Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1805-10-14

III X
ConfRd by laws they could not prefs the poor /;
| Both,partes feur'd from iawlefs might
Creech,
fsutthis cosistitutiod, conrrived with SO
much, wisdom, aud balanced with somuch
skill, did not long maintain the counter.
poise of parts, upon which its energy and
duration were made dependent. The de-
magogues very soon introduced question
among the citizens, whether 1t is safest that
a preponderance Of powarbe lodged with
the Aristoeratick or Democratic branch OF
the governments!
Aristrldes 20 increase and secure his H.
auence, suppressed the, se1isus, according
to which the Distribution OF Offices was re-
gula,ed, in,consequence of which the low
eat order of citizens we're eligible 10 any
office 10 the government. Next Perrictes,
with the assistance of Ephialtes, abridged
the power ofthe Areobagus, by Introducing
tSquent appeals from ina Jurisdiction TO ne
assembly lthe people. The same Pericles,
by granting. or increasing the fees 81 the
Judges and Jurymen, aud converting q
Matter of duty into matter of gain. SKILL
farther debased the composition, and fn-
creased the democracy and ,yrannv Of the
A ,heniaf tribunals. Chalisthenes estapi sh,
ed the ossYacism, which rendered the pre-
tensions OF. every distinguished clnzen
Who had not the ear of the people, nuga-
tory, or self-dangerous. He also ;incres-
Sc the number of tribes from four to ten,
and the senate from four to FIVE hundred.
| Every ciuzen was row allowed to har. aogue
| and propose DEGREES In the assembly of the
people. Thus what Arislrides and Peri
cles lefsimperfec,, succeeding demlgogues
| supplied: and one de mocraical regulation
| still followed another, until every power OF
the government was absorbed IN the popu-
| lar branch, or Assembly. Then the peo-
pie Exhibited the vices and ferocity of ry.
rants (tt8). Then,he pcople yielded 70
| the per6dious voice of demagougts, who
encouraged them to become manigers of
| their own affairs (11a). Then, knowing
itself. III ue absplute monarch, it assum-
ed all his pretensions and exercised all lis
prerogatives setting every principle of or
( der at defiance honoring none but the
basest 1atterers; and exhibiting in all It's
| transactions, the same contrast to web
constituted republic, which iyrann;cal u
surpatioE exhibits TO legal monarchy
/ (2o). Then demasogues of tribes and
/ districts. fomented divisions, and was d
war against virtue and talents. Then i
I eentiousnesss OF mssners and adherence
| OF all saluary restraint were deemed es-
! sential to liberty. Then the orators were
seen to repair to the assemblies, like SO ma
ny chiefs of parties, now seconded by mill
tary officers whose protection they had Sc
cured, and now attended by factious suoal.
terms; whose fury thcs could moderate at
pleasure. Then they commenced their al
sacks BY insults efai) by strokes of plea.
santry whiNsih transported them beyond
themselves presently the clamours; the
! apptauses, the bursts of laughter 1922 that
arose from all sides stAed the voice Of the
senators who presided in toe assembly of
the guards stationed on every side to main.
tain order (l23) nay even Of the orator,
(t24) who saw his decree fall to the ground
by the same paltry anliees that so often o.
verthreW dramatic piece a, the theatre
of Bacehus. Not even the drawing, by
lot, of one out of each ofthe tribes, TO take
! their stations round the 70 s,rum, could pre-.
vent confusion, or saccous the violated laws
/ (f25).
But hear Alschines himself speak, IN ad.
dressing thisvery assembly. cit were to
Be wished, indeed, that the President of
our Senate Sour popular assembly. would
attend with due care to the order Of their
debates, that the laws, ordained by Solou
(t1aJ Artist. Fol- B. iv.
". 3. q may Be proper toatbrize.
the reader that b. iy. as quoted
an these essays, is.commonly pub
- kshed as B. vii. In the trnnsAa-