The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1866-02-14

body. They proclaimed their independ-
ence Of the Central Government of Rome;
they proceeded to organize what they
termed the Italian Confederacy; they
odopted as their capital, the city of Cor
6uium; they organized Senate composed
of delegates from the seeded States; they
elected consuls and other magistrates,
with titles and functions corresponding
with those in the Roman organisation;
they organized large and powerful ar
my, and, having done these things, they
despatched ambassadors to the Senate OF
Rome-thus making one more peaceful
appeal for what they deemed but justice
to themselves, Their ambassadors were
sent back with naughty and defiant an
swer. Upon the receipt of this answer,
the Confederate Government ordered its
legions to be drawn up upon the military
points intervening between the two capi-
tails, and there to stand upon their de-
fense. Rome began by conferring the
rights of Lartium, or Roman citizenship,
upon the border States which had not
Joined the new Confederacy. Having
thus, by an act of justice to these border
States, strengthened their allegiance and
secured their aid, the Roman Senate or
dered their legions to march upon the
capital of the new barn Confederacy.-
The war began. 1t is known in history,
sometimes as the Marsian, sometimes as
the Italic, but more generally as the So
cial war. 1t extended through three years
and ten months of time. Three hundred
thousand men were slaughtered upon the
field of battle. During the first and sec !.
ond years of the war, the balance of VIC
tory was greatly in favor of the Confede-
rate Government. In many prolonged
and sanguinary battles, the Roman ar
mics had been routed and cut to pieces,
so that at the close Of the second year ev-
erythiEg seemed to indicate the final til
I.umph of the Confederaey,
But Rome was Rome still. During six
hundred and sixty-two years of uninter
rupted conflict of arms, within and beyond
the limits of Italy, though often beaten in
the battle, she had in every instance stood
forth victorious in the war. She pro-
ceeded to confer the rights of Lartium, or
Roman citizenship,upon the tier of States
lying at the foot of the Alps, and embrace
ed within the territory known as Cisal-
piue Gaul. She next, and for the first
time in her history, incorporated freed
men, or men who had been slaves, into
the body of her legions-a humiliation
which she had ever before proudly refus-
ed to infict upon herself, even when, du-
ring the second Punic war, the great Car
thagenian, after having triumphed over
all of her armies but one, had pitched his
camp within three miles of the Roman
capital. Having, by the contributions Of
troops and revenues by the Gallo States,
and by the renewed contributions of both
by the border States, with the recruits
from the body of the freedmen, reorgan-
lied her armies, she departed from her
usual custom of placing those armies un-
der the command of the Consuls. She
called in to take the place of those Con-
suls, at the head of her two principal ar
mics, the two ablest Generals of the age
the great Caius Marius, and his great
rival Lucius Cornelius Sylla. Thus pre-
pared she renewed the struggle, Itsoen
became apparent upon the renewa. of the
war. that the tremendous efforts put forth
by the Confederate Government during
the fast two years of the conflict, had we'll
nigh exhausted its resources of men and
money. Disappointed in receiving the
foreign aid of Mithradates, the King Of
Pontus, which the Confederate Govern
ment had sought, and for the want of a
navy, being unable to obtain from beyond
the sea provisions and the material OF
war, the defense of the Confederacy be-
came more and more languid, las the strug-
gle continued; so that toward the conclu-
sion of the fourth year, the armies of the
Confederacy were everywhere eaten,and,
finally, compelled to surrender at discre-
tion. The revolted States, with the sim
gle exception of the Samnites, and two
remote towns, which, being besieged, still
held out, acknowledged as of old, the SUI
lpremacy of Rome, and the obligation Of
obedience to her paramount authority
The Confederate Government disappeared
from the earth "like bright exhalation
in the evening" Thus having laid down
their arms, the Confederate States stood
defenseess in the presence of their VIC
torious adversary, to receive whatever
doom that adversary might pronounce
The Roman Senate had but to speak, and
every one of the State Governments SO
lately in rebellion ceased to exist. 1t had
but to speak, and every citizen of those
Estates became slave. 1t had but to ut
ter the word confscation, and every one
of these unfortunate people became a
homeless and a breadless pauper. What
did that Senate do under these circum.
stances2 There had been revolt which
placed its being in jeapordy; the terrific.
ries of Rome were strewn with the dead
bodies of its slaughtered legions. Many
Roman towns had been reduced to ashes
The Republic had suffered everything thai
could embitter the minds of men against
their fellows. What then did the Roman
I Senate do? Did it utter the word of an.
\ Inhalation to the Governments of the re-
yolted States? Did it reduce their peo,
,ipe to bondage and starvation? That
Senate was not composed Of fanatics. Ev
cry member was general or statesman
and nine -tenths of them were both. Tha
lbody was not creation of yesterday. Il
had existed for six hundred and sixty FIVE
years. And during that whole time, in
all the affairs of war, negotiation, legis-
latinn. indinntura and admi nistratian that