Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1847-08-04

u The United States Iron Steamer Michigan
visited us on her way from Chicago TO the lower
Lakes, on Saturday morning last Numbers of our
people assembled the pier TO see this unusual vi.
sitor Every day, and generally twice and three
times day. our piers visited by the floating in
struments of commcrce-vesscls whose province if
is TO scatter prosperity and blessings far and near
They come and go without exciting surprise or re-
marx. But this occasion, VIC had something
new and different The white cloud of steam and
the evolving rushing wheels were there; but no
signs OF trade commerce were visible about the
no hurrying to and fro of busy men and even the
industrious " runner had forgotten for once to pro-
claim the virtues OF the Mansion, or the " CITY
or the American" Instead of all this one large
cannon all our treaty with Great Britain allows her
10 carry occupied her decks near the bows. Starch
cd officers, with stars and epaueites on their shout
ders, and men who obeyed their orders moved
about with military slowneSs and precision The
object OF the construction OF this craft we know not
We saw nothing about her but was intended to an
swer some purpose of destruction" though we
suppose she is designed to protect our lake com
mcrce, and, as we must spend all we make al in
time of peace" to prepare for war, which is sure
to come after we prepare for it, to enable to give
blow for blow with our neighbor Great Britain
Some of our citizens had an idea that they could
suggest a better plan for the protection of COM
megce than this craft offered. They thought the
money she cost in her construction and that requir-
e to ply and feed the thirteen officers and ninety
men she carried might be vastly better appropria-
ted TO the construction of harbors and the dredging
of shadows The protection afforded to commerce
IN this way would be worth something. and as for
war, the chances that way would be much less with
out, than with, such craft. But men who thought
In this way were not statesmen. They were men
who took very ordinary and unsophisticated view
OF the duties and powers of government A man
who had ever seen Washington, could tell them at
once, that although millions might be spent to con-
struct such modes of protection as this craft affords
not dollar could be constituonally used to build
the only kind of protection the mariner wants
good harbors at convenient distances Its said that
used for purposes OF war We should go for not
having this collected but if it must be collect
ed, how vastly better TO expend it for purposes of
peace than Of ,rar. Suppose it to be expended in
popular education, or in works of impro, ement.
how very soon the national mind would be eeya-
ted beyond the danger of war. The manner in
which it is expended is almost certain, from the
very nature OF things 10 bring war, which, when it
comes has It's effect to degrade and brutalize so that
the mode use TO protect ourselves, may some
day make us slaves The armies of Rome were
turned against her own capital, and the victorious
Generals became the despots of the throne lie,
Republican America continue the policy which she
has pursued from the commencement Let her
spend her millions every year in educating her peo
pie for war. and such may be her fate Do the peo-
pie SO desire They are the government Why
can not be wise in time Ii we are determined
TO tax ourselves millions upon millions every year
let us not turn IL INTO vessels OF ami implements