New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-01-24
GAIL HAMILTON AGAIN.
OUR GREAT-GRANDFATHERS. AND THEIR
CIVIL SERyICE-A REVIEW IN -FOUR
PARTS.


FATHERS, AND UNCoNsCIoUsLY ILLUSTRATES IT
WITH CUTS.
Great = the power of prejudice Mr. Lodge. with
determined conscience OF sin, looks back upon his
preatgraDdfathers and is persuaded of the sad dis
tanee we have fallen from the faith once delivered
to those saints ], believing profoundly that as
in water face answercth to face the heart OF man
to man, look in the same direction and see that
they were men of like passions with ourselves,
struggling as we are struggling with many difficult
Ties. falling under many temptations, but with a
steady general set toward honesty and fidelity, and
yirtuous muscular manhood. There were giants on
the earth in those days although this is tho way they
talked about each other Says War Secretary Nc-
Henry of his chief, President Adams: ." J he mlnd OF
Mr. Adams was like the last glimmerng OF lamp
feeble wavcring and unsteady, with occasionally
stronr flash of light: his genius little and that little
insufficient to rradiate his Judgment. lie has
fallen into many errors :. and not few
striking misrepresentation, TO say nohihg
of his coarse and unmanly abuse OF
deceased statesman" Says ex-senator Caoot
OF Governor Hancock Few kings believe, cohu
be named who swallowed crosser flattery than our
Governor Hancock daily required and received from
scryile citizens You recolect how entirely men OF
dignity and worth were excluded from his conf
desired SAID Colonel Pickering of President
Adams: "The President is destitute of sincerity;
while he has 50 many times been prononnclng'
:, s,ronr Language. Washngton's praise, his heart
was strong with envy nj the mention of his name
had no conception thai vanity, ambition and
ororicc could so blunt thc moral sense of man who
had so long sustained fair reputation a. 10 render
him capabc of base disonOrabe and dishonest con-
duet in the administration of puhlic affairs.
The mrasur, he took j. such an outrage on de-
ccncv prorriety Justice and sound policy - stamps
the man with iudcllblc disgrace. and demonstrates
his unfincss for any public trust Perhaps no
one LONGER extended his charity toward Mr. Adams
than l. but have in this session given him mp. Bay
ard lately said IL me- lie il completely sold ii"
not know. among my Federal friends one wh"
thinks otherwise" And even the cautious CABOT
filings his stone nj the uulucky Adams; " nave NOT
vet waited on the President. and think shall not.
When q man in his station attempts to render odlons
those who differ from Inn hy impntai'"ns when he
cannot possibly believe, he certainly discharges
Them from all obligation of extraordinary respect
Saws President Washington If Secretary of state
Randolph: "a damndcr SOUNDED God Almighty
never permitted to disgrace humanity"
SAYS General Puckncy OF his conircre In the
French Mission. Elbridgc gerry, d" he had never met
u
ccit'
These are uuly charges to make against mon. They
arc either true or false II they are truc. then the
Adamscs and the Ilancock,. and 2 good many others
of our great -graudiathers were VAIN. ambitions
oyaricious. dishonest men. El-e 90 party, malcrc-
lent tricky politicians. II they are not true. mia
mcns CHARGES were tiunpd mp and circulated
AGAINST good men for political effect, or from bind
parti-anship. ON neither horn of the dilemma Il 1t
worth Will. for the ninetccuth century TO hang III
discriminate culogy.
When his great grandfather fear, tha; General
Marshall though leading IN Congress. with great
talents aud great virtues, is not yet poiii'ian,
and has much to learn on the suhl',. oi pidclioHc
theories of free government MI Lodge Is at the
Mains to explain that W. must remember that
nolitiriau had a somewhat different sense m 800
from that which it now bcar.. By politician. Mr..
Cabot meant one ycrscd IN public policy aud the
rr,ctical arts of staiccraft and government |
.,i-r,ct however. that Mr. Cabot meant precisely
fine same ding that men mean now when they say
that Nj. Tyalts j. famous lawyer bat no poll
ticioi,: That M Stanley Matthews is good fellow.
hu I, LA. vet 10 learn the l. of politics. Nj.
George Cabot and las correspondents constantly
snow themselves a-tutc POLITICIANS, inliN awe !"
the strength and the weaknesses OF mrn, AMI al
WAY. irving with more or les lsdom io take all
vantage of them 50 lar possible and 10 diminish
I'D, far As possible their Disadvantages. Whatever
they meant by the word. they were Oh" thing
by tlir fullest nineteenth century standard. hey
showed no pathetic ignorance oi cvl'. h' innocent
,.l- If ,y,ildl, wisdom. i l. ONE 90 tie evil,
incident 10 popular systems. says Nj Cabot. tI'i
flee b.,t friends Of government feel Thorn elves
OBLIGED 60 conceal thc defects AID magnify tie
ao,i qualities Of those who administer publ
s,if. ia
who feel themselves under he same necessity; bat
the E,lormcr. call 1t WhItcwa.hinr 4 iuau wlo
did NOT stand on the housc-tois and proclaim a."
f,iliup- of the late Administration, 40 matter #
officially. and no matter how closely connected with
II. va, Il corruptoIis. Any man who does not
bow down and WORSHIP the present Administration
j.. q ,or,hc'd. Thus the k.iouncrs.
In further application OF hi, principe, Mr.. Cabot
mention. the perfect silence which Lad been oh
served I'm Massachusetts, the caprices ill-lumor,
s,lf-lnr,,. aud extreme vanity OF Mr.. Adams Tie
leading men Of the time agreed that Mr.. Adams in
dnlpcd IN violent prejudice, and keen re-cntmcnt>,
that madc It imp lsabc he should please the OLD
partcs while he had not the talents, the fOrttudc,
o. The constaDcy necessary 10 form a new party.
They affirmed that for the purpose of cnlIsting the
passons and pIcudce' of the p,pulacc lac had late
ly toasted men whom he had hated or dcspiscd for
Gf.ccu years giving thus an example Of that polit-
zeal versatility which hc not Ouly kept in fullest
tiyity hmse!f bat transmitted in undimin,shcd
v,gor for thr aInazomcnt of our times. His
pltrot, REGARDED him with profound distrust. and
cordial dislike. But they kept each other in check
by the surge,: that "h must b. continually re-
coile~i inf hr nay be again cha cR b. 49, and ha zee
are plclgeio gicc him Ne fH ciaacc oI The united roc
corcyLd qi Phiiadphia' il may be possible for the
nineteenth century to match this political situation,
but if certainly cannot be surpassed. Mr.. Cabot
himself says rclcctiycly: "It is true there is an
apparent alsurdity in supporting man whom we
know 70 be unworthy of trust Absurdty would