Year: 1867

The State would be more prosperous
if offices were more frequently given TO
those who are not ambitious Office
seekers. In other words, little more of
the quality of disinterestedness in pub
lie servants would be beneficial TO the
people; or a little more unmistakeable
patriotism instead of 'political wire
working" We are not writing to
ofiice-seekers, but to those who make
and unmake officers.


We do not mean that no one should
ever seek Office. Some public business
requires that some men should qualify
themselves for it and some men are
iustifable in laboring for a particular
office. Their ambition is blessing to
the public. Hence we do not say that
such should nerer be successful. They
often fail; because honest people some
times apply good rule at the wrong
time. To say "no one should ever
seek Office" and to discourage every
one that does, would destroy many
profitable servants. Some men seek
office-but not greedily. The whole
soul may be in the effort; but not the
whole self. There is about them
stamp of manhood it may be counter
feited by others-but we can not look
with suspicion on all coin though some
is spurious. ''Never seek office" can
not be made a maxim of politics; in
such case some honest hands would be
tied, Still it is true that the country
would be more prosperous if offices
were more Frequently offered TO those
who do not seek them.


Such course, as above stated, would
be a generous recognition of unobtru-
sive merit. Not all of the deserving are
forward or ambitious. Some of the
good and efficient wait TO be asked
many of the bad and inefficient, demand
Boldness sometimes cheats lnodesty of
her rights.


Some of the best public servants have
not sought the honor and profit Of office.
Our history has furnished many exam
pies; it is not necessary TO enumerate a
few. That a comparatively few have
been called from pleasant private life to
serve the country nobly suggests that
we may still occasionally look in that
direction; the trouble is there are too
many interested in preventing honest
voters looking whichever way they will.
There are so many patriots in full view
now, that ont is scarcely permitted to
imagine that there are any not pressing
their claim for reward. Perhaps. at a
certain period in the history of Rome,
Cincinnatus was just the man to be
sought for Dictator, because he was a
noble Roman quietly attending to his
own business. The man who manages
his own business well, may be well quail
ified to manage public business. Some
men for years nobly stand almost alone
battling for an unpopular principles and
then when the principle becomes popu-
lar-when it reaches the heart OF the
masses--and alas, when il ATTRACTS cla's
of politicians who see "which way the
wind blows"-these noble champions
are unceremoniously made to- stand
aside while political converts take the
Offices. There il a sad illustration of
this now at Washington. The great.
free North did wrong to pet the ''bOr-
der Stdtes'-they were neutral too long.


To serve a political party does not
always qualify one to serve his country.
To be devoted to the principles of party
is quite another thing. Manymen may
have the cunning to serve party, who
have not the honesty to serve their
country. The country needs men, not
foxes. We are too much in the habit of
rewardiDg low cunning; there is ten
dency to reckon it among the virtues.
There are generally at least two classes
of men who urge reforms; those who
are contented with the reward Of good
conscience, and are wiling to suffer re.
proach, and those who expect 70 gam BY