The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-05-09
Old InfOrmers and New.

In Venice under that detestable oligarchy
which gained for itself an immortality of in
fanny men who stood high in the State or who
had won the popular regard by great deeds
or the arts of the politician became at once
objects of suspicion. Their steps were dogged
by spies in the service of the Republic. A
willing ear was lent to every accusation af-
fecting their integrity, and the Lions mouth
invited those anonymous charges which NAL
ice and jealousy are ever ready to make. Peo-
pie breathed an atmosphere of suspicion No
reputation, however great or pure, was safe
from assault. To render service TO the Re-
public was to make ones self a conspicuous
mark for envy and hate. The dreaded Coun-
Gil of Ten sat in the palace of the Doges
reading and acting upon anonymous charges.
condemning men unheard, sending the pur
est and loftiest soldiers and statesmen of Ven
ice to death from the Bridge of Signs or to
lifelong Imprisonment in the dungeons of the
Pionbo. No one was safe for moment, no
man trusted his fellows, the trade of spy and
informer became fourishing one. In order
to forestall accusation public men hired bra
woes to murder their rivals before those rivals
had opportunity to make charges through the
Lions mouth. Assassi nation became neces-
sary for selt-protection. The only hope a
statesman had to escape denuucation
was to close his opponents mouth
by death. 1t came TO pass that service to the
State was danger and crime, and a mans
sole assurance of safety was to withdraw
from public affairs, to refrain from any act
which could provoke the popular applause
and the consequent jealousy of his fellows.
Thus the control of affairs fell into the hands
of those who had nothing 10 lose, who held
their lives cheap, who looked upon politics as
desperate game and ever stood ready to pay
the forfeit of failure. The wise and the good
withdrew from the service of the state and
the Republic went to destruction.
In these days and in this Republic life is
held of more account, and assassination is not
in vogue. But regulations are slaughtered at
Washington without scruple. The trade of
informer is feurishing one. Spies dog the
steps of public men. Witnesses are employed
to swear away regulations, and political
body has revived the machinery of old Venice
to make the work sure. irresponsible COM
mittees, sitting in secret session, welcome the
anonymous communication and the bastard
SANDER. They work in darkness and con-
denim unheard. Mems lives are no longer
taken, but their regulations are murdered.
Eager ear is given to every whisper of malice,
every suggestion of hate, every hint of de-
traction. No man, whatever the merit of his
service or the worth of his character, is
safe for moment from these name
less accusers and irresponsible tribunals.
Dungeon doors are not opened to
receive him, but swift witnesses swear his
honor away, and committees organized to
convict pillory him in the public prints. Con-
spicuous service invites SANDER and detrac-
tion, and obscurty becomes the only safety.
To have deserved we'll of the State is an i'm
prudence, for it provokes envy and jealousy,
and at Washington envy and jealousy are
solicited TO speak. The politician can only
maintain himself by destroying his rivals be-
fore they find chance to destroy him, and he
employs paid informers to do the work. 1t
will soon be here as of old in Venice, that
good men will wholly withdraw from the
public service. Unless the people rebuke the
scandal-mongers and drive them out of the
capitol we shall fall under the -ule OF adven-
turers who are safe from the spy and the
informer because they have no characters to
lose and no sensibilities to be outraged by
false charges and unjust suspicious.