Politics and government are certainly among the most important of practical human interests. Now it was a diplomatist — that is, a practical manager … - P. T. Barnum

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Politics and government are certainly among the most important of practical human interests. Now it was a diplomatist — that is, a practical manager of one kind of government matters — who invented that wonderful phrase — a whole world full of humbug in half-a-dozen words — that “Language was given to us to conceal our thoughts.” It was another diplomatist, who said “An ambassador is a gentleman sent to lie abroad for the good of his country.” But need I explain to my own beloved countrymen that there is humbug in politics? Does anybody go into a political campaign without it? are no exaggerations of our candidate’s merits to be allowed? no depreciations of the other candidate? Shall we no longer prove that the success of the party opposed to us will overwhelm the land in ruin? Let me see. Leaving out the two elections of General Washington, eighteen times that very fact has been proved by the party that was beaten, and immediately we have not been ruined, notwithstanding that the dreadful fatal fellows on the other side got their hands on the offices and their fingers into the treasury.