Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1828-07-10
-TfNrEaas ING HISTORICAL SKETCH.


The following historical sketch is selected
\ from an Address delivered by Mr.. BrReEss, Al,
The Dinner given him by the Citizeus Of Paw.
tucket on the 14th ul;imo:
4 asanding, as We stand, on The elevated
ground of the present age. il is deeply interest.
q Ing TO Us, to look backward and forward, un-
der tia, light of history, which, while it shines
on the course, ~ past ages. OF these arts of util-
ity and acquisition cannot fail to illuminate their
q path, and direct, and cheer our hopes, for their
q future progress, in this our country. The dit.
4 ferent Nations of the world have adopted two
different plans of general policy; and these
have been conformable to the two daffcreu,
schemes pursued by the vigorous Nations Of
4 the earth, tor the acquisition of wealth. By
one scheme, wealth has been earned BY labor;
by the other, II has been won by conquest. The
\ na,oas' of antiquity who iabored, seem to have
been at the mercy of those which fought
Wherever toll and economy had, under The
encouragement of civil institutions, accumula
ed any considerable surplus--it was soon claim
ed and carried off by those whose laws were
purely military, and who labored at no other
trade than the sword. Fable, however false 20
fact, yet true to the voice of nature assigns "a
the great founder of the last military Govern
,nent ofthe ancient world, a descent from the
very God of War, and derived the nature of his
4 infancy from that food, which renders the Vol
most proving and piundering of allhose aai-
mails which dlsdain all the fruits of the earth.
end, living alone by prey, thrive only by blood
and carnage. The vast military camps OF the
East, which had sw allowed up the labors of the
elder world, were at last deyoured by this
pAllus Emsilus, perhaps the most wise, and
humane, certainly the most patriotic Of their
Generals, boaslrd that he had conquered the
Kingdom, aud led up for triumph the last de.
scendent OF tlexander, in fifteen days. With
q suoilety worthy the ancient nurse of their
race, this man sacked seventy cities of Epirous
4 in one mornlGg--dsove the remnant Of their
slaughtered population, one hundred and sc.
Tenty thoGsand men, women, and children. ,uto
leavery-and all this was done for the individual
and National purpose of dividing to his soldiers
from the spots, something like fifteen dollars n
hesd--and placing in the public Treasury MOI
silver and gold, than any former General h
\ given 20 the wealth OF the nation. If men
modern times, who boast Of wealth. deriv
from labor. and disdsin 10 enrich themselves
pllnder, would compare their institutions W
those which rendered this man warrior, an
patriot. they would cease to applaud iii
whom, for military achievement thev are
Lights Of free Governments sigh for the b
regulations of the camp or the iron disc
dthe Roman legion. Nothing can give
ler idea OF the genius of thuse Goyclnme
,be devotion OF such nations to the primo
winning wealth by the sword, than the
as LlVy has reported it. of this same Ger
the Roman People. 81 led up" said
/ triumph from tie death bed of ms first
went down from it, to the funeral OF my
My family viii be extinct with me.
therefore, that the Gods, who have
such calamities on the house of Paulus En-
will hereafter bestow nothing but hlessin
the People ci Rome"
ltwoud be wlsr for the saoderns. who
their wealth and power on labor, TO remer!
that all those nations OF antiquity which II
BY the sword, and Hourshed under the don,
ION OF the camp. seem TO have carried the pr
cipe ct sell destruction in their very existenc3.
3 Men living by plumber submit 20 discipline for
\ the purpose ot acquiring it---but become ma
unous, and resist al control when the spoil has
been divided, and they Come to the enjova,en.
81 their own private share. THIS places the
4 p!ebelan, The common soldier, at variahce with
The patfician, the General and his officers IN
peace, or when 40 more nations are eft IN be
palaged, the one class has no more employ.
ment tor the othur---and each becomes the as.
,ec OF natural prey and spoil. The civil vars
the patficians and the People, and the bloc
dy contiscauons ut 1ibesius, are out the Inns
tIations Of this principle. The full effect az il
upsn The military governments of ANTIQUITY.
were f1nsliy developed, in their overtime y !. and
taf establishment, on their RUNS, of a new mi
mary DOMINION under the ieudal system.
turing the ancient times, two modes obtain.
eu@ sppsopnauog the wealth Of conquered
country. ny one, the whole race was extermi.
nsled' and their propert, divided among the
eo"qaerors' ny me other, all property was
pundered' but all the SURVIVORS of tue hattie
We're spared by the victors and made slaves and
compelled TO labor for the emolument OF ,hose
~ho had conquered them. This cond,,;on of
seEltude originated new torn of government.
paflly military and partly free-and this forn
mas come down to mode IN times x,,,,,;,,,,, the
singular anomaly OF States. professed,v l;ving.
ava hourishing, ny labof--and yet controlled
me spirit, and painting for the powers and
i1seah's o. miiitafy government. Would Il be
Singular, that, IN modern as well as ancient
N"es' .he same causes should produre the
aNe eHeciss Some OF the inest nat;prs az
sHqa'ty, who subslsted, not by tbei. osa but
y me labor ofsiaves. seem. in a ,rrsa, me as,,re.
themselves ensaved to the sp,r,, &c ,n,l;tsrv
S,,,a" 0n. "a our own country, almost all the
noa, n.Ianoered by one OF these evils. are
ho~ u ~ ana not abs to free themselves
,s. ou' nation was Commenced and has been ex
nIa and established on he other erea, princi.
ia u acquisition, that of becoming wealthy
az ,poser'aioy labor. Nassalage as a tenure