Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-05-27
miscellaneous 8saains.
BEACON LIGHTS OF HISTORY.

BEACON LIGHTS OF HISTORY.
Examples of Human Virtue That Have
Made the World Better.
IUnder this heading from time to
time will be published 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 or con-
duct to be emulated or avoided:
.- GENEROSITY.
True generosity is duty as indis-
pensably necessary as those imposed
upon us by law. 1t Is rule imposed
upon us by reason, which should be
the sovereign law Of a rational De-
ing. But this generosity does not
consist in obeying every impulse OF
humanity, in following blind pas
sion for our guide. and in impairins
our circumstances by present oene-
factions, which may render US IN
capable of future ones, or doing JUS
tice where it is due.
Examples.
The conduct Of the war against 'he
Falisci being committed to the care Oh
Camillus, the Roman dictator, ne De-
seised Falerii, their capital city. and
surrounded it with lines; but so great
q distance from the walls that there
was sufficient room for the beseiged
TO take the air without danger. The
Falisci had brought from Greece the
custom of committing all their chill
dren to the care Of one man, who was
70 instruct them in all the branches OF
nolite literature, to take them out
walking with him, and see them per-
form the exercise proper for their
age. The children had used OFTEN 10
walk with their master without the
walls of the city before the seige; ana
the fears Of the enemy, who kept
quiet. and at such a distance, were
not great enough to make them as
continue their exercise afterwards.
But the present school master proved
a traitor. He first led the youths
along the walls, then he carried them
a little farther; and at length when
a favorable opportunity offered, he led
them through the guards of the Ro-
man camp, quite to the generafs
tent. AS they were the children OF
the best families in the place, their
treacherous leader. when he came IN
Camillus's presence, addressed him
thus: with these children deliver
the place you besiege into your hands,
they were committed to my care and
tuition, but I prefer the friendship OF
Rome to my employment at Falerii.
Camillus, struck with horror at the
treachery, and looking at him with d
menacing air, Traitor" says he, you
do not address yourself with your
impious present either to general
or a people that resemble you; we
have indeed no excess and formal al
lance with the Falisci, but thai which
nature has established between US. War
has its rights as well as peace; and
we have learned to make 1t with no
less justice than valor. We are In
arms, not against an age which Is
spared even in cities taken by assault
but against men armed like ourselves,
men who, without any previous injury
from us, attacked the Roman camp
at Veil. Thou. to the utmost OF thy
power, hast succeeded them by new
and different kind Of crime; but Tor
me, I shall conquer, as at Veil, py
Roman arts, by valor and perseVer-
ence."
The traitor was not dismissed with
this reprimand only; Camillus caused
him to be stripped, and to have MS
hands tied behind him, and arming the
young scholars with rods, he ordered
them to drive him back into the city,
and to scourge him all the way, which
no doubt, they did with a good Will.
At this sight the Falisci, who had
been inconsolable for the loss Of their
children, raised cries Of joy; they
were charmed to such degree with
so uncommon an example Of justice
and virtue that in an instant they
entirely changed their disposition with
respect to the Romans, and resolved
that moment to have peace with
such generous enemies. Accordingly
they sent deputies first to the camp,
and afterward to Rome where, when
they had audience Of the senate, they
addressed themselves to 1t In these
terms: "Illustrious fathers, conquer
ed by you and your generals, in a
manner that can give no offence to
gods and men. we are come to sur
render ourselves to you; and we as
sure ourselves, than which nothing
can be more glorious for victors, that
we shall live happier under your
government than under our own
laws. The event Of this war has
brought forth two excellent examples
for mankind. You, fathers, have
preferred justice to immediate con-
quest; and we, excited by the justice
which we admire, voluntarily present
you the victory."-Liv. lib. v. C. q.
Popius Carbo, the Roman consul,
being impeached as an accomplce In
the assassination Of the second Al
ricanus, and having affronted one
of his servants, he stole the box In
which his master kept all his papers
and carried 1t to Licinius Crahhus,
who was employed to prosecute the
indictment. Crassus had conceived
an implacable hatred to Papirius,
and these papers would have furnish
ed him with ample matter to crafty
it; but the generous Roman had such
an adherence Of the treachery that
he sent back the slave in chains and
the box unopened, saying, that he
had rather let an enemy and a crimi-
nal escape unpunished than destroy
him by base and dishonorable means
Brutus, the general, having con-