Connecticut western news., 1883-11-14
HOW ROME FELL.
The Dangers that will Threaten the United
 States Before Many Years.
quilt.

The New York Hour, in speaking of the dangers that beset this country, gives us the following picture of the downfall of Rome
 Two thousand years ago Rome was the world and the City of Rome was the worlds centre. From the imperial city went out the decree that Gall the world should be taxed," and all the world made haste to comply with the order, having learned by variety of experi- ences, all depressing, that remonstrance would be useless and resistance fatal. The great city possessed every apparent element of stability. She had the wealth peculiar to great cities in general she was the seat of the supreme govern ment, the center and source of the na- tional power, and the great intellects of the empire congregated within her walls. Her citizens were free to devote almost their entire attention to problems of government, for besides having money in abundance they had been supplied, by various successful wars, with an army of slaves, by whom all manual labor and much intellectual drudgery was done. Everything that the intelli- gence and art of the age had accom- plished was at the service of Romans of wealth and position; the stage, the fo- rum, the sculptor's chisel, contributed to the delectatioh of ear and eye. Even the poorer classes were better off than the rich of other cities, for aspiring citi- zens competed for the privilege of SUD- plying baths, games and spectacles for the masses. All roads led to Rome, and over them came every luxury that the empire afforded over them came, too, from all provinces, countless men and women, whose birthplaces were unable to confne their restless minds and sat isfy the ambitions that had been created and stimulated by rumors of what the great city desired and gave.
 Wealthy, powerful and without foreign enemies or even rivals, Rome's position as ruler of the world seemed established for all time; but at the moment of her greatest apparent security the destruc- tion of the great city and the nation of which she was the centre began, and the destroyers were her own citizens and those whom she had taken to her heart. Lust of power had replaced love of coun- try in the minds of the men to whom she entrusted the administration of her affairs; personal qualification was a stronger motive than patriotism among the mass of her citizens. Her walls en- circled thousands of men who had come to Rome only for what she could give them, and without the slightest desire or willingness to give anything in return. No one could be trusted; wealthy citi- zen elevated to honorable office might be without temptation to steal, but he bartered the peoples rights for whatever might gratify his ambition, his pride or his revenge. His peers in position might protest to one another, but beyond this they seldom went, for the chains of lux ury were hard to break. So when Cesar led Roman army against Rome itself he met no resistance worthy of the name. He did not abuse his power by theft or debauchery; hemerely ruled for the sake of ruling, and although few citizens were patriotic enough to put him to death, they could not summon a suffi- cient following to prevent the moral and material disintegration which had begun, and which, with only occasional respites, continued until Rome became only 0 ruin and name.