Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-05-06
#isesllaneous 8sadins
BEACON LIGHTS OF HISTORY.

Examples Of Human Virtue That Have
Made the World Better.
GUnder this heading from time to
time will be published a series Of au-
thenticated extracts dealing with his
torical examples Of the good and bad
in human nature, mostly good; but all
furnishing an admirable chart of con-
duct to be emulated or avoided:
FAITH-PUBLIC.
NOT TO BE VIOLATED
Sentiments.
Every wise man, especially in au-
thority and command, ought to regard
justice, probity and the faith Of en-
gagements. as the most precious
an assured resource and an infal-
lible support in all the events that can
happen.
Examples.
During the war between the Atheni-
ans and Lacedaemonians, Brasides,
general Of the latter, laid siege Of the
city Of Amphipolis; but, before he pro-
ceeded to hostilities, was resolved to
try what moderation and justice would
produce. He solicited them to sur
render without force and to form
an alliance with his nation; and
to induce them to do 1t, declared that
he had taken an oath in the presence
Of magistrates to leave all those In
the enjoyment Of their liberties who
would conclude an alliance with him,
and that he ought to be considered as
the most abandoned Of men should he
employ oaths to ensnare their fidelity.
For a fraud" said he, "cloaked with
a suspicious pretence reflects greater
dishonor on persons in my station
is the effect Of the power which for
tune has put into our hands, and the
former is founded wholly on perfldy,
which Is the bane OF society. Now I
should do a great disservice to my
country besides dishonoring 1t eter-
nally, If by procuring 1t some slight
disadvantage, I should ruin the rep
utation it enjoys OF being just and
faithful to its promises; which renders
it more powerful than all its forces
united together, because 1t acquires for
1t the esteem and confidence Of other
states" Upon such noble and equit-
able principles as these Brasides al
ways formed his conduct, believing
that the strongest bulwark Of a ma
ton is justice, moderation and in
tegrity. and by this conduct, he
brought over a great number Of the
enemies allies.
How widely different were the con-
duct and policies Of Philip Of Mace
don! We see in this prince a bound
less ambition conducted by an artful,
insinuating, subtle genius; but we do
not find him possessed Of the quail
ties which form the truly great man.
Philip had neither faith nor honor;
everything that contributed to the ag-
grandizing Of his power was, in his
sense, just and lawful He gave his
word with a firm resolution to break
1t; and made promises which he would
have been very sorry to keep. He
thought himself skilful in proportion
as he was perfidious, and made his
glory consist in deceiving all with
whom he treated. He did not blush
to say that children were amused
with playthings, and men with oaths."
-Aelian, lib. vii. c. 2-Demosth.
Olynth. II. p. %.
The circumstance which prompts
politicians to act peridiously is their
being persuaded that II Is the only
means to make negotiation succeed.
But though this were the case, can II
ever be lawful to purchase such sue
cess at the expenSe Of probity, honor
and religion? "If your father-in-law,
Ferdinand the Catholic" said Lewis
XII. to Philip, archduke Of Austria,
has acted perf1diously, I am deter
mined not to initiate him; and I am
much better pleased with having lost
to recover, than ] should have been
had lost my honor which can never
be recovered"
But those politicians who have
neither honor nor religion. deceive
themselves, even in this particular.
/ shall not have recourse to the
Christian world for princes and min
listers whose notions Of policy were
very different from these. How many
great men may we find In the history
of Greece in particular, who were per-
fectly successful in the administra-
ton of public officials, in treaties of
peace and war, in word, in the most
important negotiations, without the
use of artifice ami deceit? An Aris-
tides, a Cimon, a Phocion and many
more: some Of whom were so very
scrupulous in matters relating to
truth as to believe they were not al
lowed to tell q falsehood, even laugh
ing and in sport Cyrus, the famous
conqueror Of the east, thought nothing
was more unworthy Of a prince nor
more capable Of drawing upon him
the contempt and hatred Of his sub
jects. It therefore ought to be looked
upon as a truth, that no success,
how shining soever, can or ought to
cover the shame and ignominy which
arise from breach Of faith and per-
jury.-Roll. An. His. vol. vii.