The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1899-04-18

and social standing The Eupatrid
class who we're of the most wealthy
and powerful families; the middlinR
and lower classes who we're roughly
divided into farmers, and artisans, or
mechanics. From the E Ipatrid class
we're elected the Senate and nine
archonL The Senate Pxercise d legisla
tive. executive and Judicial powers, az
did the rchon also The latter some
what similar to our Supreme courts
It ia believed that the elective fran
cbise was confined to the wealthy class
Of citizens VINO ruled the lower classes,
the farmers and workers, who created
the cath. Tnis rule had BEEN inter
rup5ed bv ",nsurrecGIons, wa despOts
and d~issensions among the arIstocrats
until the condition of the people was
plUiable in h ex RENE.
Violent d~IssensIons prevail ed among
the inhabitants OF AGtica, who were
separated into three tactions-the
Pedieis. or men of the plain, among
whom the greatest number of rich
families we're included; the noun
telneers called D .4krII, tne pOOrosG
party: and the ,ParaIIi in the 8 uthern
mart Of AUCica, intermediate between
Che two. In the tlme of Scion these
ouarrels were aggravated by a general
meeting of the poorer population
against rhe rich
The Taetes, forming the bulk OF the
! population, culJIvaEing tenants met6y
g g and small proprletOrs OF the coun-
trv. are exhibited as weighed down by
debts and dependence, and driven 10
large numbers out OF a state OF freedom
into slavery, the whole a of them
being in debt to she rlCh, VINO we're
proprietors of the greater part OF the
soil. They had either borrowed money,
or titled the land as tenants paying ID
produce, and in this capacity they were
largely in arrears
Every debtor unable to fulall his
conrra. ct was liable to be adjudged as
the slave of his creditor; and his mluor
SONS and unmarried daughters and
sisters also So severely had these con
tracts been enforced tnat many debtor
had been reduced TO slavery IN ACtIca
many others had been sold for eX
portation, and some had preserved
their own freedom by selling their
children"
Moreover a great number OF the
smaller proper ties in Attlca were IN
der mortgage, signif d by a stone
pillar erected on the land, inscribed
with the name of the lender and the
amount of the loan"
The proprIetors OF the mortgaRed
lands on non payment lost, not only lost
their property, but their freedom -ano
their families were sold into slavery
also "
Upon several this deplora0'e lot
had fallen by corrupt judges; the 0
duct OF the rich bang thoroughly un'
prlDcipled and rapaclnu1. The suffer
lug OF the poor and the Injus5IceS OF the
rich, in whom all pOtICic Il poFer was
then vested, had rIpened the evils &c
such a poInt-and the determination
OF the mass OF sufferers, TO extort for
themselves soms mode OF TeIaf, had
become 81 pronouaced-that h Exist
ing la We could no longer be enforced
such was the condition in 594 B y
Rnen through mutIny OF the poor free
men aud TheJes. aud uneasiuesa OF the
mlddung classes, To &C che governing
olIgerchy, unable TO enforce their debt
or maintain tner power, we're Obliged
to invoke the wisdom and integrity o.
8 )lon"
CONCLUDED MKT WEEK.
E HOLLENBECK,