Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-05-02

| under 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:
! EQUITY.
Sentiments.
Equity is the band Of human society,
kind of tacit agreement and impress
sion of nature, without which there Is
not anything we do that can deserve
commentator.
Equity judges with lenity, laws with
extremity. In all moral cases, the rea-
son Of the law Is the law. ..
Equity consists in an exact and scru-
pulous regard to the rights of others,
with q deliberate purpose to preserve
there, on all occasions, sacred and invi-
olate. In performing, from this fair
and equitable temper, every necessary
act of justice that relates to their per-
| sons or properties; being just to their
merits, and just to their infirmities;
making all the allowance In their ia
YOUR which their circumstances re-
Quire, and q good-natured construction
| Of particular cases will admit Of; being
true to our friendships, to our prom
ises and contracts: just in our traffic,
just in our demands, and just by OBJ
serving a due moderation and proper
| ton even in our resentments.
Examples.
M. Popilius Lena, the Roman consul,
being sent against the Stelliates, a
people in Liguria, bordering on the
river Tanarus, killed and took so many
Of them prisoners, that, finding the
forces of their nation reduced to ten
thousand men, they submitted to the
consul without settling any terms.
Upon which Popilius took away their
them all to slavery, and sold them and
their goods to the best bidder. But such
was the equity Of the Roman senate
that they resented this severe, and
cruel proceeding, and passed decree,
commanding Popilius to restore the
money he had received for the sale OF
the Stelliates, to set them at liberty
return to them their effects, and even
to purchase new arms for them; and
concluded their decree with words
which posterity ought never to forget
Victory is glorious. when 1t is confin-
| ed to the subduing OF an untractable
enemy; but 1t becomes shameful, when
It is made use of to Cypress the unfor-
tunate."-Liv. ]. xiii. C. 8.
Brutus, upon the accusation OF the In
habitants Of Sardis, publicly condemn
ed and branded with infamy Lucius
Pella, who had been formerly censor
and often employed by Brutus himself
in Offices Of trust, for having embezzl-
ed the public money. This sentence Of
Tended his friend Cassius, who, but @
few days before, had absolved, in pub
lie, two Of his own friends, and con-
tinued them in their offices, though ac-
cused of the same crime, contentine
himself only with reprimanding them
in private. He did not conceal his senti-
ments on this head from Brutus, whom
he accused, in q friendly manner, ol
too much rigour and severity, when
gentleness and favor were more neces-
sary, and would prove OF greater ser
| vice to their cause. In answer to this
Brutus put him in mind Of the Ides Of
March, the day on which they killed
Caesar, who himself neither vexed mol
oppressed mankind, but was the sup
port Of those who did. He desired him
to consider, that II justice could be
neglected, under any colour or pre-
tence, it had been better to suffer the
injustice Of Caesars friends, than to
give impunity to their own; 'Fol
then," said he, I'VE could have been
accused of cowardice only; whereas
now, If we connive at the injustice OF
others, we make ourselves liable to the
same accusation, and share with them
in the guilt" From this we may per.
ceive, as Plutarch observes, what was
the rule Of all Brutuss actions.-Plut
in Brut-See Shakespeare's Jul. Caes.
Trajan, the Roman emperor, would
never suffer any one to be condemned
upon suspicious, however strong and
well-grounded; saying, 1t was better q
thousand criminals should escape un-
FURNISHED, than one Innocent person be
condemned. When he appointed Sub
uranus captain of his guards. to pre-
sent him, according to custom, with !
drawn sword, the badge Of his office
he used those memorable words: Pro
me; 81 merear, in me. Employ this
i sword for me; but turn it, If l deserve
1t, against me."-Dio. p, 77S.
The same excellent prince having
| assumed the faces, in the presence ol
the people, bound himself by a solemn
oath to observe the laws, declaring
That what was forbidden to private
citizens was equally forbidden tt
| princes, who, as they are not above the
laws, are no less bound than the
meanest Of the populace to conform
to them. Hence to the public vows
which were in the beginning Of each
year offered for the health and pros
perity Of the emperor, he added these
| conditions: IF he observes the laws
If he governs the public as he ought
If he procures the happiness OF th'
people. ."-Plin. Papeg p. 134.
Mysias, the brother Of Antigonus
king of Macedon, desired him to heal
a cause, in which he was a party, IL
his chamber: mo, my dear brother,
answered Antigonus, Il will hear it IL
the open court of justice, because
must do justice. ."-Plut. in Apoph
thegm. Reg.
When Phocion was desired to d.
what was wrong in his opinion, To-
the service of the Macedonians, An
tipater," said he, cannot have M
for his friend and flatterer."
The Persians thought 1t reasonabl,
to put the good es we'll as the evil
the merits Of the offender as well a
the demerits, into the scales Of JUS
tice: nor was it just in their opinion
that one single crime should obliterat
all the good actions a man had don
during his life; because 1t Nigh
rather be considered as an effect
| human 1rdllty, tnshu VI Soiiii hAS'
malignity Of mind, Upon this princi
pie it was that Darius, having con
demned a judge TO death for som
prevarication in his Office, and after
wards calling to mind the importan
services he had rendered both tn
state and the royal family, revoked
the sentence at the very moment Of 1t
going to be executed, and acknowl
edged that he had pronounced 1t will
more precipitation than wisdom. Blu
one important essential rule which
they observed in their judgment was
in the first place, never to condemn
any person without bringing his &C
cuser to his face, and without givinI
him time and all other means neces
sary, for defending himself agains
the articles laid TO his charge; and
in the second place, If the person &C
cused was found innocent, to tnfiic
the very same punishment upon tn
accuser as the other was to have SUI
fered, had he been found guilty. Art
axerxes gave a fine example OF tn
just rigor that ought to be exercised
on such occasions. One of the king
favorites, ambitious of getting plac
possessed by one Of the best officers
endeayored to make the king suspec