The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-11-22
GRECIAN GOVERNMENT.
BY a Member of the Scientific Glass
of DanViIIe College.

BY Member of the Scientific Glass
of DanviIIe College.
At what time and in what manner the
states of Greece were first colonized can
not now-perhaps never WILDE known.
History opens upon the scene with set
tied tribes. walled cities. and petty kings
already established i'm the country.
Still at the very dawn of Grecian his
tory we notice connections among the
tribes. a general jostling of one race by
another to the extent of undoing of
previous condition and the establishment
of new one in it's stead.
A general view, at this time, Of the
progress of the Greek states would show
them pursuing independent careers and
tending toward antagonism rather than
union among themselves. In them
seemed to be the spirit of freedom and
individuality.
AS long as the primitive forces of de-
velopment were left free to work out
their own results local opinions over
Swallowed material ones and union was
impossible.
Leagues were sometimes: formed with
patriotic and national objects i'm view,
but these applied only to a limited area,
and We're of only local operation; quar-
rels were of frequent occurrence and
Greece wasted on internal struggles
those energies and pleans which, if
properly managed, united and directed,
might have raised he 70 the very pin
nacle of fame and OF prosperity in every
department of human industry and Of
human development.
MonarchieS give place to oligarchies;
oligararchies to tyrannies and tyran-
MES to lawgivers, who, like Moses
Of
laws and constitutions that formed the
basis of the aristocratical and demo-
cratical governments.
Among the most noted of these law
givers were Lycurgus. who framed the
Spartan constitution, and Scion, who
established the democratical constitu-
tions of Athens
Often all, or a majority. of the
Athenian and Spartan institutions are
attributed to the wisdom and legislative
prudence of Scion and LycuTgus
No doubt these two great men enacted
a few good laws ard directed their
states with great insight into the char
acter and tendencies of the people.
But institutions of nations do not and
never did depend upon the peculiar
notions of this or that man. Back of
all this is a growing fitness to accept
such laws. The real source can and will
be found in the rights and duties of
citizenship.
True, in ancient Greece there were
times when progress seemed inconceiV-
able. Yet, all human history consists of
periods of comparative quiet, during
which the forces of change are gather
ing strength, and periods of revolu
tons when these forces show themselves
in CONSPICUOUS effect. Thus each move
ment is a step toward higher develop
ment.
The popularity of the Greecian cuI-
ture is not that the Aryan people, for
the first time discovered and applied the
various factors which make up their
culture but that they applied to new
uses. and developed the ideas that had
long been existing in the world.
As a rule Aryan culture has flowed
on in an overwhelming and deepening
stream.
True, there were times in the history
Of Greece when progress toward union
and development was more rapid than
others. When Persia poured her human
deluge down upon Greece aiming TO
sweep her from the face Of the earth,
the more important states sacrificed
their individual rights and united for
the common good.
The very magnitude of the danger
nerved them to almost superhuman en-
ergy
The fate of Greece and the future of
Europe were in their keeping. They
met and defeated the Persians in the
battle of Marathon, which is recorded
as one of the decisive battles of the
world. 1t marks an epoch not only in
the life of Greece, but in that of Europe.
Hellenic civilization spared to ma
ture it's fruit, not for itself alone, but
for the world. The battle decided that
no longer the despotism of the east,
with its suppression Of individual ac-
ton but the freedom of the west, with
all it's incentive to personal efforts, should
control the affairs and mold the ideas
and institutions of the future. 1t es-
pecially revealed the Athenians to
themselves Their consciousness of re-
sources and power became the inspira-
ton. Of their future acts. They per-
formed great deeds thereafter because
they believed themselves able to per-
form them.
While these invasiOns did not bring
about a permanent union, they resulted
in a great stride toward advancement
and development in Grecian govern
ment.
Through the rivalries of ambitious
generals and through lack of that capac-
fly TO unite for political ends, which
was the fatal defect of the Greek char
acter, Rome might conquer the physi-
cal Greece. but she could never destroy
all of the Hellenic ideas of true and
noble government
DanVille. Ind, Nov. Is.