The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1873-05-08
Death ofEames Brooks.

The moral of the death of j ames Brooks
is too useful to the American peole OF TO-
Jay to be passed over IN silence. There
Is igher law than that Which has been
C. y>iaiZed In the motto, de ntOrtu IS
nI MS Gonuna." The sentiment would
have its proper place in the ancestral
worship piacti>ed among the Chinese, and
may act as Il useful restraint IN private
lie, where the departed leave behind
them friends to mnsrn the death aud
where their faults die with the body
Bu6 1t needs no argument 10 demon>trate
that the rule would be hurtiul if there
wa no exception when applied TO public
iie aud public men. When man has
thrown away great opportunities, when
he has violated public trusts, when he has
left the world worse than he found IL by
reason of his example. it Is untit that
luughr but praise should follow him to
the grave, and that his living faults
should be passed over in silence. 1t IS
not ipr his survivors to pass judgment
upon James Brooks, 1t Is true. We have
90 desire to do this. nor needlessiy {"
speek III unknd words of the nan who
paid uear peua uce for the error OF his lie
before he gave 1t up.
There is hardly IA man in this country
Who has been 50 uniformly successful III
coutemporaueous politics as the late
james Brooks He seems tn have been
"A tavure d son If fortune from he v ry
beginning oil his career. lD early life tie
bound kind friend, aud ad nirer>. who LEM
him that helping hand for the lack of
which many better man has spent his
life in toiscme obscurity. He was born
III the early part of the present century.
was college graduate, and was admitted
AT an early age tn practice at the Bar.
He entered upon journalism almost I'm
mediately, aud at the time when journal
ism had begun To shape itself into pro
fessiun, He had the advantage OF "a resi-
iencc at the Capital in u newspaper ca
p:ety and uf IA trip 10 Europe "a q news
PAL er correspondent. He was elected t.
the Maine Legislature when only % years
of age and thus became associated with
politics at IA time of l'fe which enabled
him to master its mysteries and becnme
an adept III its workings He enlarged
his field soon after by removing to New
York City, where. With The assistance Iha,
had always been ready for his advance
ment, he established the New York
E:rpress, which, for many years, has been
one of the most profitable newspapers IN
the country. He secured leading
positions in the politics of he State, served
In the legislature and the Constitutional
Convention ami then was sent to Con
uresS, Eight times, in ali. was he return
ed TO bis seat In Congress. Meanwhile.
s.ar,i-working bI Iother remained at the
editorial post in New YORK, claiming
none of the hnnors of the position, and
steadily holoiug tue journal It's even course
If prosperity. James Brooks acquired
wealth along with distinction Tie wi>
able to take his recreation in tour
around the world, was held IN esteem by
his own iarty. whether " Nhg Know
Nothing, or Democrat, anu never the
subject of contumeiy from his opponents.
Personally, he was tall, benevolent
| locking uIaa. of mild manner, polite al
dress, aud IN every way calculated to
secure the pnpu arIty that actually await
| ed him in lie. Ii will be admitted that rn
such a man, with surroundings such a.
| have been described, temptation was all
| easy thing 70 put down. He was besetby
| none ot the necessities and extremIues
| that are reasonably allowed to extenua te
m"rtal offen>es against eIsonal and ofh-
| cial integrity.
In the face of all the favors that had
| been >howered upon James Brooks
| temporal political, and social, he per-
| United himself to use an Off, lal trust for
| ais personal benefit, and to the dctrimenI
| i the public interest. He was appointed
| Government Director of the Union
| Pacific Railroad probably because ot the
| -uecia interest which he had displayed
| III the grand project of spanning the
! ConIin, n with an iron rail HIS aclIv-
support OF the scheme passed for patrl,t
I>,n and added to his popularity anu
| -scs.eS>. Ii turned out To be buI d self III
episode OF selfish career. He identified
n.n>elf with the Credit MobilIer system
| more large than any other of the pubic
| men subsequently, found TO have been
| associated with It. He deliberately Joined
| hands with IA deliberate combination tu
| defraud the Government at the very time
| he was occupying a position especially
created for the purpb>e OF guarding the
| iuvernmenr' interests. When the ex
| .,osure cauIs at last. a. II Is pretty sure to
cume sooner OF later, ne adopted policy
! of preyaricatiun aud deception. which
| ,:niminatej in personal modification
| that was positively pitiful tu contemplate
| 1t l. up secs-sary tn rec pit i SC tie
| circumstances of Brooks c..nnerIon with
Credit Mobi ier. They are too rectDt pol
! To be entirely fauilar. and AiT. Brook
! case in particular was too humliia ing
ever 20 be Forgotten by thus who Wa tcheo
1t. Ii was = ha,rowihg spectacle el
! shame, rem0rSe, ana despair.
shz Iriesras.i.Ic anapueeueBt Of MIR
-traels d'.ik ssya that i'i> demi~e va
esse result os = ,.--..ss;I ,,.-ssI ise sseds y Hhsel