New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-10-01
BANKING ON REsPBoTABTLTTY.

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names are paraded before this community
to give sanction to some political move
ment to which, probably, few or none OF
| the gentlemen named have ever given more
than o moments attention, and who have
assented to it to get rid Of some bore, we are
compelled to refuse to recognize the ma
neuver as straw that denotes the d1rec-
ton of the political wind. 1t is nothing
more, at the best, than an expression OF
preference on the part of the signers for
the thing involved, whether it be to run
Smith for justice of the peace, or to open
O new street. 1t does not convey any val
liable information to the average mind;
for even moderately informed men are
aware that almost any doubtful PROPOSE
ton will receive some support. And the
loudly paraded and highly Wanted re
spectability of the signers is piece Of
supererogation, for nearly every man to
whom it is addressed rates himself fully
as respectable, and, ten to one, he thinks
himself wiser than any Of those he may
happen to know among them. It is not
the part of wisdom, therefore, to rest the pc
itical case on responsibility. For it is
virtue that is only ascertained by compar-
ison, and experts will differ as to the mer-
its of individuals those who publish
themselves as Of the coolest and best. "
We can not all be the very best, and the
masses of the people generally, in looking
for representatives., wish to make selections
from their own rank in life. A man be
low the average ought to be rejected for
unftness; but one whose reputation is
carried around on stills is quite as likely
to be rejected, as the people want man
of the people to transact their public
business.
The characteristics necessary for sue
cess in politics are activity, intelligence,
foresight, and human social qualities. The
boys who do the voting do not favor po
litical aristocracy. Yet they are perfectly
fair about it. If the highly respectable
old gentlemen whose names are used on
all sorts of occasions, whether it be to re-
pudiate the State debt, give eclat to the
benefit of an opera girl, build railroad
on paper, or call upon man to run for
office, are able to cultivate the less re-
spectacle element, all right. In that case
their candidate will be sworn in. But it is
not in accordance with received ideas that
4 few men who assume such airs of re-
probability can be permitted to make all
he nominations, thus securing the emoIu-
nents Of Office for their friends and de-
pendent poor relatives, which the people
vt large are compelled to vote for.
The Democrats suppose themselves en-
tiled to the honors and profits of Office
because they are exclusively Of the white
ace. During the four or five years they
ave been excluded from the public crib
hey have forgotten their former rascaf-
les, and foolishly suppose the people have
-one likewise. They rest their claims to
upon their assumed supe-
lority of blood, which, sporting men tell
8, will tell in long race. Perhaps it
i'll, when there is any of it, but it is a
thing to relyupon.
The Reformers have undertaken the
ighly necessary but hopeless task Of re-
'rming their late associates, the Demo-
rats. They are therefore the loftiest of
le Iofty-the very attic in the political
ructure, and hence the least in number.
heir claims 10 responsibility rest chiefly
pom wealth, of which some Of them pos I,
SIS SO little that they find it necessary to
eek public employment as means Of !
Lpport. OF the few hundred Reformers
the city, there is scarcely one of them I
ho does not imagine his name to
tower Of strength, because he is SO =
we'll known" in his little set. Personal
ENDS, by means Of little urging may
tie for candidate, but they do not usu- q
ly importune others to do SO, and but I"
tie success would attend their efforts if
ey did.
The Liberals, too, are slightly tinged y
tn the responsibility pigment. Like the !,
formers, they are an ofshoot Of the f.
party, and comprise the better +.
TT of the real talent opposed to Repub- 4
anism in the State Their appropriate /
ace would be squarely in the Republican +
nks as coworkers. But the majority of >.
en- lack the moral courage to do what -
right, for fear of being stigmaized
Radicals and put on par with >,
iggers," whose votes, not advice, are =,
nted. r.
The public officers Of a State necessa- m
y represent the majority Of the people. III
the fountain is muddy, the stream will g,
t be clean, and can never be made so, =,
,ept by beginning at the source. And ~
, fact that we have never succeeded in +,
citing State or city government during Z,
past twenty years whose record could or
nd rigid criticism is suggestive that H
re is something radically wrong in the 8,
ly polite. A very good man could not NJ
any possibility represent a corrupt con- II
uency. He would find himself in hot Il
5er as soon as a rogue would who had wi
identally been honored in the same be
nner by a virtuous people wi
We should not look for imposslbilities, an
exnact abnses that have endured for a. hs