after the murder of his brother, when he prevailed with the people to choose himself and two other men to be commissioners, to examine into the extent of land that each individual held above 500 acres

To evade the operation of the law, the party of the rich represented to the people, that it would be unjust to determine the quantity belonging to any individual, until the boundaries were settled, and that judges should be appointed for that purpose, as Caius and the other two commissioners could not have time for so much business. This being a fair proposal, it was agreed to by the people, notwithstanding the opposition of Caius and his party; and the persons named by the senators and rich men, were elected to that office.

* THE Licinian law had no tendency to unhinge the rights to property, as has been erroneously asserted, as it did not inquire into the rights by which lands were held, but into the quantity only, to prevent a monopoly of land.

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THE regard which in this instance the people paid to justice, should have induced the sufferers to apply to them by petition and calm representation, to obtain a mitigation of the law where its effects were most severe, and offer some compensation to the poor, who were great sufferers by the clandestine robberies of these individuals. But these proud men, having so many mean sycophants at their command, under the name of clients, determined to abolish these laws of the Gracchi by force; and Opimius the consul took the lead, and ordered a general assembly of the people for that purpose. To support himself and his party, and to overawe the independent voters, he brought a body of foreign troops into the city, which he used as a guard, though contrary to law. But this ruinous precedent was overlooked by the senate and other magistrates, as it served their present purpose. On the day of the assembly, Opimius, under frivolous pretences, ordered these troops to attack Caius and the people;

the senate and their clients joined the troops, and murdered Caius and above three thousand of the people.

NoT content with this carnage, the consul ordered all the friends of the Gracchi to be thrown into prison, and there put to death. He also confiscated their goods, and their widows were forbid to wear mourning.

ALL this was done without trial of any kind, or even charging these people with any illegal

act.

As this sanguinary violence was committed by the senate and consul, in defiance of law, it was another precedent, more destructive than the former, of all order and regular government, habituating the people to such practices, putting an end to confidence in legal protection, and showing to every one, how the strongest in arms might rule in these assemblies, by

that means tempting the ambitious to increase the number of their clients, and to engage the most ferocious, as the fittest for these purposes. As these transactions took place at a time. when the generals and public officers had many opportunities of enriching themselves, some being engaged in conquering opulent kingdoms, and others in governing great kingdoms with absolute power, as pro-consuls, all these officers, in general, after this, took every method of amassing money, and of engaging clients, to increase their influence in these tumultuous and sanguinary meetings of the people. It is obvious, that no individual durst vote against a candidate with such attendants. They were therefore forced either to give up voting, or to unite in bodies, and these bodies joined some rich man's clients for hire; so that the views of both voters and candidates were totally changed from what they were, when a majority of votes, taken in a peaceable way, decided every law and election; and when the

value of offices would not pay the expense of bribing a majority, which are essential requisites for making popular elections an encouragement to virtue.

THE offices at that time were become so very valuable, that many candidates would be willing to give large sums to obtain them; but the number of voters being about four hundred thousand, no private fortune could bribe a majority. It was therefore peculiarly unfortunate, that the example set by the senators, of using force, showed candidates a way, by which a few thousand desperate men, properly organized, could clear the forum of all opponents, and elect their commander to any office. Nothing could be more fatal than introducing this savage practice at this time, as the Romans were not as formerly electing their own magistrates and generals only. They were by their conquests become a nation of absolute rulers, and tempted, like other absolute rulers,