Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1855-07-20
For the Enquirer.
THE DECLINE OF TIE ROMAN PEOPLE.

Mr. Bancroft, in his essay on the Decline ct the Ro-
,an peouIo attempts 10 show slavery TO be the cause
oT thut declension. Notwithstanding, there exists
ha-dIy one pont of similarity between Roman and
smnricnu slavery this essay is nsed testimony
,gninst slavery here and lis reasOnnTs and conclu-
.ions urged why slavery should be abolished among
us Ii j. not our design to enter into full e1nminn-
,nn of the causes of the decline of that ancient peo-
c but we wish only to throw out some hints, and nd.
duce some facts showing that other causes. many OF
them now nj work i'll the Northern States, brought
about the result; hoping however, that some aoier
pcn than ours will take up tho subject nnd win the
lights of history, show the iHiacy OF t'is ne" uii'
slavery theory.
I, hns bern matter of surprise to Us, that Rome ex-
,ted a. an independent republic as long as II DID
Almost Mt its very foundation we fnd TWO scparhte
and distinct casscs--by some "t'r'pu'eu L" .ic
Inns founder himself, by others to ANGUS Alarts.-
More probably rs Ncibu!ir c"nIcctures, the people
of CONQUERED Italian cities brought TO Rome and
made citizens, but of degraded caste. we saln
scpara,c classes; more suitable term woulh ha. nave
bren hostile nations; for except when external
ynrs called the attention Of the people OF Rome
from their own affairs, constant qharreHhg'
| or a dcspotic overpowrrins OF tie masses marx
ed the history of tho city. y" where eiSe hnEe
we ever witnessed such sccnc-a c1y for centuries
nrescnnr rs il werr two hostile camps each speak
iur the SHINE language, fighting together under the
same eagles appealing to the same gods Tor proec-
ton known abroad by the same name one hn"g.
err ut home degraded, almost without riSnis' isnt
rommund Of the armies; adding to the Roman ter
r,ory il acquired for itself ne" loot OF land-iur-
n;shinp sacrifices for the altars the priesthood was
closed TO IT, Nor could the plebelan irermafry win
the proud noble the laws made by the mobiles pro-
| hibited it.
| The Senate the representatives. ot the pafrlcian
body had the mower Of making laws and OF declaring
wnr. Often when the picbcians, goaded by Me re-
mcnbrauce of their wrongs, sought redress the r O.
thers would declare war and order an army into the
feJ thereby relieving themselves Of their trouble
sne cnmulnns only for the time, however, to be re
newed again and again, until finally the plebans at
,,;nrI the right of occupying each and every office
Athouuh the rirbeians had obtained all their rights
| IN. uoLility were constantly watching how they
might recover what they had lost aud again rule the
State. ..
teutiye observer OF modern free society VIII inu
counterpart for p some States, whose origin bears
date long subsequent TO b. e. Io2, Is the ciiei'sp
This. also had its origin in the very earliest times
The client was attached to his patron by ties oil The
struurest kind. He was obliged to aid hiin III every
thing he undertook like the vassal oi 'ie iGuuhi leu
times he was a slave in all but the h!.he' i"ree
clients were freedmen OF plebeIans' VINO VIC
| nr,,.ctnu of some powerful nobie-oi'eu the leI
worst of the commons, because clen's u ..e p.'
clans who took pride i'll the vast nnihocr u 'ieH
taincrs. The clients were citizens H1u "e. DS,
II, nlI the rights of the ILebeans, even 10 voting o'
an in the conflicts in thStown between the P''c'''s
- tho COMMONS are the clients mentioned; oua, Oh
"n,rso as taking sides with the patr!cais. lney
| ,rr. r.ad in the lneanest offices. Appus Cauu'us
| ID 49,. NJ one a the fool whereby he might ac-
nnIisb HI, base design OF Nrgin:a--hna had II hot
bec for the crowd Of clients IL the Forum ne "oula