The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-01-17

year, the Common Councils ana Aldermen,
the Assembly and the Congress having organ
lied, it may not be inappropriate for us to
recall the misfortunes that have happened to
statesmen" in the past, and to advise our new
rulers as to their course in the future.
Everybody anticipates that with our coming
administrations we are to have all the bless
ings OF free, honest and enterprising govern
ment; that thers.will be no more stealing, no
more jobbing, no more special legislation;
that the lobby will become o vision Of the
past; that sinecures will be abolished, and
that men appointed to Office will really work
for their living; that We are in the dawn OF
splendid era; that business will brighten;
that the eel-fshing OF Long Island will be-
come more satisfactory; MAT we shall have
better corn crops in the West and calmer seas
on our coast, aud even an improvement in the
flavor of our oysters. We always have these
anticipations with the advent of new people
to power Macaulay, in his essay on
Horace Walpole, illustrates these expecta-
tons of successful party. 'It was Pulte-
ney's business, it SEEMS" says Macaulay,
ito abolish faro and masquerades, to stint the
young Duke of Marlborough to bottle of
brandy day, and to prevail on Lady Vane to
be content with three lovers at time"
"Private life, however, afforded as much scan
dal as if the reign of Walpo!e and corruption
had continued and ardent youth fought with
watchmen and betted with blacklegs as much
as ever"
Without disheartening anticipations as to
what may be the result of recent reforms it
may be we'll for our statesmen" to learn few
lessons from the past The cardinal principle
of craftsmanship is mot to be found out"
In nature there is scarcely season without
storm-terrifc devastating, with thunder and
lightning and hail. In our public life we have
Investigations, which may be called storms.
Before the gale nothing is safe-the proud,
iron-bouud ship riding on the wave, the turret,
The stately tree, the stone bridge, the massive
sea-wall, all yield to its fury. When "investi-
cation" comes the ordinary reservations of
private and business life are at an end. There
fore, as the prudent householder builds his
foundation upon the rock in calm times, in
order that he may laugh at the tempest when
it does its fearful will, so the cautious estates
man." in the beginning of his career, will do
well to profit by the mistakes and overween-
ing condolences Of the past.
As we have said, the "statesman's" duty is
mot to be found out" It is not so much what
we do as that people do not know that we do it.
To that end let our Statesmen" never keep
bank accounts; for bank cashiers have habit
SC 81
They do not like to go to prison for perjury.
They have never been known to swear o Gus
toner out of scrape, and they have no hearts
above their figures and their ledgers. Let our
statesmen also avoid banking houses. nor
seek to have checks cashed for large amounts
of money; for bank officers have way Of
sending detective after mysterious customers,
and finding out their names and remembering
them on the witness stand. A bank book is
often disagreeablc property. Somehow
when check is once written it never dies. In
the rhetoric Of our own Brooklyn Talmage it
floats from cycle to cycle to the uttermost ends
of eternity. An innocent, harmless, mex
pressive check, written long ago and forgot
ten, its proceeds gone into champagne and
truffles, will rise up like phantom to arrest
the career of the most prosperous estates
man," even as it did to our friend the deeply
lamented Christian leader, Schuyler Col
fax Nor is it safe to be careless about bank
bills Bank bills sometimes are marked and
traced A wise statesman" would do well
to keep all his transactions in gold. If Mr..
Colfax, for instance, had insisted upon Cakes
Ames paying him in gold instead of check,
marked IS c." that illustrous man might
still be an exemplar of Christian virtue to an
unregenerate Senate.
Another rule is not to divide with plasterers
and carpenters and safemakers and vulgar
people who care more about money than
friendship. They will "squca" at the first
appearance of danger. The experience of the
retired Statesman" on Blackwel's Island on
this point will be instructive. Once having OBJ
tanned their honest wages in gold it is always
safe to put it away and keep it. Do not
squander it on lawyers. II the truth were
known about the Ring corruptions, and we
could trace the adventures of the many
millions taken from the treasury under
the Tweed reign, q large part would now be
found in the possession of attorneys-at-law.
One good live, active, bustling lawyer, not
too dear, is good thing in well conducted
business, and may be called prudent invest
ment The abuse begins when six or eight
lawyers are hired; not because of their ability
but their Influence" Once Statesman" in
misfortune falls into the hands of these gen.
tlemen his chances of bankruptcy are about
is of finding its ultimate destiny in pdtf d.
.foie grds The statesmen" of the past were
wiser in this respect than the modern gentle
men. No one ever heard of Mr.. Turpin, OF
Mr. Sheppard, or Mr.. Claude Duval or any OF
these renowned statesmen" OF the past, taking
checks, or going to banks, or receiving any.
Abnsr horI ~