Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1873-12-03
THE EVENING NEWS.
GOLD HILL. WEDNESDAY. DEC. 8. 1873
A STATESMAN OF THE PERIOD.

VOA1 R4A4t Uo0N45SAAs 00S W 1S'S
A STATESMAN OF THE PERIOD.
When Tweed was taken to Black
wells Island q few days since, he was
asked several questions by the Record
Ing Clerk. among which were: What
Is your occupation? The answer was:
A statesman. What Is your religion?
Answer: i have none. His head was
then shaved and the striped garments
Of felon were donned.
The answers Of Tweed suggest
some thoughts. His business he main
tanned, was that Of n Statesman. His
religion-nothing. This man, who for
years robbed, bribed, swindled and
corrupted public virtue, esteems him
self a statesman. Aud has he not
some claims to that term as 1t Is ap-
piled to men Of the present day? Ev-
cry Senator or member Of Congress
when elected to represent a people or
State in the National Legislature Is
supposed to have some claim to the
name Of statesman ; much more those
who have held and are holding prom
inent positions in the organized bodies
OF Congress. Yet how much greater
claim have they to this proud name
than Tweed, the felon. Granted they
have not Individually stolen as much
collectively their robberies amount
20 more. Granted that they do not re-
csive twenty-four per cent. Of all
claims passed and audited; they had
Credit Mobilier they voted them
selves money not earned, and they
serve their masters-the National
banks and railroads. Ben Butler. ST.
mon Cameron, Pomsroy, Harlan, Car
penser, Patterson, and our own Stew.
art and Kendall, how much more
claim have they to the appellation OF
statesman than the convict Tweed, who
now with shaved head aud striped waist
coat and breeches, distributes soup and
pills alternately to the convict patients
at the Penitsntiary Hospital on Black
wells Island. The use Of the name
by Tweed was a stigma. Il 1t any less
disgraced by application to the men
whom we have named? And yet In
the lower meaning Of the term Tweed
was a statesman. One Of the def
nitions Of that word Is politician. In
this and upon this definition rest the
claims Of many Tweeds to prom
inence in politics and the positions
they occupy. Tweed was eminent for
political abllities-so are Butler and
Cameron. He knew how to pull wires.
to manipulate primaries. to bride cleo
tors and to make office profitable. In
these particulars he eve surpasses the
other worthless named. Religion is
not necessary to a successful pol
itician, neither Ia virtue nor morality
nor decency. On the contrary. until
the present year the absence Of these
attributes has been almost essential for
promotion, in and out Of Congress.
But the tide seems to have turned.
Tweed gets his deserts sooner than his
brother politicians. yet none the less
surely does popular interest demand
the punishment from politics Of Others
we nave named. The time for such
statesmen has gone by. We wan,
men ..versed in the science OF govern
ment." Instead Of political harpies In
the high seats Of this nation. States
men of the Tweed stripe had better
retire soon or the hint they have re-
ceived this Fall will be extended to a
more Impressive demonstration. There
are too many Tweeds wen now In
Congress.