Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1846-01-24
NATIONAL INTELLIGENCER.


and all this will be the result OF quarrel about barren
strip of land pleased to call IT. which is OF no
value any body but the owner In view Of this glorious
result 1T rs OUR SEEK, RATHER THAN EvADE A
evan ON The OREsoS QUESTION, and hope that there
will be no concession the part Of the Administration
that COME all measures tor the occupation OF
the territory up $40 40 will be speedily adopted and put
= in execution "-NeW York Globe.
All unwilling as we are to believe for a moment
that the language of our motto, which we have taken,
almost at random, from New York daily paper of
last week, expresses the general sentiment of even
that Progressive" Democracy of which the "Globe"
is the organ, we obliged to regard ii as plainly
indicating the existence of bad blood in the party
which utters it. Indeed, the sentiment which it
breathes has substantially found utterance in the
Halls of both wings of the CAPITOL in the speeches
OF some of those whose object avowedly is ito pre-
pare the heart of the nation for war; With such
evidence before us cannot doubt that there exists
public sentiment more or less extensive, favora-
bic to WAR necessary or needless for its own sake
that in other words, the idea of war is popular in
certain parts of the country, and amongst honest
men, as well as at Tammany Hall and amongst the
gentlemen of the Empire Club.
WAR can never be popular, or otherwise than
odious, for its own sake, except among those who
have never seen it; whose whole knowledge Of it is
derived from books or from tradition; and Who in
the language of DIR. johnson, lately quoted by us)
consider it as 6 little more than splendid game,
proclamation, an army,-a battle, and triumph OF
those, whose motives are not merely corrupt and
mercenary, that are now clamorous for War and
Glory, there is not one in hundred who would not
had they ever seen war, abhor and shun it as they
would raging pestilence or an engulphing earth
quake. 1t is only men born since the last war, or
who were then too young to understand any thing
Of il but its flags and its nery who, if they do not
now do their best to bring it about, look upon the
prospect of it with GOODNESS and indifference.
We have not taken up our pen, the reader may
be sure, to express our adherence of the demonac
spirit of the passage which we have taken for our
text. We shall not pay SO ill compliment to any
OF our readers as to suppose that there is one of
them who can read it without shuddering its afro
city. Our purpose to-day, suggested by this ebul-
ton of the spirit is to present some practical,
and we hope instructive, views of a state of war.
o. the wide circle of our respected readers, pro-
portion, probably larger than one-half were either
not horn at the time, too young to note the
incidents of the war of 1912, of which we were
ourselves attentive observers, and we may say, ac-
tive agents in it. 1t is for the information of this
class of our readers that we take advantage Of the
space allowed to us by yesterdays recess of Con-
gress to to the ciU history of that war; to the
end that they may learn, from the rehearsal Of it,
in what way war directly acts upon the interest and
prosperity of all those whom it does not Afford in
al oC.
of living upon the money wrung from the hard earn
ings Of the People. We propose to afford them
some data by which they may decide for themselves
whether-laying aside all considerations of religion,
morals, humanity, and uncertainty of its result
WAR is, for its sake, to be courted by rational
people.
We suppose it to be perfectly understood by all
our readers, that, however good the cause however
great the skill Of military and naval leaders, and
people, yet, after all,
"MosEr's the and ligament Of war;"
without which no armies can be raised or marched,
any fleets built or fitted out. The very first thing
to b.. thought Of is the Ways and Means to carry
on fhe car, and supply the place of that part of
the revenue for defraying the ordinary expenses of
tie Government which is certain to be cut off by
any war with great maritime Power.
The effect of war upon the main source upon
which this Government depends for the supply of
money for its ordinary expenditures-tha is to say,
the revenue from duties on imports, which duties
are Familiarity comprehended in our general term
The Tariffs first to be considered, and consider
ed the more attentvely, because, TO certain ex-
tent, the reduction of the Tariff now medtated will
have the same effect as war itself to make direct
and internal taxation necessary.
To go back, then, TO the history of the War of
1912. For FIVE years Immediately preceding the
year 1872 the general embargo and non-intercourse
systems so far nerfered with commercial pursuits
that the revenue from customs duties on mports)
was altogether uncertain, and, not being then to
be relied upon, cannot now be made the basis of
any computation. We, therefore, take the average
Of the five years preceding the Embargo as the mea-
sure of the revenue from imports before the War
period. The annual average, thus ascertained,
amounted to sl4,76i ,495. The war was declared
on the 18th June, 1872 but as credit was then al
lowed upon duties, the effect Of war upon the COM
merce OF the country was not felt at the Treasury
until the year 1919, when the receipts from Gus
toms were reduced to s6,532,3l2, and the year
1914, THE second year of war; when the receipts
were down TO S4,363,S42, being falling off from
the average annual neacp reyenra fro,, aox.x,o~,o