Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1876-05-17
The Politicians and the People.

OF AFFAIRS out 81 Nnt hdiluS VI ih' lN'ii''
They nominate the candidates for office for
whom the people are expected TO vote, and
for whom they do vote. They control the
administration of public affairs, aud by q
careful cousultation Of the state of the pub
lie pulse and the register Of popular feeling
and temperature, are able to maintain pos
session of the civil offices OF the government,
and TO confine the "ruling class to the
smallest possible number Only occasion
ally a new man gets into it, and il he does
not harmonic with its prevailing ideas he
is soon undermined and hopelessly cast out.
This "class"--for il is very accurately de-
fined, and is composed in every large com
munity Of the few men who can he counted
on the fingers Of both hands-subordinateS TO
its use and purposes q still larger class who
are engaged in doing the behests of their
leaders. in the way Of organizing clubs, pro
yiding and paying for speakers and docu-
ments, drumming up voters and taking care
of the machinery of the party. Now and
then member of this second class, which
does the working and the paying and the
caucusing aud the couventiou-packing, is
fed from the crumbs which fall from the
masters table The active, managing poll
tician is rewarded for his services in doing
the work Of the ruling class Of politicians,
mainly by the consciousness of rectitude, or
by the internal delight of vigorous patriot
ism; yet now and then an office Of more or
less importance falls to the lot Of the hench-
man OF ." the party"
The highest political prizes are nov in the
general government. The offices pertaining
to the United States are more eagerly sought
by the most aspiring politicians than those
belonging TO the respective states and munic-
qualities. The "ruling class seek posi-
tions under the general government. The
subordinate class Of political managers and
employers are satisfied with post-office or a
customs office, or some position in the town
or the state. The ambitious men of the
party work mp into the senatorships and rep
resentative chairs and cabinet seats, and
roll the expectation of the Presidency or a
foreign first-class mission, as a sweet morsel
under their tongues. The working-men of
the party, after advancing the interests Of
the leaders, are content with the humble
prizes that are left.
One of the obvious results Of this style of
politics is the degeneracy of our leading
public men. The care of party politics,
the object of personal Advancement, alb.
sorbing the attention, the interests and the
whole thought OF a man, is not a healthful
or especially renovating employment. To
get and hold and dispose of Office is not the
loftiest end TO which a man can be conse-
Grated. II is not conducive TO vigorous
and independent manhood to be consulting
all the while the political temperature. The
farmer who looks at the clouds and confers
with the thermometer usually finds the
proper work of his farm tagging behind 1t
divests a man of the peculiar qualities
which might grow into greatness to be obliged
weaker aud more ignorant men than himself,
in order to keep his place. II he feels under
the necessity of watching the popular cur
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