Claiborne guardian. [volume] (Homer, La.) 1877-188?, 1880-04-07
CritIclsa Of PublIc Mes.

| ont with each other because they cannot
sgree upon matters Of nero occasional
discussion. A gentle consideration for the
Peculiar views aud theories Of others is
always one of the marks Of the true gem
tlrman.
This feeling Of tolerance may actuate us,
even In our Judgment Of men who hold
offices, the duties Of which make it n-ces
.ary that they rhohld formulate aud pre-
sent for the consideration of their as
sociatcs their views aud theories.
Thus, II n man sits in the Legislature.
aud should end-avor to procure the pas
sage of a law which in our opinion wnuld
be radically wrong, we may crticise the
intended legislation with perfect freedom
and oppose it with all our ability and skill,
even to the extent Of demanding that the
people, ~ a high court Of appeal, should
refuse to retain in Office the author Of the
obnox iuus lrgislatinn-all this without
losing our personal regard for the man
whose designs We 50 strcnuously endeaSor
to thwart
We are aware that many, too many,
look upon the Office they hold as a person
al possession, and are accustomed Ia think
about il very much ~ the property holder
does Of his land or other ,hattcl-, aud 50
thinking they consider all attacks made
upon them IN their official capacity a. di-
rcctly personal IN their nature and re-
sent them as they would an attack upon
their life or liberty.
There are others too, who, animated by
IA mawksh scutiIner,sli-ir, seem To think
that if the motives Of tb. office holder are
pure We should forgive his errors of
judgement. These men who 50 think are
good men at heart and have much charity
for the failings Of their fellow men, and
from these virtues springs this sentimen-
tai way of looking at public actions.
Charity is all very we'll. Lihrraltty in
considering the claims of others is very
good. but when il leads to forgiveness of
official errors 1t is all wrong.
We have had occasion, several times, in
our journalistic career. 10 criticisr, with
with the greatest freedom, the actions of
certain public servants. In such criticism
We have never impugncd the motives of
the individual unless II was apparent that
those motives were dishonest. We have
recognized. tn the fullest extent the right
If every one 10 his own opinion upon
matters Of public importance. But we
have known that actions of the public |
man have to be passed upon 10y tribunal |
other than that presided over by his own
conscience.
Every intelligent man who enters public |
life knows that he cannot plead anything |
in cxtrnuation of his errors. That no !
matter what his motives he must stand or
fall by the success of his proposed meas
urcs, aud the best proof of this knowledge
is that no politician is heard to acknowl- |
edge an error. Whatever may he the po-
stion be has taken he will cndcavor To
prove it correct while voice and brain is
spared him.
Let serious disintercstcd thought be /
given to this matter and il will be- seen
that the whole system Of political rewards /
and pnnl-hmcuts is CORRECT, aud that while /
there are many OF the usagcs that prevail /.
among gentlemen aud christians that |
might with SAFETY be transferred To the pc.
litical life of the country. that between /
the people and their servants there cannot /
be much consideration for errors. The !
sovrrrigns cannot afford To forgive wrong
doings or Ia overlook errors no matter how |
pure and honest the motive of the official |
In the theory of onr government it will |
be found that its equilibrium is only pre-
served by the punishment of errors. The /
mistake that are made by our rulers are
not corrected by returning to place the
,rriug ones with the injunction go aud |
sin no morc;" hut by turning them ont |
aud putting in their place thuse who will !
profit hy the wrong doing of their prrdr |
crssors, Mercy is not known in political !
life. Ii it wcrr, pi'ablr indeed would De
the condition of the people
OF course We can't find perfect man
but when men know thai rc;rihutinu j.
swift aud sure they will be more CAREFUL
ot their public actions.
We have too much regard for persons in
our political methods No Cle will dare
deny but that prr,anal fitness for plac,
should always be considered before We
give thought ~ Personal characteristics.
We are accustomed 10 reverse this matt.
OF procedure, and from it there results
many of the evils Of which We complain.
Christians adm.. that many persons who
deny the truth of revealed religion arr