The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1880-05-29
Practical Patriotism.

Hon. j. Proctor Knott, member Of Con.
gress from Kentucky, in lecture On
Practical Patriotism, recently delivered
said
The age in which we live Is preeminently
a practical one Our Homer has no time
to write poems Of the mystic legends Of
gods, he is too busy in Harvesting the
giant powers Of nature; our Shakespeare Is
busy writing profound essays upon the
science Of political economy; our minister.
forgetting the simple story Of the cross.
consents for the triaing compensation Of
$1,000 or 100000 year 10 treat his
hearers to profound disquisitions on physi.
cal science, while his congregation, loune
Ing in Luxurious cushions, complacently rest
content with the satisfaction that their
pastor surpassed the Founder IN thai, he
has made il entirely practicable for camel
to 60 through the eye Of a needle. The
supreme question everywhere is, VIII il
payE ln country like this where every
man IS sovereign and may be called upon
at any moment 70 assume high positions.
practical patriotism presents great adyan-
tages. The chief character Of this patriot
Is excessive modesty. Il is for this that
he lives, moves and has his being. Il is
for the public good that he lives ID a house
elegantly furnished by public money; that
he drive handsome carriage and pair;
that he sits down to his meagre fare Of
canVas-back, terrapin, champagne, etc.
and broods over some stirring appeal for
the horny-handed sons Of honest toll. Il
10 for the public good that he raises The
amount Of his own salary. All these
things, aud more, he viii do for the public
good, but there is one thing that he never
VIII do under any circumstances. He has
never been known to resign lucrative
ONCE, however Incompetent he may be,
for the public good. One thing very re.
markable about him is the faculty he has
Of always being in the popular current.
whatever he praised yesterday he is will
ing to denounce to-day. lie is no seuti-
mentalist 10 loving his country. He loves
1t Tor It's vast resources, for its system Of
revenue, for the passing Of his extravagant
appropriation bills, for the regularity with
which his wages are paid him, for which
he tolls like galley slave from 10 10 the
morning to 3 in the afternoon. But the
practical patriot is above all things a
hnancier His system Of fnanciering has
not only exhausted the ingenuity Of all
investigating committees, but il has even
bankrupted human ingenuity itself. How
a patriot eau live upon S2,5O0 or SO 900
year and maintain fine establishment,
aud in Few years invest $500 900 in city
real estate or stock Of some successful cor.
porntion is something which, as Lord Dun.
dreary says, "No fellah can find out" In
this heartless age Of great scandals, there are
often intimations that the practical patriot i
thief, the chief of the treasury ring. one
Of the gang Of harpies which iniest the
lobby. But he is buoyed up with the
the knowledge that, 10 the brevity of the
memory Of congressional witnesses, or his
, convenient absence in Europe, it can never
: be proved upon him. Allowing, then
that the practical patriot is all that is a.
ioathsome as possible,i is it not a direct re
: suit Of this greed aud scramble for wealth
! this contest in which all considerations .
i honor and truth are trampled upon
Must not steps be taken to Danish from ON
r political life this parasite, this type Of al
: : that is low and degrading, If we woul,
have restored the purity and strength o
our early institutions7 Caesar crosse,
the Rubicon, and is said 10 have destroye,
the Roman Republic; but il was dead lon,
beiore-eorrupiiou had done its work
And II we stay not the tide who shall sa,
IN the light Of history that our own be
loved land may not be drenehed in bloc,
10 the struggle for place and power
Who shall say that another Caesar or Pom
: pey may not be found who shall end a thron,
awaiting him, and shall enact the traecdiel
of the republics Of the past.