New-York daily tribune., 1854-07-18

served their separate political identity Lkewise BY
the variety of combination in the distribution Of these
policsldyisons over the entire soil of Atcs pre-
vented the formation Of local city interest distinct
nom that Of the country; an opposition Of interest
which has proved itselfhose to freedom everywhere
and which rtill prevails throughout Europe.
The mass oftbe people being called to General As
sembly for the decision Of political and even Of judi
csl questions each man, while he felt ths exercise
Of his share of influence the decision became also
familiarised with the notion Of sovereign authority
With this grew the sentiment which sanctifed free
speech and equal laws, and thus new and en-
nobling impulses were developed in the Athenisn
mind. Democracy, as shown by the subsequent his-
tory of Athens. attached every citizen to the Consti
tuition, and created energy of public and private
action, such as could never be obtained under oigar
cby royalty. This fact tAthens well the pres
eDt state Of America affords fragrant contradiction Of
the assertion Of Burke that the ID the people
generally very Indifferent about theories of govern
ment This is sure to be the case, where the people
are excluded from participation in the affairs of
State, or are admitted merely BY fiction as in Eng
land at the time Of Burke, and even at this day.
Democracy was the only creative cause of the as
tonishing persons and the many-sded energy which
marked the Athenan character at it's climax. And yet
| it was an axiom for centuries on centuries to
speak Of it with contempt to scatter broadcast OBJ
oquy it, to point to its history as an evidence of
| its utter unworthness. Superficial scholars and
men of erudition, highly pleased with the art of
| Aristophanes, OF with the chocely-rOunded phrase
ology of Xenophon penetrated the real spirit Of
| Grecian and above all, of Athenian life and the
working of her institutions, and in their assumed dis
tnctien and pride tradtionally and carefully enter
tair ed those falacies Grote omits occasion
to rect these gross secular errors and 10 restore due
honor to the principle of Democracy Thus heproves
that Democracies neither tickle nor ungrateful,
and that tie Aihenian Demos can never be justly
charged with these faults Those to whom the name
of Democracy is detestable instance the condemnation
of Mtiades, the great hero of Marathon as potent
evidence on their side. Grote puts this whole matter
in the right light The Athenian people were not tickle
but the victor over the Persans intoxicated by glory
subsequently committed unworthy actions, and by
behavior the most reprehensibe changed the current
of popular feeling No man, however great may
have been the services rendered by him TO the public
should receive in return license for misconduct and
according to this law Miltades was condemned. If
there be any danger for republics, as proved by the
in the excess of gratitude for victorious soldier
Nearly all despot begin by rendering good services tS
their fellow. citizens, and thus become popular Hav-
ing earned public gratitude they aiterward abuse it
Cor purposes of personal ambition. Writers and
readers are more taken up with an eminent Individual
than with multtudes; while history read aright
shows that nothing intOxcates and demoralizes char
acter 50 much success generating egotstical am
bition Against such event republic must ever
be watchful nor suffer itself to be in ured or ruined
by grateful enthusiasm.
The greatness of all Greece was upheld by the
Athenian Democracy. Against it were directed the
various expeditions of Xerxes, and when the olgar
ches ruling other cities and states tried TO obtain peace
full terms with the despOt, and when some were
united with him. Athens alone nfaned the Greeks to
resistance and thus kinded for the world those
glorious stars Of Marathon, Thermopyle, Pa
t9a and Salamis, which will shine in the annals OF
history to the end of time. Alone the energy OF
Athens sustained the great Hellenic coniederacy
against the Persian invader.
The grandeur of Athenan Democracy eliminated at
the epoch of Percles. He equalized the chances of
election to Office between the rich and the poor
He established numerous panels of jurors III
civil and criminal jurisdiction, both being thus with
drawn from the hands of the select few the Areopa-
gus and the Archons. And he left an immortal name
to himself and to his country because adopt modern
phraseoogy, he devoted his great abilities and spoess
character to the party ofmoyemen rather than to that
of conservatism. He espoused the political interests
of the poor against the rich dsregardng at the same
time almost to excess the value of popularity OF an
irresistible eoquence, he was by no means prodgai
of it. reserying himself for solemn occasions, and dis
playing 10 bitterness against his political enemies.
In public business he ever ndefatigable Through
his reforms matters of general and individual moment
were brought largely before the public. BY the
institution of various popular tribunals, Perices in
auQurated the era Of Grecian oratoryot specu-
ative moral and political philosophy and OF the rhetor-
ica ANALYSIS which long survived the Greek creative
genius. The art of public speaking grows upon
democratic soil Olgarchies, and, above all, des-
potism, forbid such eloquence. The liberal pro-
gress of political and judicial Affairs raised up those
who won their way unaided by clans, clgarchs or
slave owners; by the fiction and fraud OF superior
birth or by the lying thunders of q State religion.
Thus at Athens a new order of politicians arose.
and accordingly, We find there, among her emi-
nent men, rope-seller, leather-seler sheep-sel-
ler a lamp p-maker and many others belonging to va
rious trades and manufactures, and who never
dresmed of being ashamed of their handlcrat or
abandoning it on becoming influential statesmen.
Such state of things was unpaatabe to the oil
garchs OF Greece and is TO this day 20 all OF the
tribe Constant conflicts arose accordingly Grote
proves how false and impudent the pretensions
set up by the rich and wellborn men OF the various