The distress of the Commons increased until a great remedy was found by
two patriotic tribunes of the Plebs, Caius Licinius Stolo and Lucius
Sextius, the authors of the great Roman charter of equality and freedom.
These able, determined men, after a tremendous struggle, fought with
constitutional arms alone,--in which the Romans showed that respect for
law and authority which, in their best days, so honorably distinguished
them,--carried their point. The victory was won through the use of the
power of the tribunes to stop the whole machinery of government. Year
after year, for ten successive years, Licinius and Sextius were chosen
tribunes, and, while the Patricians gained over the eight other
tribunes, and prevented the popular bills being put to the vote in the
Comitia Tributa, the two tribunes prevented the election of the Consular
Tribunes (save in 371 B. C., for a war with the Latins), and other high
officials, and would have no troops levied at all.