Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-03-22
MEMPHIS APPEAL
thursday. MARCH 22. 1853
ALtssnN 70. rouna nEn.

AhE cNuE VI VIZ NOuBB Ludu Is
70 fiji seat 10 the Congress of the United
S stes. So ,oon as he bscomes eligible
under The constitution he commences laying
pipe 10 reach the goal which he regards
as the climax of earthly greatness. He
struggles on sometimes through a lifetime
with aspirations slill unsatis6sd, which he
attributes TO the stupidity of a perverse
generation, and denounces as a psrsonal
wrong and a calamity TO the nstion deprived
OF the elaquence aud ststesm sDship wasting
ambition urfs the sspirsnt for avoca-
lions suited TO his genius, and in wnich
he could make fortune and fame. He
cares nothing Tor law or any other pro.
tession or sphere in life, only 30 far az it
can be used az stepping stone 10 the halls Of
Congress. Such men entail npon them
selves life that finally ends in misery,
poverty and unhappiness No honest man
can save competency from his salary. He
generally incurs d .bts TO secure bis fret
election, and ever sfterwsr1 it requires all
his surplus earnings 10 secure his nomination
aad reelection. Public opinion is tickle.
The people grow weary OF honoring one man
when there are 70 many equally deserving
and cismoriDg for place, aud sooner or later
defeat comeP, and OF all the pi,isbIe objects
on earth there is nothing more 70 than a
broken.dorn, congressional representative.
Nearly all wrecks subserve some good pur-
pose. Even sdverrity has lis uses. mar
ket can be fond for an old stove, an iron clad
monitor, an exploded steamboat; waste pa
per and old rags find ready buyers; the
hoots, horns and bones of deiunct cattle,
that lay bleaching in the summers
sun on the old broom-sedgs fields,
have some value; aud even for old
boots modern science has found several uses
But there is no possible use 10 which an i'm.
pecunious, defeated member OF Congress can
subserve. He retres wilhout money, with
out practice, and ends miserable life in
begging for Cffice. Almost every Rspubli-
can member OF the lower branch of Congress
defeated at the elections in November last
are towering around the White House beg
giDg for flee. After long and faithfully
serving the public, the eyes of Belisarius
were struck out by order, and he WAS com
PEELED to beg bread in the streets
OF Conslsntinople. With optics un-
harmed, but suffuqed with tears, defeated
members Of the House OF Representative 8
cluster around the President and beg
for the bread which the people have
u;,IhaId froYo tha,. ,,n,,o-tl,- .,,o,,hr U'ho
following appeared in the APPEAL yester-
day: "Murst Halstead, who has been view.
Jog matters at Washington, says that there
is no more pitisble object than sn ex-cou.
gresham out Of occupation, loaing about
Washington and beseiging the White House,
hoping the President will fad a snug place
for him." To this complexion nearly all
members of Congress sooner or later reach.
The young men OF the country who have
impressed themselves with the belief that
there ia neither fame nor wealth in the world
without q seat ia Congress, should profit by
the fate Of those whose exsmple they are 60
anxious to initiate. The same fac, sooner
or later, overtskes most OF the Office seekers.
One OF the most dangerous menaces to the
country is the crszs for efice. When Gar
Geld took his seat SO president, Blaine an
nouuc that there were 100000 applica-
tions for Federal appoin ments in the &C.
parlmenis, and it is safe to say that
when the Democrats ascend 10 power, in
1885, the application, will increase to
100000. Washington is full OF men GEEK
Jog Office The country is full of them
The time OF senators and representatives is
more than half absorbed in attending to
petitions for fl &c. As tbe country increases
this evil will expand. 1t ia no dishonor to
hold cfice. Indeed, officials are generally
elected or appointed because of their popu-
isri,y and exalted integrity. Of6ceholders
are ss essential TO the administration Ct
government as a pilot is to the steamboats,
on the Mississippi river. No one inveigbs
against honest men in office. But the lust
for Office, the growing disposition, to ignore
all other avocstions and to make Office
holding the chief aim in life, should
be conde mned. When a man grows up
with the thought fixed in his heart that
than to earn living by independent labor,
or that once having held office il will be
disgrace 10 pursue any other business, then
the evil is fxed-notbiug but death will
eod such separations. The press aud the
people must unite IN educating the rising
generation to the belief that office-seekIng lie
not the highest mission in life-that there is
shame and humiliation 10 becoming beg
carly supplisnts 10 be allowed 10 feed at the
pu5lic crib. II is sacrifice of sturdy
with each other Ike SO many hogs,
anxious 10 get their noses into the feed
trough. AS a rule oficerholding is neither
profitable nor pleasant. In some cases it is
not even honorable, for in their greed men
sometimes employ means for attaining pub
lie positions that are degrading. The suc.
cessful efice.sseker carries with him constant
burdens that are a nightmare upon his life.
He const an.ly feels the pressure of obliga-
tions TO those who dog his heels for compen-
sation. OIe OF the worst features is, that
it units the recipient for other pursuits and
makes him a pensioner on the public as is
illustrate by the raid which the defeated
members OF Congress have made upon
the President for something that will furnish
them a precarious subsistence. Most men
are ruined for all practical purposes of
life by having had the mitforlune to cb.
tain public office. True, there is fa.cina-
tion in contests involving Office. Young
men make many new aCq1aintances, some-
times cement friead-hips, enjoy the excite
Inent Of the struggle, and rtjoice at the final
outcome if successful. But all these pleas
ant features OF political strife die out when
man himself becomes the chronic Office.
seeker. When he becomes an ofic holder
he frequently at best occupies an undesir-
able and, in many cases, contemplate po-
sition. He Is subject to the undue criticism
and abuse OF these times. He belongs 10 a
class that is always undsr suspicion. Then
there lie always a jealous crowd at his heels,
anxious to trip him up in the hope that they
may get bis place. If bis Office is an elective
Dne, he strives to retain hi- popularity by
becoming all things to all men. II he hiss
opinions of his own, he dare not venture
10 ex press them. He becomes in too many
cases but the sycophautic echo of every man
who engages him 10 conversation, aud there
IN lies one Of the very worst features Of the
system. He thus sacrifices all the pleasures
OF political strife enjoyed by those who dab
BILE in polite. for the mere love of II. He