The New York herald., 1845-10-07
sketch or an Address


ing that in wons Of them the true principles Of
CtDH LIBERTY understood.
He commenced by saying that when the writings
ao Iittus and others mutually accuse each other OF
errors when the reality of Troy was called In doubt,
and when there difference OF 1900 years ofthe
time of Semiramus, and whether Cyrus died In bat
ae or in his palace-when these are SO doubtful,
Who shall lift the veil which hide those people, and
those nations which exist only in song and fable p
We look at the confused traditions Of past ages of
mankind as troubled darkness, and if we can see
but germ of truth in course ii appears but as
rushlight-like green oasis in the desert, but too
feeble to be OF any use to us. The early history of
all nations xcept one, the migration and actions Of
different tribes, their laws and poty, their religion
and forms, these all lie buried in the depths ofobscu-
rty, and as impenetrable the leaves of the Sybe-
liae books. Ia the midst of this, how refreshing
scene to 60 back to the threshold Of ages Of first
on to bs and
like ,he traveller, who travelling through the sterile
DESERT at length reaches some green oasis Compar-
;ag the writings OF Moses with other writers, we are
&C. The records ofeany history are eloquenty de.
scrbed by Bryapt1Athe faces die away and are soon
lost IN oblivion, but the history Of Moses is like an
dsnssd the OF the opan clear
tory OF Assyrla, we Bee nothingsbut scene of in
consistent and improbable events and chimeras dire,
10 the neglect OF chronological standard The old
those q Moses. The laws which he delivered to
ms csuntrymen, and throughout the subject it will
berry object to clear them from the mist Of igno-
4sce. and the sneers OF inf1dels and philosophers
Voltalre calls Moses institutes detestabe paiation
OF o. M tne Institutes OF Egyp-while Bolingbroke and
collins have branded IT with names as bad. How
lar tnese grave charges proceed from ignorance or
are founded upon good ground, will appear in the
progress of our enquiries It is an observation of
learned commentator on the laws OF Moses, that
whoever wishes 70 view them must be acquainted
WIN tne hebrew institutes The Mosaic laws, con-
sldered only 'ls remnant of ancient history, are
wortny OF on attention, but they constitute foun-
taln from v<ich men have drawn their best consti-
tutlons ar d their best civil and criminal laws and
populrf liberty, we shall be delighted, If not sur
prise d, OF the wonderful analogy between that
syf Item and ours, which was formed by the
s.rong heads and strong, hearts, Of our fathers
the early colonists OF New England, who proposed
to govern themselves for while with the
Hebrew laws We shall see that that government
was instituted for the benefit of the many and not
of the few, and that the people had hand in the
making OF the laws and that the life, liberty and pro-
perry OF the citizen could not be infringed upon
without due process of law; that every citizens right
to protection and every thing valuable in society
and government rests In the virtue of the people;
we shall see all these pervade the Hebrew institute
as they DO our own; and scarcely more than
glance will be sufficient to convince US that no
where, except within the limits Of Palestine, were
to be found safeguards Of liberty, and no people en-
joylng government till we come to the Jewish re-
public. From the earliest times man was governed
induIgent Snd at another severe. Through the vast
regions OF Central Asia dynasty has succeeded dy-
nasty, and empire upon empire have fallen, but no
change brought Improvement upon the people The
King Of Babylon held an annual auction for the sale
OF handsome and beautiful women, and the money
received was used as a fortune for those who had
not personal charms to recommend them. Candy
ses married his own sister, because his lawyers
SAID they could find no laws applying to the King of
Persia to prevent it; and Nebuchadnezzar issued an
order to have all the learned men in Babylon put to
DEATH because they could not decipher dream
which the monarch dreamed. do not propose
an analysis of ancient pol;ty, as 1t would but
establish position which nobody calls ques-
uon. II, leaving the lands watered by the Tlgris
we will see country less devoted to war-yet here
evil liberty had no existence. Of the despotsm OF
Egypt, we need no other proof than those monu-
ments which rival the stability Of the earth ITSELF
where, but under despotism could the whole reve-
nne OF fishery be applied to the purchase ofa single
item OF perfumery but why multiply proofs of this
xlno! We have tho testimony of Moses that all was
t0e property OF the despots. What kind of 60
verrm is it when priests held the conscences of
the Kings, and where the lite of cat was of more
consequence than that ofa human being! Theodorus
Slculus relates an anecdote. He says when the
ofthe Romans, and when their king was trying to
get the ttle of Ally Of Rome, one Of the
Romans Killed Cat, and nothing could pre-,
vent the taking the life Of the killer, although he had
notSparta andAttca gifted with free nstitutionsi
The genius Of liberty did, indeed, for while, hover
over those Places but found no resting place tor the
sole of her foot How far civil freedom was enjoyed
by The Lacedemonians, will sufficiently appear from
brief analysis OF their political system. Spartan
was not to marry whom he choose their clothing
was regulated by law; their houses should be made
with an axe and saw, without any other instrument
end to appear well fed and clad, was high crime
Parents were not to give their children more than
one meal day, and shoes and stockings were too
great luxury. No other amusement but hunting
and other exercises of body, were permitted, and
the very subjects OF conversation regulated by
law and you and |, ladies' and gentlemen, are now,
by the laws OF Lycurgus, committing great crime.
The unexamped rigor of Spartan laws, made the
hearts OF the people and OF the kings hard Witness
the unreenting severity towards their enemies, and
particularly towards the Helots, each of whom were
TO certain number of lashes every year to
keep them in mind of their duty of obedience and
VIII I shall we say OF the abominabe am buscade =
Every year the teachers selected a certain number
ofpuplIs armed them with poignards, and sent them
to The fields to return at night and slaughter the He
lots and each year, at certain festival all the chill
dren OF the city were whipped until the blood
flowed, and several OF the victims expiring
% under the torture IN the presence OF their pa
rents who were present, and them re-
ceive the number of ashes What shall we call
this brutality; human nature stands aback at con-
templatng such scenes. The Spartans were the
at this point our euogy must cease. But was popu-
lar liberty enjoyed at Athens? We are too much
disposed to view the Athenians the favored side,
and we are imposed upon by the ustre and dazzled
with the victory OF Marathon, and their pillars and
monuments, which will make the name of Athens
ever memorable; yet, ii we examine the interior po-
y OF this republic, far different views strike us; we
see assemblies always tumuueus, people agitated
by factions and abandoned to the impetuoslty OF the
vlest haranguers; we shall see public virtue expo
sed and service done the state punished with ostra-
cism Not only was the interior of Athens such az
we have described; not only did ey violate the
principles OF popular government, as we Americans
understand IT; but no citizen was eligible to seat
IN The Senate or any magistracy whatever, and even
the right OF voting sinks into insignfcance, when
the Senate alone had the power of convoking these
assemblies, and passing upon such laws were
brought before the body the chief part of the exe-
cniive power was in the Senate the Senate alone
C. uld build ships, the Senate alone could confne
state prlsOners and TO crown all had The nnwer 70