Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1811-09-19

\ ain, conduct that were best calculated!
= toNattract attention and tx a,mira-
-t6m after corruption had crcpi into the
corrnonwcaIth. "'Thc extraction Of
Cato and Cesar. (according TO SalIustj
the IL age. their eloTucnce were almost
cTial : then. greatness of soul was the
So r.. rs also their glory but in each
of "a different Kind. Cesar was cstccia-
eel great fOr his Kind Offices and gercr-
osity; Cato for the integrity Of his
lie. The former became famous by
c'cmcncy ami compassion rigid strict
NESS gave "a mighty reputation to the
litter. Caesar acquired glory by Civ
iig, by relieving. by sorg;ying Cato
by Offering no presents TO bride u.c rco-
PIE. In .'ic one there was refuge for
the miserable in the oi,er'ceytain de-
ltrucsion sar the wicked The frank
ness OF tho former was celebrated tie
steadiness Of the latter. Finally.
Caesar had put on resolution TO labor
and 10 watch quite taken III, with the
Effairs ofh.s friends, he neglected his
own; and refused nothing that was
worth the giving he wished for great
command to himself, for an army, for
an uncommon war, where his vast abb
iiiics might be displayed. But for
Cato was the study of sobricty, of de-
ccncy, IHt especially of strict disci-
pine. lie did not vie with the rich in
riches. nor in faction will, the party
man; but in bravery with the brave, in
lnodesty with the modest, in innocence
with the guiitless. He chose rather to
be good than appear so and the less he
cOulted fame the more il followed
him." In brief, we may conclude,
from what Sallust says. and from the in
formation which we derive from other
sources, that had Cesar lived in the
early days of the republic, he would
have been as rigidly yirtuOus as Cato ;
but perceiying that the Roman people
were corrupted, he accommodated him
seif to the spirit Of the times. and won
the affections Of the multitude by those
articles which are the most likely to
prevail in a luxurious age. Cato, with
his thOrny virtues, was so indiscreet as
to attempt TO revive, in vuluptuous
\. generation, the sturdy principles Of the
! first OF the Romans; and thereby made
7 prOselytcs for Caesar more expeditions
ly than Caesar could have made them
for himself. In this effort he expert
enced the fate Of those emperors who.
in succeeding times, attempted to re-
store the relaxed discipline of the lcgi-
ons: Cato. eventually persisted by his
own hand. despairing of the common
wealth. It is thought by many. thai
had he been somewhat more flexible oil
temper. had he concerted his plans oil
reformation more upon the actual cir
cumstances efhis country, and less up
on a severe abstract idea of republican
probity,h he mighthave prolonged the du
ration ofthe free institutions Of Rome
Caesar. however, prevailed. He wa:
lone OF the most subtle, cnterpri-
sing. and magnanimous men ofhis day
Atonce valiant, learned, eloquent, ant
witty. he gave hrilliancy TO all these
qualities by temperance and activity
4 speak OF Cesar as a man and not a
the subduer of his country's liberties
But, in truth, ii was not so much Cte
sar, rs it was the Roman people them
selves, who enslaved the republic
Their vices, their passions. their fact
ons, overthrow the fair fabric Offree
dom which lad been reared by the cour
age and frugality of their ancestors
Anti it may be safely laid down as
ma,tim that no people can be enslave'
by their own great men, il they ar
true to themselves.
Upon the death Of Julius Caesar, al
tertl Eisbment ofhis assassins, Au
gustus ~ hoyerthrown all his rivals
became pr, and under Republican
ding wholly nSf<zzIlR the people no
in the soIdieIy, he interposed the ma
.jesty of the Senate Between liimsel
and the latter. and claimed their obe
dicnce as TIC first magistrate Of the re
public: whilst, TO crush'the first move
mems ofrcbelliOn in The empire and {
awe tIac popuiace OF the city, Iic inst
tutcd the PrctoFian Guards, Which orr
ginalIy consisted Of nine on ten thou