The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1863-10-03
An Old Example

free people to indulge in present ease at the
expense of future security and safety
When Demosthenes hurled his immortal
Phillippics at the embryo tyrant of Mace
don, the Athenians listened to him with
wonder and admiration. But they needed
not his warnipgs-they would not duly pre-
pare for the conflict. They listened also to
the Sophists and orators, the feed retainers
of: Phillip, who discoursed, in halcyon
phrase, of the blessings Of "PEAcE," of the
moderation of the Macedonian, and de-
nounced the true friend of his country as
it's enemy, who was seeking to involve
them in needless and cruel wars and to
desolate the homes of the people to crafty
his own ambition. They still walked about
the streets, inquiring, "What news?" They
still visited the marts of business and their
seats of pleasure, and insisted that the trail
tors were right and the patriot wrong, and
Athens and its liberties were never so i'm
pregnable.
But time rolled on. A few years and all,
and more than all, the evils Demosthenes
predicted were inflicted on the besotted
Athenians. Phillip accomplished his pur
pose. Athens and all Greece were con-
quered. Their liberties were destroyed
They were made the vassals of the Barba-
rian. Two thousand years and more have
passed and during all that time Greece has
been the sport-the football of despots-
never for a single instant tree. ALI this
was simply because they refused to follow
the advice of true patriot who saw the
coming danger, and warned his fellow citi-
zens to crush it before it grew too large for
them. They preferred the advice of those
who talked of 'peace'' and quiet and the
delights and ease Of home. They listened
to the counsels of those who were hired to
betray and who did betray them to their
ruin. Demosthenes lived to see free Athens
made the serf of the Macedonian, and then
died by his own hand rather than sub
nit to the mercy of the conqueror.
So also at later day the master of the
Roman orators, whose voice likewise failed
to nerve the people to their duty, fell vic
tim to conspirators and died as the Repub-
lie was laid PROSTATE at the feet of the Tri-
umvirs. 1t is an old story. But the Ro-
mans have never since been free.
And now, in the nineteenth century,
among this free people, on new Con-
tinent and among a new people, the
same scheme is being repeated. Tyranny
is again shaping its energies for the de-
struction of the last Republic. The same
agencies are again employed. On one side
open rebellion proclaimed to be for the
perpetuity of slavery. Among the loyal
disguised traitors, talking of "peace,"
preaching submission, ''acquiescence,' and
in all modes seeking to "make the worse
appear the better reason" and to beguile
the people to their ruin. Is it possible
that our citizens can forget that history
has no record Of destroyed Republic
that ever again became free-that it offers
no guaranty for freedom but "eternal
vigilance! -that it declares that oil who
refuse to do duty to the Republic will be
made to wear the chain of tyranny. War
to sustain the Republic is Arrays right
So long as free people insist on fighting
for their country they are safe. All the
world cannot prevail against them. But
when they falter, when they listen to
traitors, and divide among themselves, the
day of their destruction draws near. The
only safety to our Republic is in the sup
port of the lawful authorities. If we do
not do this it will fall as surely as the tree
severed from it's roots. Those who seek to
overturn lawful authority if they accom-
plish that will accomplish also the further
result of making their country
"a land of tyrants and den of slaves