The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1850-03-05
For the Register.
Review of the Prize Essay.
No. IL,

All know well, that war is an expensive
concern, and that cheap war is out of the
question, sill it is apprehended that few, in
this country or in Christcndom, are aware
how large part of their income or how large
portion of their taxes is devoted 10 war,
and to preparation for war, in time OF peace.
! have many facts before me, a large portion
Of which were gathered from documents sew
eral years ago. | now find many Of them
reported in the Peace Manual which |
would recommend to all, who can afford to
give twenty-five cents for a very cheap and
comprehensive work on this subject In
mentioning the cost Of war, as the author of
the Peace Manual" and the writer derived
their information from others, ! shall not
burden the printer, nor the reader, nor my
self, with apostrophcs and turned commas, 20
show what | knew before the Peace Manual
was ever published, and what have learned
from that and other sources more recently.
shall not however take this liberty except
in relation to figures, sometimes taking per
haps few words in connection with them,
and generally using round numbers. Though
the expense is certainly not the greatest evil
of war, it is believed that many intelligent
and discreet men would pause, could they
distinctly see in detail the enormous amount
of wealth that is engulphed in this mael-
strom.
The Florida war cost $40 100000. Who
doubts that the Indians might all have been
quietly removed for a much less sum, and
Capt Dade's company and many others been
saved from slaughter.
Livermorc SAYS that the war which the
French waged against Algiers, cost $500,
OOO,O 900. After going somewhat infinitely
into the examination of public documents, he
comes to the conclusion that the direct ex-
penses of the Mexican war we're more than
SlO0,ooO,0OO. We quote one or two para
graphs:
ITO iorlify these results we will adduct
some other Considerations, relative 10 the f.
nances of the war. Thus, the military and
naval appropriations for the year, ending June
1917, we're $1,000 1856 Sc; for The year ending
June, 1878 SO ,377,679 92i and for the veal
ending June 1919, Si2 POI 900; amounting ia
| all, to $ll1,I66, $685., So a part Of this sun
goes for other expenditures than those Of Mex
lean hostiiiies but this sum toes not include
the price paid for California and New Mexi,
&C" P. 3d.
Every soldier, who volunteered for year
! was promised 100 acres Of land, and 80 acre:
| if he served only six months. Here will be
large sum TO be paid. The Secretary Of
War SAYS that $4,000 claims have been pre-
sented, that more than 10000 Of these have
been allowed, and that 10000 arc yet TO be
presented. Mr.. Liyermore supposes tina
we shall be liable to be called on from time
to time to meet the expenses of the Mexican
war for fifty years to come. We have no
yet summed up all the cost of the Reyolu
tionary war, which was closed nearly seventy
years ago. We see by the papers that thu
soldiers, who nobly volunteered to drive th'
British back from Pattsburgh, more thar
thirty years ago, are now meeting and ma
king arrangements 10 secure the compensa