Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1873-03-26


WEDNESDAY. 49,. MARCH 70, 1873
Duty 81 the poopio TO Thols
oflceIe.
We took occasion last week to cal!
attention to the ungenerous spirit OF
fault.6adiag INDUCED by the people
Of this country towards their publ,
servants, aud to point out some OF
the many injurious consequences
ehargable to this unamiablc trait IN
our national character, chief among
which was mentioned tho general
apathy thereby occasioned with ref
renee to all allegations of official
delinquency, true or false. There
was no influence strongly relied
upon by the founders Of this govern.
ment to protec, the people agains,
the evils incident to republican iu.
situations than free press with ever.
facility for its universal diffusio,
among all classes of citizens. Bul
the freedom Of the press has come ,c
g NJ anrestraiucd license of de.
traction aud abuse, which in a great
degree renders nugatory all the al.
vantagcs that would have been
derived from = just and independent
newspaper criticism Of the acts OF
those occupying official positions. Ii
seems to us q fitting time to speak a
word concerning what the people
eve to the men whom they elect 10
Office. In the first place they owe
them their confidence. II has como
to q sorry pass for us, il VIC must
distrust the honesty Of q man from
the simple fact of his being u public
character. The habit of constantly
suspiciouing everybody about you OF
wrong doing, not unfrequently pro.
vokes the very result which it is
sought to guard against. If we act
towards III officers as if we expected
nothing less than for them to act ras-
cally, VIC thereby furnish them with q
strong incentive to do SO. Because q
man has been employed TO servo the
public, furnishes no reason why lie
should be a mark for the poisoned
darts which envy and malice have
ever ready at hand. To ~causclessly
mslign representatives of govern
ment, is n misdc,ncamor which is
adequately punished i'll every country
except our own. Some little person.
81 disappointment affords sufficient
prete1t 10 the average newspaper
editor for dcuouncing the highest
official in the land rs guilty OF the
most hsinous Offences. Scarcely three
months in Office. Gov. Wood.on has
vet been the recipient of moro abuse
than was hsaped upon Tom Fletcher.
And it is not confined to political
opponents: but profcssed Democratic
papers %cbagrined because their wish
Is regarding the selection ofexecutivc
did not coincide with the wishes of
the people. are nearly splitting with
spleen, aud teen every week with
savage attacks upon Gov. Woodson,
holding him up to the country rs
utterly corrupt and as p%rostitu,ing
his high office to the basest purposes.
Yet with all that's said. not one def
'iis charge is brought forward, much
less sustained That executive ap-
should disnppoiut many
produce more or less dissatisfac.
ton, 10 to be expected as a matter of
course; but it was reserved for the
fair journals of the present day to
mud in them grounds for impugning
The honesty ofthe head of the State.
We owe 1t to our officers, in the sec-
"nd place, TO construe their actions
'~haritably. They are to be regarded
- men and as influenced by the same
fsslings which shape the conduct of
ordinary nortals. That Gov. Wood
son should distribute among his
'"wnsmen ofSt. Joseph a good pro-
portion Of the favors in his gift, if a
weakness al all, is one upon which
thoughtful mon would never base a
affecting either his capacity or
} 70 honesty. Is it not rather q mark
OF good judgement that the governor
should make his appointments from
among those whom lie has longknown
sui to whose fidelity his owl kuowl.
edge 10 witness? Is it pretended
that appointments have been corrupt-
~ made? Ifso, let the proof be fur
''shed, and tho proper punishment
will not be withheld. We are speak
Ing now of Democratic papers. The
Radical press will, Of course, distort
everything to %injurc, if possible, their
but for Democrats to fur
nish the means to blacken the names
OF their leaders and to injure the pros
poets OF tho party is not only despi-
csois, but deserves the especial rep.
rotation OF every good Democrat.
Shall we support papers which de-
vote their whole influence to under.
mining the power of the party by
constantly v%illifying its leaders and
depreciatins their acts? The effect
OF such q course can only operate to
build up the Radical party, and to
turn over to it the government Of IL
state. We earnestly recommend to
every Democrat to scrutinize tho ut
terences Of such pretended friends,
Tor if VIC mistake not, they point un-
erringiy to all attempt at %bctraying US
into the handsiof the Philistines.
AKiad word &C Parting.
The Jefferson City Tribune of the
a4th, speaking Of the adjournment of
the Legislature, speaks thus of the
members ofboth houses, call the Sen.
ators and all the Members have ac-