The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-06-06
For the National Era.
THOUGHTS FOR THE PEOPLE No. s.

We have seen that the war system prevents the
accumulation of property to an extent which those
who have not looked deeply into the subject little
suspect We have seen that its very genius IS TO
take uneoually and to give unequally, and thus TO
promote an enormously unjust distribution OF
wealth Its tendency always is to PROSTATE the
masses, and to raise up heartless arlstooracy 10
trample on them. 1t brushes the many ny lnn'ce-
ing on them nne-tenths Of its exactions u fehoers
the few imperious, by lavishing upon tnem nihe-
tenths of it's disbursements IL lives by injustice
But for the most palpable injustice, both in taking
and giving il would die for want Of advocates ana
nations would be left to settle their disputes In as
rational mode, as confederate States, countries
towns corporations and individuals, now settle
theirs, by an appeal to suitable tribunal lhere
exists not ON Gods earth so hateful arstOcracy,
nor 30 degraded a commonalty, as in regular
army. There is exhibited an inequality, compared
with which, despots might shrug their shoulders
and call themselves republicans To say nothing
of the absolute powers conceded on the one manu-;
and the abjec submission required on the other II
anything like fair pay -roll between the officers
and men were adopted, either the upper crust or
the under. or both, would very soon be wanting
TIE y1sale>Systen thrIyes Oy nJusilce snu' Vpffe0
eisn (. y oAid nSt be kept going without these
If the agents. pursers, and officers, were paid only
in fair proportion with the men, that stale lie In
favor of eternally preparing for war would cease
to be reiterated through the earth, and nations
would soon learn that they can as well abstain
from fighting each other with 5000 men, as with
SO, 000 and better still without any On the other
hand, if the expenses Of war preparations were
levied by anything like fair mode of taxation,
every nation under heaven would find it convenient
to keep so small an army and navy as not much to
alarm its peighbors. About 900, 900 men are now
kept under arms in Russia IL the expense was to
be drawn in fair proportion from the Emperor and
his grandees we should soon see the Northern
bear drawing in his paws, and demeaning himself
as meekly as if he meant to save his fur without
fighting and to let other live stock enjoy its fur
and feathers without being compelled to blow out
his brains Austria now sustains 100000 men In
arms, but If her dignitaries of Church and State
had to pay their fair proportion of the costs, they
would certainly see "new light" France supports
500 900 men In high state of preparation for war.
Ii the men who hold the wealth of France were
taxed in just proportion, she would doubtless think
it cheaper to be little more polite 10 Roman re-
publicanssSpd Alesrjnes and the Sandwich ISLAND
ers Nor would England lavish loo, DOT, 0oO an
nually on her army and navy, the ruling classes
instead of clutchng it in the disbursement had to
pay their proportion of IT, and then see it as hope
lessly beyond their reach as 1t is beyond that OF
the toiling millions who earn it. lfthe 2OOOO,OOO
expended annually on our army and navy were
raised by fair assessment ON the property of the
country, many rich man, who now pays no more
than his poor neighbor, would groan terribly I'M
der pressure of three, five, or eight hundred
year the tables of Congress would groan under
the weight of petitions for relief; and we should
soon be taught that in this country at least there
is no sort of need of our being eternally hammer
ing out preparations for war as we are now doing,
to the tune of fifty -four thousand dollars day.
PACIFICUS