Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-03-22

Southern kurOpe Ike tue ange OF creation how
ering over night and chaos. -nd from to, foster
ing warmth OF her embrace came forth an i'm
mortal world Of letters, OF art. Of science. and
OF law The Macedonian. the Spartan, the
Athenian. and all lifted their heads among the
stars and barely eondeScehded 10 pify and despise
neigbboriBg nations who less free than
themselves They pointed TO Marathon and
Saiarnis TO Thermopyle and Piatea. the
American points 20 Saratoga and Bunker Hill
Yorktoxn and New Orleans They kept their
festive DAYS of national deliverance and Joy As
the fourth day OF JULY and the eighth day Of
January have been commemoraie1 and hal
lowed by "a. They sounded all the depths
aud shoals Of honor; drank deep drsughts from
the very fountains of freedom: achieved immor
tality in every department of human thought AID
action And yet. with their cup full Of glory for
more than a thousand years. sparkling 10 the
brm with rights and privileges more sweet 20
their taste than the honey of Hvmettus. they
dashed il 20 the earth, and its shattered frag
mebts remain as they fell. The lust OF power
on the psrt OF public rulers, and the luxury.
sl0th and Indifference of the people. nursed so
long in the lap of prosperity that they allowed
the usurper TO march on in his lawess career IN
challenged and Enquestoned, worked the over
tnrow of the Republics OF Greece. Aud what
traveller. standing upon those bighled and with
more than two thousand years? Now and then.
IL Is true. murmur a groan has disturbed the
deadly sleep in which that land j. embraced, but
il only shows that she dreams OF the past, not
that she will awake To the future Her birth
right was abandoned by her own sordid hand. and
il cannot be reclaimed A petty power OF North
ern Europe now gives king - the country men
OF Homer. Thenistocles. and Scion
But. sir. another name more prominent than
all Others. presents itself to the student of au-
riquity ia this connection Roman history stands
out upon the canvas of time plainly marked
ms the events of modern ages We see Tarquin.
the Proud. expelled from bis throne. ana the
foundations OF The commonwealth laid five hun
dred wears before the Christian For the
uext five centuries we behold race OF men who
"woud have brooked the eternal devil 10 keep
his state IN Rome, as easily "a a king
How fondly the devotee of liberty dwells upon
that period With what grandeur the names Of
the ghty dead, and the sublime creations of
their genius. arise 10 our view. Ia what does
the boas,ed civilization OF the present surpass the
achievements of and age 10 whom the
revelations Of God were unknown Who has
spoken a. Cicero spoke? What historian has
guided pen full OF majesty aud OF beauty as
that which Inscribed the annals Of Tacitusy
Whose muse has winged a loftier ight sung a
nobler strap than VIrgilsY In arms, too. what
warriors have improved upon the skill and mag
nificeuce OF Scipio and Casarg But il still
more in the dignity and freedom OF her private
citizens that Rome great than in the renown
of her most liustriOus leaders, statesmen and
orators Kings ct powerful nations bowed their
uncov cred heads before the Roman people The
magistrates. cOnsuls and military commanders
paid homage and Obedience directly To the public
will. The sovereignty oi the people ab>o-
lutte The principles of selt-government were
never in the history of nations more fully or
clearly dis PLAYED. Jurisprudence became an
lishtened science. from whose pages light ex-
tends TO the pr(Oent hour. and under whose guar
dian protection the humblest citizen of Rome
secure in every right declared unalienabe by the
declaration of American independence. But why
hnger upon the well known story of Roman lib
ertv and Roman greatness. use il but 10 Illus
trste The melancholy conclusion came. As
the Son of the Morning fell from Heaven, so
Rome fell from the luminous sphere of liberty
never 10 hope again. The world grew dark as
her light faded away and ten centuries of gloom
succeeded her downfall And why persisted this
mistress of the earth7 Not because the vandal
rayae ed her borders; not because the Saul burned
10 avenge the victims of Caesar; not because the
Goth beat her gates TO pieces; but because her
people submitted to the encroachments OF execu
tive authority, lulled by the Syren voice of
their chains and manacles forged and fastened.
Their links vet tester in the flesh of the descend
ants of Brutus. and their cankings may vet be
heard in the forum where Cato warned his coun-
trymen against the approach of despotic power.
No deliverer has ever arisen. Liberty has never
been wooed 10 return Once abandoned and
surrendered ~ those whom she has crowned with
honor and greatness in the midst OF the earth
She goes forth with the air and feelings OF in
suited majesty to seek more worthy objects of her
love and care.
Sir modern history contains no exception 10
the rule which the tate of ancient republics has
established Aspirations for freedom have at
different periods assembled from almost every
norton of the map of modern Europe A sys
tenn of coniederated States built up and nurtured
the free institutions OF Holland tor more than
three hundred wears. while the night of desp0ti-m
Law thick and heavy on all the surrounding hor-
Zon A revoted colonies. "a States IN rebellion.
the Dutch republic maintained defensive war
for thirty wears against the whole power of Spain
when Philhr H. controlled the councils and
commanded the wealth of the civilized world
Their proudest cities besieged and tell a
prey "a pilage and murder. In pitched battles
they seldom triumphed over the superior num-
bers aud equipments OF the powerful SDaniarl
Their country trodden under foot; their
houses lluudered; their fields laid waste;
aud the wild boar and the wolf roamed unmo-
Tested through the streets OF once populous
towns But the endurance and PATRIOTISM of a
people TO whom terms we're offered except
ablect. unconditional subm ission. outllved and
broke the rage of their oppre>Sors A tree COM
monwealth the United States OF Holland, arose
and extended the spirit OF enterprise commerce
ami refinement INFO all the four quarters of the
earth She conquered the sea ana subduei dis
tsnce The peaceful victories of her trade were
celebrated at the Cape OF Good Hope. and i'm the
harbor of New York. ia the Indies of the East
and i'm every latitude Of the Western Hemisphere
Nor was she less renowned in war. The broom
al the mas-hesd swept the oce.n OF her enenies
aud the only guns of foreign power whose
hostile roar penetrated the Tower of London.
were the guns OF the free States OF Holland
Louis XIV. the grand monarch of imperial
France, when Turrene and Luxembug and Comic
led his armies poured the torrents of his power
against her for conquest and suhiugation: bur
they were poured in vain She fought with the
inspiration OF freedom and made her history Sc
cure and liustrious - long generous heart
shall be found to IhrOb IN sympathy with the wei
fare aud happiness of a heroic people But
where now i that noble prodigy OF liberal insti-
tutionsl Why does she lift her beautiful head TO
the heavens no longerY Her glories declined
under the burIhen of unbonuded wealth and
overfowing prosperity Her people relaxed the
vigilance of their guard over the citadel of their
liberties aud slumbered at theis posts while un.
lawful power fortified itself bevoud successful
attack Thus she persisted ignoblv by her own