Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1876-04-08
Politics for I've seholar


and written. For ages the scholar has
been assumed to dwell apart, as it were,
from his fellowmcn, and to cOnSecratc
himself to higher than everyday affairs.
His knowledge of the arts and sciences;
his power to reason and philosOphize; his
ability to count the stars and measure
their distances his capacity to drink in
the why's and wherefores of this mathe-
NAUTICAL calculation, and the result of that
chemical investigation, ought not to be
so lowered and degraded as to associate
the knowledge, the reasoning powers, the
ability and capacity of the uncducat-
ed nan; so said the world years ago.
The scholar was to do noble thinking; to |
study out the cause and the effect; to ex-
plain the laws of the universe; to go back |
into the lOng-past ages and find the buried
stores of past histories; to dig down into |
the earth, and pronounce its name; aye, |
almost to find out the grand design of the
Creator Of all beings-in fact, to rule in
the entire realm of minds ideas. He was
to adorn those professions known as the
! learned professions; while 20 the uncdu-
Gated man, the master of physical power
and ability, all looked to provide for the
children of the earth their sustcnancc, to
give to the nations their projections;
yes, and still more, to maintain govern
mentS which are simply the outgrowth of
| ic 1ut
OF all supremacy, of all national freedom
and liberty; to governments does every
man look for the maintaining of his plb-
tic as well IS his industrial rights. Then,
if government is the first great principle,
how absurd, how fit to be classed with
the intelligence of the dark ages is the
idea that men of talent and education
should never stoop so low as to receive,
as they say, "the poisoning touch of that
vileness, politics." which is the germ,
life and outgrowth of every civilized ma
ton of the earth. Every man of educa-
ton owes debt to his nation for the in
stitutl2n. of learning, where he stored his
brain with items of worth, and in what
way can he so mobly cancel that debt as
o.uSe his influence, to let his voice be
heard, his power felt, to throw himself
manfully into the political battle, and let
his superior knowledge, culture, ability
and integrity, give victory to the right
over the wrong. The time has been when
in one of our New England colleges it
was thought to involve loss of honor to
be almost disgraceful, to call forth the
most severe criticism from educators for
young man of education to display even
the slightest tendency toward political
= discussions. Often has some student who
country, and wished. to do something to
add to her prosperity, found himself far
behind those who had devoted their whole
time to some classic sage, who almost
: worshipped Homer and Virgil, and who,
to all appearances, could not tell whether
the United States was free nation, or
in subsection t, Russia; and why this diff
ference of rank? His d!sputation upon
some bill before Congress, or his ideas
upon some political movement publicly
= expressed, was the cause. l am thankful
that this degree Of bgotry and nonsense
is no more, but has had to give way to
the advance of this very same education.
More and more as the years are spent
} and gone is there a demand for scholars
in the political world and life. May the
time soon come when all scholars shall
feel it their duty to take an active part ir
the politics of our country. The man
with his head full Of nonsense, and with
no ambition to see our country prosper
Gus, says to the young man, 'Young man,
dabble not in politics, for it is degrading
and debasing. Stoop not so low. DC
not bring such disgrace upon your family
) and friends" This man, say stands anC
points with tiuger Of sCorn at our poll
tics. He sees nothing in it but life oil
meanness, trickery and rascality fol
" those who enter into its paths. He alb
hors the whole political system. He
turns and sees the lawyer who strictly
,. follows his profession, who devotcs all
S his time to solving the intricacieS of the
e law, who reads Blackstone and KEN
: with the highest degree of devotednes5
; who throws aside the paper which deals
J. with Congressional debates, and who
!, keeps himself aloof from all things per
tanning to politics. This man he honors
and looks upon him rs one OF the no5leSt
: of men. He respects the physician who
. never thinks Of politics. He takes of his
| hat to the banker who, by strict observ
f ance OF all rules of cheating, now count
C his millions; he reveres the minister who
talks Bible and nothing else; but let one
: of these rise and speak in behalf of a ma
d tions rights, and this man will call hin
Z, an office seeker, political villain. Bring
/: out your never deviating lawyer; your al
l. ways studious physician; your banker
/, and likewise your minister place them al
together into the scale, and how quick i
i will be made to kick the beam by putin!
c into the other side the mem ory of hin
1t who went into the political arena to tigh
= for the right--Abraham Lincoln. The
t., one who bears off as a trophy the respec
It and honor of nation and the world
Il while the others stand calmly looking on
y drealnily realizing the superiority of
noble political life. Yet this opinion of pol
itics may not be without cause, for a pur
= suit ofany kind is judged to great exten