Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-03-16
TWELVE PAGES
THURSDAY. MARCH 1e, 1890.
SOME ROMAN LESSONS.
(COntinIledl


Caius Marius gave Rome her first
standing army; and Froude tells us:
"IIe had no belief in Democracy. He
was soldier and had soldiers way
of thinking on government and the
methods of it. His first step WAS Il re-
formation in the army. Hitherto the
Roman legions had been no more than
the citizens in arms, called for the mo-
ment from their various occupations"
Qike our State Mlitia), ito return to
them when the occasion for their SER
vices was past, He enlisted IL
was said. The NEST of the citizens men.
that is to say who had no occupation.
and who became soldiers by profession.
The legions were no longer the
levy of the citizens in arms, who were
themselves the State for which they
fought. The lcgionarics We're citizens
still. They had votes and they used
them: but they were professional SOL
diers. with the modes of thought which
belong to soldiers, and beside the power
or the hustings was now the power OF
the sword. The constitution remained
IN appearance Intact, and means were
devised sufficient to encounter, It might
be supposed. the new danger. Standing
armies were prohibited in Italy. Vic
torious Generals, returning from cam
palSnS abroad, We're required to dis
band their legions on entering the sa-
cred soil. But the materials of these le-
gions remained n distinct order from
the rest of the population. capable of
instant combination, and in cOmbina-
tion Irresistible save by opposing COM
binations of the same kind"
Speaking of the provincial subjects at
that time. Froude says:
eff they were to be governed by Ro-
man laws, they naturally demanded to
be consulted when The laws We're made.
despotism TO which Roman and Italian
were subject alike. TO BE GOVERN
ED UNDER THE FORMS OF \ FREE
CONSTITUTION BY MEN NO BET
TER THAN THEMSELVES WAS MA
TURALLY 1NTOLERABLE."
Commenting further on the general
condition. our able and eminent au-
thorty declares:
individuals were enormously rich
and the State was bankrupt. The inter
csts OF the Commonwealth had been
sacrificed to fill the purses of the few
Dominion, wealth, honors. all that had
been won by the hardy virtues Of
earlier generations. seemed about to be
engulfed forever
or the patrcians he says:
"They were not defending their coun-
try against national danger. They
were engaged in what has been called
in later years saving society; that is
to say. in saving their own privileges.
their opportunities for plunder, their
palaces. their estates and the game
preserves. They had treated the people
as II they were so many cattle grown
troublesome 10 their masters, and the
cattle We're human beings with rights
ms real as their own. But the en-
durance OF the inequalities of life by the
poor is the marvel of human society.
When the people complain, said Mira
beau. the people are always right. The
popular cause has been the cause OF
fhe laborer struggling for Il right to live
and breathe and think as n man. Arts
tocracies fight for wealth and power;
wealth which they waste upon luxury;
and power which they abuse for their
own interests"
These gllmpses of the decay of Ro-
man liberty and greatness startle us
with their similarity TO what Is taking
place among us as mere matters of
course and custom