Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1881-03-19
GOVERNOR O%RITTENDEN.

1t seems to the Intelligencer that Gov.
Crittenden is meeting with much unde-
served criticism. We are not of those
who believe in indorsing a democratic
official right or wrong" We do not
believe the true interests of the demo-
cratic party lie in that direction. Ii
wrong must be done in order to insure
democratic success, wherein will the
country be benefited by such successP
No; the true policy is in just criticism
where it is called for-criticism free
from personal feeling, and from the
..scalp-taking" tone sometimes INDUCED
in because II the pettiest of reasons.
So far as is practicable. democrats
should learn to build up rather than tear
down. 1t is impossible that they and
their friends can all be provided with Of
ice. 1t would be very convenient. no
doubt, if everybody could have q five
thousand dollar Office, with q few perquis-
ties by way of pocket change, but the
question arises il we we're all In Office
who would raise the potatoesf As Mr..
Thurman is in the habit of saying, "it
won't do" The governor could not. for
the life OF him find holes for all the pegs.
Now. a handsome peg will not fret it.
self down to a splinter because of this
truism. 1t is asserted. in some sort Of
pique, that his excellency went to st.
Joseph. not to see Bernhard, but to
show himself off. This 10 hardly lair.
We Jaw Gov. Phelps. upon one occasion,
gaaing down from a prominent box at
DeBar's upon the voluptuous form of
Marie Rose, and drinking in her sweet
notes like q connoisseur. No one blam-
ed him for this. Why should they! A
frst-class actress. like q good singer, is
everywhere considered worth seeing, ex-
cept, probably, in Kentucky, where the
only legitimate diversion is supposed to
be a horse race. As the governor has
been away from Kentucky from his
youth, he must be pardoned if he counts
the woman as attractive as the horse.
He is said to have made his appoint
ments with a view to iurthering his per-
sonal political ambition. 1t is generally
safe to look behind such an assertion tor
a peg that has missed being fitted to q
hole. The very best way that he could
take to make himself "solid" with the
masses OF the party would be to appoint
good men to Office. Could any one OBJ
ject to thatP We have seen, in the case
of the st. Louis police commissioners,
that where he has been led to appoint
an unfit man, he has the boldness to dis
place him and appoint a better one. The
only objection We have heard to his other
original appointee there is that he is a
church member. We have %notlnquired 10
what denomination he belongs; but, in
any event, we know no constitutional pro-
vision which p%recludes church members
from holding Office, and, on the whole, we
rather think such a provision would be a
harsh one, unless it applied solely to the
republican party, when, maybe,it might
make no serious exclusions. Seriously,
though, what ambition could the gov
ernor foster, as is alleged The senator.
shlpp There is no man in Missouri that
can make George Vest lose a nights
sleep by running against him, and no
one knows this better than does his ex.
Gel. ency. It is easy to impugn a mans
motives-why not apply the golden rule
aud be a little charitable. The noblest
ambition Gov. Crittenden a have Is to
do his duty, and we believe he means to
do it. We differ from him IN some
things; when those matters are under
consideration we shall not be slow to a..
sert our opinions. as We have not been
in the past but to do this it 10 not nee.
essary 10 suppose tnat the governor has
some fell design upon the peace and
happiness Of the state because he doel
not think as we do. The great body o.
the democratic party OF Missouri is above
the personal ambition Of acetio county.
seat statesmen. It prefers the milk. Of
human kindness to gall, myrrh and by
sop. 1t does not care 80 much who holds
the Offices as for the manner in which
they are administered. What 1t want.
in Office is intelligence. honesty and
competency. What it desires in legisla
ton Is economy, simplicity and laws ir
the interest OF no class and detrimental
to none. No doubt Gov. Crittenden ha,
made some mlstakee; who has notS Blu
if he will keep faithfully In view the in
terests OF the whole state as thus indica
ted. we feel satisfied he will receive ths
Endorsement of the people. No man wa
ever more loudly cursed than was Gov
Phelps for a while, but when the people
came to know his singleness OF purpose
and his bravery for the right, they learn
ed to respect aud honor him. Let us al
| give his successor Q chance.
"