Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1829-10-07


arsenal at the commonwealth lie was able to usurp
and mainten absolute power, over Il most warlikc.
but s"ordicSs population, exceeding 5000 efficient
tght-ng men With how much truth has Fieldnr's
sage, (POtrJge argued, ga thousand naked men are
nothing TO one pistol for though il is true it viii i
Ibut ut single discharge, vt WHO tell but
that ono may nc himself"
Thu citizens of Athens, sccm not to have been in
sensible of the of this yielding spirit oftc poo
| pie. For wien IIanrodius and Aristoriton resolved
on libcrang their country, by assassinating Hppar-
chlS of Pisstrutus, IN the arrangement of their
scheme, they delayed their purpose to the feast of
the Pansh1Gca, which ceremony required that all tic
citizens shoaid attend armour.
great majority OF the people, after deDosins
those tyrants, enjoyed but small share of authority
/ IN the commonwealth The arms and the treasure
were IN the keeping OF the aristocracy. II was afer
the Persian INVASION which mighty struggle compell-
cd the necessity Of aiming The whole population, that
the lower classes with effect claimed their national
rights, and Tie aristccrarv, ho perceived inpossi-
Ole to rceist the progress OF democracy, scssolaby
yielded to who had arms in their hands, md FIRM
mess in their hearts, aud AriStdos procured law 10
\ he passed, bv which csracs should tcncctrtl h,
proniiScuouSly chosen from the four classes of citizens
This is thc catastrophe so much tcplored bv Eur-
sh commentators on G.cciin history, this Is tic shock
they hold forth 10 have been fatal the balance OF
their constitution; and from thence thov would have
Ms date the decline Oft the Athcn1n Commonwealth.
But Let Us beware &C the poisoned pens OF mcrcc-
nary writer's, we'll as nf the arms of ncrccnarv sol
ocrs; and examine with caution, the facts on which
they ground their opinions, before adopt their spc-
cors, aEd inSidyis deductions.
Facts in this case instruct rs, that i was nfcr this
charc" IN the constitution of Athens that sic attained
her greatest cXatatiou. II vas after tho adnpton CT
those liberal principles, and 70 every appearance in
consequence ot;hc0n, that this celebrated common
& wealth, affirmed tho triumphant urccalrercc in
Greece which cnsh.ucd her that respondent halo
ut c9Tr, witch 50 bcw.ido:s contemplation CT
comparing tire cvsnts wish the weak population md
comparative ,rs;SDifcacc c!tic state tia. rave re-
ling to such achievements
9'o ready 10 admit, TINT c'"ctiyo privileges under
tha decree Of Arstiacs I'm admitting Unfortunately
'hc prof!%atc. and th" wo5'hcs) we're extended too
tar. In tho grrlt effort which o.lvc rise 20 tho DO
cree, slaves were feed anil armed Tor the common
defence and all sorts, and characters, OF the inlahi.
tants were enrolled; and nj who bore arms on iln.
great occasion, verc Afterwards admitted to all th,
privileges of the hest others. The indifference OF
shc worst orders Of rcopjc to tho public welfare and
thclr reckless ardorr for scif-irtulgcrcc was quito
probably the cause Of their nlmate fall: Tor atlcr
wards, IN thc greatest need Of tho S'a,e the reop,
long withheld from nurpos" al public defence Dor
Fl t'on OF the public row: 1o winch N time of pcacc
had been appropriated 10 the entertainment ~ -
POOR. w'tn rhcs,riCai amiscmca,s.
Bat defective it, It was, II was 6eitcr ti-a Tho rr
iS'ocTacy from winch It arose. Int when 4 hons
ola tail +? what safe dill that mighty cals rophe 30
much walled and dc7,orcl b. raonarcl!c Il writer's
r1ucc Ger Did she tumble - The abyss of moran
cay that form OF government ,hey 50 much plor-,3
Not quito so bad MOI she did bu, descend to mach
such state Of sr'stCcracy. that whence she eulcr
ged a.,cr the Persian invasion; under which ebo
afterwards continued scycri Centuries and remained
without much variation Of vsEftion a trucking IN
considerable State The grand achievement Of cXpcll-
ing the perslils was not the deed of Athens: but Of
{ combined Greece. II vas subsequent measures and
# expeditions 20 Peeponesus, to Sicily TO ASH, g
that probably entitled Athens to pre- eminent glory
l. Inc proceedings at ,-hens THE soul of CircecC(
gave direction ss has heen related to nearly all tho
II other States of the Peninsula; for which reason va
nave nut little more TO say wh regard the Greeks
T. In continuation OF remark, that the Greeks had ocn
orally arms in their hands and 70 afford ono
empie OF the disposition of the people TO use
IN support OF freedom, viii cite from Plutarch the
manner IL which Aratus raised armed mon u,;tb
D whom he liberated Sicyon from tyranny. az 80
easy, says he, "to provide arms without excitinp
alarm Tor almost every body went armed on account
OF the frequent rob5eres and ncursons of one peo
= pie INTO Vie territories of another"
ii 1t does appear to me, and think II wiz also h m
parent to those WHO viii atentiveiy consider the sinh
lect with me, tia IN al the material changes in the
government Of the Grccian States whctSr tho hi
unce OF power inciiued to the many or TO the fa,
It that 1t was the weight cf arms that controlled Inc
/ counterpoise: When arms were in the hands O.
J. tic many, free principles were adyancc5 Vybcr
IN possession of the few their rncrceuar,es arstoc
J. racy. ohgorchy, or despoiism prevailed.
vi Inc dissehsions and disturbances at Rome viii IN
discovered by the attentive reader Of their history
nave ARISEN from TIC tyranny Of the Patricans Tout
III which order, all their Senator's and for lou< time
all other officers were choscn over the Pie5iars
winch latter, whenever fit opportunity offered mad.
point OF encroaciing towards that equality TO yybJ
= they justly conceived their Numerical si;po~iori,,
e entitled them, and often did the necessity cccu
Tor aFning the people against incureons from rei0I
boIing States that ticy we're not long in ntcinino
y their wishes.
= Happy you'd il have been for the Commonwealth,
had contests Of parties ceased hcrc bnt the ro-s AZ
c teTnf5 and unprncped resored 10 by tho
. Parlcans to regain thor lost oscendancy aCGrava
ted the Plebane to measures ofrcfalton and nallv
the nilltayt was calei in 10 settle the differences
S which WIS the immediate causc Of tho CoriTnon.
4 we5lth's downfall.
81 10 enter more particularly into tie ofairsof Rome
or 10 proceed with special detail Of tic institution,
r and revolutions Of modern CONFERENCE.-The vould
extend this essay beyond The limits of newspaper
publication sh1ll therefore limit myself with 70.
gard 20 those things to general romarks
r. When The Northern Haiions OF Europe had over
run and rocoHqucrod from the Romans the more tom.
perate and fertile regions Of that continent the con
qucrOrg oppoytoncd the country out anoi tEc,soIyos
and established species ofmltory Co1nTnony.s alths
OF which their General was Chief Mapisfrafo--a eva.
TEN Of government now generally called the Gudal