Wheeling Times And Advertiser

ANCIENT DEMAGOGUES.—'Is there anything whereof it may be said, see, this is new? it hath been already of old time which was before us.'— Thus spoke the wise man three thousand years ago, and all experience has shown that the thing which hath been is that which shall be. We are brought into this again to reflection by glancing into the history of one of the turbulent days of the Athenian Democracy—every page of which shows that ignorant demagogues and noisy flatterers of the people have been much the same in all ages of the world.

Nor were the demagogues of the ancients less subjects for the lash of satire than the moderns. Aristophanes, in one of his comedies, introduces a prominent personage who is endeavoring to persuade a common sausage maker to change his occupation and turn statesman. The latter character, according to LeClerc, was intended as a satire upon Cleon—

This Cleon was an Athenian tanner, but a man of talents, gifted with a degree of coarse eloquence popular with the people. He became, however a very troublesome orator, and an enemy to the best men of the country. He never gave the least evidence of sincerity or of love of country, yet, by affecting a zeal for the people's welfare that was false, and living at open variance with the Senate and better classes, he made himself a person of importance.

As already mentioned, Aristophanes introduces a sausage maker, 'whom a politician is endeavoring to persuade to turn his attention to matters of state.' The man, surprised at his proposal, inquires why he should laugh at a poor fellow who had never employed his thoughts or his time in anything but making sausages?

To which the other replies:

Behold all these ranks people; you shall be great leader and chief among them. You shall trample upon the Senate and tie up the hands of our generals.'

Who, I?' says the sausage maker.

Yes, you shall do it. Get upon this table, 'here you make your puddings, and look all about you— Do you see in that scene the custom house and all those ships that are laden there with merchandise? See them! yes, says the sausage maker. What then?

Why all those things shall be sold by you, The oracle says you shall be a very great man.'

'How should that be, for Heaven's sake?' cried the fellow. 'How should I be a great man, that am but a pudding maker?'

Because, said he, 'you are bold and wicked.'

But I think myself unworthy of greatness the sausage maker.

What does that signify?' answered the other— Do you think yourself a good or an ill meal

·Nay, for that matter, I am bad enough.'

I wish you joy.' replied the other. 'you will find yourself so much the better qualified when you come to do business; for our commonwealth has nothing now to do with men of learning and probity, but is wholly governed by the ignorant, the impure, and the immoral.

'But how.' inquired the sausage maker, is it possible that I should govern the people!'

With all the ease in the world.' answered the other. Do only what you are used to do—mix, disturb, and confound all matters; feign and invent anything to please and delude the rabble.— You have a false tongue and a mischievous understanding; have also some little smattering in the law; in short, you have all the qualities that our Republic wants at this time and that are necessary to make you a great man.'

Thus the reader will perceive that the trade of the demagogue is a very old one. No man,' says Socrates, 'without having studied his profession makes shoes; and men do not measure the earth without some acquaintance with geometry but 'Is now in the United States as it was in Athens of old,' all of us feel our competence, without either theory or practice, to the management of great State.—N Y Com Adver.