The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-08-04
Personal Politics.

x
In the matter OF mere personal politics j
ia seen how the personal pride and inde
nendencc Of men are impaired--fearfall!
Unmarried to their permanent injury. Upor
personal questions partisans are compelled
to desert principles and struggle Tor men
they are forced to ungentlemanly ana d's
honest arts and contrivances-to s'mnia'ioi
and discrimination TO plots ana scuem',
against their peighbors, to whom their soo'
faith and frankness are due as to mempeis VI
the same Commonwcalth-an these ti''"S'
ara destructive to moral character ana sen !.
r.snnct When men descend to trick anu
nreyorica,ion in the service OF 'eauei '"''
are gone. They never recover 1ien WV
se1,-rcspect, and they become reSui't ." ''S'
70 serve in any cause and obey the co"n'
,,,,na Of apy political leader who may pro-
mise reward and dispense the comm'sSa'!
consultations which they are desraaeu
enough to consider some compensation TOT
lost honor and s,itlcd pride. ,, .
It Is one of the worst things IN the "or'o
fo, the morals of civilized people-thls
nersoual politics. It is like the plague. 1t
sprcads, aud is morally more destructive
than ever was plague physically. The hired
writer's and speakers that intlame the pnoilc
mind through the press and upon Tue must
inss. having no scruples and no honor only
disseminate the worst and most delusiVe
nbilosophy-thc most hurtiul morality.
Look at them. They are serving men whose
minds are so inflated with their own amoi-
tious conccits that they think not OF the COM
monwcalth, and only Of the means OF graft
fvinr their own ambition. Iheir eaSerhess
but stimulates the efforts OF their followers,
who direct their assaults upon all who OPP
nose their leaders. OF course, in mere
personal campaign these assaults must In
great degree be OF personal nature; ano'
since the violence OF these assaults will as
suredly he proportional to the degree OF the
compensation and hope OF reward OF the 1ol-
lowers, they are bitter enough. The tenn
per and feelings OF the community are IN.
famed and aggravated, and society is thrown
into the most unhealthy excitement.
1t is good for the citizens OF Republic
to be interested in public affairs, to have
their minds exercised upon public measures
and propositions for the public welfare-aye,
and to discuss the merits Of public men OF
fame who are brought forward for public
office. With such excitement and such
considerations the public r.ind expands
and grows in liberality and wisdom; but
when men who are without public expert
ence or merit, and filed with ambition to
get into place for distinction and for advan-
tace to themselves. they are sure to resort
to trick and stratagem to make up for the
deficiency in their claims for consideration
as competent persons to take charge OF pub
lie affairs. =.
We know now that Il number Of persons
have been employed TO canvass the State.
Speakers, writers, and even detectives, have
been sent abroad in the counties to manGu-l
yre and carry things by cunning and by eN-
penditure OF money where no other expe-
dent could triumph. One would be Gu
rious to know what detectives could do in
political campaign. We will tell him. y
detective is critic in character and physi-
politics, and your detective can tell the un-
developed rascal. and put him in harness
to do good service with the freeness and
zeal Of young horse inspired by the stimu-
lation OF generous food. Thus the school
of personal politics, while it takes from
men that grand protection OF self-pride, Is
educating the rising men in the arts OF
double-deaIing and vilIainly that make
them ever after unreliable, untrustworthy,
faithless citizens and political hacks to serve
any .undeserving aspirant whose way topro-
motion is through fraud and corruption
Virginians., for God sake stand by the
public reputation OF your noble mother!
Make no concession with any man who as
pires to place Of honor-in her service by
the low arts Of corruption with the hope to
rise by degrading her people. #,.:'s.r.
A Water-Haul. ..