The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1861-02-16
Ancient and Modern COnspirators

olatiohs Vi Ilcero, we are apt 10 congIatu lat
ourselves that the world moves, and that
what with Christianity on the one side, and
the education OF the people on the other,
, such Characters. or at least such consriracirs
as that Of Catalina, are now rendered impos-
sible. And yet there is not more instruc
tive page in the history Of mankind for US
just now III these United States than that
| which tells us of this most desperate and
wonderful Of consprators, who died half n
, century before the birth of Christ. A Wash
ington grand jury has proved this. Catalina
himself was worn out tirst.fnmily man, dis
Sipa,td but desperate: a bold, daring, vet
yet plausible senator, "alwayS arriving
as Salust says, at the iminodcratc
and excessive, and things on, of probability"
Yet all his worst characteristics we're so well
concealed, that he appeared respectable
enough in public life to be frs, QuHslor. and
then an Ambassador into Macedonia, follow
ed by high command in the army und, +
Sylla, whose unscrupulous agent he became.
by means Ut Lists o, prosecuted persons, he
executed Lynch law upon numbcrlps> pei
sons and enriched himself by srlzng aid APP
plopraIins their property.
Such gains seldom last, and he saw no
prospect of retrieving his own affairs, but by
by throwing those Of the State into confu-
sion. lie therefore, formed q conspiracy
with number of other young men of the
first families and political influence, but d.
lapdatcu fortunes. 10 murder the ConSuls aud
a sufficient nulnb,r Of the Senators, to leave
them working MA jurity, and then seize the
government. P"mrcy was seat oil on for.
tign victories aud Afterwards induced to re-
tnan nentIal. and the conSpiratn,S had gain.
ed over q number Of the Old soldiers of Sylla.
II Is SAID that Tins conspiracy failed twice,
through mistake in the signals of Catalina
1t is certain that Catalina ran for Consul
aud thu Cicero ran against him. The next
year Catalina aud his CONDUCTORS resolved. by
force or fraud, TO effect their object. of break.
Ing up the government, and wele as sanguine
as unscIupluluus.
Italy was kept without soldiers except the
veterans of Sylla who were ready at q signal
unIer Manlius. Cicero believed the consp,.
racy was going on, but could not prove it.
or deemed 1t imprudent to 90 SO. though he
! only escaped assassination himself by private
! Informal don of the whole from he mistress Of
one OF the conSpirators At last Catalina.
having borrowed large su.liS of money, and
Cicero being well posted up, accused him
publicly in the Senate Chamber, and got u
decree passed that" the consels should see
that the republic received no damage. -
This gave CiccIo the power to put down the
treason and save Rome from beng s.,z,d ana
snhnsa'cd, ii Not fired and rlundercd.
Yet, So impudcnt was Catalina that he
wilhstood Cicero, aud invcigh,d aga inst him
and the government as highly oppressive
AT last, enrascd that he could not carry the
Senate, he dctitl and left them. threal cning
Vengeance somcwhatas certain Senators did
on retiring the other day. Then he formed a
desperate rebellion. led on his troops. and
, at last died. when DEFEATED, sword in hand :
his counlcnance in dealt, itself wearing the
terrible feroclty ana cruelty of aspect that
made the poet Virgil picture his punishment.
IN TailaIus, as the type uf the most vile.
| What Rome would have been, but for the
lofty virtue Of Cicero, none can tell Catalina
was one Of a minority, it is true, but it was
just that sort of minority that makes up
by despotism, what they lack in numbers in
wisdom or III virtue.
| When the history of the recent conspiracy
ofSccretary Floyd and his associates comes
to be written out, the parallel between it and
the Catalina conspiracy will he seen to BE-
most remarkable. There was not so mnch
false swearing in the ancient conspiracy, not
so much specous abuse through forms OF
law OF Lofty trasts. Altogether there as not
The same scope of purpose or truly Satanic
Su5tlcty OF continuance TO pit one half a
nation against the other. There were no
stolen arms, forts, aud accoulrelnemts for hal
million. The treasury was cmp,cd now
the trust funds stolen. But for that mos,
splendid OF all CiccroS inv.ctveS, the mem.
ory of the whole affair would have died oil.
most out Of history, ike the exploded bomb
OF Oisni. We have been having, if We have
not row FAR more horrible conspiracy than
that of Catalina. acting In Wa,hnn,on dur.
Ing the last twelve months. But alas, it is
not so easy to find the Cicero to im,nor,alze
the whole by u wise, vrtuous and modes,
craftsmanship that shall extnguish it, OF
the splendor of an eloquencc that can cmbalm
the dead and hand it down for the instruction
OF all coming timc.-Ledscr.