The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1844-03-01
The I.cadr. Of Republican Rome.


Who, when looking back upon the ma
tons, with the view of understanding
what that specific character Of greatness
may have been, which, in the highes,
power of human achievements, rested
in simple heroic magnanmity, most ab-
soluteiy upon Itself, feels not his imagn-
alton drawn rresis,ibiy TO The old warri-
ors and stalesmen-real or fabulous, he
cares not--the more fabulous the more
real-of Republican Rome! WELDING,
as they did, the only unmatched power
that was ever known upon earth, rursed
in arms and danger, sustaining each in
his person the celebrity of great ances-
trail name, and growing up to the highest
charge of civil and military command
there could not well be birth, a morning,
and noon Of life, in which the spirit of
the human heart might rise more gori-
ously and steadfasly in the consciousness
and a capacity Of great destination.
They know nothing higher nor greater
than the lot to which they were born, and
they saw nothing above themselves they
stood at the top of earthly pre-eminence.
Serving their ambitious country, they
were called TO enterprise without bounds;
they must know no fear, nothing I'M
achievable. The renown and safety of
the republic rested on the single leader OF
one days battle. They must feel them
selves TO be invincible. And these are,
indeed the characters which we find in
these heroic minds; no hight of daring
was above their hope to climb {; no inva-
sion of peril could appal them and, what
ever duty might be laid upon them, they
felt themselves equal to the charge. What
is extraordinary is, that among such num-
bcrs of intrepid, arden: and unconquera-
BILE minds, engaged too in prosecuting
ambitious wars, so many should have
been found in whom it does not seem that
ambition had place. They served their
coun,ry's passion for conquest and re-
nown, and yet kept themselves temperate,
austere, and just. We cannot bu, think
we are TO ascrbe to the virluous and sim
pie manners of the republic that peculiar
character of these great men, their own
viriuous simplicity. We imagine nothing
above the powers of their minds, or their
noble desires, in those spirits which have
made the earth blaze with their course.
These ancient fathers of Rome are their
equals. Whence is it, then, that their
greatness did not break forth in ceaseless
and consuming flames Because the hand
that thrice trlumphed returned 10 the
plough; and the dictator must leave his
new-lurned furrow to take upon him the
deiverancc of Rome. 1t was the simple
virtue Of those stern but pure times
a virtue never forgotien-lhat was able,
like a mighty spell. to control the gran
dcur of those unconquerable spirits, and
confne them within themselves. And
hence il is not possible for us TO read their
history without feeling that there rests
upon them the august renown OF moral
greatness. They were sages in the calm
and medi,aiive quiet OF their little field,
as they were awful rulers while they
held, in their might of princely coun.
sci, the sway of the sta,e--as they were
dread leaders in the front Of victorious
fight. We can find no other explanation
of what is scarce elsewhere to be found
nowhere else in such frequent example,
the very hight of heroic greatness with
the simple plainncss and contented OBJ
scurly, if the expression could be used
of these men. who, when they had dis
charged their part to their country, were
Indifferent further to their own glory
Professor Uilson.