Wilmington daily commercial., 1875-02-18


The recent reception Of the poet William Gull
len Bryant by the Legislature of New York tie
official recognition by the highest body in the
State Of an individual on purely individual
claims lis the first Of what we may hope will
prove long line of honors to deserving citizens
by those in authority. 1t is not great while
since certain Of the people Of Delaware honored
themselves in honoring true American poet,
whose laurels if less green than Mr.. Bryant's,
have yet been honestly won and modestly worn,
and it is just possible that the wide attention the
Bayard Taylor ceremonies excited may in some
way have led to the late demonstration at Alba
ny. But the point of the Bryant reception was
its high official character, the business Of the
Legislature having been suspended for the pur-
pose Of receiving the Poet as its especial hon.
ored guest The incident is unique in the his
tory OF American letters.
Such an example is one of the best that could
possibly be offered to the young, or to all who
belle We that county should recognize signal
merit in its citizens by signal acts. 1t will be
the ideal government when that is done, and
the nearer we come to such a state of things
even it is not possible to entirely realize
it, the better will it be for the people
governed. Regarding Mr.. Bryant, there will be
none to dispute that he is in the best sense one
Of the foremost citizens of the Republic. Iii
altogether fitting that man who has shed such
lustre on tho American name should in turn be
made the subject Of so much of a free peoples
admiration as the givers can bestow without Of
fence and the receiver take without loss of self
esteem. 1t is not difficult to strike the median
live rta to
who is worthy of all honor, and when no
Interior object of place or personal advantage is
allowed to corrupt the offering. Where there lis
no suspicion Of profit or bribery it is easy to ex
cite the public sympathy, and to make the peo-
Pile believe in the genuineness OF an act whose
significance is in its appeal to the better in
stincts
Let the good work thus begun, therefore,
go on-under wise restrictions which will
occur to any one to whom the subject
presents itself with proper force. Certainly
we need to be sure not less of the moral excel
lence than Of the intellectual ability of the cit
zen whom we would exalt to this high place in
the attention of the world 1t will not be good
precedent but bad one if, without discrimina-
ton, system of glorifcation should set in over
men whose examples the world would be none
the better for following. But natural conserva-
tism will probably prevent this the real danger
lies the other way, that we shall continue to neg
lect, as we have always neglected the most unob-
trusiye but truest of our leaders, What public
men now, will inaugurate similar honors to Emer-
son, Longfellow and Whittier? 1t il a themewhich
touches very full and deep chord in the sympa-
thetic heart. II I" the proper study of mankind
is man, and the world is agreed in theory that
that is TRUTH however widely it may depart there
from in practice-a proper system of rewards il
that which shall exactly apportion the results of
mans well-doing.