Men without Convictions.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 1581, 18 March 1887, Page 5

Men without Convictions.

The possession of fixed opinions is a stite of mind accepted as necessary to the exercise of any |<tnian> i«t ii :!■;•!. • Positive convictions are poiiite'l out as the source of power of moral reformers, who b.ve often persons of mediocre inteibctual development hut who, by the force of a pers!«'i lit purpose, have liven al-le to accompli*!] _rr;»t re-nl!*. »h:le their more l>rilh.nu con temp >ranes have 1n..1 their »iay and Itft do mark upoti the age There are more than enough historical examples to prove the correctness of this theory, atitl the thing is »o clearly the result of obvious causes that tt w< ltd hive to 1* accepted as | resumptivel v tnte, even if •Uch evidences on! n''t exist. But wnite the hand of:entst on the lever that accelerates »r eh cks the sped of S'icial progress is the hiiid <•! the ma:i who has positive convi.tion*, and clings to them with the same tenacity that he doe* lo life, there are al*» circumstjiiees uinler which ti'.e man without Opiuions is a power. He possesses some advantages iii the coiitioversiea of lite Wliieh are iocompatible with consistent devote •■ to know n ends. II - intentions are involved iu uncertainty, and this uncertainty makes it imp«si .le to atitici|<ate ids acts and adopt means to lru*lrate (hem, as can he done with an adversary of more straightforward character. In attack he has on las si ie the a I vintage of surprise, and if he is compelled to retreat he tan thiow away any troublesome principle* which are likely to eucumher him.

This class of men, however, are mischievous rather than positively b»«l. ? -r the v. .rst men ate th •*« who arc con-ist.: tlv di voted to bad ends. Ail the luttu which the ti.-kL nun dors in the consequence of m-ntal peculiar.'.lea over which he ha- Might control. It h natuial f r him to \k on t ie watcli to say or do a s'ltart thing rather than a true or just one. L"«u.dly 'his quaity of mind is associated ui'h a co-umhrulde debtee of \an:t\ ; an I vaiu nun are ncie ca|-able of tiiw irtuu the IT**! | ur;*«ses ot othe * fhrui ot accomplishing had ones of their own. This eonihination of fickiene-s a:»t vanity is se-vn in wine men ot great in ntal en' inm-iits. and not i-nr-qii ntly in statesmen. Of the *t»t''s:iien and "rit'irs n tt"-mt fixed opinions Elmnni Itiriie ha" gv n a perfect desc.ip ion in his leferem-* to Ch.rie* I>\vi»shei.d :—" He lias «»'i*-r\el, indeed it could nit e«c.»;ie him, that several p n >u-, ii.tiuite!y Ins snperi >rs ia a'i re\<v t», had formerly rendeied themselves considerable l»v one method al.'iie They wen- a race of meP, I hope in (tod the species is extinct, who, when they rose in their pines, no living man could divine from any known adherence to partus, to o;»i:doiis or principles from any order or system in their jioliics, or Ir m any sequel or connection in their ideas, what pirt tiny w.-re going to tike in any delate. It is astonishing how much th s uncertainty, especially at cntical times, called the .i"". -:.' i ■!! of all f.■ ties to su -h men. All eyes were fixed on them, -.11 ears ojeie-t to heir them. Ka h pirtv gaped and looked alternately for their vote aim ►-.t to the end of their speeches. While the House ham: in this uncertainty, now the 'hear hims' rose from this side, now tiny re-hellnwid from the ofh-r: and that party to v. :iom they fell at length from their tremulous ami dancin.- balance, always icceivetl them in a tempest of applause." The race of nr*n who B-nke h'>pcd were extinct s'ill exist, th they an- not so often found in colonial 1-gisltt.ve holies as formerly iu the British Parliament, because our legislators enjoy bss liberty of action. Bat in all c uifroversie* outs.de of the places where men as*euii4e wiili stnct y delegated |*>wcrs. the mm without settled opinions snecreds in attracting attention to himseli and iu acquiring an entirely factitious importance. It is espetiiliy the case iu newsparer opinions, Some journals obtain by their instability and inem-sisteic-y the same importance that otheis see!* to gain by the contrary qualities. The example of Gorge dordon liennett, who built up the AVjo York Ifcrnht by keeping public curiosity constantly on e»'ge to watch its course. Hill occur as the in< st notable example of the kind. A complete ami u'ter reversal of opinions on important questions between two davs was unusual with the Heralil, and one of its managing editors, in att !,.-'.;i: i 11 mak*; out the lies' case he could for liie consistency of the i-au-r. contented himself with savii'L' tli i: it never gave mterance to contradictory opinions in wue and ihe same issue. Since Bennett's time there have lieen other illnstratvuts of his j-m.-iialistic methods almost as extreme, and while people cannot respect the |iaper that makes sport of the consistency which most men hold to be a point of honor, such a journal is often a'de to win the suo-ess of notoriety and wide circulation. People read to be entertained ai.J amused, and they do not demand to be male to ferl respect for the buffoon who turns uncouth sometsuuits for 'heir entertainment. But when men of real talents are afflicted with this incuruMe vice of instability, it appears to be almost a cause oi icproai-h to Providence that gifts should be so mu^laced.