Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1833-03-13


which he had shown to be inevitable in an, r ~
vernmehts. wasted the powers Of the STATE nv, w.
hostile action Of contendins factions, which ~
very little more power than the exceu of .N
strength Of the majority over the minority. p
a Government based upon the princple of ~ y.
concurring majority. where each grea, in,s,.
possessed within itself the means Of scIf.n,,,."'
ton, which ultimately requires the mu,u, w.
sent Of all the parts, necessarily causes that m.
nimity in council, and ardent attachmen, If u,
the parts to the whole. which gives an irresi;,;t,
energy to Government so constituted.
He might appeal to history for the truth 4,
these remarks, of which the Roman furn;sbad W
most familiar and striking. 1t was well knon'
fact, that from the expulsion Of the Tarou,ns -
the time OF the establishment Of the Tribur,,,,'
power, the Government fell into state Of II.
greatest disorder and distraction, aud, he ni., ,
add, corruption. How did this happen: 'T'
explanation will throw important Iight On n.
subject under consideration. The commurr,
was divided into two parts-the Patriciaps ,ri
the Pebeans-with the powers OF the State nm
cpaIy in the hands Of the former. without ado
quate check to protect the rights of the latter
The result was as might be expected. The ii.
tric,ans converted the powers Of the goveranrt.
into the means Of making money, to enrich then.
selves and their dependents. They, in a wurl
had their American system. growing out Of he
peculiar character of the government and cond.
ton of the country This requires explanarlvp
At that period, according to the law. Of nations.
when one nation conquered another, the land, Of
the vanquished belonged to the victors; aud, ac.
cording to the Roman law, the lands thus acQur
ed we're divided into parts, one allotted to The
poorer class Of the people, and the other assigned
to the use Of the treasury, Of which the patricah,
had the distribution and administration II.
patrlcians abused their power, by Withholding
from the people that which ought to have been
allotted to them, and by converting to their own
use that which ought to have gone to the Geasu
ry In word, they touk to themselves the en-
tire spoIs Of victory. aud they had thus the mast
powerful motive to keep the State perpeiu,I'
involved in war, to the utter impoveri.hm.n, and
oppression Of the people. After resisting the
abuse of power by all peaceable means, aud rh.
oppression becoming intolerabe, the people, II
last, withdrew from the city-they, in word,
seeded; and, to induce them to re.une, The
patricans conceded to the plebeians, as the means
Of protecting their separate interest, the very
power which he contended is necessary to pro-
tect the rights Of the States, but which is re.
presented as necessarily leading to dlsunon-
They granted to the people the right Of Choosing
three trbunes from among themselves, whose
persons should be sacred, and who should hs'.
the right Of interposins their veto, not only
against the passage OF laws, but even against
their execution-a power which those who TAX.
q shallow insight into human nature would pro.
nounce inconsistent with the strength and unity
of the State, if not utterly impracticable. Yet
SO far from that being the effect, from that day
the genius of Rome became ascendant; and VIC
tory followed her steps till she had establlshedal
almost universal dominion.
How can result SO contrary to all autePa'
ton, he explained The explanation appeared
to him to be simple. No measure or movemsn.
could be adopted without the concurring assent
Of both patricians and plsbeisDs, and each thus
became dependent on the other, and OF cone
quence, the desire and objects Of neither could Be
effected without the concurrence Of the other 10
obtain this concurrence. each was compelled
consult the good will of the other, and to elevate
to Office, not simply, those who might have The
confidence Of the order to which he belonged
but also that Of the other. The result was, that
men possessing those qualities which would natl
rally command confidence, moderation, wisdom,
Justice, and patriotism, were elevated to Office
and these, BY the weight of their authority. and
the prudence Of their counsel, together with that
spirit OF unaninIty, necessarily resulting from
the concurring assent Of two orders, furnl'h,;
the real explanation of the power of the Roman
State, and of that extraordinary wisdum, modefa'
ton, and tirmness, which in so remarkable
degree characterized her public men. Tie might
illustrate the truth Of the position which he hsi
laid down, by reference to the history Of al
free States, ancient and modern. distinguished
for their power and patriotism, and conclus"sf
show, not only that there was not one which 'aa
not some continuance, under some form, BY "Oet
the concurring assent Of the different portions"
the community was made necessary, IN the &C.
ton Of Government, but also that the 'lf'o''
patriotism, aud strength Of the State, were 100,
rect proportion to the perfection OF the meal" u,
securing such assent 49,.
In estimating the operation of this pnnePsw
our system, which depends. as he had stated y"
the sht Of interposition on the part Of the s't
we must not omit to take into consideration VIC
amending power, by which new powers NAV S
granted, or any arrangement Of the system V
corrected. by the concurfing assent OF W'ee