The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1880-02-04
Fluent Blaoksuardisn.

Hnent Haokguardisu.
In one Of Albert Galatians letters,
recently published, he warns his GORE
spondent not to be troubled with the
cry Of Pharisee, which his political OBJ
Ponents will certainly raise against
him. It is q policy akin to that Of
abusing the plaintiffs attorney. To
sneer at man as affecting superior
virtue because he prefers decency and
truthfnlness in dealing, whether in
politics, or il business, or in any re-
lation OF life, is very amusing but an
undeniably effective proceeding. It is
really charge Of hypocrisy. It es-
snmes that nobody sincerely wishes
anything but what is mean and con-
temptible, and that to profess q prefer
ence for cleanliness is but more dis
gushing form of meanness. The truth
is that the mere suggestion of decency
is reproach to those who are satisfied
to lie in the miro, and inevitably it ex-
torts the grunt of angry sarcasm.
This cry of Phariseeism is especially
common in politics. A young man be-
ginning to attend to his duties as an
American citizen" finds Immediately
that he is expected to sacrifice his self
respect, to fatter and wheedle and lie,
to affect good-fellowship with men
whom he sees to be despicable, to drink
and treat" and run wild de. masheen,"
and clap z the boys on the back, and
to affect to believe of his political ad-
versaries what DR.. Johnson asserted of
his, that the devil was the first Wing"
AS he does not conform-if he declines
to drink, and prefers to talk honestly,
and to show'that he scorns the petty
arts that are instinctively repulsive to
every generous mamie is marked by
his more cunning opponents; and it is
they, not those whom he is accused of
fouting, who sheer privately to their
henchmen that he is stuck-up," and
unco guild" and high and mighty"
and too proud to speak to poor
man" We have heard q bar-room
statesman insist that a man who
brought Ills own cigars to a political
meeting at the tavern, instead of buying
them at the bar, could not hope to sue
coed in public life. s.
Don't be troubled, said Gallatin, be-
cause you are called Pharisee. Black
mailing is not difficult art, but it is
very costly to the performer. When A
pelts B with sarcasm and ridicule, B, if
he can talk at all, can easily retort. But
it is we'll for him if he has learned that
such missiles recoil and wound the
thrower. Many q public man, for the
qualification of an hour, in giving way
to his own bitter feeling amid the de-
lighted applause of loyal stupidity,
which innocently confounds fury with
force, has forfeited forever the
respect of really honorable men. 1t
is terrible gift, that of fluent black.
guardism, however easy it may be, and
the more intelligent the BLACKBOARD the
more fatal the fuency.
But the cry of Pharisee is not only q
missile, it is also q measure of him who
hurls it. It is not an argument, it is
simply an appeal to the prejudice OF
base minds. The man who resorts to
it reveals his own essential baseness
With whatever rhetoric he may orna-
ment it, he cannot conceal it, and the
rhetoric is but decoration of carrion
The test of power in the contention Of
debate is the ability to scorn reliance
upon these cowboy and Skinner tao.
tics. They do not assail the argument
of an opponent. They do not meet
the foe in fair field. They skulk and
dodge, and strike from behind and in
the dark. Els opponent sits down, and
Cleon rises. He ridicules the face, the
form, the movement, of his antagonist
He sneers that he is an angel astray in
this wicked world, q Pharisee thanking
God that he is not as other men. The
crowd delightedly cheer. A Pharisee
Phariseei This is the end of the
argument. The orators victory is com
plete. What an able mani What ar
ugly foel But his name is Cleon; it il
not Pericles.-@ Editors EASY Chair
IN HagpeT's Magazine.