The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-05-16
THE HAILY UNION.

volved We have been told, sir, time and again, i'll
we do our title and take measures 10 maintain
II, war will follow; and again and again are we re-
minded Of the magnitude of Englsnd's power and
Of our own unprepared and delenceless condition
Sir, | have said | did not believe war could do
us much iniury-certainly not so much as it would
England She has no internal commerce 10 fall
back upon to sustain heT-no internal resources
all is scattered over the face of the earth. With
us II is wholly different. We possess all the
varieties Of soil and climate, well adapted TO the
most prOfuse production of all necessary articles
of consumption; a population possessing every
kind and degree Of skill, enterprise and pursuit
with an internal commerce spreading over more
than three thousand miles Of territory, amounting
annually " many hundred millions of dollars, with
the most perfect iacIhues by railroads and canals
70 accommodate it, which would not only sustain,
but enrich the whole country and verify the fact,
as have before sad, that we could live and pros
per independent Of all foreign nations We would
discover that or prosperity does not depend on
the accidents Of foreign commerce. or on the unruly
politics of Europe. THIS commerce between the
States, sir, 49, without It's rtsrlcuons like that be-
tween $50 many foreign and distinct nauons. Com
pare our situation IN tins regard, with those Euro
pean States having but hue foreign commerce, and
none internal, estimated by ours; they to
prosper, SIR under burdens and eXactlons Tar heavier
and greater, even IN "A tine OF peace, than ours
could be IN war. Situated we are now sir, # we
int hDllly ~ SCtllh 10
that nation on the face of the earth ever had
ever will have that ability.
AS to breaking down our finances" sir and
the evils OF the paper system, which Is
thought will necessarily follow d war this
Will be but temporary and can be greatly mod
lhed by wise legislation There is nothing SIR, IN
this view Of the subisct calculated inspire alarm
or make US hesitate IN defending all our rights. We
have now, sir, the country about 500 100000 OF
specie, which, IN the event of war, would remain
the country, there would be no use for 1t To pay
balances abroad there being no foreign trade. This
would be basis for safe issues, according TO the
modern science Of banking, of three hundred mil
lions Of dollars. Treasury notes bearing no lnte-
rest and receivable by the government for all dues
would be at par for all government payments, and
being IN demand TO pay taxes, would not hucluate
very much IN value IN the market. Such a system
might be made to work qnIte safely, SIR, during a
war, but should terminate with II, or before our
revived commerce created balance Of trade against
us As TO the taxes, sir, do the people not paw now
| indirectly through the operation Of our tariff laws,
more than they would have to pay directly by taxa.
uon' If they have taxes to pay in the shape OF
duties, they would not IN Of war they would
be better enabled TO pay those which should be
levied by taxation TO support war wSged in de-
fence Of national rights and national honor war
with all the caamlues attendant upon II, such as
they may be- would not be barren Of benefit. II
would unite our people closely than they are
now united, would increase their energies and, by
calling INTO exercise the serner virtues lead IN the
end, to a vast increase Of our power We becom.
ing sir, too cIemlnac, luxurious, and extrava-
CANT, all these tendencies would be checked by a
war.