FORMAL COMMENDATION" OF OFFICIALS. 133 



■ON THE FORMAL COMMENDATION OF GOVERNMENT 



OFFICIALS. 



J. W. IIOYT, M. D. 



It has been customary in all countries, and in all ages, for both 

 people and government, in extraordinary cases, to take formal nc- 

 tic(? of distinguished services in the public interest. S'imetiaies hy 

 statue or monument, after death, as a means of perpetuating the 

 memory of noble deeds through succeeding generations; sometimes 

 by commendation of him who rendered the service, through de- 

 cree of sovereign or vote of parliament, congress, or legislature, 

 while yet living. 



There has been, of course, no prescribed rule of action in any 

 time or country, for the guidance of sovereign or people in such 

 matters. In general, however, the distinctions have been con- 

 ferred for cause so patent and so sufficient that the thing done 

 amounted to a demand that left no room fur question. 



Commendation of the kinds mentioned have perhaps been more 

 common under monarchies, where the sovereign is not always free 

 from the motive of strengthening himself by the accession of 

 faithful supporters, than in a republic, where titles of nobility are 

 forbidden and decorations are unknown. But even there, they are 

 usually confined to cases where the recipient has, in matters of 

 public moment, transcended the line of mere otHcial duty, doing 

 mure than could of right have been expected, or has made volun- 

 tary contributions of an important character to the v/elfare of 

 his country or the general progress of mankind. 



In the early days or Amn-icm history, there wis a severity of 

 practice in these regards that comported well with the stern virtues 

 anl high moral standards of the heroic people who planted the 

 colonies, defended them so grandly against foreign encroachments, 

 and finally founded the Republic, now cl )sing its first century. 



In the light of more recent times, and at the distance we now 

 ■stand from the leading actors in those great events of American 



