The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1844-11-07

'-..oou, tps,h Tbs Duke soon suspected even
.oh,.s uho had raised him to power, ana no
,hssfore attempted to strengthen h'"'ei " ooo'
,g the favor Of the people, and Sho"efhs MS smiles
and rewards on foreign advenlarers' These mu'i-
"a oo,,.ss;on. soon raised enemies to his person
"a RI newer among all ranks of men. He who
,.,ros absolute power, and practices tyranny IN a
s,.,s that has once been free, walks not on steady
,ornd but amidst snares and trap-alls, which not
al, imosde the progress Of his march, but are sure
catch him before he reaches the end OF his igpoble
;o,rrey. To those who have tasted the sweets OF
Ibs,ty. no time can eface its memory, no merit OF
M t,rant can compensate its loss, no victorious pa
.,t,y of the oppressor atone for its robbery -
r,,o when the existing generation has never reached
she first dignity Of man, knowledge OF It's rare Vir-
AZ. and eIeyang excellence is drawn from the story
ofthsir ancestors Ages Of seryude may intervene,
mi the halls of debate, the councilchambers Of the
.ostors the palaces of the free Governors the halo
n their ancient glory and long lost freedom, still
s,.nd and whether they revert to the history Of the
mast OF merely dwell on the objects that surround
Them. the minds Of men swell with noble aspiration.
Slaves. indeed crawl upon their native land,
hi, frcemen lie buried beneath its soil, and
the thought converts the soul into fiery
furnace This wise principle of the moral
law the Duke Of Athens from bitter experience
soon found to be true. Three grand conspiracies
were formed against his government the first by the
Nobes, who, although indebted to him for their
cal fom exile, we're unable to endure. his pride and
tyranny; the second, by the middle class, who groan-
ID beneath his taxes and smarted under tho dishonor
which bis RIGHTEOUSNESS had inflicted on their fam-
lies and the third, by the commonalty, who murmur-
cd at the diminution Of their wages. At such uni
,eral hatred and wide spread combination the tyrant
,rembled and stood aghast All conspiracies which
require the cooperation of large number Of men
and are commenced a long time before they exc
cusd are from thousand causes liable to discovery
and defeat. BY the carelessness of some and the
,sachery of others, the Duke of Athens was apprs-
ed of the extended and alarming plots laid against
bis power and his life. By retardng in custody one
Of the consprators and sending abroad for help, he
disclosed to his enemies that their schemes were de-
ncted He endeavored, but in vain, to cajole three
hundred Of the principal citizens to meeting at his
palace, under the pretext of wishing to consult them
on the affairs of State. All parties rushed to arms
the tyrant sacked in his own house, driven from
the city, and compelled to all authority
Florence. As men are always more cruel towards
their enemies in the recovery than vindicve towards
their opponents in the defence of their liberties the
popuace would listen no terms until the principal
counsellor Of the Duke and his son, youth of egh
teen delivered into their hands. The destruc-
ton both Of the father and the did not Stake the
popular vengeIce and those who unable to
strike them while alive mutilaied their corpses
one of her historians-the people of Florence graft
fed all their senses with vengeance, their ears by
hearing means, their eyes by sight of the wounds,
their touch by lasceraton Of the bodies and their
taste by drinking the blood of their victims. Such
is the fearful fire and consuming fame which bursts
forth from the popular mind, when the sparks Of Ii
berty have for long time been covered but not ex-
tinguished by the embers of tyranny. will not say
that those who through their whole lives have out
ragged every law Of God, and every right of man, are
entitled to mercy and if their deeds are visited with
the severity which they deserve, what punishment is
too heavy for their crimes But liberty not vind
Gated by outrages its foes. Pressed to the earth
ii knows how to bound to the skes-attacked to de-
fend itself so as 10 warn the assaant of the danger
of second combat-,riumphant, to put on the sweet
mantle OF charity and white robes of peace and for
give all but those who have been traitors TO her
cause. To be enjoyed with security, it must be as
serted with sgor that ends IN barbariiy and
maintained with resolution that never sinks into
cruelty. They who were unable to restrain their
passions upon the recovery Of their freedom, seldom
exhibit either prudence in IFS possession ceaseess
vigilance in its defence. 1t was reserved for the
Great Republic Of the West TO set an example and
shew mankind how to acquire and how to preserve
their rights. 1t is no longer hope expressed by the
benevolent, but fact made manifest to the entire
world that civil and political liberty are best for the
happiness Of the individual, the interests Of society,"
and the true purposes Of government. Happy is tho
lot and noble is the destiny of those who are placed
by Providence in that favored land and are called to
play their parts in this last and grandest drama of
mans career. But let them remember that the con-
scousuess Of duty performed and duty violated, at
tends US through life, and that beyond the grave, unto
whom much is given, much will also be required
r. WlCKLlFFE, in.
FRANCES MANOR, Jr. Esq,
Corresponding Secreiory National Institute
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