Notoriety Vs. Reality

Editor of Aeous : In most counties of thia State tliere are papers whicn are considerad the orgaus of the two great political partiea, and in many counties there are other mercenary sheets wliich are ready to use their columns to gi'atiüy the vanity of certaiu ambitious aspirants tor political uotoriety. Dailiea coming iu from other counties, and corrsepondents of said dailiea - mere penny-a-liuera and aensation item-gatherers are alao willing to miniater to thia morbid desire tor wiudy notoriety in the political arena. Such ia the positiou of thinga at tho present time, that if any man who does not posaess a thimble fuü of brains, and haa not shed his pin-feathers in the rauks of eithor party, has plenty of moucy (whether it belongs to hiniöelf or wife), and ia possessed of considerable of the suaviter in modo and a fair amount of " shake " with everybody, will use that money to replenish the pücketa of mercenary editora, their aubordinatea or correspondents, he may make a large portiou of the people think him to be the leadiug repreaentative üt his paity in his oounty, to the disgust of all thinking men belonging to the sume crganiatiou, - their disgust increasing wibh thoir acquaintance with the ambitious porsonnge and their kuowledge of his real (lack of ) ity. It is uo UDCommou thing in tuis duy to hear of uiüii who have beeu iu a place scarcely loug enough to beconie voters haviug out their ruuers over a county before a conveution, to get delegates fixed up to put tliem at the " head of the ticket," iu tho placo of men who have borue the heat of the day and stood for yuars in the frout rauks of the battie. A lew wurd politiciauB may get au uukuowu uew-coiuer - a student juat out of college- nominated tor mayor, - to give him notoriety by decliuing, or seuk to end him as delégate to a Natioual couveutiou wheu he don't kuow what State he lives in. ïwo or three good tikurs and paid ageuts, by ridiug through a county for three or tour week, and " tootiug the horn of a gallan t Oolonel," may créate a íictitious populanty which the sensible iuen of any couvention may rind it difticult to counteract. A $2o puft' iu the Graptic, a $ö equib iu the Ncios, or a tl one iu the Times, inay ïuako many a man thiuk thut a brieñeus lawyer who does uot know euough about iiis proiesaiou to take judymentontt promissory note, when uo defeuse is made, is just the man for Senator or Congressmau, when his neighbors who know him would uot dare trust him to wnte a chuttle mortgage or take the acknuwleiigmeut of ■a quitclaim ueed. A man whu is vaiu enough oud has rnoney euough, may get his name oa uil bilis, as ujio of the orators for ouy special occasion, and yet never mike a speech or think of doing such a thing. The third county in a State, containing a world-renowned University, may be represented iu tho State Senate by o man who kuows no more about the wants of the county, the objects and aims ot legislation, or the duties of a Senator, thftu Nicodemus did about the second birth, aud yet all be brought about by p;iid puffs and UfkTeliug ruimers. Tweed could buy position and parasites for fjain aud filthy lucre, and yet was there not more of reality in such acts than when the same thing is doue for a fictitious uotoriety and to satisty the deniands of au inordiuiite vanitv. It is a very easy thing tor a inau, when usuig money he liever earned, to head every subscription with a John Hancock hand aud five or twenty-five dollars opposite, but it is a more real thing to pay what a man subscribes and have uo understauding with the soli.'itor abuut 75 per cout. discount. The penny-a-liner on a daily, enger lor news- no matter what about or how true - may write tliat " J " is played out, " I' " is too unpopnlar, and that " It " will have to stand aside if the " gallant Colonel who made bis mark in the Senate wishes to step in," but too much of this kind of stuft' will react after a little and the reality of tbs situation begin to be realizad. The iaot is, Mr. Editor, that such sycoph incy, sophomorical foolery, aud self-laudation, will sooner or later find its level. If money, when there ís a woíul deticieucy ot brains, is to control conventions, tíieu no longer deuy that politics is a hum bug aud politiciana a'uuisauce. The realities of political life and the sober secoud thought of the people demand a different state of things. If a mun wants to be a State Senator or UvHiyressman, or hold any other positiou of importance, let the qneation be asked, is lie houest, faithful, and capable, uot how inuch cheap yellow-covered notoriety does he possess, nor how of ten he can " smile and shake " or M shake aud smile." No party eau long be stront which bestows its important positions ou uien who are uufít, untried, iguorant of nearly all ot the wants ot their constitueuts, and without political kuowledge or well-deh"ued political principies. A little more of Reality and less of Notoriety will answer niauy of your readers a great deal better. ♦