River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1878-10-24
Latitude of Speech.

1t was said that Mr.. Seward. after max
ing one of his strongest speeches exposing
the character and conseq uences Of slav-
cry, often took the arm OF Southern
Senator as they left the Capital, apparent
ly unconsciousnes that he had said any
thing that could possibly offend the most
sensitive soul. The reason was that he
was himself entirely clear of any person
al feeling of intention. He criticlses a
system, not men, and mistakenly assum-
ed that the men who were most vitality
linked to the system would regard it as
philosphica.ly and impersonally as he.
1t is the honorable distinction of Mr..
Seward that of all our chief party leaders
he was the one who had no personal al
tercations. Jefferson and Adams and
Hamilton, Jackson and Clay and Web
ster and Calhoun, were all at times in
volved in them. More recent days have
their striking examples also. But Mr..
Seward, often under exaspcrating circum-
stances, was always master of himself
He was not arrogant, or irascible, or vim
dicative. His temper became man of
great ability and high position. He had
the sense of honor that belongs to self re-
specting men, not that Of the race course,
the "code," and an unenlightened moral
sentiment, and he was as incapable of
what history calls invective or vitupera-
ton, and common speech calls black
guardism, as he was of profanity or OBJ
scenity.
1t is an example worth con idering.
No man would be so fool-hardy as to say
that Mr.. Seward or his cause lost any
thing by his moderation. Righteous in
dignatiou, indeed, is admirable and serv-
iceable, and that Mr.. Seward felt an ex.
pressed toward the great wrong with
which he strcve But an outbreak of the
disordered vanity of the advocate must
not be COMPOUNDED with generous wrath
in the cause. When Lord Beaconsfeld
abuses Mr.. Gladstone as a sophisticated
rhetorician inebriated with his own YER
bosity, it is seen at once to be flash of
personal spite, the vince of pretended
passivity which has been pricked in a
vital part. There is no laugh at Mr..
Gladstone: there is only surprise that Mr..
Disraeli should be willing to show how
sharply he has been hit. The French
foot at Fontenoy are more, not less,
heroic in history because of the courteous
''Fire first, gentlemen" and Mr.. Seward
would have lost, not gained, in mems
memories had he ever allowed himself to
be drawn into personalwrangles or abuse.
He had, of course,to deal with opponents
and with persons as representatives OF
causes But he allowed himself no lati-
tude of speech in the sense of sneers or
epithets, and his example is to be es-
pecially commended, because it is that
latitude-tbe ribaldry, the abuse, the
calumny and insult which abound in
public life and political discussion
which deters so many Of the best men
from taking part in them.
DIR. Johnston said that it was a com
mon and successful device in discussion
to belittle an opponent so as to diminish
his authority Most men are persuaded
more by the standing of en- advocate than
by the weight of argument, and if you
can turn tue laugh upon an opponent you
may spare yourself the labor of refuting
what he says. Who cares what side
ridiculous man supports, or what man
says whom every body believes to be self
ish2 Ifyou have no case, abuse the plain
tlll attorney. IL is Inc CONSCIOUSNESS Va
the truth of Johnson's remark that stimu-
lates every man who is stung by an argu
ment to strike at the advocate. But it is
a momentary triumph, in which mans
cause really suffers. The Preliminary
OF gentlemanly conduct in diff
ference, whether it be all actual practice
or not, is one to be carefully cherished;
for to assume that virtue is TO make it
easier to have it.