The Cleopatra Style Of Politics

LJeopatra, the great lómale politician of Egypt, is not au unknown character. Introduction by Sa Would ba quite superfluous. Our readers know her well, thanks to ancient classic authors nnd to modem poets and historians. Of royal lincage, and heir to the throne, she saw her country ïiominally conjuered by Rome, yet had wit to remain queen by a seductive use of wonian's blandishinents, to which Caesar and Antony in suecession yielded. Her power was in her beauty, and, when armies failed, lier personal charms brought the conqneror to her feet. Csesar went to Egyit, and undortook to judge her case. She insisted ounniugly upon a " pei-soual interview," contrived one by a stratagem, and beeamo at once mistress of bis haart and bed, and decidor of her own destir.y. When Antony appoared in the East she captured him with equal ease. Twonty-iive years of age, in the perfection of her beauty, she went across the soa to have an interview with him at Tarsus, taking with hor vast sums of money, and all the apparatus of voluptuous luxury. Her passage up the river Cydnus has often been the themo of poetic and historical doscription. Shakespoare's linos are almost a literal transcript of the account given in ancient authors : " The bnrge lic sut in, HUp :i barnislicd tlirone, Bum'd on the water; Uw ixwp mu beaton guld, I'urple the snils, and o prrfunied tlmt The wind wen luvu-sick with tfaam; tho onrswere silver, Whidi to tba tune of flutns kopt stroko, nnd mado Tho water whiob tlu-y Ixvit to follow fluter, Ka ammoiu ot thoii itrota. Por har own [rson, It begare-d alt description : shu dia lie In her parillon (cloth of gold, of tissue) O'er-picturinii thnt Venus, where we aeo The fancy out-woik notare: on eueh tide her Stood prettjr dini]k-d Ixjys, like smiliiiK Cupids, With divurs coloreil fnn. whott wind (lid seem To fjlow the delicate c!ie-lis whitih they did cool, A I Ni ' 'r i ■ I f fliltT' tfilrl i ■ i ' t. I iJ She knew now to make all ranks and characters bow at hor feet, till the very ministers of religión were ready to pronounce her vilest deeds divine. 11 Age cannot wither her, nor eustom stule Her inlinite voriety. (Mier women i-'.ny The apietite. they feed ; hut slie makei hungry Whmn mmt nhn nnttaflf Forvik-st tiiius Beooma thenueives in het ; t hut the holy in-iests Bless her, wheii he is riyir-li." Has Clcopatra risen from hor grave, and renewed her conquests? Havo politics once more becomc ainours? Are the eager i'emale politieians following in the steps of thoir Egyptian prodoeessor ? We affirm nor, but wu eannot be blind to significant facts. ïhere are many virtuous women who, honostly, though, as we think, mistakenly, soek proteetion and elevation tor thoir sex by claitfiing in its behalf the exercise of suffrage, and who wiü be true to their womanly nature in their endeavors to widen their Bphore. But there are other and prominent advocates of tin: measure, whose knowu nntpcedents, avowed principies and widepread reputation, are such as to beget just suspieion. They seek to iinpress by a display of wealth, by an Oriental style of luxury, by elegant costumes, costly furniture, gay equipagc. Thoy imítate the Egyptian Ciueen in seeking " personal interviews," and they carry their ends by female blandishments. We do not know thut they have yet reached the point to which, a generation ago, tho political zeal of au English lady of beauty and rank carried her, when she took her station at the polls and sold kisses for votes' But tho tondency is to wards that and something worse. A friend lately described to us the process by whieh subscribers were obtained to a certain notorious oigan oí' the woman suiïrage movement. A lady of personal attractions, richly drossed, entered the office, in Boston, of a business man, and invited hini to subscribe for " our paper." At first he refuaed, with a diolaration of opposition ; but when, with winning eyes, she looked beseeehingly in liis face, slipped her arm around his neck, and ontreated him not to say " No," the rnan's will gave way, and he drew out the money. Another friend relates to us an account of a similar sceue in this city, in whieh tho samo lady wout through a'corresponding programnie, aud with like suceess. Are we to have a Cloopatra style of politics 'i It is well to raise the question in time, for the sake of ladiea aa well as of gentlemen. Already the poison begins to work in the miiids of somo of the virtuous women who are ardent advocates of the supposed reform. They aro loss select than formorly in their personal associates of both sexos ; satisfied to accept thoso who profess to bo co-laborers. They publicly endorse any onn who promises to be useful in ' the cause ;" whother it be Butler in Massachusetts, or females with reputations below ]);ir in New York. We tremble to think of the price they may yet be willing to pay for a chance of sueeess; of the sacrifico of example, consistency, principie, and moral influence whieh they may lay on the altar of political expedieney. And yet the time was, in the anti-slavery reform, when they refuaed with scora to sell themselvee to the dovil's oandidatea, on the pion that tho lattor were "the moro favorable " to the end thev wished to gain. But now the tcinptation is coming to them with power, to believe that the oud sanctifies tho means : that to sustain femalo suffrage is a sufficient pussport to respeetability for any man or woman, and is :i sut ficient claim for patronage in behalf of any newspaper. The air isfilled with rumors as to methods to whieh nsort is to be had at Washington, next winter, by thoso who seek to iuflueneo Congress in that direetion. There is talk of all possible social influence, Bplendid apartments, luxurions intortainmonts, and the presenco aud }iiirsonal power of ohanntng women. We do not impute to respectablo ladies disreputablo plans ; but we do not like to sec Cleopatra again on the gtase in her old-time way. Sho onco led captivo at het will many illustratious men. We fear she has power now, also, to blind the eyes of virtuous women, till they shall consent to let her manage their cause iu her own way. Not with our silence shall Wasaingtoa beoome like AXexandria of old, or American politics take on the Egyptian type. Wo are the more outspoken in this matter beoause the increaaing efl'orts to oarry political questions by female blandishmente, before female suffrage exists, will bo but a faint imitation of whnt may be expeeted in the way of sexual influence and intrigue , should the spurious reform ju-eva:!, and the tmnptationbeathousand fold incieased. It will do no liarni to watch tho somowhat rapid dcvelopmcnt of loóse principies and easy-going measures attendant upon this revolutionary scheme. The innato tendones is so surely downward, that ene is hardly surprisod at each now step. In guoh ;tn enterprise tho ill-meaning have every advantago over the w(ll-tne;ininr. liet the mcaning beware !-