The Popular Man

Au ekchange papnr recé i ved by us a fewdays sinco liad a brief nolicc of llio politica] om eer of a young man, nut rcïnaiknble for a innssive intellect or brilliant talent;-, who in twelve years, firom the condkion of a private citiz.cn, without the aid ofother frionds tlian he had madfl by his own conduet, had passed througb various grades of civil and ju icial oftice, until he had attnined tho highest post it was in the power of the citizens of his State to conler upon him. [n all the offices he liad held, he had givengoncral satisñiciion, and come o:it witli the popular applause. Now, it is us true in the politica! and social World, as in the natural,thn'. every res ilt must hao an ad. equnte cause: & did we possss an intímate ac]unintance with ibis gentleman, vo si ould scrutimze him closely, to aseertnin thosc peculiar characteristics which had raised liim, in so short atime.while vet ;i young man, to a situnüon lar in ad vanee iif rïiariy experienced and veteran competitors. We have not tliis privilege : but liaving been led from t!e sketch in the exchange paper to rellect intently upon the eleinentsof popularity,we are dispose! tothruw out somc hints for the benefit of the ambitious andaspiring. In religious matiers, the Popular Man is very tolerant of all denominations. He is not achure!) member, but he attends frequently at one of the most fash'onable churches in the placo where hc resides, and ocoupies a slip near the centre of the house. He always beha vea with seriousness and propriety, puts something into the contribution box, ond gives for bonevolei.t purposes when publickly solicited. The Bisho,) or other distinguihhed clergyman of the denomination usually stops nt the house of the Popular Man, and finds hira ready to talk and hear on all serious subject--. Ile is careful about saying any thing that will offend sectarian pvejudices; and the corruplion of Popery, the bigotry of Close Cornmunion, the absur dity ofOalvinism, ur the bad tendencies of Universalism, are themes nevordiscu-ised by him. The Popular Man wants votes; and he will never hurt the feelings of those who may possibly support him for ofnee, by attreking tl er relM us v'cws. In politics,the Popular Man is not noisy or abusive. He is deep, ily, intiiguing, and sngacious in his intercoursR with the leaders of his party; but he never publicly abuses his opponent, but passes throughout the communíty as a moderate party man. Yet he ahvays voies the party ticket; but shuns poütical slump speaking, unless he has a nomination, and is driven into it; and then, while advoenting his own party views, he takes pains to conciliale polilical opponents. In this way he makes no personal enemies, while his moderation and courteousness prepossess strangers and opponents n his favor. ín finaricial matlers, the Popular Man, altl)ough no', weilthy, keeps up a respectable appe trance, ani sceks, as far as possible, to live vvithin his income. Yei, as hi holder of public olfices, he makes that n;!n; m largo as legal ingenuity will xr.nit. He isnever known totakeany lees han tlie law ollovvs, while every doubtFul clause in tl,e statu'e by which construcliveallowances from the public tieasury can be obtained, is improved to the utmost. Ilismaxim in working for the people, is to gct all out of '.hem he can ; and he annually expenda the amount thus secured in splendid suppers and fiishionable parties. He pays his workmen and hired gul with prompt:iess, andneveralIüus himscli'to be oftcn dunned on sinall matters, lest those whom he owed should inhibe a dislike to him. But he sornetimes owes heavy debts to tlic copitalists i'ov whom he does business, and considers their property in his hands as a sort of Safety Fund, from which, by various device?, he abstracts as much as be necessary to supply his current expenses. Occasionally, also. he engages in specution, and gets a mortgageon a farm or a city lol, and by enforcing thelaw, obtains it nt a quarter or a half of its value, and thereby obtains ihe reputation of being "oneofour best business men." lt is true he makes somo enemies by axtortions of this kind; but the disadvantagc is lar inore tlian countcrbalimcod by the annoimcement in the papers that the Popular Man has given Fil'ty Dollars t) thclrish llelief Fund, or One Hundred Dollars to he Bible Society. The name of the Popular Man is often seen n the newspapersas the Chnirrnau of public meetings, or one of the Executivo Commitiee of Associations, for tho interest of whioh he cares nota siraw. But lie is sure to aitend and occupy his place on cvery anniversary or othcr meeting where he can nppear oflieially to Üie public eye, and wake trile and eommon place speeches on the importanco of eduention to tho mosses, tlio glories of rcpublicanism, &c. In his manners, the Popular Man is sociable and familiar vvith farmers nnd laborers, who feel themselves flattered by his bringing himself down to their social posilion and customs. Especially is lie careful about tliis just previously tO an t'.leciion'whero he is himself a candidato, aiidlit! oftun endures witli a hcarty smilo tho grip of a "huge paw" uround hia ente hand wriieli malies liim wince with inward agony. The Popular Mart ia vei-y careful not to sliovv tlioMeast signs of aristocratie foeling to country people, as he wi-11 knows tlint a short word o r even a sour look towards one wlio never MW liitn before and nmy nevor see him ngiiin, mayUso liim sevornl votes. He lias reíd ChesteiTield atlentively, and labors to secure goden opinionsby pract.sing the " kiiiores virlu' as" - tlic acts of kindnesj and sociability whích take so strong a held on the mase of men. In thi=, iho Popular Man is right. Tlie smallest circumstance may be improved toadvar.tage. During the fomou-, ''Toledo War," when the army of' Michigan was preparing for dearlly combat ngainst the hoslile Oiiioans, the Commander-inchiefof the Michigan army was once observed Mtiirgontl.e ground beside a tal!, staKvi;t s)Uiv. Tij.i latter was very ntcntly engaged in the occupationof i-oasting a cliicken, overa cam) fire.by tneans oí a long stick thrusl ihro' ta body, his olfactorirs being in the meanwhile groatly refresb.ed by its savóry fumes. The General sat by his side, in social chat, till the culimary operations were completcd, and thcn demandod a "walker." His request was complied witli ; and the Governor of the State of Michigan took his depnrture for his tent, devouring 0:1 his way the greasy bequest of !iis iViend. Now, think you that when the Governor catne up for re-eleclion, that soldier could be any thing else than a good Democrat? j Inpossible! IIo voled and eleetioneered for the Governor who had enten of his chicken, and he told the story more than fifty times in one political campaign. The Popular Man knows that the smallest things please or displease the most: and henee he labors to please all men that he mny gnin as many as possible. In his moráis, the popular man is not very scrupulous. He rarely swears, however. and ncver in t!ie presence of pious poople. He occasionally ploys nt carda and games of hazard lor amusement and to that he is not superstitious, vet he never gnmbles. Ile frequents the he thea're and circus occasional'y, vet always in respectarle compony. lie lisapprovea of war exceedingly, in' the abstract, but would have no objoction to ake commission inthe army, and aid n the invasión and couquest of Mexico. The Popular Man is generally well dressed: but on particular occasions he may beseen witli an old strnw bat on, and a suit of cast off rust y clothes hoeing his potatoes, or digging post holes for his fence, with as much assidr.iiyns ihough bis subsis-tence defended upon his industry in this vocation. His objecl in appearing in this dishabille is to convey the impression thal he is not proud, and bas no anstocracy about him. But when be first commcnced bis professional career, he was careful bever to be seen at any manual labor, as that s discreditaWe to one wbo is seeking to live by his wits. Thrn, r.e pnid out the lnst shilling in his pocket to hire a woodsawyerj lest people should say he was so poor thal he was obligcd to work: mm-, he occasionally saws wood anJ hoes potatoes to show the people that he s not above work,but is a plain man slill. Ili:i course is ibunded on a close observntion of the opinión ofcommunity. It will do very well for Gen. Taylor and John Q. Adam? to wear old roundabouts instead of conts, and for Silas Wright to piek up stones in a tow frock, and drive his cows to the pasture. The first is now ncknowledged as an able general, the second is an Ex-President and accomplished scholar,& the third an experienced statesman. - These habits, which are now related to .heir credit, if notorious when they first commenced in lift;, would have redounded to iheir disndvnntngc in the estima:ion of their competitors, as well as the lublic gencrally. The Reforma agitating in community ure sources of some perplexity to ;he l'opular Man. To please parties directy antagonisiic to each other is dirticult. His general princi[)le is to praise up cacli particular reform in general terms, and condernn it in detail : tliat is, he is in Favor of reform, but is opposed to doing any tliing ell'eetual to promote it. Thus, when his opinión is asked on Legnl Reform, ho is decidcdly in favor of it, but throws in so many li.nitations and qualifications that all his commendution is exactly neutralizad. Both parties claim him as their friend, as both have an equal right to, froto his declarations : both help him to office, and as a dut ilil citizen, he filis out his term, doing and saying just as litt'e as possible on that reform in rcference to which his constituenls were so deeply intciested. On the Temperance question he pursues the same policy. 'f her is not n more decided friend of the causa than he professes to be; but then he is opposed to all coerción, and would let Moral Suasion do up the work. ile would not license the vulgar grogshops whnre poople make beasts of themsclves; but respee.taUfc, genteel public houses, whero gentlemen can obtain wineaml brandy of the iirtt quality, he thinks should be kept open. Vbt the l'opular Man is nevcr intoxicated, and never was known to rlrink too much, unlcss occasionnlly at soci;il mctiti iig will) mcinbers of Congrpss, Judges,or other. high lutiotionaries. In Pact, hoseldom drinks n public, nnd ncver except at llio soliciiation of a luiend. Yet he is very friendly to Tempprance societies, and bas evon been known to contribute somctliing for the cause. To the Anlislnvery question lic suslains the samo attltune. He acknowledgesthe cxistence and supremacy of tho Sluve Power, and from his heart he says he l liopes it will be overthrown, yet votes for Slaveholders of his own party to fill three fourths of all tbe ónices in the nntion. He acknowledges the essential wickedness of holding men as slaves.yet thinksthe practico ouglit to be continued till they can be fitted for freedom. Ile di.sapproves of all the measures of tho Abolitlonists for removiug theacknowledged sin and evil, yet he will not propose any measures of his own. lic would rejoice tosee every slave liberated, nnd yet gives his wliole nilueiice for kceping thein just wliere they are. Indeed, the Popular Man is conservative 10 the highest degree. He wishes to make the most out of things just as they are; and if community will move in spite of him, he immediately adaptshimself lo the new state of tliings after it is establishoó. 'He never takes the lead ia any thing new, because leaders of innovations ave rarely popular till after they aro 1 dead. Thus the Popular Man pnsses through life. He is generally liked, usually respected, and filis au influeutial rtation in society. Ilis death will bo noticed in all the pnpers by a lengthened and elabórale obituary, extolling his virtues. A handsome monument will be erected to his memory : but his name wül never go down to posterïly as the author of great enterprises, or asa worthy coad I gulor in nny grand project for ennobling ! and elevating his race. As he never put Ibrth one effort to benefit prosterity, they owe him nething, and will never seek his grave to shed over it ihe tears of gralitude and iulmiration. The Popular Alan has all his gooj lliings ia ihis life, and wbea lie dies, his memory will [.erisli in everlasting forgclfulness.