The Washington critic., 1888-02-25
WASHINGTON, FEB. 25, 1888.
THE BOTTLE IN PUBLIC LIFE.


habits, and even graver derelictions
ON the part of men conspicuous in
public life, were lost sight of in the
glamour of their eminent position and
commanding abilities. Nor is it to
this day written down to the discredit
of one Of the grandest orators and
wisest statesmen the country has ever
produced that he was a gambler and
drunkard.
Among the prominent men who
have passed off the stage Of human
action within a comparatively recent
period-some of them since the close
of the war-will be remembered SEN
ators and Representatives whose de-
baucberies, If not habitual, were
notorious; and still they compelled
the respect of their contemporaries,
maintained status of social respecta-
bility, and are canonized in epitaphs
Of unconditional laudation.
But a marked change of sentiment
has been going ON in these last few
years, and men holding high place
under the Government, either as
makers or administrators of the law,
may no longer offend the decencies of
life with indifference to popular opin-
ion, nor hope for the same charitable
judgment upon their moral obliquites
that was passed upon the carousals of
their predecessors. ~
Admiring constituencies are as ready
as ever to crown their representatives
at Washington with laureis for meri-
torious service, but there is more
general and growing disposition to
hold them to strict accountability
for unbecoming conduct, and vices
that once were borne with as being at
least pardonable, if not the evidences
of genius, are no longer patiently
tolerated.
There is no question of personal
liberty involved in this matter. A
mans peculiar ways of life are not
justly subject to outside interference
or ofhcious criticism, so long as they
concern himself alone; but whenever
= <si.hecomes invested with obligations
or functfSns, for the proper discharge
of which he sndirectly responsible to
the people, the public has the right to
demand that his walk and CONVERSE
tion be such as not to impair his Off
cial usefulness, or put in jeopardy the
trusts that have been committed to
his keeping.
Whether it be allowable OF not for a
private citizen to get drunk and make
beast of himself. is not the question.
He is certainly debarred from such
privileges when acting in a public
capacity; for no matter how in.
tellectually gifted he may be, OF how
well equipped for the discharge OF
public duties, no man can drown his
reason in drink, or wallow in any sort
of vice, without, to some extent, be-
traying the cause, or the party, or the
interest which he has solemnly sworn
TO uphold.
1t is gratifying to know that in
stances of this high moral treason
have become happily rare at the
National Capital, and that although
now and then obtruding themselves
upon the attention of the community
they are more than ever malodoroui
for the reason that the general tone
Of official life is of sober and self
respecting standard.
But the rule in this case ought to
have no exceptions, and summary
halt must be called to those grossei
forms of inebriety and dissipation on
the part of public men, whether in oi
out of Congress, that tend to hinder
the progress of urgent legislation, tC
cripple the energies of any branch oi
the Government and bring the public
service into contempt.
A GENERAL STRIKE OF engineers il