On Party-Prejudice. 15 
most virtuous, eloquent, and patriotic citizens. 
Rendered powerful by their confidence and his 
own military atchievements, he, at length, became 
the destroyer of that cause, under the banners of 
which he had pretended to fight. 
The Gracchi were born plebeians, though en- 
nobled by their fathers’ honours, and their mothers’ 
illustrious descent. Bold, eloquent, and ambitious, 
Tiberius Gracchus was well qualified to engage the 
affections of the people. Ardent in the cause of 
liberty, he beheld, in the unbridled luxury of the 
rich and the encroaching arrogance of the nobles, 
sufficient reasons to attempt the increase of demo- 
cratic influence. With this view, he endeavoured 
to revive the agrarian law, for the division of con- 
quered and bequeathed lands among the people. 
Inflamed by the spirit of party and the desire of 
humbling their superiors, the people listened greedi- 
ly to the flattering proposal. The rich and the 
patricians as strongly resented the measure. The 
contention of parties became truly alarming. At 
this period, Tiberius Gracchus solicited the office 
of the Tribuneship. He was elected along with 
Octavius. His passions and ambition now arose 
to a dangerous height. Hurried on by the spirit of 
party and a sanguine disposition, he violated a fun- 
damental principle of the constitution, by degrading, 
his colleague Octavius; who opposed his measures, 
as destructive innovations on the long established 
