Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1834-10-15
GOLD! GOLD! GOLD!


What is the meaning of the cry of Gold, Co,
which is now ringing from one extremity or.
Union to the other? Gold! Gold is shomos'
Maine, and passed on, by obedent echoes n.
til it reaches the Southern verge of the rn;.
What is the import of the cry? Is it an n,
senseless sound-or is it raised for some do.
bic political end in view2 The cry of cos
has never been heard in past times but for -,
accomplishment Of some great ulterior das;..
and are we to witness in This age the attair,,,..
Of similar ends, through the instrumental,
similar means!-for who that has ever pem.s.
the instructive page Of history, but what kr,.
that the aid Of Gold has never been rvop.,
but for the fmtherance of sordid views If %.
quest, the subversion of States, and the ao,-,.
dizement of individuals.
When Philip, King Of Macedon. determi,,,
on the subjugation Of Greece and the des,,,.
ton of its liberty, the most powerful aIIv y.
he enlisted in his cause was GoLD;-and tho l..
toran tells us, that the Macedonian nbaI,,..
itself was not half so efficient an auyiarr :.
his ambitious views, as the power Of his ~,
cedonian Gold" When one of the cities ors.
Peleponnessus closed its gates against hi, 3.
vading army, and threw itself upon a stern 4.
fence, upon being urged to attempt The storm
ing Of the hostile place, "No," replied he aro
until | find that its gates refuse to open Attn.
touch Of golden key" The result of = cam
paign thus waged is known to all. Throuobor
the whole Of Greece the cry was rased-ap PHI
lip will give US plenty of Gold! He does MI
come to enslave, but to enrich us! Long life
King Philip" In vain the eloGuence of Demos
themes poured forth its thunders to arrest ts |
onward career of him who fought with briber
and Gold; and the liberties Of Greece were :,
length overturned, not by the desoang march
of open conquest, but by the more insidous and /
fatal policy, which had been adopted, of dsz
zling the eyes Of the infatuated Greeks by The
profuse display Of that glittering metal, whose
power over the human mind experience has 50
often shown. Greece was at that time as pou.
erful in all her native resources as she wash
the proud days OF her republic, when three hua |
dred Spartans kept in check the countless hoss
OF the Persian monarch. No potentate on cart
could have subjected her by force of arms alone.
As proof of this, we find that the celebrate!
" Phocion," who despised the profered God d I
the Macedonian briDer, succeeded in preserving
from the grasp of the invader the little Island Of
EubGA whose inhabitants, as the historian say,
were as inSenSible to the charms Of money! a
they were unmoved at the horrors of war" The |
subversion Of the liberties Of Greece can, the.
be directly traced to the power of Goh
When Marius and SyIIa were carrying Oh
their contest for power, in the days of the R& +
man Republic, it is well known that the latter 4
gained the predominance, by the lavish brba
of Gold that he administered through the means
of the wealth that he had amassed while IN
command Of the Roman armies at the East
From that time the liberties of Rome were vir
tually, if not nominally, extinct.
But will not multiply instances of this kind
History is repete with them on its every page
'&''N S"S' 'n"h'P'C 10 vi uIc
ton that the aid of Gold has never been iDvok
ed for the attainment Of high and lofty ends
but that it has always been the ready tOdit
wars of Ambition TO procure tie subugation
nations, and to erect upon their fallen Liberties
the throne of empire and despotc sway. And
why is that same sound of Gold Gold! which l
once echoed over the hills of Greece, and rung
he knel Of her Republican, Institutions why !
S that same i'll omened sound mutterng through
he valleys and over the green fields ofthis our |
lappy land? Have We any thing to hope from |
t, different from what others have experienced /
las that sound ever been prophetic of any |
,reat national blessing2 Has it ever given al !
impulse to the onward march Of the human
nlnd! Has it ever been the wa,chwOrd Of he i
riends Of Freedom when combating againsis l
oes! Have we any thing OF good to hope from l
Tor, rather, do not the sad and mourniules
ons OF experience warn us that il is the bar i
niger of coming evil? To me il has hars
nd dlscordant sound, and fear that il bOIs
iuch Of disaster, and nothing oc good. tot.
ountry.
The present Executive Government has Off
ought, by various devices, to divert the pubk l
ttehtIon from a too rigid scrutiny into its a. l
.V.N ..,N