Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1845-05-17


ranny ever risen up, i'll free State unless founded
by usurper who began by pulling down the ma
gisraes to win the populace, with the pretence OF
making them freer, of being more their friend than
the laws! How was il but thus that Pisstrats made
\ himself master of Athens! That city had, after
the last of her Kings, Codrus, established repub-
/ lcan Government, as we did, when we shook off
the authority of the British crown. The govern
ment, however at last grew unsettled the laws in
efectual, as ours did under the old Confederation ;
and they called Scion, like WASHINGTON, to give
them better system. He did it, with great wisdom
and patriotism. But upon the very popular free
dom which ne had perfected arose longing of the
imprudent of the disorderly, and of all who hoped
| to profit by confusion, for still greater freedom.
Then parties and party leaders sprang up. The
most discerning of these, Pisstratus "a friend and
disciple OF Scion, but without his virtues soon saw
where lay the path to supremacy for himself; that
Inc populace, the newest power in the State and
most easily led was to be courted its jealousies to
be excited; its humors to be nfamed True the
government was their own but he began by max
ing them suspicious of their own magistrates afraid
OF their own laws, and anxious to change their Con-
stitution. The magistrates, thesober men, and they
who loved not change because they were well of,
resisted Then he began to cry out that the magis-
trates wanted TO retain perpetual power, that the
rich were in league with them, that the public liber-
y was in the greatest danger and that he alone be-
cause he made all this camor, was the friend of the
people. Scion and few others saw his designs
and attempted to make head against them; but in
vain. They had fought, when he had not; then
had brought about public order like Gen. WASH
INGToN and his frends) just when, if they had de-
sired power at the expense Of the public liberty,
they only had to let confusion go on. But no mat
ter Plsistratus turned their very services against
them, and made the people think that none were SO
dangerous in State as those who had done the
most for it. While the feelings which he has thus
arttuly kinded up are at their height, he one day
suddenly appears before the people as if fresh from
the country, his mules cut in many places, his at
PENDANTS (who were in the plot) bloody, his own
person slashed with wounds, all made with his own
hands, and, with tears in his eyes, tells them he
must abandon their cause; that these wounds were
what ne got by his zeal for them that the Aristo-
Gratis had waylaid him, and that he had barely es-
capped with his life. The exasperated multitude
swallow the tale; cry out that he shall continue to
lead them; vote him the means of raising strong
guard for his person. and put him in possession Of
the citadel, which commands the town. Well, once
there, what has he to do. Not much more He
soon converts his guard into instruments against
their teliow-citizens, by making them subordinate
partners in "spoils system; = ensts other adhe-
rents IN the city bypromises of office and, as soon
as strong enough, throws off the mask and puts on
the purple of the tyrant.
Such is the history of that tyranny such almost
precisely that of nearly all the misconceived tyran-
MES that among the free Greek cities Ii was
thus that Polycrates seized upon the Government
of Samos; Gelon and the elder Dionysius upon that
OF Syracuse; Cypselus on that of Corinth Nor is
the real tale OF Roman or of modern Italian usurpa-
ton different. 1t was only with the aid of the pop
ulace that julius Cesar overthrow the Senate and
established empire for himself. When he fell, just
ly slain as usurper, mot tyrant for he was
none, it was by the hands of Senators, patricians
Instead Of hailing as their deverers the men whose
very names still watchwords Of freedom, Bru-
tus and Cassius, the deuded people set fire to their
houses and chased them from Italy, to perish pre-
senty on the field of Pharsalia almost accusing vr-
tue and patriotism empty delusions-as well they
might, In times when the multitude preferred that
brutal soldier Anthony to the infexible Cato, the
untried boy Augustus the Young Hickory of the
hour 10 Cicero, and could see Fulva receive the
head OF Romes truest statesman and noblest orator.
and pierce with her ignominious bodkn that immor-
tai tongue.
Such is popular freedom, that noblest and hap
piest of things while interrupted by the fatal arts
of those who lead it on to license and excess Every
where, its history is, must be, the same, from the
very nature of that form of government. Nowhere
has the regular Government, nowhere legal authori-
ties ever been able to encroach upon it at best the
utmost that these have ever been able to do was to
sustain, not stretch, the laws-defend, not enlarge
their powers, against the tendency TO greater and
greater freedom las 1t always seems that at last in
evltably comes-as fear it too soon may do with
us-to the mere rule of demagogues over an infati-
ated people, who think themselves free only be-
cause they hear much of freedom and who will
submit to any thing from bad men, because the wise
and true will not, to obtain personal success, bring
about dangerous relaxatlons and assist loose
thinking men to pull down the State. Refusing
thus TO pander to the inrmities of the popular Gov
ernment true patriots lose all influence, whatever
their virtues, abilities, and services, if there be men,
however inferior, who are less scrupulous, and
ready, in order that they may govern, to lead to
license. Then follows, what we have now seen for
some sixteen years-a government and legisla-
ton for party and personal not public ends. If il
be artul, preserve the popular names, inhame and
increase disorder, sow dissension, spread all the
wild doctrines that can be found, infame every pas
sion that an honest and wise ruler should repress
debauch and corrupt on all Sides it will only grow
the stronger for every misdeed; for every day that
mass of public virtue and sense, that love of law
that hope Of better things, upon which alone the
good might rally, has declined, until the wise stand
COMPOUNDED, honesty faints, and patriotism almost
abandons the useless contest Then follows an es-
tablished sway Of the bad and incompetent alone,
who ruin the country within and plunge it in dis