Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1877-09-29
EHE CODE OF THE NEW YORK
POLITICIAN.

In our last we quoted two article
from the New York political code
as given in Parton's life of Jackson
The whole of it is capital specimen
of political satire and well deserves
to be given entire. Here it is:
I. Politics is game, the prizes
of which are offices and contracts
II. The game so far as Our Side
is concerned must be played with
fairness. With respect to the Other
Side, all is fair in politics, as in war.
III. In elective governments, all
politics necessarily resolve them
selves into a contest for the highest
place. That gained, all is gained.
To that end, therefore, everything
else is to be subordinate.
". The people are sovereign, as
Queen Victoria is sovereign. Treat
ed always with the profoundest de-
ference, the sovereign is NOTHING.
In England the mini srs, in Amer
ca the politicians 9 everything.
But the sovereign is to be humored
to the top of his bent, and so led.
V. Fidelity TO party is the sole
virtue of the politician. He only is
a politician who would vote unhesi-
tatingly for the Devil, if the Devil
were regularly nominated. One sin
only is unpardonable-bolting
VI. No man must be allowed to
suffer on account of his fidelity to
his party. No matter how odious
to the people he may have made
himself by his fidelity, he must be
provided for the moment it can be
safely done.
VII. The party door must always
stand wide open for the reception of
converts from the other side, but
shut vigorously against repentant
renegades.
VIII. Personal enmities are to be
most scrupulously avoided. In deal
ing with an opponent, he must be
treated with a view to his one day
becoming lone of u.s."
TX. Nothing is more fatal in pol
itics than premature publication
of the programme. Nothing is to be
done to-day which can as well be
done tomorrow. A surprise is often
half a victory.
X. Every partisan must contrib
ute to contest both according to
his means and his disposition rich,
liberal men, money; rich, mean
men, influence and name; active
men, labor; idle men, the show of
their presence; eloquent men, elO-
uuence; cool, shrewd men, manage
ment and direction; all men, with
out one exception, votes.
XI. Local organization is the
main reliance for victory. Every
ward, town, village, hamlet, neigh
borhood, must have its party organ
iZatiOn-its every voter recorded and
his disposition ascertained and noted
down.
XII. A great State influence is the
preliminary and price of national
distinction. NOman can be great in
Washington who is not master of
his own State; who is not the Clay
of Kentucky, the Crawford of GeOr-
gia, the Calhoun of South Carolina,
the Webster of Massachusetts,. On
the same principle, a man must be
pre-eminent in his county, before he
can be powerful at Albany. POliti-
cal distinction, like charity, must
begin at home. 1t must have an
basis of locality, and
expand from a ts.xed center. A man
who carries a county in his pocket
can have what she wants at Albany
a man who is lhaster of State can
have his choice of the pickings at
Washington.
Tc,f at hn-
tween the party in the whole Union
and the party in the State, or be-
tween the party in the State and the
party in the county, a man must ad-
here to the behests of a majority of
his own local organization. That is
to say, a private must obey the or
ders of his own immediate captain,
though that captain may be in mu-
tiny against his colonel. That is the
affair, not the priVate's.
Thus, if Tompkins is the regular
nominee of the party in New York,
and Crawford is the regular nominee
of the party in the Union, the New
York Democrat must support Tomp-
kins, until the party leaders in New
York decide to drop Tompkins.
XIV. 1t is a great art to enlist
young men in the cause. Young
men work more and demand less
than old men. Besides, they have
faith; commodity unknown to the
old politician.
XIV. In a political manager many
qualities are desirable, but only one
is indispensable, namely, discretion.
XVI. Many men can speak; few
can hold their tongue. Many men
can act few know how to wait.
One-half the politicians art consists
in silence and waiting. AS that
helmsmanis most skillful who keeps
the ship to her course with the few
est movements Of the helm, as that
is the great chess-player who wins
by the feweSt moves, so that pOliti-
clan will best succeed who speaks
seldom, does little, and writes never.
But when he does move, the result
must be an era.
XVII. A politician once well on
the course, and fit to be upon it, can
only be destroyed by his own hands.
XVIII. Newspapers are indispen-
sable auxiliarieS. Editors are to be
unscrupuIOusIy used, but never i'm
plicitly trusted. An editor who is,
in fortune, one degree above the !
point, lis the condition
most favorable to complete efficien-
cy. When an editor has become |
powerful, or even pecu-
niarily Independent, his utility as a
party tool is gone. If he shows the |
slightest symptom of restiveness or
the very highest talent |
the party can command must be |
brought to bear in effecting his sup
preston.
XIX. The end and aim of the pro- |
fessional politician is to keep great |
men down, and to push little men
up. Little men, owing all to the
will begOverned by him.
Great men, having ideas and con-
victions, are perilous, even as tools ;
must be used cautiously, and never
advanced to posts of influence and
honor. Indeed, it were better to
abolish them altogether.