Los Angeles daily herald., 1876-02-12
O Times--.O Customs.

70 occasion to utter these words, finds
a parallel in every Government at
one time or another. Plutarch in his
biographical sketch of Cicero says
of him: "He was indeed the man
who most effectually showed the Ro-
mans what charms eloquence can add
to truth, and that justice is invincible
when properly supported" This great
Roman and incorruptible statesman
was the only barrier presented to the
covert attacks Of the bloody Cataline
and the impudent Lutulls, when these
arch-conspirators were striking az the
liberty of Republican Rome. Well
would it be for the people and states
men of America if they would study
history more closely. Let us study
the causes briefly which led to the ele-
vation Of Cicero TO the Consulship.
Plutarch says: "Yet for the sake of
their country the patricians joined the
plebeians in raising him to the Con-
sulship." The occasion was this: The
change which Sylla introduced into
the constitution, at first seemed a
harsh measure, but by time and GUS
tom it became what many thought
not bad one. "At present. says
Plutarch, "there were some who want
ed to bring in another change merely to
crafty their own avarice, and with
out the least view of the public good.
They had chief of bold and enter
prising spirit-Lucius Catiline. Again
the biographer says: "The vast inc
quality of the citizens in point of prop
erty prepared Rome for a change.
Men of nobility had impoverished
themselves by their great expenses,
their entertainments, on brbing for
Offices and erecting magnificent build
ings, by which means tile riches of
the city had fallen into the hands of
mean people. In this tottering state
of the commonwealth there needed no
great force to oyerturn it, and was in
the power of any bold adventurer to
accomplish its ruin.n When we take
a calm survey of our present political
status and see how Indifferent, yea,
may we not say designing, men are
respecting the true interests of our
commonwealth, does it not seem
that nineteen centuries have brought
us back to Rome, and we stand upon
the very brink of ruin? Are there no
Catilines or Leutuli manipulating
American politics? Why is it that
men of all parties do not rise to the
height of the grand argument of
true patriotism, and legislate for
peace and prosperity instead of
discord and dissention Why do Re-
publicans exhume the putrid carcases
of war issues and Democrats help to
dissect them Are these things but
mask behind which is concealed the
alter of empire upon which the Amer
lean republic is to be sacrificed? ? Or
are designing men so greedy of power
and the spoils of Office, as that the
whole country must be thrown into
fever of excitement and sectional an
imosity and kept so. o, for some pat
riotic Cicero to rise up in oursLegisla-
tive halls and rebuke the unpatriotic
spirit, and cry aloud in the words of
the great Roman: "How long! Oh,
Catiline, will you abuse our patience?"
What a contrast the Centennial,
which ought to be jubilee of free
dom, peace and good will, and re-
turn to honest, patriotic government,
is ushered in through the grim file of
skeleton dead-issues and prophetic
fears, of this being the first ana only
Centennial of the Republic.