Full name: An American Politician: A Novel

Author: F. Marion Crawford Rank: Rating: Original Rating: Pop Rating: Genres/categories: Purchase/reserch links: Amazon Goodreads

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text, images, or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1884. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... political frenzy that seizes men and whirls them in its eddies, is a most singular compound of patriotism, of enthusiasm for an individual, and of the personal hopes, fears, generosity, and avarice of the individual who is enthusiastici It is a passion which, existing in others, can be turned to account by the cool leader who does not possess it, but which may too easily bring ruin upon the man who is led. "The danger ahead is this same party spirit, this wild and thoughtless frenzy in matters where unbiassed judgment is most of all necessary. It is a rock upon which we have split before; it has taken us many years to recover from the shock, and now we are in danger of altogether losing our political life upon the same reef. Unless we mend our course we inevitably shall. Men forego every consideration of public honour and private conscience for the sake of electing a party candidate. The man at the helm of the party ship has declared that he will sail due north, or south, or east, or west, whatever happens, and his crew laugh together and keep no look-out; they even feel a certain pride in their leader, who thus defies the accidents of nature for the sake of sailing in a fixed direction. "What is the result of all this? It is here before us. The country is splitting into parties. Three candidates are set up for the office of president. Three distinct parties stand in the field, each one vowing vengeance, secession, revolution, utter dismemberment of the Union, unless its chosen champion is elected to be chief of the Executive Department. Is this to be the life of our Republic in future? Is this all that so many millions of free citizens can do for the public good and for public harmony? What shall we gain by electing the candidate from the north, if the...