Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1896-10-08

following year, when the democratic
leader would no longer occupy the po-
sition Of tribune, he would be violently
assailed by the arlstocratic party, The
danger appeared so real that Gracious
offered himself for reelection as the
only means Of protecting his life
against the threatened violence To
draw over the great mass OF the citi-
zens, Gracious proposed various meas
ures tending to reduce the period OF
military service, to popularize the
formation Of juries, and to provide an
appeal from the law courts to the as
sembly Of the people. These meas
ures, which he did not live to carry,
restored his reputation with the masses,
but the opposition to his reelection as
sumed very serious form. 1t was
contended that the same man could not
be chosen In two successive years, and
the assembly was adjourned to tho fol-
lowing day, when the matter might be
more fully debated. The electors re-as-
sembled next morning at the capitol.
In the midst Of an angry tumult Flu
vius Flaccus came out Of the senate TO
inform the tribune that his death had
been resolved upon. The latter OK
horted his friends to help him, and
they armed themselves with slaves and
prepared to make desperate resist
ance.
While passionately addressing the
people Gracious raised his hand to his
head to indicate that his life was IN
danger. "He demands the diadem"
was shouted by the senators, who knew
that no better means Of exciting the
prejudice of large number could pos
sibly be devised. Scipio Nascia, prin-
cipal man among the mobiles, urged that
''the tyrant" be destroyed at once, and
the state saved from ruin. The consul,
Scaevola, however refused to act with
hasty violence, while promising to OPP
pose, by all legitimate means, the en-
actment Of unconstitutional measures.
Nascia thereupon exclaimed; THE
consul is betraying the republic! Let
those who would save their country
follow mel" He thereupon rushed to-
ward the capitol, followed by a few
mobiles and other partisans who having
broken up the benches, were provided
with temporary weapons. Gracious
flew to the Temple of Jupiter, but found
the doors had been closed against him
by the priests. In the agitation of the
moment he stumbled against a dead
body and by a strange coincidence,
certain to be remarked by a people
given to the Interpretation of oc-
cult signs, fell before the statues
of the ancient kings. AS he rose,
one of his own colleagues struck him
on the head with a club, and another
quickly dispatched him with a second
blow, Meanwhile, a furious riot was
proceeding in the open space. Several
of the tribune's adherents were slain
upon the spot; some were driven over
the edge of the Tarpeian Rock; alto
gether more than three hundred Of the
popular side persisted in the conflict,
and were thrown ignominiously into
the Tiber. The body Of Tiberlus him
self was thus treated. His brother
Caius begged that he might be allowed
to bury the corpse, with all the custom
ary funeral rites; but in the savage eX-
ultation of their triumph, the senate
refused his prayer.
The conflict with the senate did not
end with the death Of Gracious. 1t was
renewed on wider scale and with
more deliberate aim by his brother
Caius Gracious, who, on his elevation
to the tribunata Q23), at once came for
ward as an avowed enemy Of the SEN
ate. Caius, like his brother, was an
active agrarian reformer, and lost his
life in a. riot some years later. The
aerarian reforms of the Gracchi had
little permanent effect. Even in the
lifetime Of Caius, the clause in his
brothers law rendering the new hold
ings inalienable was repealed, and the
process of absorption recommended
In 11S stop was put to further allot-
ment Of occupied lands, and finally in
Ill the whole position of the agrarian
Question was altered by law which
converted all land still held in occupa'
| lion into private land,