National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-02-21
MODERN CRAFTSMANSHIP.


MODERN STA
A few days ago Senator Oglesby had
occasion to remark on the floor of the
Senate that the body of which he is use
full member compared favorably in ability
with the Senate of any era of the republic. "
Several propositions for the redistribution
Of the currency were under consideration,
and, although Mr.. Oglesby admitted that
The discussion of the currency question had
lasted two months, it is net to be supposed
that his remark was sarcastic 1t is pos
sible, however, in view of the prolonged
debates on this, as well as other subjects
before the Senate, that his meaning may be
accepted as ironical This possibility gains
strength from the fact that it is the custom
of the period to belittle the abilities of our
public men, and to berate the results OF
their labors. In short, the spirit which
prompts public criticism is the very success
of cautious indifference to truth. This being
apparent, the thought suggests itself that we
are fast becoming a nation of scoffers We
find no good in anything, and fault with
everything. 1t may be true that among
especial classes especial objects or persons
are the subjects of veneration and respect;
but it is equally true that the people at large
entertain directly opposite belief Even
the Church and the sacred profession are
conformity subjected to this all-pervading
influence of ridicule and scepticism. To
certain extent this influence has had Its
effect upon the moral relations of the COM
munity, and even those of a family charac-
ter have not been free from its baneful ef
fects 1t is not difficult to account for this
unfortunate situation when we remember
that the disturbing agencies of our late civil
war, together with the wild, gambler-like
speculations of the past ten years, have COM
bined to demoralize the people. Men and
women who were content before the war to
remain quietly at home never leaving their
immediate country side, were brought by
the accident of civil strife into contact with
strange scenes and unexpected results.
New ambitions were aroused, new avenues
Of life opened, and new surroundings forced
upon them The reckless risk of life, the
extravagant waste of money, and the ease
with which fortunes were made as well as
lost, combined to effect partial revolution
in our national characteristics. In fact, we
have become more volatile as people-less
given to stability of reason, though ns:le
the less capable of better things than before.
, We cannot fail, then, to admit the truthful
brce of Mr.. Oglesby's remark. The bril-
fancy of the old-time orators proves to be
something of school-boy myth when in
mature years we reread their speeches
Thus it happens that the efforts of Clay and
Webster, which impressed US so thoroughly
Turing the earlier period of our lives, do
not appear to be so learned or forcible |
when read in the light of ripe and mellow |
experience. Wemust remember that Clay, |
Webster, Calhoun and Hayne are historical
exceptions; that they are the characters,
not of single session or term of Congress,
out of generation. and if we examine
closely the records of that generation we
ind that these men were made prominent
~ the fact that their ability enabled them
10 tower high above the dwarfed intellects
with which they were surrounded. If
they had been brought into contact with
abilities of o higher average they would
have failed to shine so exceptionally. Sur
rounded as they were, their speeches have
been selected as models of craftsmanship,
have been copied into school books; and
have been made prominent as the expo
aents of the intellect of the age in
which they lived. The statesmen of
,o-day rank as high as constitutional
lawyers, as orators and debaters as their
predecessors; but, with the progress made
in education in the country, with the facili-
lies for gaining information afforded by
our modern improvements, and with the
incentives to obtain eminence, which,
though natural at all times, increases as the
nation grows and competition increases, it
Is evident that thsI average capacity is
greater. 1t r, then, apparent that the dis
settions between greatness and littleness,
which exalted Webster and his associates,
is impossible now, when the average ca
pacity is so much higher. 1t is not our in
tention to select any particular one among
the leaders of either party to show that
will sustain our assertions. 1t
is only necessary that the reader shall re-
Acct tor a moment that the pervading
spirit of scoffing has much to do with the
continuous detraction from the merits of
DUR public men, and that the statesmen of
today are not distinguished merely be
sause they are giants among pigmies.