Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1819-05-31
ALEXANDRIA,:
THE FRUITS OF CLEMENCY.
MONDAY, may 81, 1919.


Every man loves to possess power-and
the same man who would hazard his life to
preserve that of fellow creature, and
would as soon die himself as commit an
act of homicide, would have no objection
to have the lives Of nations at his disposal.
A lust for power is in fact one of the con-
ditions of our nature, from which lew men
will find themselves, on a candid eXamlna-
ton Of thelrhearts. to be entirely exempt
ed. 1t is the manner in which they are dis
posed to use power, when they possess it,
which marks the difference between mcn--
between the low man and the gentleman,
the man of honor and the scoundreI, The
barbarian and the gent!eman-the man OF
good sense and brilliant mind, ard the
brain clouded BGotian: might add too,
between the prudent politician and the nm
FASHIONED mailman. Indee,! tn S last point
is so clear that a man whs knows The world
cannot help being surprised that nalevo-
lence should ever So far predominant over
discretion, as to urge man into the cruel
misuse OF power which may be found in
almost every department of life, particu-
larry those TO which Ten destitute OF the
early advantages ofgnod breeding and ed
ucaton are capable of successfully aspi-
ring. Our poor sable brethren of Africa
will tell you that servitude to white, is
comfort compared to the service OF one of
their own hue-and every close observer
of mankind has traced the same principle,
operating in an increased or diminished ra-
ito in the whole scale ofhuman affairs. from
the master chimney sweeper up to the tip
of society. With few exceptions, upstairs
are misusers power, land ifany man doubts
it, let him look about him, and let him hear
who and what they are Of whom the sub
jected complain.
And vel il is wonderful that they never
submit their conduct to the test of their
own recolections, feelings and experience
that they so seldom inter from the CEN
tempt and execralsh in which the severe
exercise of power Is held by the world, and
the respect and affection which ciemency,
and the lenient exercise Of power never
fails to be regarded by even the worst men.
In ancient history. who are the persons
upon whom successive ages have continued
to bestow the most unqualified applause 4!
Those who have most distinguished them
selves by clemency, and particularly by
iorbearanCe from the qualification OF their
rancorous passions and revenge. The most
untading tint in Julius CGsar's fame TO this
day, is his cemency. When noble young
Roman opposed his breaking into the trea-
sury, after he had passed the Rubicon--
retire, young man," said Caesar, "or |
will strike you instantly dead-and know
that # would b. easier for me TO do this
than TO say it," Can a tinei example be
imagined, or one more worthy OF admIra-
ton, than the pardon which Augustus grant
ed to the sedllous CHINA, the grandson OF
Pompey, who as found 10 be the ring lead
er OF conspiracy formed against that
princes lie. The time, the place, and all
the measure. for assassinsting him while
employed in Offering a sacrifice, were all
disclosed, and the crime was so manifest as
no, to admit OF doubt. Augustus, on first
receiving The alarming information, resol-
we'd to make signal example OF the trail
tor F.; and for that purpose, against the next
day, summoned council of his friends
who were best affected to him. The in
tervening night gave rise to many dis
tracing thoughts, which tortured his soul.
He could not view but with horror, the
hard necessity of condemning to death a
man whom he had so entirely in his pow
er--and though he bad himself before,
when at supper with Anthony, dictated
the internal edict for prescription, so well
known, he could not now SO lar subdue
his clemency as to order the death OF
man who really deserved it. Fetching
at every moment deep signs, he reason-
ed with himself, and in manner express
ID the different thoughts that rushsd up