The Alexandria herald. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1811-1826, 1813-07-09


the maxims and rules Of discipline taught
BY Scion and Lycurgus were adhered to,
and the plan OF education, established tor
training them in the observance OF reli-
Sion and the practice Of virtne, was pursu-
cd they continued to flourish. The love
Of country was then their leading principle
ofaction !; because proper discernment
of their rights and in,cres SITS taught thcm
that their personal security was intimately
connected with their cOuntry's welfare.
to die in its defence was their greatest g!o-
.ry; because tho religion Of those DAYS in
culcatcd belief that for such a sacrifice,
they were to be crowned with Immortal no.
nor In the world to come-But alter the
mighty defeat OF Xerxes' myriads, they
caught the reflection Of Oriental extrava-
gance; their morals were corrupted by the
sudden influx of Asiatic wealth /; the patri-
otto FIRE which glowed in the bosoms Of
the heroes OF Marathon Of Saamis and
Of Platea was ex,inguishcd the oncrvating
influence of luxury had destroyed their
mental activity, broken their martial spiri,
and rendered them unfit for any military
achievement; and each state, divided by
party spirit, offered itself AN easy prey tc
the ambitious Philip. Sparta then lost the
sceptre the glory of Athens sunk for.
ever; and 'fhebes, which was Just rising
from intellectual darkness, was again in.
yolved in Boeotian igns, ancc s stupidity.
The destruction of the Roman republic
was produced by that relax alton Of morals
which followed the introduction OF wealth
from Asia and TO the entire neglect Of the
improvement of the human mind at that
time. The education which taught the
Roman in the proudcst days Of the repub
lie to look with contempt upon worldly
grandeur and glory and to seek that happi
ness alone which conscious virtue gives
was entirely gone: and habit OF luxuriou:
extravaganza succeeded which Sized mos,
baneful influence upon the morals of tho
people. Wealth was the idol before which
they bowed. 1t became the universal OBJ
lect of pursuit and of course gave conse-
quence and importance to its preseason
The rich employed their wealth IN the &C
QUESTION OF power; and the poor, whose
situation was desperate, readily enlisted I'M
der the banner of a wealthy leader, for they
were ignorant that while they were aiding
IN plot against their country's liberty they
were thereby endangcring their personal
safety. Hence arose the factions of Ma
RUS and Sylla, of Pompey aud Caesar and
Barbarian, who rushed from the north,
like mountain torrent, bore down before
him the finest monuments of architecture
and painting, destroyed the lingering re-
mains of literature and science and trium-
Phanty seated himself on the ruins OF the
Roman empire.
he petty republics which arose in the
dark night of feudal barbarism that follow
a,,I n,
the gloom for a short time all owed their
downfallto the universal ignorance which
relgned throughout Europe after the Co
thic invasion.
Since then it is education alone which
can preserve our republic from decay, it
ought certainly to be the important duty OF
every American to make every eyertion
to encourage and promote it-It is the duty
Of our legislatures to give it their patron
age and protc ction--Poor schools ought 10
be erected at the public expense and the
spires OF our academies and colleges ought
to rise in every part of our country-The
sons OF ignorance and poverty will then be
able to comprehend the complicated struc-
ture OF our government to know their
own rights; to understand the policy whic h
may be adopted by our rulers; and to see
the relations in which we stand TO other
Powers-Then, we may cherish lively
expectation that we shall be able to trans
INIT our institutions unsuilied TO the lat
est posterity.
Nor should we delay the performance of
shls duty, but make every effort to carry
into effect plan upon which our future
hopes and prospects materially depend
And as a stimulus to our immediate and
strenuous cxertioDs, let us consider for
moment, the blessings which we en-.