The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-03-20

oJ meaho vi stehin navigation, RAILROADS. anu
telegraphic lines, national Intercourse is every
year becoming more fscile. Extend these means
Of communication over Europe from the Morea
to the Northern Ocean, and from Gibraltar's
eternal granite TO the Businesses of the Ura Noun
tains: Peace will then wave her Olive branch
over the troubled Continent, and the jealousies
discords, aud enmities Of its war-wasted kingdoms
gradually expire "How could two nations 90 10
war with each other,n says the world. renowned
Burritt, "after having been strapped together by
the railway bars2 The Iron Horse will tread
the old passport system of Europe into the ground
and many will run to aud fro over the continent,
without asking the police"
The pecuniary burden borne by Christian ma
tons in sustaining their gigantic and overgrown
military establishments, is now more than ever
ielt to be grevous and unnecessary. Martha,
Glory" once deemed the true grandeur of the
citizen and State now viewed in the glowing light
OF civilization, is beginning to appear Scandal.
Gus Phantasm too expensive 10 be long tolerated
The Englishman, who, to keep starvation at bay,
IS obliged to toll eighteen hours in every twenty
four, is now Informed that an annual tax of tho
An'u'ed and tTenty millions is levied upon the peo-
pte, 70 meet the current expenses Of the British
Government. Of this enormous sum, he learns
that i'rsdy millions m.relu are deemed sufficient to
support the civil administration, The remaining
fwO hndred millions hang absorbed bv The des incy.
ret dnTmg forneT r0TS and By The e1ptRsss incident 10
| preparation for future ones. Thus he perceives
| mat OF every dollar wrung from his hands in the
FORM OF taxes, ninety cents are appropriated ia
MAINTAIN the military proves Of his country in
an age when there is 40 just occasion for its ex
erclse whereas, ten cents is the pittance asked
OF him to uphold Throne as splendid, a Church
as magnificent, and Judiciary as efficient and
costly, as any in the world
Facts equally startling stare every enlightened
American in the face. Arithmetic has demon
strated that, since the foundation of this Repub-
iic our war system has cost us in direct outlay
more than tioO hOSsaad millions of doliarsI sum
SeueR TINS greater than an the G0sernpu hasexpeHd-
ea Jor ofheT purposes Ii is also clearly established
that the annual outlay OF the Fraternity Of Chris
tain States for the maintenance of their present
homogeneous system Of Armed Peace equals nj
| least &tn6asaaa mnfiOflbof dollars An amount
so huge can be better comprehended when we Sc,
the unconscionshle ratio it bears to the cost o.
other great public interests {" IL is larger thar
the entire profit of all the commerce and manu-
features of the world IL is larger than all tn,
expenditure for agricultural labor, for the produc
ton of food for man, upon the whole face of tn,
globe. Ii is larger, by hundred millions, thar
the amount of all the exports of all the nations o
the earth IL is larger by more than FIVE hundred
millions, than the value of all the shipping of thu
civilized world. 1t is larger, by nine hundred
and ninety-seven millions, than the annual com
bined charities of Europe and America for preach
ing the Gospel to the Heathen.r*
In view Of facts like these, is il wonderful that
THE PEOPLE throughout Christendom are begin
ming to realize the folly and danger of protection
at such cost When the spirit of free inquiry is
sweeping like desolsting fire through the
Anticipated civil and ecclesiastical superstructures
Of our time, is it to be expected that this monu-
ment of barbarian grandeur will alone escape I'M
scathed Is it strange that the over-taxed, war
bereaved People are learning to question the shall
low dogmas Of statesmen personally interested in
the continuance Of existing military establish
ments No; the world is already more than halt
convinced that this whole Fighting Institution is
founded in a venerable LIE. II is hard to believe
that the instrumentslities which render war eff
cient are sanctioned by just God, or entailed
upon US by the DEGREES of destiny--that lombard
ments, destructive alike to the kennels of vice
and the peaceful retreats ofnnocence treacherous
ambuscades embargocs on commerce the storm
ing and sscking Of cities the sequestraton and
destruction of property, the bocksdng of ports to
, er assS"RR5h ak raR nj thnApRaa in 70 @rl
ride over the ocean, and mimic the thunder and
havoc of storms piraces upon the high seas, legal
lied under the constitutional name of Letters o.
| Marque and ReprisalD-that these agencies, anc
thousand others, adapted to embarass an enemy
and legalzed by the rules Of war are harmonious
with the spirit of Christianity, and proper to b
used for the determination Of international issues
respecting justice.
The times are indeed teeming with happy
omens, and, in spite Of the perpetual stratagens
aud subterfuges, and policies, wherewith error IL
! seeking TO evade an open encounter there arr
menv Indications 10 cheer the hearts Of Truths
| honest champions. "The midnight blackness il
changing into gray and the mountain tops arc al
ready baptized with the early light Of a new era
"Thou. Eternal Providence, wilt make the day
dawn!o