Claiborne guardian. [volume] (Homer, La.) 1877-188?, 1879-10-15

Very dear indeed, to the patriotic head
Of the average American citizen, 10 the
above pithily expressed maxim with the
other clause Of the sentence, land not the
man the Office" There Is something
cheering about the idea that serves a. Q
continual reminder Of the success Of the
rrpublic-,he freedom Of the people, ror
popsH ror Dd, e plsrfbxs snsm, and Q
whole cart losd Of such rubbish. The
people who believe in this idea at all &C
ccpt it literally Their mighty slunbes
are broken in upon by sweet visions Of an
Office which goes about with q look Of
earnest seeking and finally rouses some
noble citizen from the shades Of q digni-
fed retirement TO envelop him in the
honorable folds Of the official robes
Now, inasmuch "a this republican apo
th-gm is ~ dear to the loud mouthed
patriot, We do not propose to make any
fun over it, We remark that in point Of
fact the occasion il very rare when the
office gors begging for the pure, unambi-
tou- man to fll it. Our observation is
that there are very many men who would
like TO have this thing said of themselves
but they destroy the beauty Of tho appli-
cation by endea,oring to bring secretly
to bear every means possible TO secure the
place.
/, the Office seeking the individual when
he puts his friends to work 10 create a
public sentiment in his favori when he
puts on a look of supernatural wisdom
aud SAYS nothing for fear Of committing
him.el7
Rare indeed, in these latter days, is the
truth of the saying cxemplinrd. Cincin.
nntus is not drawn by main strength from
his pillow, nor is Dioclctian torn from his
caobag-s to serve the public whether he
will OF not
The very freedom Of our institutions the
fact that the highest Office may be sought
by the lowest man; the additional fact
that office holding presents II certain way
of making living aud an immunity from
the rain, the snow aud the sun, creates q /
thirst for Office that cannot we'll be
lucnchcd. 1t il n thirst that the majority
Of men arc ashamed Of yet they are none
the less consumed by it, disguise 1t a. they
will. The people have kc-ner insight
than many give them credit for They
are learning rapidly the distinction be t
tween the various classes of Office seekers, !
and they have. more respect for the man
who declares boldly what he wants, than
for the one who denies the desire and yet
seeks to CRAFTY it by ways that are dark
and tricks that are vain.
These remarks apply Of course TO al or
linary state Of affairs. Emergencies will !
call men from Retirement who |
might otherwise have passed their lives
in obscurlty. But rs fortune will have it, |
ihesc emergencies are not always happen
ing, and men and things are not to be-
Judged 10y them. We may long for re-
turn Of the purrr, better days Of the Re- !
public when the office sought the man
aud not the man the office. hut those days
will never return. and we must take
things n we find them. So lShy n, the
world stands men who want place will |
say that they are in the hands of their |
Il don't want the office, but if the /.
people choose to give it to me, all right" /
This is a free country and no man is forced /
10 take office. They do not usually take .
Il unless they want il.