The Cadiz sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1864-1911, 1866-07-11
D. 1892 CADIZ OHIO WEDNESDAY, JULY H. 1885,
A LESSON FROM HISTORY.

mum and Rome, we are to by Livy, that
the the Roman Senate resolved to combine
both consular armies and put an end to the
war. But by an ingenious strata. EN- OF
POntius, the Sanlniie general the Roman
armies were induced TO pass the Caudine
Forks, and became inextricab'y involved be.
tween two defles, while the army of the
enemy surrounded them. The Romans de.
fed the Samuitrs to battle, hut the latter
knowing that their enemy must surrender
or perish from starvation, declined the CON-
bat. Pontius called council of war, which
was unable to agree as to the true policy to
be pursued. By common consent, the elder
Pontius, father Of the commanding general,
alike distinguished tor wisdom as for valor,
was written TO for his advice-he being tho /
too old to visit the camp. The old states
man replied: MAKE the Romans your
friends. This can only be done by gcner-
Gus policy; for they are as brave and haugh-
ty as ourselves. Then, instead of enimies.
make tdem our friends, Salnnium will be
come doubly strong-for we will then not
only have our own strength but also the
strength OF Rome" But the Samnitcs
were unequal to an an act of magnanimity-
they must, at least. have the pleasure Of in
Sultng the Romans. Old Herendius Pom
thus was again consulted, and this time he
was hauled to the SaInnite camp When
told that the council had rejected his advice,
he said: ''Since, then, you do not know
how to be generous, you must learn to be
cruel. The Romans must either be made
our friends, or die II it is too difficult for
you to be great, by being generous, then be
wiae, by destroying the enemy whom you
refuse to make your friends, and although
you will render the name of Samnium infa-
nous, yet you will secure peace for several
generations, for Rome will be left without a
soldier"
But the Samnites, incapable of great
and generous action, and shrinking from the
lnfamy OF a barbarious one, with the instinct
of small natures, resorted to middle, and
consequently to an erroneous policy. The
Roman army was not only deprived of its
arms, but, even to the consus, the soldiers,
were stripped Of all their clothing, save a
shirt, and thus degraded were compelled to
pas, under the conqueror's yoke. With
shame upon their brows, but vengeance in
their hearts, the Consular armies. naked and
disarmed, returned to Rome. What was
the result? All Rome the very women, and
the little children, yet in their mothers
arms, all cried aloud for death or vengeance.
And instead Of Rome becoming the friend Of
Sammunl, as generous treatment would
have made her-instead of Roman and
Samnte embracing with the embrace of
brothers, the war again burst forth with a
more direful fury, and only cease d after
twenty-five years of carnage, upon the total
destruction Of every Samnite town and city.
and the total txtirpaton Of the Samnite
race.
/ will not, citizens, insult your patriot
ism or your intelligence, by making an ap-
pcation Of the moral of this legend Of his
tory. Bnt, let me ask. whether in the event
Of our becoming involved in war against
France and England. with their siqteen hun.
dred vessels Of war-whether, in such an
event, we would be any stronger, by having
eleven of our own Stltes--our countrymen
who now extend to us the hand of recon-
clliation-a arrayed against us as enemies?-
What would have been the result of the late
war, had England and France been united
with the Confederates?
Is it not wise to be generous-are we so
mean that we are afraid to be just?
THE CONSTITUTION MUST AND SHALL BE PRE-
SERVED!
This was the spirit of the immortal SEN
timent OF Andrew Jackson. for without the
Constitution there can be no Union.
Then, citizens, the only question which
we have to ask ourselves is, are we worthy
of being free! For five are so worthy, We
will all rise above mere partisan considera-
tions, and think, and act, and vote for our
country alone
For my own part citizens, my heart is
full of hope! Through the gloom OF the
night. | see light breaking, not from the
east. but from the far off. the young, the
glorious west Our countrymen from the
banks of the Mississippi and the Missouri,
from the peaks of the Rocky Mountains and
the distant shores of the Pacific by the
lightning's fash they send glad tidings of
great JOY and bill us hope! Who, then, in
an hous like the present, dares to despair?
Let us place confidence in Gods goodness,
and the patriotism Of our people, and all
will yet be well!
Citizens, | thank you. The midnight
hour is upon US and must bid you adieu.
lCheers.