The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1900-07-06
Selrtt Misrrllunq.
Ashes of the Past.
A REPUB BLIC GREATER THAN THIS
FELL, AS WILL THIS.

10 the student OF political history
and to the English student above all
others, the conversion of the Roman
republic into a military empire COM
mands peculiar interest. Notwith-
standing many differences, the English
and the Romans essentially resemble
one another The early Romans pos
sessed the faculty of selfgovernment
beyond any people Of whom we have
historical knowledge. with the one ex-
ception of ourselves. In virtue of their
temporal freedom. they became the
most powerful nation in the known
world; and their liberties perished only
when Rome became the mistress of
conquered races, to whom she was un-
able or unwilling to extend her privi-
leges. If England was similarly su-
prcme, if all the rival powers were
eclipsed 10y her, or laid under her feet,
the imperial tendencies, which are as
strongly marked in us as our love of
liberty, might lead us over the same
course to the same end. If there be one
lesson which history clearly teaches, it
is this, that free nations cannot govern
subject provinces. If they are unable
or unwilling to admit their dependen-
cies to share their own constitution,
the constitution itself will fall in pieces
from mere incompetence for its duties.
We talk often foolishly Of the neces-
stiles of things, and we blame circum-
stances for the consequences of our
own follies and vices; but there are
faults which are not faults of will, but
faults of mere nadequacy to some un-
forescen position. Human nature is
equal to much, but not to everything.
1t can arise to attitudes where it is
alike unable to sustain itself or to re-
tire from them to safe elevation
Yet when the field is open it pushes
forward, and moderation in the pursuit
of greatness is never learnt and never
will be lea.nt Men of genius are gov
erned by their instinct; to follow where
instinct leads them; and the public life
Of nation is but the life of successive
generations OF statesmen, whose hori-
zon is bounded, and who act from day
to day as immediate interests suggest
The popular leader of the hour sees
some present difficulty or present OPP
p ,rtunil V OF dlstlnctinn He d>als with
each question rs it arises, leaving fu-
turc consequences to those who are to
come after him. The situation changes
from period to period. and tendencies
force, which. when once established,
can never hr reversed. When the con-
troll oi reason Is once removed, the
catastrophe is no longer distant, and
then nations, like all organized crea-
tions, all forms of life, from the mean
est flower 10 the highest institution,
pass through the inevitably recurring
stages Of growth and transformation
and decay. \ commonwealth, says
Cicero, ought to be immortal, and for
ever TO renew its youth. Yet common
wealths have proved as unenduring as
any other natural object:
Everything that grows
Holds in perfection but little moment,
AMI this huge stage presenteth ncught but shows,
Wherein the stars in silent influence comment.
Nevertheless. las the heavens are
high above the earth, 50 is wisdom
above folly" Goethe compares life to
a game Of whist, where the cards are
dealt ont by destiny, and the rules of
the game are fixed; subject to these
conditions; the players are left to win
or lose, according to their skill or want
Of skill The life of a nation, like the
life Of a man, may be prolonged in
honor into the fullncss Of its time, or it
may perish prematurely, for want of
guidance, by violence or internal dis
orders. And thus the history of ma
tionai revolutions is to craftsmanship
what the pathology OF disease is to the