Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1865-05-02

Improve present success 10 your own inier.
est and credit, 10 secure The possession Of
what you have hitherto required, and to adorn
it wi'h The accession oi honor and elorv
You are only 10 avoid that insolspce Of mind
90 frequent 10 men who have bren, till The
present, strangers 10 success Such men agb
ever apt to presume too much on larger acqui.
sitions, though merely beeause their present
prosperity was beyond their expectation:
whilst they who have experienced the ire-
quent vcssitndes Of fortune, have gained a
more judicious turn, and presume the least
upon contnuaoce Of suceess. And there is
the highest reason to conclude, that expert.
euce bath improved the commonwealth of
Athens and us baeedemonians in this pieco
of wisdom, much more than any ether peo.
pie. ,nt GuaHdfI
| ."But be assured Of it now when you be-
hold the ealamites with which we are at pres
ent environed; we, who are invested with the
| highest honors and dignity of Greece, are this
moment addressing ourselves to you 6egging
such Jators as zee formerly thought soere
more peculiarly lodged iR our OIon disDen-
sdtion Not that we ore thus reduced through
failure OF our strength, or through former
strength TOO hsughtily exsrted, bus Blereig
through the 1ceigM Of snch unforeseen disos-
tsrS as continually happen and 10 which The
iohoie Of mankind alike are eper subject
And from hence it is right that you should
learn, amidst the present strength Of your
State, and its late acquisitions, that fortune
may not always declare upon your side Wise
indeed Are they, who IN their estimates of sue.
cess make iudicious allowances for chance.
Such nre best able to bear the alternatives of
calamity with prudence and temper. Such
will form their judgments of war, not as the
iniallble means of accomplishing whatever
scheme they please to undertake, bnt as deri-
wing its effects from the guidance Of fortune.
Such are the persons who are most of all ex-
empied from fatal miscarriages; because they
are not pulfed up by presuming too far on
present prosperity, aud would gladly acqui
esce in the peaceable enjoyment OF what they
now possess. rf H-nt-. .#
"It concerns your honor, Atheniaus, to deal
in this manner with us, lest an case yOu nolc
reject our proposals, lohen yOU yourselves an
future times Daiscdryy (many sNGh epsnts must
hdppen) your present good fortune 9lay then
be peruerSeiy 0Scri6ed 10 chance, even though
you are now able to deliver down to posterity
the fame of your power and moderation be
you'd poss blity of blemish The Lacedn.
monians invite you to agreement, and con-
clusioo Of the war They offer You peace and
alliance, nay, friendship in its whole extent.
and the exchange Of good Offices mutually re.
vived; demanding nothing in return but their
citizens on, of the island. To this step they
have cOndesoended rather than be exnosed
to The dangers incidental on either sid e. should
they either seize some favorable opportunity
to force their escape by arms, or holding out
to the last against your blockade, be reduced
with all the aggtavations OF defeat Great
enmitie7, in our opinion, may the sooneet be
brought to q brm observation-disclosures when
either party having exerted all their strength.
and galnei the far greater superiority in war,
disdains the fair accommodation, and relieth
on that forced aequiescenee which necessita.
ted oaths impose; but rather, when, though
victory be within their reach, they recollect
humanity, and having succeeded BY valor
iqulte beyond their expectations determine the
contest with temper and moderation. Then
The foc who bath not felt the extremity of
force, is hencelorth dsarmed BY the strength
of gratitude, and is more securely bound by
the affections of his own mind to abide for the
future by all his conpacts. Such ready def
erence mankind are more apt to show toward
those who have been with n remarkable supe
riority their enemies, than 10 such as they
have opposed in more equal competition. II
is natural when men take the method Of vol
untary submission, for the pleasing contest Of
generosity 10 be kindled between them hut
to hazard the last extremites aud even grow
desperate against that haughtiness which will
not relent. ...
'Nop, If ever, is the crisis come TO effect
such pleasing reconciliation 6et,oeen as
| both, before the intervention of some iDseru-
table event 10 ,uIcerate our passions, which
may lay us under the sad necessity of main
tanning an external enmity both public and
private in regard to you and you lose the
| benefit of those advantageous olIers we now
lag within your option. Whilst the event is
yet undetermined, whilst the acquisition Of
glory and of our friendship is within your
reach, whilst yet we only feel the weight of
snpporiabe calamity, and are clear from foul
disgraee, let us now be mutually reeonaed;
let as give the preference 10 peace ouer aoar
and eHectudte cessation of miseries TO the
other Grecians. The honor of such an event
will By them be more abnndantly aseribed to
| you, AZ present they are engaged in per,
picking warfare, unable yet to pronounce its
authors. But in case u reconciliation now
take place, 9 point for the most part within
your decision, they viii gratefully acknowl-
edge you for generous hcnefactors
I'll then you thus determine, you gain an
opportunity to reuder the Lacedemonians !
your firm and lasting friends since nov they
lrequestyonr friendship, and choose to be
obliged rather than compelled. Reflect with
70 yourselves how many benefits must in al
probability result from such lucky conci-
denee, For you cannot but know, that when /
we and you shall act With unanimity, the rest
OF Greece, conscious of inieriority, will pay
us the utmost honor and regard "