Page:John Adams - A Defence of the Constitutions of Government of the United States of America Vol. I. (1787).djvu/184

146 Solon's laws and plan of government, yet they did not maintain it above one hundred years, notwithtanding they made everal new regulations to retrain the inolence of the nobles, and the liccntiounes of the commons; the neceity of which Solon had not foreeen: o that for want of tempering his democracy with a hare of aritocracy, and princely power, it was of hort duration in comparion of the contitution of Sparta.

But to return to Rome.—Though that city had not a Lycurgus to model its contitution at firt, in uch a manner as might preerve its liberty for a long coure of time; yet o many were the accidents which happened in the contets betwixt the patricians and plebeians, that chance effected, what the lawgiver had not provided for: o that if it was not perfect at the beginning, it became o after a while; for though the firt laws were deficient, yet they were neither incapable of amendment, nor repugnant to its future perfection; ince not only Romulus, but all the ret of the kings that ucceeded him, made everal good alterations in them, and uch as were well calculated for the upport of liberty. But, as it was their intention to found a monarchy, and not a republic; when that city had haken off the yoke of a tyrant, there eemed to be many proviions till wanting for the further maintenance of its freedom. And notwithtanding tyranny was an lat eradicated, by the ways and means abovementioned, yet thoe who had chiefly contributed to it, created two conuls to upply the place of royalty; by which it came to pas, that the name alone, and not the authority, of princes was extinguihed: o that the upreme power being lodged only in the conuls and enate, the ment