Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1873-05-28
THE PUBLIC JUDGMEEF OF PUB-
Lie MEN.


There are two extreme and opposite
views of public men, either OF which
Is liable to lead US into error. One at
tributes to them, while in the height
Of their popularity and good fortune.
greater superiority and excellence
than they actually possess (for the best
Of them are but fs1lible mem, and the
other denies them, when IN the wrong
the charity and consideration due to
all. In nothing is the public judg-
nsnt more severe than in regard to
the wrOng-doing, real or supposed, OF
a public man. No matter how hon
ored or trusted he may have been In
the past. or how well grounded his
claim TO the public eonfideHce, let him
once commit q serious mistake, and
most fortunate Is he il the public, IN
their Judgment, accord him the right
Of every criminal at the bar Of justice
the benefit of a reasonable doubt
The autocrat Of this republican nation
is public opinion. and there is none
more absolute or unrelendng. WeuO
not complain Of this. for It affords one
of the strongest safeguards Of popular
rights: but nevertheless, in indivId-
ual cases, Ii sometimes works inJust-
ice.
Whenever the public indignation Is
aroused by some act or measure IN
which the reputation Of a promlnens
man Is involved, there are not want
ing those who, from selfish moaves,
will do their utmost todeepen ana IN
tensify it. Malice and envy, IKE
death, "love 3 shining mark ana
no man need flatter himself that he Is
more beloved by his rivals because or
his prosperity or distinction. We re-
member that when Hon. A. @. Rid
die, who, with other members Of Con-
gress, was in the great stampede OF
our soldiers from the battlefield Of
Bull Run, in the freedom Of private
letter to his wife, which unfortunate
ly got into print, wrote as others felt
at the time, yet in his own trenehant
style, Of that great disaster, the peo-
pie among whom be was bred, and
who, on reflection, could not but feel
that they knew him better than to
think him guilty Of cruelty or cow
ardiee, condemned him, and the poll
ticians Of Cuyah0ga county, who COW
eted his position, fed the flame OF
popular indignation in order 10 secure
/ his defeat. The feeling which made
the soldier a pet of the nation, and
resented every wrong to him as pub
/ lie outrage, was an honorable one, and
yet the Representative who became
4 its victim did not deserve the odium
he received. a1al'.-'s saI p
In the present state of the public
mind, indignant as it is at the wrong
of the salary increase, every member
who supported the measure comes IN
for public eensure, and those who de-
I sire to displace him, and many If not
all Of whom are as faulty, make the
most of the situation. Thus, the Ohio
Legislature, composed in good part of
men ambitious to go 70 CongIess, and
whose own records, to say the least,
are not above criticism, depart from
1.-THE legitimate business of legislation
to censure our erfing members Of Con-
gress. And the Republican poll
Of Trumbull, who, with those Of Ma
lhoning, have never loved Gen. Gar
tdeld too well, and some Of whom We
doubt not could be induced TO accept
his place. take advantage OF an hon
lest public sentiment to eensure him
land request hin1 to resign. 4-sup e
/ As a rule, requesting public serv.
ants 10 resign is = most unWise and
fruitless practice, and the present case
i is no exception. Gen. Garfield should
mot and will not resign. 70 do SO
would be to Voluntarily place himself
lin the wrong, with no possibility Of
setting himself right de has been
elected TO the Forty-Third Congress
I by the largest majority in the Union,
/ and. despite his mistake, will be one
lof its most valuable members. II the
people, upon mature deliberations and
1 with aview to promote the bestinter-
ests Of the District and nation, shall.
at the next CongTessional election
conclude to select another man to
represent them in another Congress.
lit will be their privilege to do so-i but,
in that event, we trust they will not
| make the selection from the number
Of those who, while lacking General
tGarheld's ability, and having given
no evidence that they are more pure
or uuselfsh, are eager to displaee him.
l-Gedugd Republican.