The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1876-01-29
The Lust Of Office.

Inc Lust OF Once.
1t iS reported from Washington
that former member Of Congress
from Kentucky has Just been ap,
pointed messenger OF the House
of Representatives, and two other
ex-members have obtained places
as lab0rers in the document room.
where it is q part of their duty to
wheel books in q barrow to the
postOffice. 1t has beeu thought
specially creditable to the social
and political institutions of the
United States that men here may
and do rise from the humblest be.
ginnings to the highest places, a.
Henry Wilson did, aud many
another before HIM. The reverse
process seems to be equally char.
acteristic of American life. Men
sink from the rank of legislators
to that Of labOrers and messen
gers quite as often as others rise
from the latter place to the form
er. IL this also creditable to Amer
lean institutions! Official lite in
Washington seems to have .
strange fascination for some 1T
least Of those who have once ex
perienced its pleasures. To an
able man, doubtless the conscious
ness that be is helping to control
the affairs Of u great nation, and
that in some respects. more or
less important, the destinics of
his country, perhaps of the world,
would have been different but for
his efforts in the national legisla
ture, must be very agreeable ;
and after s.,,ne years of these
high employments it is no wonder
that the smaller and less conspi
cuous affairs of private aud pro
fessl0nal business seem iusipid.
But able men, though laundering
for public life, do not become
doorkeepers or laborers in de.
fault OF more dignified official
positions.
Small men, however, may be
az susceptible to the charms of
Office AN their superiors iu intel
lect and energy, perhaps even
more 80. insignificant men are
not 80 rare iu Congress as might
be wished. Probably q majority of
all tue members are incapable of
any useful work or indispOsed to
attempt it. They neither take any
part in the debates nor in tho
work Of committees. Their service
such as it Is, consists in voting
when their napes are called,
drawing their pay punctnally, and
getting a. many Of their friends
as possible appointed post masters
and clerks. Yet each of these men
probably hatters himself that he
il OF some consequence. His posi-
tion. At any rate, gives him impor
tance in other eyes than his own.
AT home he il among the great
men Of the neighborhood, and in
Washington the possession of q
vote, something more than one.
three.hundreth Of the power of
the House Of Representatives,
prOcures him some attention from
those who know where his vote
can be of service to them. 1t is
irksOme, Of course, for such q man
to leave these dignities and the
comfortable cm0luments OF Office
for an undistingulshed and impe
cunious existence in some remote
village. The permanent prefix OF
Hon. aud the privileges of sitting
on the platform on public occa
sions among the "prominent citi
zens," are q poor substitute for
all that he has lost. His nOmina
ton and election were, very likely
q lucky hit, which he could no
more repeat than he could make
q stone thrown twice into the xir
fall each time upon exactly the
same spot. Lite at home ia fat
aud Improbable in Washington
the tact that he has been q mem
Der Of Congress il sure to give
him some place if be is not too
tastidious ~ to Washington he
goes.
He hopes to be chosen Clerk Of
the House, or Sergeant.at arms,
or postmaster; but more influen
tial politicians than he had made
sure OF those places. He abatas bis
pretcnsions. If he can not have q
post which cOnfers distinction or
influence, he will take Que which
is profitable aud not very labO.
rious /; or, failing that, too, he
will gratefully or glomhliugly &C.
cept even q menial place. That
bis pay, be it much or little,
should come from the public treas
urv, is the main thing with him.