The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1873-12-13

Rev Thomas Guard paid his respects 10
the politicians, ia his lecture On SELF
Government 90 Monday night lasl, in no
very complimentary terms. Had he leo
tpsor used the term paFtisae instead q
politician, he would have been more crisi-
eally'aecurpte. These terms are too often
eonfounded, or used as Synonymous, and
ths opprohrium poured upon INSCRIPTIONS
parlinaship, i transferred, BY The undis-
criminasing to politics Politics is avery
different word, and has very different
meaning, In is proper aceeptation, i
means the science Of government, and ina
government like ours, where the people
govs,n, through their chosen representa-
siyes, il is important thatshe people should
al be politicians aud understand The science
efgossrnmeai, If they would govern wisely
In monarchies, where the people have mas
ten to govern them, il is not 50 important
that they should trouble themselves about
governmental science; but in republic,
where the people themselves govern, i Is
imporsant that they should give due atten-
tion TO politics, and he is not ct for citi-
zenship in a republic who couusels othor-
wise, The denunciation Of politics has
grown to be great evil, in this country,
and has driven many Of our best citizens
out Of politics, altogether; Orrather, it has
prevented them from having anything to
do with politics. Some men make merit
Of staying away from the polls, and refus-
ing 10 exercise the elective franchise
Consequently, the ignorant and viciou.
exercise an undue influence in public af
fairs. This is all wrong, and be cor
rected, if our liberty does not degenerate
into licentiousness aud end in revolution
and anarchy. Good men, and men of the
highest culture, ought to be the most ae
tive participants in our political affairs
50 that government shall be shaped and
controlled to the wisest ends and for the
good Of the whole.
Rev. Henry Ward Beccher's paper, the
Christian Union, takes very sensible
view Of this subject, II is not often that
we quote Bseeher on any subject, but truth
is truth, whatever its source, and tho force
Of it Is not lessened, even though 1t come
from Beecher He says, in a late number
Of the Usion:
at has long been the habit Of cultivated
men in this country to speak fit as merit,
that they had nothing to do with politics. In
country like ours, no citizen, and especially
no scholar, has fright to abstain from politics;
and he who boasts Of such abstinence boasts
Of his own disgrace. In his fine discourse on
this topic which Mr.. Whitelaw Reid lately
gave at Amherst, he meets the issue squarely
by insisting upon ssthe essential worth, nobil-
ity, primacy indeed, Of the liberal pursuit Of
policies. Il is simply the highest, the most
digni6ed, the most important Of all earthly
objects Of human study. Next to the relation
Of man TO his Maker, there is nothing so de-
serving his best attention as his relation to
his fellow men, Mr. Reds analysis Of the
special duty Of the scholar in politics involves
four particulars l. ave may set It down
as, within certain needfnl and obvious limita-
tons, the very foremost function ofthe scholar
in politics, to oppose the established. 2 His
duty is TO furnish an intellectual leadership Of
the Radicals. 8. To resist the tyranny Of
party and the intolerance ofpolitical opinion,
and TO maintain actual freedom as well as
theoretical liberty Of thought. 4. To give
candid consideration to every question on its
individual merits, fairness to antagonists, and
willingness always to hear the other side"