True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1857-07-29
STEUBENVILLE, OHIO, WEDNESDAY, JULY 20, 1867.

~ UUDUlN VI
eye rested ! You anticipate the parellel.
You think of the 18th of June, when the
orator of New England, who has now
passed away, stood before an audiance no
less imposing uttered sentiments of pa.
lrOtism no less sublime carried away
the hearts Of all before him with no less
raptarous delight, glancIng a, the harbor
where once the British war'ships lay, a,
the heIghls where, for a brief space,
waved the enemies flag, pointing towards
OLD Faneuil Hall, where The voice of free
dom had called forth thunders of applause
looking down upon the soil once wet with
patriots blond. and now forever sacred tc
liberty, and then upward to the monu.
ment piercing the skies, and standing in
its graceful form and beautiful proper.
tons fit emblem of The character of our
counlry's great deIiverer. Had an Athe.
nian been present and seen all this, he
would have believed that, far, far away,
beyond the gardens of the Hesperides,
and down the long track of ages. a new
Athens had arisen, reproducing whar
was most peculiar in the public lie of the
old.
n
The peculiarilies of the Athenians
which led To their greatness, led also to
their overthrow. Their extreme suscep-
tibilily and love of individual liberty
their heaven daring holiness and impa.
tience of mental or moral restraint, loos
ened the bonds of society, and weakened
the power ofthe Stale. Individual reason,
which al first was rendered safe by being
earnestly'directed to great subjects, which
filled its capacities with substantial truth
became caprcious, wayward and superb
cal. The human mind needs 10 be moor
ed 10 something absolutely true. Both
reason and virtue must have some ack.
nowledged standard. The capricies Of
men must be kept within certain limits,
or every thing in society will float at ran.
dom on the ever-changing tide Of human
opinions. That element, which was
wholly wanting in Grecian society, and
was yet the only power which could pre-.
serve it from decay, is supplied in Chris.
t;aniIy. But for this, modern civilization
would have no greater security. or better
prospect of permanency, than the ancient
This is its conservative as well as invigo.
rating principle. While, therefore, we
kindle The love of liberty and The fire o.
genius by The study of the great ptoduc
lions of the immortal Greeks, let us moi
forget that, for the want of which Greece
pershed. and by the aid of which alone
America can he saved that greatest force
in history, that most powerful cvilzer oI
The world, the divine charity taught and
exemplifed by Jesus Christ.
We next inquire what Rome mas done
for the world, and especially what it has
done for us. So far as il has acted ir
concurrence with Greece by taking up
her literature, philosophy and art, and
transmitting them to us through the chan
mel of another language, we may pass i
by as not necessary to our purpose. Oul
object is TO point out the peculiar contri.
button which the Roman Stale made tt
our present civilization. Modern nation.
feel the Influence of Rome chiefly IN con
nection with the science of law The
Roman Empire long remained in theory
alter it had ceased to exist in fact ant
the use of the Roman law was far more
than 1000 years to other codes what the
Amazon is to The other rivers. The spir
Of the Roman people was the very op
posile of that Of the Greeks. They were
the most practical and unitarian nation
Of antiquity. All that was peculiarly
Roman was manifested and embodied ir
the State. There was nothing Of the in
dividual, free and subjective character o.
the Greek, but all individuality was
merged in universal and abstract princi
plies of law. individuals were like facts
in philosophy, important only as they
served to illustrate general principles
Never did a people more successfully cul
tIvate the science of law as applied 10 per
sonal rights and the rights of property
They had natural londness Tor this par
licular kind Of abstract reflection. Thei
lives and fortunes depended on the prin
clples Of law, and not on the caprices o.
the people, and hence they were led Il
exhaust the subject, and to lay out ant
explain all its parts with wonderful clear
ness and exactness. Every civilized ma
tion is indebted 10 them for this mastery
exposition of individual rights. From
Greece, then, we borrow the idea of civi
liberty, founded on the supreme dignity
and authority Of the individual rationa
soul and from Rome, the idea of law
restraining liberty as with an iron hand
and keeping il within its prescribed limits
These two elements, which existed apart
or, at least. were not combined in du'
proportions. in Greece and Rome, have
under the influence Of Christianity, ,h'
inspirer Of both liberty and law, beer
united and held in just equipoise for tn,
first time. But even now, in most coun
tries, the union exists more in theory thar
=
in practice. Ours is the only great natioI
where the principle has an unqualified
admission. In the British Empire ther,
are disabilities on the one hand, and pri
vileges on the other, which abate mucl