y government turns on the majorities at the polling
places, and it was difficult afterward to recall a privilege which, once
conceded, appeared to be a right. The utmost that could be ventured in
later times, with any prospect of success, was to limit an intolerable
evil, and if one side was ever strong enough to make the attempt, their
rivals had a bribe ready in their hands to buy back the popular support.
Caius Gracchus, however, had his way, and carried all before him. He
escaped the rock on which his brother had been wrecked. He was elected
tribune a second time. He might have had a third term if he had been
contented to be a mere demagogue. But he, too, like Tiberius, had
honorable aims. The powers which he had played into the hands of the mob
to obtain, he desired to use for high purposes of statesmanship, and his
instrument broke in his hands. He was too wise to suppose that a Roman
mob, fed by bounties from the treasury, could permanently govern the
world. He had schemes for scattering Roman colonies, with the Roman
franchise, at various points of the empire.

Carthage was to be one of them. He thought of abolishing the distinction
between Romans and Italians, and enfranchising the entire peninsula.
These measures were good in themselves--essential, indeed, if the Roman
conquests were to form a compact and permanent dominion. But the object
was not attainable on the road on which Gracchus had entered. The
vagabond part of the constituency was well contented with what it had
obtained, a life in the city, supported at the public expense, with
politics and games for its amusements. It had not the least inclination
to be drafted off into settlements in Spain or Africa, where there would
be work instead of pleasant idleness. Carthage was still a name of
terror. To restore Carthage was no better than treason. Still less had
the Roman citizens an inclination to share their privileges with
Samnites and Etruscans, and see the value of their votes watered down.
Political storms are always cyclones. The gale from the east to-day is a
gale from the west to-morrow. Who and what were the Gracchi, then?--the
sweet voices began to ask--ambitious intriguers, aiming at dictatorship,
or perhaps the crown. The aristocracy were right, after all; a few
things had gone wrong, but these had been amended. The Scipios and
Metelli had conquered the world: the Scipios and Metelli were alone fit
to govern it. Thus, when the election time ca