary; First,
lAat there should be some qualifications
10, that limo Of life Just as in any other
pursuit or profession. There must be q
knowledge OF the history Of the country,
knowledge public affairs, q knowledge
Unconstitutional law, and a knowledge Of
political economy. For want OF these
hundreds Of young men fail every year in
attempts to Use in political life. Fer the
sane reason it is that lawyers make lar
the largest part Of our public men. For
both the theory and practice Of their pro-
ieSiOn,require knowledge of much that
belongs To public life and fit them for
mSny public stations. But We shall not
dwell upon this point, for the thousands
Of failures Tor want OF proper qualifca-
tons arc obvious enough. The second
grest point Is Tor q political man to make
himself as far as possible real represen-
tl!lVe Of the people. This Is his most dit
tcult part, for the people OF this country
4fe very mercurial, as all free people
must be, and are often for short time
carried away BY passion and excitement;
bat, in an intelligent people as tho Amer
leans are, that lasts but little while. The
sober second thought" soon corrects their
impulses. 57
But here comes another difficult point
The country is divided into two great
parties, and probably will be OF least nine
tenths Of the time. 1t IS only occasionally
that there will be an intermlssiOn. The
ambitions man must act with one or the
Other Of these parties. and il is only in
great crises that he can run the risk Of
IeaVtng bis party. These crises arc only
oltTo kinds: One is u foreign war, on
which there may DO differences Of opinion,
s1d great hazards to the country. The
oaet IS IN case OF an attempted change
!aMegoVernment, or domestic revolution,
saca as Tue late prO.slavery rebellion. In
!lse cases, the best course for On ambi-
loas man Is TO take the part of the gov
%tnnent-thSt Is, Of high minded patrio-
Qsn': Many a Democrat, who, in the late
NM, Ielt his party for lis country, will be
Rp.!eCalIy IN a far better situation for it.
naI mis- rule does not apply to any other
case than a great crisis. As general
rug rue, lAe deScrlion Of a great organized
Paly, WIN thehopes Of success in another,
Nrtr pays There was one man in this
country succeeded in that, and there was
T Fa one, John Quincy Adams was q
ttsuetaIlst, but on the question ofthe en-
UIgo Adams then In the senate) went
SuS'Snt over 10 the side of Jefferson: but
a " because Jefferson was afriend
C %olQ John Adams, and when, by the
s sranSe o. John Quincy, Jefferson had an
G 0"il he instantly appointed John
Sancy TO important public place. But
S Ss' 1--WE was another reason: No man in
, tHS country was better Ct for public Office
S, 19 '9an Quincy Adams. There may be
S Sa,t dozen more cases, but they are rare.
Srsu iuGE as Mr. Adams had can not be
s Used Su ior common people. The gem
~ principle Is what we have stated, that
S ~ ' aa Pay 10 leave great and success.
~ party, The historical rule IN our coun.
W S;ps ~ rs . hundred years Is, that whenia
e srS, NATIONAL party has prevailed in the
h !, Sia no opposition oft succeeds until
N "T,s natural death, and the present
n ,SO campaign will DO no exception
N NJ sSst a rue, To illustrate tho effect Of
i Gy ,' Insertion, let US take the history Of
@S S SSs seven years, This Is q short time
b,s tSS IIy Saott time in history-and YET 1t
soma u ~ a. The political graveyard with
Sor mS VI me most important men In The
joSr.:!., 10 That time We have had the
SO SSI.ou apostssy, and now the Greeley
i SSs !, Whose event VIC shall soon see.
esn rI~s Usea seYen.yeaS OF great political
yoI Su'.suCe' and We call the attention Of
Soma o IISn Who wish to rise in politics TO
,Ss ~ VI INC lscts il that experience, At
w, " v ny. o. The war the Republican party
tSs united uaiIsd, intact and ttipmphsnt1 But
difBSSS SSesuon. q tecppStfhcn was amore
inTOiualI,o one thanithatoltheWa war itselE It
c arTI,su The relations o. the States, the
SsU, 10 Of the negro, and the punish
tSo Ss u o,, me rebels. We shall not 20 over
,ncS v .4.gesuons: They are settled. IN Is
mn t1SH.esuonahle that at that time the Re-
III I ,5S party tembraclnga majority OF
md \, ' ~ people Of the United States) ,desi-
IN M ~ ~ restore the States, 10 put tho negro
ruS Nj condition sSa OF legal equality, and
q, ~ !, 'ae leading rebels. How iar any
kpo~s'0 VI 1nIS was accomplished the eader
Pre.;SS,J johnson was inaugurated Vice.
An ,T 'oaSI while drunk. That might be
w VI 'SE SUt a bluuder; but what followed
Of tb6 u 0i an accident, johnson had one
low e + simplest auGplainest Of rules 10 fol-
pIs s, !. was TO follow the will Of The peo-
C "a a expressed by the Republican Con
1oSH.oIu e chose not TO do II; hence, the
ynSS os'a aposlasy. Now; The lesson 10,
men Ia what inllnwad TIO,a =.