The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1896-10-10

the riches of the deceased king should
be distributed among recipients of the
public lanes who would in this way
be enabled to purchase stock and erect
farm buildings lie also declared that
the management OF the kingdom OF Pa.-
gamus should be confidad entirely 20
the popular assembly. This was a posi-
tive declaration of war against one Of
the most ancient and important bodies
bitter opposition. 1t was now deter
mined to play a game which in former
times had frequently proved success
full. a trumped-up charge was put in
circulation to the effect that Gracious
had accepted a diadem and purple robe
from the envoy of the late King Alta
lus and direct accusation that he was
aiming at the sovereignty was brought
against him in The senate. where he
was also charged with having violated
the constitution by deposing his coll
league. Gracious threatened TO indict
one of his accusers before the people,
but. finding he had gone too far, was
glad to withdraw from an untenable
position before he had proceeded to
any great extent. Like many other
popular leaders, he had lost all self
control in the citation OF first sue
cess.
He proposed 10 make the three COM
missioners JUICES without appeal on
disputed question with regard TO prop
erty in land. The distribution of the
public domains under the recent act
had been carried out with extreme diff
iiculty, owing to the host OF claimants
and the trouble of determining bound
aries so as to satisfy all. Many allot-
ments had been made where the titles
to possession had been lost, and per-
sons holding under these conditions
feared their newly acquired property
would be jeopardized at the caprice
of judges capable of being swayed In
any direction by the varying passions
of the hour. Gracious considered his
popularity endangered, and consider
ed it necessary to vlndicate his con-
duct by deposing Octavius.
AS the people showed signs of falling
off from their once-trusted champion
the opposition of the senate became
more marked. 1t was evident that the
following year, when the democratic
leader would no longer occupy the po-
sition of tribune, he would be violently
assailed by the aristocratic party. The
danger appeared so real that Gracious
offered himself for reelection as the
only means of protecting bis life
against the threatened violence. To
draw o,er 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 juriea. and to provide an
appeal from the law courts 10 the as
sembly of the people. These meas
ures, which he did not live 20 carry,
restored his reputation with the masses,
but the opposition to his reelection as
sumed a very serious form. 1t was
contended that the same man could not
he chosen in two successive years. and
| tho assembly was adjourned to tho fol-
lowing day when the matter might he
more fully debsted. The electors re-as-
semblei 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