, 1880-08-09
Mud-ThrOWing.

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"Mud-throving," as praticed in or
dinsry politics, is undeniably . very
primitive device. As q means of elm
mating error and making manifest tho
truth It would seem to be about tho
rudest and toughest. The choice OF
officials by lot, by the inspection OF
auguries, by the dicta OF orac!es, py
trials of physical prowess-all OF which
species have prevailed in historical
periods-has decidedly religious and
respectable look in comparison with
this hideous latter-day device OF the Or
deal by mud. At first glance one
would say that the latter is entirely the
prompting Of hatred, envy, cruelty. the
worst Of human passions; but q closer
examination, the study of effects, the
calculation OF the resultants Of the con-
ficting forces, show clearly that the
thing has place in the scale of moral
criticism and judgment. Very low in
the scale, most certainly; still being in
the scale it is, intellectually considered
q step in advance of the other ordeals,
which SAVIOR more or less of supersti-
ton. The multitude has passed the
stage of belief in the interposition Of
supernatural agencies, and recognizes
the rudiment of moral law. Crude as
is its expression, it is, nevertheless, .
law. As translated in popular action,
it is that mud will not stick unless
there be something earthly for it to
stick to. The best man will retain the
least mud. This is the trial by which
the rival candidates are tested. In the
campaign they are much in the posi-
ton of the famous "six hundred"
Mud cannon to the right of them, mud
cannon to the left of them, volley and
thunder through the whole charge.
Governor Seymour said recently that if
he were to choose between funeral
and serving as candidate for the presi-
dency, he should prefer the former.
He NO doubt spoke his honest convic-
tion-a man of his refinement, cultiva-
ton. and years, (which lessen fsarfully
the value of earthly honors,) could not
feel differently. He knows we'll that
the practical principle of the campaign
on both sides is to throw the largest
possible quantities Of political "detri-
tus;" the quality is of little conse-
Quence; the feelings of the victims are
Of no consequence; if the candidates
are innocent their innocence must save
them; everything is forgotten in the
absorbing aim of working the battery
to its utmest capacity, and burying the
enemy If possible under the repeated
broadsides. Hlection day brings Q
brief truce, and then it is determined
to which of the parties the least stain
has adhered, and which by that test is
the best fitted to fill the high Office.
and save the country for another term,
While the crudeness of these methods
is much to be deplored; white their
effects in bunting all the finer habits
Of discrimination in moral judgments.
and in the truthful use of words, are
manifest to every observer; while the
gross results are demoralizing and
coarsening, they are not to be utterly
condemned As we have intimated,
they are based on good principle, en-
the supremacy of the moral test. But
for this ordeal there would be no limit
whatever to the knavery which the ma.
chinery Of parties would foist on the
people in the shape of candidates. Now
even the worst are constrained to pay
some respect to virtue and honesty.
and to consider the immaculateness of
their candidate as one element in the
success of their scheme. But though
justifable for time as the first at
tempts of the multitude in the express
sion of moral judgments, the practice
should not be tolerated beyond its
proper period, the infanthood of tho
peoples development. It must have
nearly passed that term. The Ameri-
can people certainly have now the wit
and sense to avail themselves of more
rational methods.-N. Y. Home Journal.