Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1881-02-12
Is He a Statesman Z!

40 1ES ~
The Republicans North in lamenting
the defeat of Maynard style him the
"South's greatest statesman" If it be
true that Mr.. Maynard is the greatest
statesman" of the South, our people
surely ought to be made fully aware Of
the fact so that his craftsmanship may
be better appreciated hereafter
A statesman is one who is well versed
in the science of government. A great
statesman must not only be well versed
in that science, but must be well skilled
in the practice of great measures of re-
form and national polity. We pre-,
sumo that no one will deny that Daniel
Webster, Henry Clay and John G.
Calhoun were men of this pattern.
They were men distinguished for meas
ures, and were honored by the whole
country as such regardless of parties or
sections.
What has Mr.. Maynard ever done
that has pointed him out as worthy the
name and association of Clay and Cal
houn of the South, or Webster and
Cass of the North n What has Mr.
Maynard ever done for the South ? and
what has he not asked the South to do
for him? That he is man of ability
and political shrewdness, no one will
pretend to deny. He has the ability
and has mad the opportunity to do much
to make his name and fame coequal
with the Union, but what has he done
toward accomplishing this? In what
does his craftsmanship consist ? What
measure has he proposed for the relief
Of this pOverty-stricken people ? What
broad national policy has he ever nau.
gurated that would lift him above the
party shackles and partisan prejudices
of his own party? In short, is the
the name of Maynard connected with
anything except Maynard's own per-
sonal aggrandizement? He has cut
quite figure in Tennessee politics, but
Maynard was the figure after all.
Alexander Pope, the English poet,
has given lis the following just defni-
ton of the true statesman:
Statesman, yet friend to truth, of soul sin.
cere,
In action, faithful and in honor clear;
Who broke no promise, served no private
end;
Who gained no title, and who lost no friend.'
Admitting Mr.. Maynard's ability
and passing his integrity without pre-
JUDGING its claims, we hold that he
fails to meet Pope's requirement in
the expression, "serCed no private end
Nj. Maynard has been in Congress,
and that too when Tennessee was in
distress. Did he raise his voice for her
peace and prosperity, or was it not
rather to have her placed back under
military government? Andrew John
son, from the same State and section,
fought Tennessee and the South with
more vehemence than Maynard, but
when the rebellion was put down like
a statesman johnson held out the olive
branch of peace 10 the vanquished,
while Horace Maynard tried to fix bis
heal more fmly on their necks. And
Maynard was not alone in this-but be
it said to the shame of American states,
men, that Andrew Johnson was almost
alone, Horace Greeley and his like be-
ing honored exceptions.
Maynard was elected to Congress ip
1872 from the State at lVrge by the
ill-advised division of the pOrty between
johnson and Chatham, and not on
his merit. He was afterwards appoint
ed Minister to Constantiuople at sal.
airy of S7,5OOeper annum. Did he do
anything there that should have en-
rolled his name along with Bismarck,
Schouvaloff and Beaconsfeld q Sure y
he had abundant opportunities to make
for himself Il name and fame, situa-
ted as he was at the centre Of attrac-