The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1881-10-21
NO REPRESENTATIVE MEN IN THE
COUNTRY.

1t Is fact that during the war there
was no great military genius produced
by tho United States. There was none
who had grasp of mind enough to seize
hold OF the favorable opportunities
offered, cmancipate himself from the
routine of military detail, and to do in
one campaign, that which required
years to accomplish. Jomini furnished
military men their ideas, and they
pinned themselves down to fixed laws
as the surest means of success. The
lessons taught by Vaubon were still
in repute, and the spade and the pick
axe took the place Of that Inventive
genius that despises obstacles and cal
cutates upon success AS Il certainty. Tho
army Is the place to look for great men
during war. Genius rushes to it to
find field for development. The
opportunities afforded by war having
passed we look to the Congress of the
United States for that development of
talent which failed to manifest itself in
war. Congress has been changing as
the revolutionary spirit which controls
1t has been changing. 1t is now the
focus of the revolution, and is fast be-
coming the first power in the State. 1t
Is here that all the vast mat erial by a
long and bloody war, has been pre-
cfpitated for digestion and settlement.
Here 1t is where genius has II fine field
for the display of talent, and where we
would expect to fine a Somcrs ora
Montague-a man who is capable of
the results OLA great rcvolu-
ton, of separating the present from
the past, and of establishing IL govern
ment upon principles in accordance
with the truths developed by sue
cessful struggle.
But we look in vain for such II man,
or even one approxiinating to him in
talent. 1t would be absurd to deny
that there is talent in Congress. But
when we concede the fact we arc forced
to say that 1t is not such talent as tho
exigencies of the occasion require. 1t
savors too much of the bar, and of Il
lifelong training in courts, and II fami-
power to send for persons and papers,
and of that era of politicians which has
passed, when party success created ,
plcasurable emotion, and gave NJ
agreeable pastinc and employment Il
men of tho Wilson, Sumner and Wade
school.
No public man has approached tho
high standard Ofintcllcctual superiority
demanded by tho times. Opportunities
have not been wanting: but the intel
lcct of the nation seems to have been
dfssirntcd, ns wc have excellent law
yers, ministers and merchants, but not
a single man Of II universal talent or
genius, who is capable OF comprehend
ing the present situation.
Those politicians who enjoy tho con-
fidcnce Of tho people, and are now in
beyond party success. TO thea, timC
and circumstances make no changes in
party policy. Their party of to-day is
tho party of years past, and must be
governed by the Same circumstances
that probably brought them into office.
Issues which have been settled irrcvOca-
bly, arc still talked OF as being in course
of development. How long anti-slavery
notions, rebellion, in or out OF the
Union, will continue to be the dogmas
OF u party in power, we arc unable to
say. They belong to tho age gone by
have forever passed into history and
it is surprising that the old politicians
who still hold on to tho darlings Of
their youth, do not give place to n set
of young and vigorous men, those who
arc of the present generation, and who
ought to feel its progressive spirit.
Great men, however, appear but
seldom. They arc brought forward
only at particular times, just as Il GER
tain state of the atmosphere produces
the splendors Ola mctcoric display.
They bear the same relation to the
political world that epic poets do to
the intellectual. They arc emincntly
representative men; and when ideas
come into conflict, and produce rcvolu-
ton, they readily understand those
which belong to the age in which they
live, and are TO advance the future
progress of society. BY scizing hold of
the controlling ideas, and by judicious-
ly applying them, they become recog-
nizcd lcadcrs-great men, because they
truly represent the age in which they
live. If this be the test, and we think
it good onc-we are deficient in great
MON Tho fino has certainly arri we'd