Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1872-10-31
THE PAST AND PRESENT.

Itself. lhere seems 10 De q SOOu ueal ol
truth in the declaration. We are very apt
to forget the past, and direct our attention
entirely to the psesent. Nothing is more
common than to hear men say that the pres
ent state of things which we have in South
Carolina is altogether unprecedented. In
some respects this is certainly true; in others
it is not. Minor details being discarded,
there are several cases recorded in history
which bear striking resemblance, in their
main features, to the present state of things
in South Carolina, and, in fact, to the condi-
ton of things in the whole of the Southern
States. One of the main features of the pres
ent time is, that things are generally turned
upside down.
At Rome, when the Caesar party conquered
Pompey and his party, the foundation of the
whole Roman government was razed. Some
of the citizens were driven from the country
into exile in distant lands; others were put
to death, and many of the best men in Rome
were deprived aSf the rights of citizenship.
Rome was literally convulsed by factions.
The property of many was con6scated. Some
were reduced to abject poverty, and others
made rich. The great and good were in some
instances degraded, and the vile and obscure
were elevated to pomp and power. Cicero,
the purest and best man that Rome ever pro-
duced, fell victim to the mad fury Of the
times. At present we complain that every
thing is bought and sold. Thereis just ground
for such complaint The evidences ofsuch a
state of corruption are overwhelming; but
the present is not the only occasion when
such state of political Generalization was
manifest. Such was the case at Rome during
the time of Jugurtha, the Numidian. This
crafty chieftain declared that Rome was sale
able, if purchaser could be found Senators
and statesmen sold their votes, and councils
and generals sold their swords. One of the
peculiar features of the present time is, that
many who are unqualified are exalted to high
positions, both of honor and trust So it was
then, and so it ever will be. Such state of
things follows a revolution with as much GER
tainty as the shadow follows the substance.
We need not be surprised at the main fea-
lures of the present state of things in the State
of South Carolina. They are just what has
always taken place, and will always take
place after the foundations of government
have been disturbed.
With regard to the final results of the pres
ent state of things, the history Of the past
forces US to conclude that one of two things
will take place in this country. Either puri-
6cation or putrefaction will most certainly be
the result. 1t may be long time before
either of these results take place. 1t was a
long time from the period that Rome COM
menced to decline before it fell, and it has
taken the English government long time to
arrive at its present state of purity and stabil-
ity. The first trees that grow up on an old
field rarely live but few years. After these
there springs up another growth different in
nature; but neither do these live long, and it
is not till the third growth springs up that We
may calculate with any certainty on perma-
nency. So it is, generally, after revolutions.
Those who first take hold Of the reins of gov
ernment do not usually hold them long.
Often many such changes take place. Revo'
lutions, like waves of the sea, follow each
other. Sometimes the less follows the greater,
and sometimes the greater follows the less.
All such periods are critical. We have no
knowledge of what changes will take place in
this country, nor what will be their results.
All we know is that the present period is a
critical one in our country's history. Great
prudence is required on the part of every one'
Rash acts and rash words will not be likely to
do us any good but in all probability, will
do us much harm. 1t is always good policy
when we do not know what to do, to do
nothing.