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In Peace, Prepare For War

In Peace, Prepare For War image
Parent Issue
Day
14
Month
April
Year
1845
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

Tilín maxim might plead al leas a show of reason, n its npplicntion totheerowded nalions of Eiirope, living eery moment in ap prehensión of seme colhsion. But, on this fiide of ihe Atlantic, in these Uniled Stntes, it has not plansibility to recomraend it. Our geogrnphicul posilion, the peculiar commercial relations we sustain to the rest of ibe world, and the increasing prevalence of a public sent'ment opposed lo wnr, are our surest defeice. Our best preporation fot war, U theuil devdopmenl of our resources in. Unies oj peace.- The annual expendhure of the National Government is about twenty-fonr mi Vtons of dollars. Of this amount, seventeen ar. devoted to the nrmy and nnvy. This tnakes n tax of near Jy one dollar a head for every tnau woman and child in the United States. The Slote of Ohio pnys - is tuxod for these expenditures something like, one million, five hundred thousand dollars. We do not notice it, because it s stolen oway throogh the indirect operations of a tarifF: but it is not the less real - not theIe88 a bnrthen. We tliink our taxes heavy, and so they are. They press grievously upon our resources - bt, ihe wbole of them amount to but twenty three liuudred thousond dollars. Just keep your eye on this fact - seventeen millions of dollars, paid by the United States :n a time of prof'ound pcace, for war preparaions! Add to this,fifty dollars for ihe linie of eacli soldier or matine, if employed in ogriculure, or some productive calling, and weeholl find ourselves taxed to the tune of eighteen ïillions of dollars every year, to prepare for wnr!Tnke off these wnr-taxes- leave the peopie o their unrestricted energies- -consume no onger by Ihis foul system, their net earnings. ..et them alone- and the resources developed ie wealili thcy build up in timcof peace will urnish Ihcm with the besl instrumcntalities bould war unfortunately come. Not to a tanding army do the people of this land look ot protection - but to themselves. Why thep cut the sinews of their strength by this most absurd system of' Inxation in maintnin unirortned idlers, and an epaulette gentry. But, here is a difficulty: - if yo cut down he expenses of the army and navy, to five millions ofdol!ar,what would become of a larifffor revenue with incidental protection ; &, of :he brothers and coueins and the brothers and :oiisins of the broihers and cousin?, of the

Article

Subjects
Signal of Liberty
Old News