The recorder. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1802-1803, 1803-06-08
annual inrerelt OF eisRtecn hundred
thoufand dollars.

Such an yearly ium requires heavy
taxation, ard always creates, in one
fbape or other, abundance ofinconveni-
ence. and fometlmcs of beggary. II is
very doubtful whether the federal go
vernmenr could Guppo.r its credit under
70 great an increaic of cxiiting burdens.
A confederation thus important may
ioften regret, though not indignation,
at this manmavre ofrhe Old congfcis. It
has helped &c iccurc the contribution,
but thar does, not lelleu the Inherent IN
juaice of the law itfelf According TO
itritt honour, a difinction 70 ariltocrati-
cal and degrading ihould neither have
been accepted BY the officers, nor
endured by the men. He is fool who,
after citabilhing the rights OF his coun-'
try, forbears TO aiiert his own, IF the
officers had a jut demand for five years
OF continuation, every ceEtinei po{cl1-
ed the fame and he had tide to enforce
IT,
After having repelled l1nglilh defpo-
rim, IL was inconiiltenr in an American
army 70 crouch under that Of conorcf>.
That they iubmitted was fortunate for
their country, and perhaps for them
ielves. Bur this does net diininifh the
cruelty OF the iniult which they receiv-
cd. One circumstance tended orcatIv
70 embiSrer the public race al this law.
It was &C tnpPoied rhar the officers Had
:" been generally Unidentified for the
| F" lois O their pay, by the grants made
them from time TO time by the legir-
" laturcs OF the ieveral ltatcs.''4 The
tact is here held OUT as a beacon for ~
ture American armies. No maxim ba,
| produced more milthief than the Dulce
| cit pro paFrfa a'ori. Ifprivatc folders.
N every part OF the world would relies
how very FINAL their own pcrlohal con-
Germ is national quarrels, the ranks
would loon become thin, ard much le{s
| would in future be heard of war. a
| folders country contilts OF MATS Of
individuals. Perhaps an hundred Of
theie arc acquainted with his exiftencc
! perhaps three or four inrerelt tflemlclves
IN lis 5ate. The public ar large praiie
HIM, till their turn has been (erycd, ana
,thereafrer they would chearfully permit
him TO die ona dunghill
We have touched upon Gome oFrbe
Pnnclpal outlines Of this rr4niaction be
tween congress & the army. Mach more
might be iaid bur this would REQUIRE
! whole years OF reiearch and whole vo-
ipmes OF writing. The tketch here Of
tered is very incomplete but, 20 far
as II goes, II is believed to be correct.
In point Of morality, the I'll ,wiag is a
iuinmary Of objections thar occur to the
national debt.
Firf. The funding law paf through
congFels 10y the Influence Of naiority,
who Plttclaled certificates from the ar
my at an under value. They voted
Tor the law, with the Jingle view Of enrich
ing thcmlelYes. This nlaneuvre Al
moft entirely excluded the real holders
OF certificates from the benefit of 5he
it&tnce and Of contequence il pervert-
cd the iubieanriai ends of Juice.
! Second. Even if TIE law had oDerat-
ed only ii favour ofthe original holders,
itlll che arrangement vas radically IN.
Jnit The privates received certificates
Only for one fifth parr Of the iuns 70
"hica they were entitled.
Third. Although the rank and file
! had really been placed on a level with
the officer, yet thcy had rot better
cIsiH 70 compensation than the nyfiads
OF otter clizens, who IoG fheir whole
| properly by the extinction Of co0orrrs
| paper money, and Who &C now actually
Faztd 70 Pay ,6e public debt. l. Is an.