The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1855-06-07
her to contend with Athens for the palm of

CIOHuCHCC'
Now is not our Enquirer writer most
veracious expounder of history? Ought not
his readers to place unlimited confidence in
political guide who treats them so candid
ly! But not content with making such
praiseworthy use of the text. he is equally
feicitous in turning to account the foot notes
of his author. After quoting to the first
bracket in the above passage he breaks out
as follows:
every different was this policy which the
historian commends, from that of the blind
Know Nothngs of the 18th century, who
would sacrifice prudence, honor and ambition
to raaaity! During the reign of Augustus,
Mecenas, the great patron of literature, ad
vised the Emperor to declare by edct all his
subjects citizens. Under the Presidency of
Franklin Pierce, in a greater republic than
that of Rome, under purer religion and af
ter eighteen hundred years of civilization,
Garrett Davis and Willard Fillmore are ad-
vsing the Ameaican people to make their
citizens subjects, subjects of an irresponsible
majority, who would leave to the former un-
naturalized foreigner no vote, power or in
terest in the State, no right except to pay
taxes that his oppressors might wear purple
and fine linen! History does not often pre-
sent contrast SO striking and so humiliat-
ing!'
Now for all this learning, upon which he
bases all this indignation, he is indebted to
the note appended to the text, at the point
indicated by the star, as follows:
"* Mecenas had advised him to declare
- oil Rnf
we may Justly suspect that the historian Dion,
was the author of a counsel SO much adapted
to the practice of his own age, and so little
to that of Augustus"
Here, Gibbon plainly expresses his doubts
that Mecenas ever gave the advice imputed
to him, and attributes it to the originator of
the story, Dion, himself, who lived in the
reign of the infamous Caracalla, $50 years
afterwards, when, as the Enquirer man will
learn, when he has pursued his historical re-
searches a little further, the privileges of
Roman citizenship for the first time were ex-
In chap. 6, vol. I, Gibbon informs us that the
tyrant Caracalla, "inattentive or rather
auerse to the welfare of his people, and find
ing himself under the necessity of gratifying
The insatiate avarice which he had excited in
the army" accomplished his object by ex-
tending to all the provincials the privileges,
and consequent burthens, of Roman citi-
zens, and thus, he says, "The favor (of citi-
zenship) which implied a distinction, was
lost in the prodigality of Caracalla," and
"the last c'aclosureEof the Roman constitution
lUaS trampIcd doa0n," and then when sail Ro-
man citizens were equal, and all subjects of
the Empire were citizens of Rome, that ines
timdbLe character 1rGS degraded TO an obsolete
and empty name The voice of Roman
could no lo-gsr enact his laws, or create the
annual ministers of his power; his constitu-
tional rights might have checked the arbitra-
ry will of master; and the bold adventurer
from Germany or Arabia was admitted, with
equal favor, to the civil and military COM
mand, which the citizen alone had been
once entitled TO assume over the conquests
of his fathers.' In the language of the En-
quirer's article, "let us profit by the expert
ence of Rome.''
In concl fusion l will only add :ilat the in
crease of population of Rome mentioned by
Gibbon was nothing astonishing. The first
census under Servius Tullius was taken SOC
B. C.. The Social or Marsic war commenced
81 B. C. lapse of time quite sufficient to
account for such an increase by citizens
born within the walls. And in this Rome
is far surpassed by New York, Cincinnati,
Chicago, Evansville, and many other Amer
lean cities. This social war too, the En-
quirer writer will find if he continues his
praiseworthy deIving into the mysteries of
history, was one waged by the Marsi and
other Italian aeighbors and allies of Rome,
for the purpose of forcing that power to con-
cede to them the very privileges and i'm
munities of citizenship the Enquirer talks
about. The result of the war is told in the
above quoted passage from Gbbon.' BIB.
~ The jubilant strains Of victory with
which the anti-American press has been
filled since the election in Virginia, reminds
US of an anecdote we came across some time
since 1t runs in this wise: Soon after the
revolutionary war, King George the Third
issued proclamation for day of thanks
giUiRg, enjoining it upon the ministers of the
united kingdoms to preach suitable discourses
upon that day. A worthy clergyman OF
Scotland could see no cause for thankfulness,
and so posts off to the apital for enGghten-
ment. Arriving at London and obtaining an
audience with the king he questioned him as
hot 81 81.