The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1886-08-04
MIR. DIxoN's CARD.

uis Sd aooub biic Nay IldbteIS VI pulib.
les that present themselves to
thoughtful minds. We would not
have it otherwise, If VIC could; free
government has gone d long way on
the march to its own downfall. when
the people cease to think and reason
over the many questions of govern
ment that must necessarily come to
the practical cilizfn.
That political party which has cea-
sed to openly avow certain great
principles, as d bond Of union among
Its follows, has seen Its life blood
ebb and the light go out.
A card coming from Hon. Thos.
Dixon simply, would not be calcula-
ted to arouse much excitement or at.
tract much attention from the press
and the public But coming as it does.
under the circumstances, and at the
time, its significance lies in the fact,
that his card voices a widespread
opinion and well settled conviction
among large class Of people, that
the present methods Of political par
ties are incompatible even with high
toned gentlemanly conduct, and, of
course. offensive and forbidden to one
who honestly intend to lead a chris
tian life. Bot the opinion Of Mr..
Dinon is not confined to the two
classes Of gentlemen and christians |;
bit it's diffhsed throughout the great
masses Of the people both high and
low, the ignorant and the wcll-in-
formed.
1t is..useless to attempt to conceal
the truth Of Mr.. Dix ms statements,
or TO pallia,e the evil which he points
out. He knows whereof he speaks.
He does not belong to that detestable
."holier than thou" class. with which
just now the world is largely cursed
and ,blistered. Mr.. Dixon speaks
forth the words of truth and sober
ness, and there are great men in
North Carolina who look upon any
active participation in politics, as alb
horent to all their honorable and
christian feelings "Pity It's. lis true" !"
There are causes for this state Of
sffairs. II is well known that in
great revolutions. it i natural for the
scum TO come to the surface,
and float in self-important pride
while dressed up with a little brief
authority. Then, there can he Moth
ing so utterly demoralizing as a civil
war. Il is undoubtedly the Sorst
curse that can befall q people; no
matter how great or how many the
blessings that may flow from 1t. And
again, there is a strange, weird fasci,
nation about the struggles of politi-
cal parties, that charms some men as
fatally as the snake enchants the bird.
Il riyets some men in its fateful excit-
ing chances, as strongly as that other
awful temptation ties some ones 70 the
fatal tables and enchanting games Of
the gamblers.
What shall the remedy be? No
government, no matter how strong
or well constructed, can outlive the
decay Of public ana private virtue
Let no citizen lay the fattering unc-
ton TO his soul, that private virtue
will bloom and flourish and save the
Republic, when public virtue has
flown. All history teaches Us that
public and private virtue 90 band in
hand, either up or down. Notions
flow on in tide Of prosperity to their
flood; then ebb, and generally ebb
forever.
We do not see much chance to
remedy the evil, by recasling party
platforms. All have wordy, high
sounding planks for honest men and
Just and economical administration Of
government. Nor DO we see how q
different form Of selecting candidates
would be free from the manipulations
of professional ofIice.seekers, wire.
pulling for the pelf Of place and
power. Nor would 1t be free from
the communicating breath Of the moss
back, chronic, ohice-holder
A Greek citizen was sitting in Tho
Pnyx, and while the Ecclesia vas
collecting the votes on the ostracisni
and consequent banishment Of Aris-
tides the just: he wrote on bis oyster
shell the fateful ballot for ostracism.
Upon being asled by bis neighbor
why he could cast such a she'll against
Aristidcs, replied: "lristides i tot
pure and just for Atheuian polotics.'
Have We, too, arrived at that point
when the private station has b come
the only post Of honorY
We confess that We are not able {,
point out a remedy for so sore a dis
ease; but We think the remedy mus
be largely in thai private virtue Of th,
citizen, which will heroically exer
itself to reform the present corrup
political methods, and with Herculeai