Berkeley and Jefferson intelligencer. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va.) 1802-1810, 1804-01-20
POLITICAL SKETCHES.

Rome, the love Of country oyerpowered
al considerations Of personal interest, .
vanquished the tertors of death itself. A
Spartan or a Roman, even Of the lower
class, was so proud OF his nation, that
Ne would willingly suffer exile, fortunes
and death, rather than see its honour
stained. Hence each those famed re-
publics was q phalanx, one andindiyisible,
Is closely united in an lis parts and men,
bers, as solid body ofiron. a nation
alsentimsaf deeply rooted, eutwining IL
self with the master 6bres ofevery heart,
rs well among women and children Is
men, While il formed the frmests bond Of.
union, led to deeds Of patriotism, which
have astonished allsucceeding ages. To-
what remarkable concurrence ofsifcuin-
stances vast owing, that the Spartans
and Romano, fern the highest 20 The
lowest grades Of society, we're governed
in all their actions by national sentiment ?
Several causes coneurred in producing
such peculiar state Of things. Eachof
those republics extended over but a small
territory. which might have been travel
led through, from one extreme to the o.
ther, ina very short time and those
littie territories, every inch whereof il
was necessary for personal safety and
subsistence TO defend, were almost CON.
tinualIy nienaced, and frequently inyad-
ed by surrounding foes. Thus situated,
q constant conviction ofcomnion interest
and 4 constant view Of common danger
knit their hearts together, and led them.
TO esteem the safety and honor Of the.
). commonwealth paramount to Ill other
considerations. Their education, their
customs, were all national their very a
nussments and diversions had de sane
ton Of public authority and were such as
seemed toinHame their minds with an
heroic love Of .country.-To this great
object, as well their mothers and nurses,
who moulded their infancy and = laugh,
the young idea how to shoot" a. the
more sage instructors Of their youth, de
rected their constant efforts. SIN circun-
Stances similar to the aforementioned,
any free people, whose minds had been
neither cankered with avarice nor cor
rupted with luxury, would possess ma
tional sentiment and great energy ofeha-
racter. g. ~ * .5 * = : : +
To the republics Of Sparta and Rome, our
nation is. in some respects, = remarka.
Bile contrast. Both their territories To-
gefher would be but speck in the map oi
the United States. There the universal
md the ruling passion was the love d
! ca,intry. hcrethe universal and the rul.
ing passionis the love OF money. There
they neither knew nor coveted wealth
! but were satisfied with an equality ofpro.
perry, as well as of privileges: some Of
their most distinguished statesmen and
generals were so poor, that the necessa
Tyexpences Of their funerals were deffay,
\ cd By the public Here, while rapid
strides are making toward the achme 81
luxury is neyer.fading concomitant, In.
sasiabls avarice. like mildew, blight,
every noble passion. There, especial
" in the Roman republic,1 the peopl.
were Of steady habits, and seldom lis
tened TO the dreams Of innovators her,
! steady habits are ridiculed, and the PEG
pie, a lately in France, -. z,St.I
g Cape and rub the elbow At the new,
OF hurly- burly innovation. n--
Taeye one code oflaws bound the Who'll,
nation here codes Of laws are multifari
Gus and in divers instances, entirely re
pugnant to each other. There false re
iigion held in universal veneration
strengthened the bands OF nationalunion
lire the true religion, whose principle'
and prccepts tend most powerfully 70 III,
happiness Of nations Is wei As individu
ais, is not only condemned with impuni
q, but It's openly avoweds enemies an.
blasphemers are caressed by the highes
authority.
Casting our eyes around, We behold
Is paramount, anationalg governments ex
tending over the whole realm. Within
! the Pdle Of this national goxeInment, v,
behold seventeen sovefsignties, fotheri
: q a. ns.n-