Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1875-06-24
the EVIL or rux PRESENT.

trust In q very short time I will
cease TO be . servant and become a sov.
srsign among you: that Is my ehiei
anxiety now. I wish IL were Tomorrow
that I could lay down the robes OF Once.
i tell you fsllov-citizsns. that I am tired
Of this endless abuse. I tell you thai no
mans character in public station 10 sais
for n hour. tell you that no man
can no conduct himsslf-watch his lips
every hour Of the day. watch his
deeds every day in public staiion-but
what envy. obloquy or partisan rancor.
or something. I know not what. follows
him every step Of his life. Why 10 this'
Ought IL TO DO encouraged by the p.eo-
pier Tell mo how soon II will DO b.
iore no man who can look up to heaven
with an honest front. will daro to serve
his fellow-citizens. - Senator Sdryof's
Speech.
Arc not the words Of Cahfornia's dis.
tinguished Senator painfully trusr In
il not q mourniul fact that to hold a 70
sponsibls public Office, Is TO become the
target for abuse. continued and wide
sprssdi What public man Of u day
has been, or 10. free from detractioni
The pure~t and ablcst statesmen Of tho
ags have found themselves weighed
down. their motives misconstrued. their
acts distorted. their characters vilihed and
covered over with the slime Of malicious
vitupsrAtion. No matter to what party
they belong. no matter what their per-
sonal history or public record may have
been. every act. every utterance is seized
upon by professional indictments and
made TO seem unworthy or diseracsful.
Il IL no wonder that our best men hosi-
tatc to subject themselves o such an or
deal; shrink from the gauntlet Of politi-
cal life. and prefer to exercise their tai
sntH in vacations embracing. II not 30
much notoristy. more rewards, both OF
peace anil pscuniary prosperity.
Ono OF the pursst statesmen OF this
generation. Charles Sumner. came to
his death. bed with the shadow OF maiev-
olsncs lowering over him. Not until
his feet had touched the waters OF that
river which separates this from the isrru
inocpia. habited by spirits. did he hear
that Massachusetts, had done justice to
his character and faithful services. 9th
ers have gone out from public life under
. cloud Of obloquy which. perhaps. will
not DO lifted till history shall do JUS
ties to thor deeds and memories.
And to-day all Of tho best men in our
public service are the constant subjects
Of harsh and baseless f~ault.hnding. We
believe in criticising public men; in
scanning closely evcry action; aud In
doing justice. But this does not in
cludo unmerited abuse. nor constant
derosation. Tho Senator indicates the
result Of this courso in the closing query
we have quoted. How long will 1t 10
before no honest ma will dare TO &c
cspt q responsible ofdeo' We hear
much OF the decadsnce OF politics. We
read that the days Of pure and exalted
statssmAnshiP have passed; that the
high Offices Of the country arc filed with
incspablss and co~rruptionists; mon
whose talents. such a. they possess. in
stead Of being devoted to tho public
good. arc used for self-aggrandizcmcnt.
Doubtless such men obtain and occupy
some Of our highest Offices. Butto-day.
as heretofore, they ART exceptions. Yet
how long will it b. ere, ~ tho Senator
suggssts. no honest man will
submit his reputation to the mer-
sile.s and unjust ratings OF q
misanthropic press. What is the
inevitable tendency Of such injusticei
What can IL result in savo to drive from
tho places most in need Of them u
best aud purcst men,
No wonder Mr.. Sargent tires OF public
life. Not one amongthc present members
Of the Senate has laborsd harder or &C
eomplishsd more for his constituents;
not ono has been the focal point of mors
abuse. Not ono has made . cleaner
record. And a. IL has beon with him 30
has Il been with others. The OWL Is n
growing one. Its results must DO to
prostitute politics to tho whims OF a few
soursd politicians. who, failing to con-
vince the country Of their superiority as
statesmen now seek through the medium
OF the prsss. in tho sanctum Of the edi-
tor or in the role OF anonymous cor
respondents, to revenge themselves
upon their more successful rivals. No
man in public station Is above fair criti-
cisrn. Every public servant is entitled
10 Just consideration. All should be
protected from intentional misrepresent-
alton and unmerited abuse. This is the
crying evil OF the present day.