New-York tribune., 1878-06-15
ABOUT DEMAGOGISM.
Mr. CARL scHURz "As A GERMAN"

tive protest what has long been a decided if dor
mant disapprOval Of the peculiar advocacy employed
in behalf of Mr.. Schurz. Senators made very
slight, a purely argumentative and a per-
fectly just and natural reference to Mr.
SchurZs foreign birth in exp anation Of his
anti,Ameriean legislation. Mr. Clarke by attemp-
ing TO cOnstrue this INTO persecution of Mr.
SchuZ provokes a revolt. for all, against the
constant parade of Mr.. SchuTz's German origin.
Mr. Schurz has turned his hand to nothing sue
cessiuly as to making political merchandise of his
nativity From the moment lac landed on these
shores his German blood seems to have been his
stock in trade. He appears to have resolved that he
would pose as therepresentatiye Of the German race
IN America. He would demand recognition of that
race in his own august and accomplished personal
ity. He would even consent to lay himself on the
sacrifcia altar of office that the German might
secure that recognition. He evidently labored un-
der the delusOn that there were no Germans IN
America before this AgamemnOn. He was appar-
emily unaware of the fact that Germans formed an
honorable component Of the ancient Colonial popn-
latiOn that they fought with distinguished cour-
age and patriotism in The ranks of the Revolutionary
army; that their names can be found among the most
conspicuous and influential in our early Congress
sional history; that the lustrious Speaker of the
first House of Representatives was German.
Through all the rolling years since that day, before
Mr. Schurz loOmed above our Eastern horizon OF
was born into the circle Of his Own thousands of Ger
mans found and founded fatherand with us.
race that came into history twenty centuries ago,
that moved the admring pen Of Tacitus, that has
been foremost III war and in peace in science and
in art in letters and in law, that has given to the
world Gutenberg and Martin Luther and Frederick
the Great, and Humboldt and Leasing, and Goethe
and Schiller, did not need the triumphal entrance
of Mr.. Carl Schurz into the United States to ac-
quaint the American public with the vaor and yir-
ture of the German people
Those Germans who have sought homes in this
country for the past two centuries-the only kind
of Germans whom this country wants now and for
ever-came with the intention, In good faith, to be
citizens of America. They have no more sought
to keep up the line Of a distinct race than
those of rs who came from the British Isles. This
nation wants American citizens. not foreign colo
nists. But no such merging i'm a common mass seems
suited 10 the genius or the aspirations OF Mr.
Schurz. From the outset of his career among Us,
1ying the German cOors. be adopted p0lcs as
profession and hc has adhered to 1t with stcadi-
ness and against obstacles, that should call blush
TO the cheek Of machine politicians of home
manufacture. From his first settlement in Wiscon-
SIN in 1853. he became, a. be had right 90 become,
seeker on the ground that he was a German,
and that the Germans of the State ought 10 sup-
port him because ne was o German. Before
he had time 10 lay aside the sandalshoon and seal
lop-shcll of pilgrimage before he had become fully
naturalizcd rs a citizen. he was elected to a town
Office because lac was a German Within his first
year he was promoted to a county ofi,c because DE
was German. Within two years be had pressed on
to the Republican State ticket as candidate flr Lieu
tenant-Goycnor because he was German. Here
the supply seems to have a little ouistrpped the
demand for while che remainder of the Republican
ticket was chosen. Mr. Schurz was gently dropped.
and dropped, It is said. by his OWE couutrymen who
thought he was dancing the German quite too yio-
lently for his circulation.
Having taken breath, Mr. Schurz rallied again a.
a German. and in 1899 made mental reservation Of
himself for Governor OF Wecansiu: but TIE o;her
Germans were not sufficiently resel, and they aur-
rounded him with q MYSTERY inactivity. As Mr..
Schurz could not then have been an American ritl-
zen for more than year or two his vigorous clutch
m the round Of the Governor chair of
Wisconsin must remain q perpetual memo
rial Of the Reform axiom that the Office
snould seek the man, and not the mn tae
Office Ofico did not mako amy exhaustive search
for Sir. Schurz in 1850; but like john Gl9iu.
tbough on OH .c he was bent, bc had frugal mind,
and employcd the utcryalin stumpSptc af rates
winch hay. eaiiel sub c-raucan groWls from thc
committees who cmplo ,l him, at irregular inter
walls, from that dly io tins. And everywhere he.
stnmped as German, his special miss on
being TO constitute himself light 20
tighten the Germans on their way TO The
support OF Mr.. Lincoln. In 1861 Mr.. schurz do
mandcd OF Mr.. Lincoln hrst-class mission, aud de-
maud. 1T as a German lie was sent to Spain, TO-
l.. hal iu I4
81 900, the salary for whole years service be-
sides contingent allowances. came home aud re-
.onired Mr. Lincon 10 make him a MaJorGcneral,
and required 1t as a German. Mr.. Lincoln amiably
complied. but his opinion OF Mr.. SchuTz's military
ability is not absolutely hidden under
bushel Not being myself lighting man, make
no comment upon 1t, unl6ss might suggest that
MIR. Schurz never came so near not being a German
"a during the war, though ho did not, on that ac-
count. any the more become an American.
Al the conclusion Of his militarv-tactics-h
shook of the dust Of his feet as a testimony against
Wisconsin. whose phlegmatic Germans persisted IN
refusing TO consider il their special crusade IN this
country to keep Mr. Schuz IN Office as a German.
Sighting for another field for his peculiar
enterprise, he lifted mp bis eyes and
beheld all the plain of Michigan, that it was well
watered everywhere. even as the garden OF the
Lord. and he JOurneyed east anu P'lchcu h'o 'u"t
toward Detroit. But neither would the stolid
Mchiganders form into line TO escort this Paid Piper
Of IIamelin into place and power whereupon he
Turned him again southward to St. Louis, which
was so nearly " OUT Of German politicians that in
less time than some States Of the Union per-
NIT new settlers TO be voters she made him
Senator Of the United States. Here, following
the calling whcrewth he was called, be bitterly
assailed General Grants Administration, as Ger
man, for permitting arms 10 be sold TO France dur
ing the French and Prussian war. Slipping from
the party which placed hIm IN power while yet he
held it's solemn trusts, he advanced in force upon