Evening journal., 1893-04-01
AN AMERICAN CITIZEN.
His Duties as Defined BY Am
bassador Bayard.
OFFICE-sEBKING A SOCIAL MALADY

Politics Of the American "a Branch of the
Ethics Of the American PeopIe-The
Country's Good the True Standard of
Endeevor-High Tribute 60 the Mug
wumps. who Are Not once Beggars.
The nomination Of Hon. Thomas f.
Bayard. ex.Secretary Of State, as ambas-
sador TO Great Britain, says the Philadel-
| phia Ledger, gives timely interest to his
recent address at Union College In it
this genuine American and statesman en-.
forces the need Of courage and independ
ence in American politics, theme which
is eminently worthy of reproduction and
wide circulation.
In the treatment Of his subject, "Poli
tics In the United States" MIR. Bayard
took the ground that "an American, dis
cussing with his fellow citizens the gist
and meaning of their government" could
confne himself to no class or occupa
tion of men, to no geographical or sec.
tional residence, but must include in the
view the entire body Of the people.
Dishonesty In Politics.
"rhere can be no such thing, in the
true American sense as low politics
Some other name and definition should
be given for that degradation Of civic
action which seeks to make merchandise
Of political powers and prostitutes the
privileges and opportunities afforded by
q free and generous popular system TO
the behests Of corrupt selfshness and
infdelity to public trusts. The cold
blooded and conscienceless dealing with
the interests Of other people; the perver-
sion of the intent and object Of public
laws, public policies and public inter.
ests for the sake of private emolument
and personal ambition has no right TO
the name of politics, but should be as
signed to the category of other unwar-
rented, criminal and dishonest acts.
"The politics of the American is
branch Of the ethics of the American
people, and is indisolubly connected with
morality of the American people, so that,
by easy and logical steps when we come
TO discuss Politics in the United
States, we find ourselves following
the footsteps of our ancestors until
we stand upon the high table land Of
patriotic duty and personal RESPONSE
bility.
Onioe-seehing Social SIaIady.
The greed for Office is one of the great
est obstacles to the practice of this ele-
waited form of citizenship, and Mr. Bay
ard quotes with approval as true Of our
eountry as Of others, the words OF Mon
talembert: "An unwise thirst after sal.
aried public employment is the worst of
social maladies Il nfects the whole
body polite with a venal and servile
humor II creates brood of hungry
suitors capable of every excess to crafty
their longings and ft instruments for
any base purpose as soon as they are in
place. Such adds Mr. Bayard. "are
not the impulses, the objects Of the men
who made this government possibility.
Il was because their personal characters
were enlisted, and because, being free
their chacteristics could be exerted and
displayed. If, as Pope sang following
Homer:
Whatever day makes man a slave
Takes half his worth away.
it Is plain that individual liberty is es-
sontial for the permRnence of our system.
for corrupted freemen are the worst Of
slaves.
Tribute to the BIugwunps.
LET scorn and wit exhaust their
snsers and jibes or e1ecrations, one fact
must be admitted, and cannot truthfully
be denied, of the party called 1.-THE Mug.
WNAA n ~ AAN INAANAANA NNNaNhAuil VI lO-
day and that is, they have exerted them
selves for something higher than the
official patronage of the republic. What.
ever else they may be, they cannot be
accused of Office begging This alone
gives them right to respect. and in it
l discern a principle of political action
which l hail with qualification and well
come as a refreshing and elevating force
in the Republic.
"Sr Walter Scott relates that when
the old Lord Auchincleclz, father OF
Johnson's Boswell, was in alteration with
the Doctor over the character Of Oliver
Cromwell, old Sam roared out: We'll.
sir, whPt good did Cromwell ever do the
country CD, Doctor fsaid the old
Scotchman; he gart kings ken they had
lith in their necks And l hold the
man CT set of men who let King Caucus
or the party bosses occasionally know
they have "a lith in their necbs, performs
important and necessary public service.
The lesson needs repetition from time
to time that political parties are but
means to an end, and that end the
safety, honor and welfare of the coun.
try, and when that end is forgotten the
sooner party dies the better"