The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1877-07-21

uust OF low action and stain them with disre-
pgte, in pursuit of their object They Keen
within the pale Of the written law, having its
words on their lips, but none Of its shirt In
their hearts; audaeity and d self.trun,peting
assurance are their characteristics; they reach
bad eminence aud contrive to maintain Il.
BY all manner Of self-advertisement, utterly
immodest and iudehoate but successful IN
keeping themselves in the public eve. To
them politics is a mere game in which strata
gem and hnesse are the means and selfiuter.
est and personal advancement the end
TREAT AID is gwen TO such characters by the
puohe press, whose columns too often laud
their tricky, shitty action, or at least give It
the publicity il desires without accompanying
il with the condemnation il deserves. How
shall such influences be overcome ? How
snail we purge places Of public station of men
whose open boast is that they may be proven
70 be knayes, but cannot be called ss1ols?'i
Nothing can effect this but the unwritten law.
which shall create tone Of national honesty
truthfulness and honor 10 which the people
wlli respond, and which will compel at least
an outward imitation Of the virtues upon which
u IS founded. The armor Of the Roman sol.
dler covered only the front Of his body. The
culrass protected his breast, but his back was
LEFT unprotected. Each man felt himself 10
be the representative of the valor and good
lame OF his legion and his country. The nm.
written law OF honor forbade him to turn his
back upon danger, and thus became his inn
penetrable shield. Such is the spirit and
such are the laws that constitute the true safe.
guards OF nation against dangers from with.
IN and without. What Jurisdiction is more
essential to be strictly and steadily maintain.
ed than that of simple good faith, which must
extend everywhere in every relation Of life
ano every phase OF human existence And
what N nm L..
public conscience and opinion, can enforce
us observance or prescribe penalties for its
breach The promptness and accuracy re.
quired IN commercial transactions, the conf
aence and trust inseparable from them, would
De fatally lmpeded IT merchants had 10 depend
only upon written statutes to protect them in
Their daily business, which needs and receives
the ever present protection Of the unwrftten
laws OF commercial honor and integrity. How
lnslgnihcant is the proportion of those inu,
mes which most affect our happiness, that can
DC prevented or punished BY statute laws,
me laws OF personal civilitJ, of hospitality
and social intercourse are necessarily unwrit.
ten, but are not the less recognized and no.
tential, and all these have consideration for
the feelings and happiness Of others as their
motive power. limitations perhaps Of the
great and golden rule, "And as We would that
men should do unto you do We also unto them
in like manner These and countless others
not capable of codifcation nor always Of de-.
hnltion are part Of that fundamental system
oil law which must ever remain unwritten, and
yet OF which conscience and the opinions of
mankind will take cognizance and 10 which
they will ever render obedience. History
Will be read in vain 10 discover one act of
fidelity and self-devotion, Of high and gener.
Gus self-sacrifce such as helped mankind in
It's performance, and still helps them in its
remembrance, that taught men TO be better,
purer and more unselhsh, that was not in obe.
dience TO the unwritten law.
NO Government is beyond the control of
popular opinion, and nowhere is public opin.
ion so direct and potential as under our sys.
tenn OF universal suffrage. How essential,
then, Is 1t that this great agency should be
based upon the unwrltten laws of high intent
and vlrtuous resolve. And who so capable
OF awakening and guiding these influences as
the educated men of our country, and where
should the appeal for their exertions be more
successfully urged than here at this seat Of
sound learning and high culture?
influence, eT pS terminis, flows down upon
us from above, and opinion and example must
descend from the higher levels of thought
and feeling with their influence.
II national tone and character depend, as
we must believe they do, upon the popular
education-that is, the drawing out OF the
people-let us be careful as to what is so
drawn out, and see to it that it is upon their
Detter feelings and higher emotions alone that
such drafts are made.
Upon the educated men of America heavy
responsibility rests for the condition Of public
opinion, and it is always in their power to
contribute importantly to its formation. The
TACT OF their Independence Of public office and
emolument gives them greater influence in
exemptng them from suspicion Of personal
or party interest Cicero ranked benefcence
by labor for the use Of another as far higher
than money gifts, which cost no trouble, and
measured the favor by the sacrifice it cost to
perform 1t. The labor involved in diffusing
aud strengthening just opinions on public af.
Hairs among the masses of our countrymen in
battling with fallaeies and frauds and their
many advocates is arduous indeed and never.
ending. But this Is part of the obvious duty
entailed upon the educated American, and
IRON its performance he cannot without dis
credit escape.
And should he accept public Office he will
hnd II not affording means and opportunities
for luxury and enjoyment, but imposing i'm.
portant and sacred duties, which TO great
extent will preclude attention from affairs of
private interest and emolument | am con.
vinced that there is not another country in
the world where private citizen, uuabled by
oiilcial power, can exercise 30 beneficial an
influence on his fellow-countrymen as in the
United States. Nor can imagine a more
sublime aspiration than
That ere we fall In scattered FIRE
Our hearts may Lin the worlds heart higher
Throughout this country there are many
such conscientious benefactors, quietly work
ing for good government and neither asking
nor receiving any other reward than that
winch the sense OF performed duty brings
with 1t. This land has been theatre Of high
excitement and unhappy dissension, and on
either side of the conflict the hearts Of men
have been stirred TO their very DEPTHS; but in
those depths how much that is worthy and
noble, and strong, and sweet has been dis
closed. The record Of the great armed strug.
gie between the Northern and Southern sec
tons OF the Union developed on either side
proofs Of courage, self-devotion, inarnanimity
and elevation of soul unsurpassed in history.
that may justly fill us all with renewed pride,
admiration and respect for our national char.
acter.
And now It is, when the recognition of this
mutual worth is taking place among our coun.
trymen, when narrow distrust is giving way
70 Just and generous confidence, when the
smoke has lifted from the field and clear and
extensive views can be taken, that the time
20 ~ ccPPVrtuhe 70 turn our minds rom the
vexatious squabbles and peevish controversies
which have lately ahounded, and ioin. IN the
erection ofa standard of American citizenship
and public conduct around which the men of
every State and every region Of our country
wili gather with enthusiastic pride and affec-
ton, Here let us raise il, everywhere in our
family Of States LET it be raised ia the glad
sunlight Of liberty and law, Of American
brotherhood and heartfelt reconciliation. It
was related BY Daniel Webster that on the
DAY OF his oration on laying the cornerstone
OF the monument at Bunker hill Ne called 10
see the venerable John Adams and inquired
as to his health. Said the aged patriot. 81
lnhanit a trail, weak tenement IN decay, bat.
tered BY the winds and broken in upon by
storms, and from all can learn the landlord
Goes not intend 10 repair Fellow-conntrv-
men, this cannot be said Of the temple of our
political liberties, which has been rudeIy as.
sailed and somewhat disiieureJ In Ia majestic