Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1882-05-03
How to Succeed In Public Life.
BY THE HON. GEORGE p. EDMuSDs.

REV. LYMAN ABBOTT Dear Sir Yours
of the 10Th was duly received, but the press
of my public occupations has prevented my
attending to the matter until now. Iinclose
replies to the questions you suggest.
/. Ought young man to plan for himself
political career, or ought, in America, no man to
enter politics except as he is drawn driven into
them by circumstances?
| think young man ought not to plan
for himself such career, in the sense of
making it the object of his life to hold office
and safe theory of a republican government
is that no one has right to be elected or
appointed to Office, but that the whole body
Of the community has right to select and
choose those citizens for Office whom they
think to be the best, or the best attainable
Aud the same principle holds good in cases
in which the appointing power is lodged in
the hands of a governor, head of depart
ment, or a president. Every man, young
and old, ought to be always a politician in
the best sense of the term; that is, one who
is taught in the science of government, and
who is familiar with that branch of ethics
which relates to the practical creation and
execution of laws to the greatest advantage
of the whole mass of the people, with due
regard always to the rights of mnorties
aud individuals. But he who makes it his
mission in life to be the one to be chosen to
make or execute the laws is necessarily
either constant office-seeker or office-holder,
or both and he becomes, in most instances,
justly liable to the suspicion that he is in
spired by selfshuess and not by patriotism.
In such case, even if it be that it is coun-
try first and himself last that he wishes to
serve, his usefulness is greatly impaired ;
for confidence in our rulers is no small ele-
ment in good and successful government
A young mans life object should there
fore be, 1 think, to pursue private calling,
and with that to cultivate the largest pos
sible acquaintance with public affairs and
Quoted; to always participate in elections,
and to leave public honors and responsible.
tiles to seek him, and not he them.
3 What kind of preparation may man make
for political career what line of studies should
he pursue; and what is likely to be the practical
value Of the so-called schools Of political phil
| osophy?
If he is not to be what we have already
| spoken of as undesirable-a lifelong office.
seeker-a young man would not of course
make any special preparation for political
career. The same studies that would make
him best fitted to discharge his political
duties as a private citizen, and best fit him
to prosecute and protect his private bust.
ness and other private rights, would, in gen.
eral be most useful for him should he be
called to assist in administering the gov
ernment
Beside the simple scholarly attachments
almost indispensable to the carrying on oi
any business, an accurate knowledge of the
history and constitutions of his own state
and of the United States, of the laws of civ
ilizsd countries on the subjects of education
crime and punishment, taxation, marriag,
aud divorce, pauperism and other genera
subjects of social science, and of the broad
principles and application of what is callet
public law, would cover the largest part O
the subjects with which he would have I,
deal as a legislator or an administrative of
6cer. 1t hardly need be said that if he wer,
TO be called to judicial station, special an,
exhaustive study of the law in detail, To
gether with a knowledge of its actual prac
tice, would be indispensable. The so-calle,
schools of political philosophy would, TO
mind not already trained TO logical and dis
eliminating thought and experience in tn
practical working Of affairs, be likely il
most instances to mislead than to teac
truly.
3 Is 1t possible for man, under ordinary eli
cumstances, to succeed in political life withor
manipulating caucuses and conventions and 81
, tering into political bargains to secure polite,
influence and to control nominations and col
: ventions?
: This, in regard TO elective places, pract
: cally depends very much upon the conditio
, of society in the particular community /
: which the voting power is to make tn
+. choice. If the majority (or in case of exis
ing divisions of parties, a considerable po
s tion) of the voting power be ignorant, pr,
/ JUDGED or vicious, the probability of the s.
a lection of the fittest is naturally small, an
the chance of the election of any reall
Q good candidate of any party or of no part
= is at the minimum. Ignorance of public a
) fairs is not of itself so great an evil as I'll
II others for many honest ignorant person
y are quite wise enough TO know that GOO
= government is best for them and to kno
Il that the best persons to intrust with ii
II duty of securing good government are tt
n men whom they know to be of high stan,
. ing for capacity and uprightness. But
10 community in which the people, or Co
r siderable number of them, are corrupt is
Il bad case indeed The state or city in whic
n the controlling votes are for sale, either +,
. ready money or to be paid for with places
10 legislative Jobs, is probably worse for bein
% under a republican form of government tina
70 If it were deprived of self-government Q
il tirely. Fortunately, such cases are not fl
le quent but when they exist it is not easy
n come TO an office without using the metho,
le named in your question. But even then,
m the honest citizens will persist, in spite
party nominations, in voting against I