Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1858-01-29
From the Naverly Magazine.
BASTUM.
STORY OF 4 T II Z \ S.
BY Z. F. nARDCAsTLE.

The reader, if acquainted with the his
tory Of Greece, will remember the condl-
tion Of that once glorious and intelligent
people during the reign of King Phillip.
of Macedon-that most artful dissemLler. !
and profound politician they who laid
the foundation of a literature and re-
6nement which is to endure the blasts OF
antiquity, and stand a lasting monumen'
10 the admiration of man, which, although
imperceptiblc, exerts a commanding in-
fuence upon the minds Of men, through
the universe, to the present day. But
with the reign of Philip, the glorious
Danorama of the Grecian republicans be-
gan.
Whence comes it" asked Demosthe-
mes, '.that all the Greeks formerly painted
50 strongly after liberty, and now run in
10 oseryitude Tie reason is, that there
revailed among the people, al that time.
ylaprevails no longer; that which tri-
rap3,ed over the riches Of the Persians :;
which maintained the freedom Of Greece {;
Which never acted iaconsistenily a
any time, ci;l.er by sea or land :;
but which, being now cxtinguished,
las entirely ruined lis affairs, and sub
verted the constitution of Greece. 1t Is
that common hatred-;hat common de-
testa,.oa in which they held every per-
son who had a soul alject enough TO sell
himself to any man who desire 10 enslave
or even corrupt Greece. In those times,
to accept Of a present was capital crime,
which never failed of being punished with
death. Neither their orators nor their
generals exercised the scandalous tratli"
now become so common in Athens.
where price Is set upon everything, and
where all things are sold to the highest
bidder In those days the Greeks lived
in perfect union, founded on the love o.
the public good and the desire Of defend
ing and preserving the common liberty
But, in this age, the states each abandon
one another, and give themselves up tc
reciprocal distru>ts and jealousias.
From domestic hostility and interna
cabals came the gold Of the Macedonian
Philip. to JIibe the free sons of Greece
10 sacrifice their land upon the altar 0
treacLery. With him fell the freedom 0
Greece, and with her liberty fell lie
glory.
There lived in Athens one Dastum,
young man Of highly respectable lineas
aud native genius-a freeman by ma
ture-a patriot from training, and
yourg man of unimpeachable probity
Used to the warning clements of a dt
voted people, he looked with the utmo:
contempt upon those whom the gold {
the Macedonian had bri5ed, and diSclain
ed frequently in the tribune; he La
marked the increasing power of the NJ
cedonian, and tremJled at the imbecilit
Of his countrymen; he saw that they 1
longer evinced the same willingness
hear salutary advice; the same zeal f
the public good, and the same judgmel
in the appointment of their generals al
officers for the administration Of the 60
ernment. lie perceived in them an u
wholesome readiness of conquering pa
lie offices by intrigue and fraud, all
which mark the declining glory of
state.
When, says the historian, the Athei
ans, at the end of the war of Algina, h
concluded a peace with the Laceden
mans, they resolved to put into th
treasury, 10y way of reserve. thousa
talents year at the same time prob
iting any person from mention +: the c
ploying Of any part Of it-except for
expulsion Of an enemy who should
wade Attica-upon pain of death.
The above was carried TO such hei;
that Eubu.us, one of tie faction that
posed Demoslhenes, prohibiting any I
son, upon rain Of death, so much as
propose the restoring, for service of !
those funds which Pericles .ad ira
ierred 10 the games ard public shows.
Basium, percriving the heavy cnll
rassmen.s under which this Infamous
serve placed the state, and the daily gr
Ing power Of the Macedonian, and Y
It his encroachments upon Greece, wi
1t was his highest ambition to ensla
4 enraged at the folly of the reserve,
'he daily declining lower of his coun
boldly mounted the tribune, denoun,
Eubulus, the author OF the act, and az
eating the appropriation of the fund
'he promotion of the war; thrustine u
himself the penalty Of death, by The
seFilon Of an evil which no one in