The Russellville Democrat., 1892-08-11
GREAT NEWS FAiLINcs.
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 kind. but we never think of de nouncing them for sueh actions We grant them q certain fFssdoFD q personal rernissness that we deny to men who have not accomplished ifss- portant results Washington bas been ideaIized so such an exse.4s that he stands az a model Of all the vlg. tues. and yet the fact ig well attes ss11 that he was by no means perfect He airted with handsome women and bet money on horse races and swore vigorously when his purposes were crossed. His bearing was always lofty and supercilious, and he frequently made enemies Dg his arbitrary and dictatorial method of dealing with his subordinates and with the public. But bis large and shining deeds obscure his fanlts m the historial records, and we cherish his memory as that of supreme patriot who had the right to disdaln common rules of personal behavior. Like charity Is extended t5 other great men of that period. Franklin was not an exemplary citizen in all particulars, but his trespasses are forgiven because of his exceptional ability and his effective devotion 10 the interests of his country. Ham ilton's intrigue with Mrs. Reynolds was an unworthy proceeding, but we think of his offense only to admire his manly and courageous acknowl- edgment of guilt to save hls name from the deeper stain that his de- tractors were trying to put upon II. In all of these cases the privilege of genius to do wrong from time to time Is commonly and cheerfully recognized
 We contemplate the career of Webster with profound respect and reverence for his wonderful ability as a lawyer and a legislator, and freely forgive him careless and i'm provident business habits and his occasional excesses of the bibulous sort. He was so great that he was not required to observe the rules that mediocrity was bound to regard. The predilection of Clay for gambling was paliiated by his wife with the explanation that he ''nearly always won, but there was better excuse for 1t in the fact of his pronounced and pervasive influence as political leader. He could play cards with out forfeiting his reputation or inn pairing his usefulness The people did not ask him to comply with the theory of duty that applied to the average man. He was worth so much to the country that 1t was willing to let him antagonize such doctrines of social propriety as coniieted with the personal tastes and inclinations. Calhoun had certain eccentricities that were very annoying to his friends, but they honored him more or less for that reason. He fowered above them so much that they had only praise for his great qualities and never criticism for his intirmi- ties. Benton was Iav red with a similar toleration of his weaknesses, and so were the others of the intel lectual giants of those days. They mad ways that were not consistent with established precepts of civihfy and morality, but they also had gifts of such power and excellence hat nobody was disposed to question their privilege of being offensive whenever they chose to be so, either with or without proyocation
 It is well understood that Lincoln often told stories that were unfit for the drawing room, and that he sometimes failed to pay due defer enee to visitors of high standing in their respective professions, but he had right to suit himself in such respects. He was greater than any Cf his contemporaries, and If he cared to undigniied at times as a relaxation from the terrible strain of his office that was his privilege Stanton was probably the most offensive man who ever occupied an important position in any country, but the nature of his duties and the value of his services furnished a satisfactory excuse for his systs- matic arrogance. He was the right man in the right place, all things considered, and history has not yet done justice to him. Conkling's haughtiness was offensive, but it did not detract from his superiority as a statesman. He was one of the great figures in the nolitics of his time, and t was not necessary for him to ad- here rigidly to ordinary customs and conyentionaliSm. When the occa- { sion came for him to do a remarka- ! bic thing he was to be de9ended l upon, and his naughty demeanor was no disadvantage to him or to the cause that he represented. His right 10 be proud and scornful was a part of his fame. He had splendid ab1i- { ty to justify him in his idiosynerasies. The airs that he assumed were not unbecoming, because they were identified with acts of surprising pith and moment. He was an ex- ception among men, and 50 he was authorized to follow his own bent as to his manners.