Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1813-09-15
From The Bosssn cenfinee.

every editor ot paper to ueso'o "o"
,wo lines in each to remind the puoiic
of the current expenses OF the war; ant
say ooo
Since our last the war has cost $500
600
What have we gained BY it!
But the following contains fe" SIM
ole queries and answers, which NAV ena.
bile the people. who arc less accustomed
to deal in millions than their Rulers, 70
keep sort of running account IN their
heads and they ought to teach this even
to their children.
As every prudent man calculates the
daily expcnces of his family, SO every
good "Pstriot" ought to look to the
daily expenses of the nation,
How much does this war cost!
It has been lately stated Six Millions
per month, which makes Two Hundred
Thousand Dollars per day; but let Va
be within bounds, and es,imate 1t at fhir-
ty six Millions per year. which Is One
Hundred Thousand Dollars per day.
How many days. at this last rate,
would the whole Six Millions Tax which
Congress have been talking about tor
more than a year. and have at last but
partially imposed, lest it should ruin
their popularity how long, it collected,
would this defray the expenses OF the
war?
fins. Sixty days!
How long would the old Federal Tax,
(which accustomed the Whiskey lnsur-
rectioh, and was said to have changed
the administrator would that have sup
ported The war!
.dns. About thirty DAYS
How coald Mr.. Madison contriVe to
save the nation Fifty Thousand Dollars,
the sum which he foolishly paid 10 Hen.
ry!
Ans. BY making peace half day
sooner!
Though this was considered an enor-
nous amount at the time, aud there was
auch talking and writing about it, yet
money goes so fast now that the ost
we can ask is, for every man just to note
in his mind, when he sits down to dinner
(if he fortunately has any Fifty Thou
sand Dollars have been expended since
morning and when he soes to bed ct
night, Fifty Thousand more are gone
And then ask himself, what is this war
for!
Is there prospect of obtaining Cana
da, and will it pay the cost if We get It
Will the "glory" We have acquired
in that quarter indemnify US for the ex.
psnse Or is itadvisable for Mr., Ma
Olson TO make further experiments IN
pursuit ofthis object?
Our little Navy has done all in its
power it has established its fame, and
proved how formidable it might have
been, had the design. of that admins
tration, to which we ave indebted for its
existence, been pursued; but what
more can it do? Is it reasonable TO ex-
pect that it will make conquest OF the
thousand ships Of Great Britain!
Must We then continue this hopeless
war until we compel Great-Britain to
yield the right of impressing seamen !?
What seamen? Native Englisbmen for
she never has pretended to the right OF
impressing any but her o7un nat'De sub
jtcts. 1t is true she has sometimes
taken Americans by mistake, but the e.
vii had been gradually corrected and
since the Chesapeake affair, SO scrupu-
Ious had she been, that it had almus,
ceased to exist If this is Cause #
war now, it certainly was much great
er under our former administration
Was that of Washington or Adams con-
sidered disgracefal, because thev did not
make war on this account We have
MIR. Jefferson's testimony to the contra
ry, for he pronounced the nation in the
/" full tide of successful experiment"
when he came into Office. And did any
man of any party even hint that the
splendor of his reign was obscured, be-
cause he did not engage in the "unpro
ftable contest? Or the FIRST part Of
Mr.. Madison's? Nor can We believe
that our Rational honor, by being cor
nected with his, has since acquired any
new purity or brightness that it requires
to be more nicely guarded from stains
and spots, than in the days IT Washing
toR.
Of what importance is the question
to uss What is the disadvantage Of en-
pluying our own seamen instead OF Eng
lishmen, five pay the same TO beth u! Is
it not contending for the mere privilege
of carrying EngIishmen about the world
in our ships, and thereby excluding our
own sesmen, who ought to have the pre-
ference