The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-02-28
The Impsxsans Presentnens o. she Grand
Iu~v-Irdsoement Of Two Aldermen.

dissolution OF the republic mad been noticed
long before the populace thought Of an empe-
I ror. Discerning men had read, in the prodigal-
\ ity Of Marius and the undisguised bribery Of
Jugurtha, unerring tokens Of the ruin OF those
institutions to which Rome owed her greatness.
The shameless debauchery of the higher classes.
and the Reorganization of society. produced by
the extension of the privileges of citizenship,
the increase of the army, and other temporary
causes, had a large share in the work
of destruction; but these may not improperly
be considered as inevitable consequences of the
universal dishonesty OF public men. When a
seat in the senate, the curule chair or the con-
suar robe, were regarded as merely valuable
on account of the adventitious income they pro-
duced, it was folly to expect that the laws
wonld be rightly administered When public
virtue was in the dust, to look for private
morality was ridiculous. The one could not be
outraged without deprecating the other. II
the father unblushingly bartered his conscience
for bag of gold, the daughter might well ex-
change her honor for similar temptation.
An injured husband might not be callous
to the violation of his marriage bed,
but reproaches come with bad grace from one
whose public profigacy had rendered his name
infamous. To check the evil at its source was
impossible, under the feeble though despotic
sway Of the Roman emperors, 'even had they
been inclined TO make the attempt. Corruption
prospered. In its train the vilest vices which
have disgraced humanity became fashionable
among the mobiles. Treachery and violence
reared their brazen head in the forum. Murders,
rapes, forcible abductions, robberies, were
every day occurrences-punishmen seldom fol-
lowed the offence, and guilt involved no public
reprobation. Every tie in short. which binds
civilized society together was severed For
brief period the disjecta membra dragged along
painful existence in the midst of frightful dis
orders till at length, in mercy, Heaven sent a
food of Cloths to sweep them from the earth.
We have been speaking of Rome, not of New
York--of the past. not Of the future. No Amer
lean Augustus has yet been crowned at Wash
ington. No Tiberus is counting popularity by
the disguise Of his natural character. No Mes
salina has yet called blush to the cheek of the
historian. Virtue still fingers round many
domestic hearth. Our homes are not yet pol
luted by Claudius or Tigellinus, and our
personal safety is not endangered by bands OF
lawless gladiators or troops Of hired assassins.
We need not yet borrow the bitter pen of Tac-
tus 10 write the opprobrium Of our city or
country.
But are such things in store for her? Is it
true that the corruption which is said to prevail
among our public men is the first sign Of a
| general decentralization Of society so appalling
4 of n without
| shudder?
To such questions the thinking man who has
read the late presentment Of the Grand Jury
must, in sorrow and in shame, give an affrma-
tive reply. Yes, it is true that public dishon-
esty must beget private dishonesty. that perjury
to the community must lead to perjury to indi-
viduals that the unbridled indulgence Of the pas
sions of age must be accompanied by similar
outburst Of the passions Of youth. Thedecline Of
Rome took root under Sylla and Marius and cul-
minated under Nero. We are at the former stage.
All the elements of danger which so justly
alarmed Sallust and Cicero are to be found
in our midst. Here, as at Rome, public integ
rty. the keystone Of civilized society, is in dam
ger of becoming rarer phenomenoa. If the evil
be not checked in the bud. we must Psspare for
the same consequences az flowed from its preya-
lence in Rome.
We entreat our readers to spare us the charge
of exaggeration. We have INDUCED in no flight
of fancy. We have given way to no unreasona-
bic forebodings. What we have before us speaks
for itself: and fearful is the warning it utters
, There appears to be no play of the imagination
!, in the presentment of the Grand Jury which we
: publish this morning. There is no heightened
colorng in the plain. naked statement. that
two Of the highest municipal officers Of this city
have been indicted for receiving sums of mo-
: ney to betray their trusts. What more did the
= Roman senators in the last days Of the re-
public?
Fortunately. though the danger is similar,
the elements of American and those of Roman
society differ widely. The Roman republic was
essentially an oligarchy; ours is the purest demo-
cracy that can be conceived. Rome, even in
the time of Sylla, had reached the apogce of her
! power and greatness-she was an old nation.
and had lost the vigor of her early youth
Prosperity had relaxed the mental and bodily
? nerve of the old Romans-the Tiber had gone
out Of fashion and Capua was Furnishing. We
are yet in our national infancy. Our powers
| are but half developed. Our energies are but
whetted by the channels now open for their OK
ercise. Wealth is pouring in upon Us, it is true
and the stains of luxury occasionally meet the
eye. But these are the exceptions. not the rule
, The demand for talent and capital consumes
, more than we can command. and efectually
, pTecludes the possibility Of either being unem.
ployed. We fear no tax upon our strength
We can boldly grasp the hydra which the
Romans shrunk from encountering and crush II
!, ere we are surrounded by its folds.
But no time must be lost. The remedy must
be as prompt as it is effectual. With the pros