Democratic Sentinel, Volume 6, Number 7, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 March 1882 — The Office Should Seek the Mon. [ARTICLE]

The Office Should Seek the Mon.

Nothing is more natural, nothing more admirable, than the aspiration of good and capable men to lead men and to govern great States. But honorable objects must be honorably sought. A man with a true political ambition, with the instinct of leadership, advocates wise measures, and. by the power which belongs to the instinct, impresses his views upon the minds of others. He leads by natural ascendency, and they naturally and gladly follow. So Washington led. So Jay was a leader. But the modern system of a “still hunt,” of private, illicit influence upon those whose votes elect to high place, of mousing intrigue, or bargain and barter and corruption, is not only dishonorable, but it is destructive of the essential principle of the government. The majority must rule. But only an honest majority can rule justly. To open head-quarters at a capital in order to procure votes, not by personal preference founded upon knowledge of character and of a career, but by private solicitation and representation and trade, and so to secure a majority, is to cheat the people and to caricature the popular principle. A majority so obtained is not a moral majority It is not only not binding, it is to be repudiated as a crime against the people. What was good enough for Jay and Washington ought to be good enough for us. If they disdained to propose themselves as the choice of the people, we may safely disdain if. The current question now is, ‘Who is an applicant ?” * Who wants it ?” And the fittest man is passed by because he has not asked for it. Washington and Jay did not ask. But when the people selected them the people found officers quite as honorable and efficient as those who do ask. The man whose self-respect for the principle of the government prevents his “ conducting his own campaign ” tc be elected or appointed to an office is thought to be altogether too ‘ high and mighty/' and too ridiculously squeamish. “If a man won’t help himself who will help him ?” is supposed to be a conclusive question in the realm of politics.— Harper’a Magazine.