The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1885-05-27
OsTRAOIsM.
Pervcrsion Of the Original Meaning of
this word.


Pervcrsion Of the Original Meaning of
this word.
Tho domagoGue was 80 prominent q
figure in the public life of Athens, of
Syracuse and Of every other Greek
democracy that 1t is not wonderful that
the name should be familiar to many
who have no clear notion what Greek
democracy was, OF what was q dema.
gogue's plpcc i'm it. II is more wonder.
ful that the institution, to our notions a
very strange institution, called at
Athens os.racism and st SYRIA
cuso petaism, should have been
seized upon 20 be turned Into a
cant phrase. Tho Syracusap name has
been left alone. The Atheni4n name is
daily used in way which no Atheuiau
Who gave vote of OstracIsm, aud no
Athenian who underwent vote OF Os-
tracism, could have understood The
misuse Is in this case tho more uupar-
donable, because IL could have come
only through some one wishing 20 SHOW
of Il learning which no did not possess
IL could not have come ia 70 point an
analogy for there is noting in the pO-
litical or social life of England or Of
any other part Of modern Europe which
bears any analogy TO the Athonian
ostracism, When We read in the
newspapers OF man being sos
tracized," II seems to megu that
ne is subjected TO some kind OF ex-
clusiun in political or social lilo. II
may mean that he IL what, by other
metaphors is called "cut" or "sent to
CoYonuy;" il may simply mean that
for somo cause or other, tile au under
| stood thing that he is shut out from Of
ace or preiermont. The word does not
Mt all imply formal vote. II certainly
| does not imply that the OEtraczed per.
son Is In any way constrained 10 leave
his country. IT'S hard to see why this
state of things should DO called "ostra-
cism." lit must have Greek name 10
comes somewhat nearer to the state Ofa
man who Is otherwise untouched, but
whom the lnw, has deprived of the
right Of voting or holding Office. With
0slracism tho kind Of exclusion in
| tended has absolutely nothing
/ IN common; the essential
/ 10 6ture Of ostraCism. compulsory alb
/ senco from sthe country, is lacking.
| Compulsory absence 10 the only way 10
| TO describe 10; the word "bauishmeutn
| belongs to another range OF idea. Ban
| ishment is punishment; in tho eyes of
I those who think the punishment de-
served, IL Is q disgrace. But obatracism
| was hardly punishment, and IL Ger.
/ tainly was not disgrace. IL was q
measure Of procau,ion, which Ny. Grote
/ excuses q measure which was neodful
| fora season and which won't out of use
/ when it was no longer needed. When
/ the state WAS deemed 10 DO in
/ danger from the disputes of two or
more leading men, vote was taken,
the result OF which might be that one oil
them WAS hidden to 20 and live abroad
/ for 10 years. He kept his property; at
| tho end OF his term rs came back 70 all
his old rights; very often change in
/ popular feeling called him back before
| the eUd OF his term. 10 Is indeod hard
/ to see what such an institution as this
/ has In common with what the nows-
/ papers call "social ostrscism;p 10 Is lust
I rs hard TO 500 why this last, whatever it
Is, cannot be spoken In plain English.
| Exchange.