The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1876-11-08
Ths Ssmtimel.
WEDNESDAY,, NOVEMBER S.
POLITICAL HERO wORsHuP.

an army o. American young men Will thc
solemn privilege of the ballot. IL comes to
them a free gift from an ancestry full OF the
very soni Of freedom. and still able after a
century has passed, to keep in perpetual
glow the same flame that was nursed re-
hgiousiy az Valley Forge. IL should he,
and i is, with feelings of gratitude and pa
triotism that 8 young man inherits the dearly
bought boon of the franchise. He
enters the ranks of citizenship with high inn
pulses arc noble aims. So far Is in him
lies. he resolves 20 serve the cause which APP
pear TO his honest judgment the promise of
all the ballot was meant to secure-strict
integrity IL public life, unaiuching respect
for The constitution, sleepless enmity 10 all
political onacks and inSarrectioniSts, and
Constant Fellowship with all plans for
cemonGng cur national unity and peace. He
demands two things cause and hero
Give hin a cause without a hero, or a hero
without cause. and his maiden ven
ture in politics is clouded with
Perplexity and apprehension; but give him
both combined and at once you not only
settle his choice, but fire him with enthusi-
aSm AND be enters the campaign with the
freshness and vigor of some virgin knight"
of the Round Table.
The young man of the present canvass has
his cause IN the cry for reform, which is
coming up from disguised North, from a
plunde-ed and prosecuted South. His in
stincts 0riyc him from the party which has
outraged Tire decencies of human nature by
its knaysry and arrogance. and into the
party which champions a change. The
war comes to him as tradition of his
early boyhood, and q part of tEat
tradition IL the ineradicablc idea that the
North fOusht-to conquer peace, and not to
perpetuate hostility and hatred. That war
has ranged itself i'm his memory beside the
contests o. "a dead and buried past He took
no par; N its melancholy incidents, and he
takes no interest in Keeping them alive. lie
turns with contempt and diStruSt from the
battle scenes which are daily thrown upon
the political canvass by the lantern-workcrS
at Washington. He wants SCI administration
that looks &c the present in which he lives
and e. the future he hopes to improve; not
10 the pas which he ouigrew and left be-
hind, Ike his first pair Of trousers. He is on
the side Of the attacking battalionS
and bis lance is a. keen and
bright se his new ambition.
"Thc young men of the country are with
us, ssid Gov Tilden in recent address.
They have Z cause that suits the temper of
their fresh, unselfiSh aspirations. That is
the pIain and potent reason.
But is il the only one? by no means. lie
wants a hero TO lead his cause; one who shall
be the sch-Tolisrt, firm-heartcd, fearless cx-
ponens Of the principles he has at heart one
whose career shall furnish an unbroken
chain OF testimony to the brave honOr-lOv-
ing material in his character; one whose
record - a knight Grant in politi-
cal lists shall be spotlesS and in
yincible as was that OF Sir Lance
lot II inc Tournaments OF Camelot;
one whose very name shall kindle devotion
and confidence in his followers; one who
wrincs victory from the elements aud spurns
the scaadal-mongers that are barking at his
heels Tie possibilities of youth, it's
strength, energies, incentives, all enter into
she calculation. when the young voter
watches the combat as il thcSens and notes
the centrai figures on the field. He believes
youth it is everything 10 him. He means
md hopes 70 reach position before il has
passed away.
Two conspicuous candidates are before
him. One IS handsome and middle aged;
the o.her has burrows on his brow and
streaks oi gray in his hair He finds an
other difference between them. The former
has beer conspicuous from boyhood for
letting TIE world, the flesh and the
devil respectfully alone, and hence is on
nice, conse ,vativc speaking terms with this
important trio; while the latter began i'm
ms carries years to stamp his character on
the world, end has been so relentless in his
warfare aes-ins the flesh and the devil ever
since that they inStinetiyelx skulk around
the corner whenever his nervous and deter
mined footstep Is heard. One has been the
massive .avorite of circumstances, the
other hss won fame by bending cir
cunstanoes 10 his iron will. One
has mace opportunities, the other has
let opportunities make him. Speaking gram
matically. yOu parse the sd candidate in the
actiye voice, and the young one IN the pas
siye. TIE wrinkles on the old warriors fore
head are &c many honorable scars left by
pitched battles. covering long series Of years,
while the forid- countenancc and smooth
face Of h,s rival are evidences that if he ever
punc.u-es fraud il will be through acct
dent instead OF design. Carlyle calls genius
an insnise capacity for work. Gov. Tilden's
Official srd Professional achievements prove
the truth Of the definition. His indus
try has bser simply prodigious. Before he
l. Al.