The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1881-11-23


Monday Evening, November "Ist.
LADIES ANDGESTLENry-Political scienc
is broad subject, and calls tor cultivate,
understanding to comprehend the wild
extent to which it reaches, and the iul
weight'of each political act, A poitca
campaign means more than the wire'pull
ing necessary to elect certain candidates t
office. There are principles involved tina
may be the fundamental elements Of on
liberty prosperity and happiness. Thu
votes we are called on to give to each ques
ton OF governmental policy should not b,
east in ignorance OF the direction whiCI
they will give to the movement OF public
affairs; nor should We lose sight Of the fac
that the government will be wisely or fool
i'hly managed, according to the aggrcgat,
understanding OF the voters Thus on every
one Of Us rests the credit and responsibility
Oi the action OF the governmental lcaS
to the extent OF his own vote. This swha
q republic means. An ignorant communit!
cannot constitute great republic; for re
public is great only by wise laws and NJ
ignorant community cannot secure wise
laws. It's true, in u political sense, that
Ignorance Is the curse OF God
knowledge, the wing whcFcwIth We fly 10 heaven,
In the capablity, or non-capability OF 4
people to understand what measures are
best calculated to promote their interests
may be found the key to the solution Of
such social and political problems us the
present condition OF Ireland; where the
lack OF Il clear and right understanding by
the masses OF even the elementary prin.
ciplCs OF government appears to be the
great bar to prosperity and independence;
Tor liberty, in its br0adcst meaning, can
only exist among those who are not only
willing, but who know how to defend and
preserve it, The remedy is eduCNtOn-a
mental cultivation that brings with II the
Understanding OF political principles
"Ihc wing whcrewIth we NY tn heaven"
Is not natural inheritance, but must be
gained by the patient labOrs OF generation
after generation, Then let us do our part
oi this good work, and, so fur us We may,
learn how to vote, npglrcting no means Of
rutiyating our understandings, that We
may not brmislcd bypollical demagogurs,
nor drawn to support schemes that are not
founded on the principles OF public good.
And this knowing how to vote Is not nj.
ways an easy thing. That eternal yigt-
lance is the price OF liberty we are ready to
believe; but it Is equally true that eternal
vigilance can only he preserved by keep
ing wide open the eyes Of the understand
ng. Hence it follows that enlightenment
Is the price, the only current coin, that We
can pay for liberty. For the privilege,
then, OF voting right, We must be willing to
live our diligrnt study But how great is
that privilege! 1t makes the difference be-
tween Il srri and u ACKNOWLEDGMENT sla.
very and libruy-bctwCcn grooming under
the heavy yoke OF oppression and enjoying
the fuIncss Of the blessings God has given
to mankind.
How noble are the Quaker poets inspired
verses on the value OF irccman's vote, in
his poem, IN The Erc Of Elections
"Ihk through the crowd the hugh runs loud
Beneath the sad, rcbuhIng moon;
tod save the Land rnfclcss hand
May shake or sWgryg ere NOTION noon,
No Jest In this one cas-. nmia
May blast The hope Of Freedoms year;
o take me where ARE hearts Of PRAYER
And iOrhcuds bowed In rcycrCnt fear,
Not lightly fall. beyond recall,
The written scroll hTCnlh rnn float
The crowIlIUg fact the kingllat act
OF Freedom, iaa iccmHi's vote.
For pearls that gcm dladem
The diver, in the deep sen, dives,
The regal Ti.ht wC boast tonight
Is owned Though costlcr sacrifice.
our hCnrts grow cold. we lightly hold
The hight That bnlvc men died To gain
The IRE, the cord lhcRXU, the sword,
Grim nur.cs ut It's birth Oipnin,
The lessons Shakespeare teaches the mod.
rrn politician are so many and important
that shall not have time to point them
out, or describe the fullnCss Of their in
4ructi0n; but must be content to indicate
some Of the broadcast Of his principles, and
show few examples; referring for fuller
knowledge to the plays, where instruction
is so mingled with acknowledgements that
the student OF Shakespeare always becomes
his admjrCr and lover.
William Wordsworth sings:
we must be free or die, who speak the tongue
That Shakespeare spakc.'
And poet Of our own lind tells Of the
power Of the Swan OF Avon over the hearts
Of American irCCmCn. And il his verse
contains something Of bAthos, the thought
il portical and true:
deep In tic West, rs Independence rovCs,
Ills banners planting round the hand he loves
Where Nature SLEEPS IN ElcnS lninutHrRcc,
IN I lines ful huurshnll spring glorious race.
Thy yrrs" thy language lslakcspcNrc) shall they
bCnr,
And drrk Tor thee the vnultch temple there.
our HDman,hCurtcd fathers broke
Thy pNrrntCmpifcs gnlliug yoke;
But thou, harmonious monarch " the mind,
Around their SONS pCmtlhr chain shall bind
still DER our land shall Albiun's sCCptrc wave
And what her mighty lion lost, her mighIIcr swan
shall save
In ShWkcspCarc's day there was not, nor
ever had been, in its true sense, Il dCmoC-
mcy The republics OF Greece and Rome -
republics Of patricinn class only,--had
existed, aud had passed away, leaving, per.
hnps, in their history and literature,
the snggCSiOnSof Il better freedom but no
clear enumeration Of those principles on
which we rest our broader rGpublicanism.
Hence Shakespeare could not show, in his
dramas, examples OF II free people, beCNusr
there were none such in history from which
to draw his characters
II was reserved for later day to bring
forth, in this western world, the first bright
example Of Il people who should make the
pure goddess Of freedom their political
divinity and emblem; and strive, with
every effort Of untiring patriotism, to weed
out Of the state all the tarcs that centuries
Of Ignorance and superstition had fostcred
and permitted, that purCr democracy
might grow and flourish, brighter and
purcr year after year, showing to all the
world n bcacon.light leading the nations up
the grades OF civilization toward the best
Mtainablc political and social life. Let II
not be thought CHIN the forms Of our
government to be perfect or nearly 50.
Such, Mas is not the fact but We have cs.
capped from some of the forms Of bondage;
cleared our eyes of some dpluding images;
made some good progress; and, above all,
have discovered some OF tile true principles
Of free government.
The perfect government can only come
when alftlC governing and governed ARE
thoroughlyacQuaintcd with political truths,
md nitrp pnOIiuh 10 nrt with no splllsh MIR.