Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1856-01-23
From the Ne,o York Sun.
The Way the Money Goes.
The way 'ns - -. 'Ta,,'o-o- - eraziI has

The papers say that the Emperor OF Brazil ha'
conpIimented successful singer " q me ptesen
of pair of diamond ear rings, valued at S3.ooo
We sunpose it is true or. if not true,it might DC
for it is very like royal performances. Sings and
Queens are repuled to be ofa higher order OF clay
than the average. They have expensive tastes
and amusements-as is to be supposed OF superior
mortals--and, being royal, whatever they 90 mus
he done on royal scale. And this imposes upon
the people-who must keep the exchequer sup
pIied-a rather onerous duty. Taxation in some
form or Other, by customs or service, must iiIi up
the chasm which royal lnaguliicence makes IN the
royal purse. -,
The theory is, that the crown represents Inc
majesty of the people and that royal gIi,s and
RIVAL expenses must therefore be on scale com
mensurate with the majesty of the nation. 4 his
were all very well if royal gifts were always
made to worthy purposes. If the Emperor ol
Brazil, for instance, had given $1,000 to the endow-
ment of hospital. nobody would have right to
complain. he had applied it to educational
purpuses- municipal improvements--to any
thing. rather than crafty his ostentation, or per
hans something. worsa, nothing need have been
said. But. unfortunately, the libsrality OF mon-
archs is too APT to be in inverse ratio to The worth
ness of the objects.
In monarchcal countries there must be an
aristocracy. And aristocracy being royalty's
lprescriptive circle, must keep up lis standard OF
expense as near as may be 10 the royal stanoara.
Royal virtues. vices, wisdom and folly set The
fashion. To meet all the demands to support
these. the people must be taxed, directly or IN
directly. All wealth comes from the productive
labor of people. There IS no other true wealth
Gold and silver anG precious stones arenot wealth
but It's representative. And if royal family and
noble order spend more than their share OF the
money of nation .heing themselves ncn producers,
it comes out of the peopls at last. r.
There is our royal cousin over the water, her
majesty, Queen Victoria, for instance -cousin
we believe is the etiquette between soveregns-
and we, the people, in this country are all sove-
reirns. We are not at all ashamed of our cousin
Victoria. We think her very much OF lady ,and
no disgrace 10 the family. And IT there be merit
in converting high position to good purposes IN
the lioht of an excellent domestic and moral
example, our cousin ranks among the nobles' soVe-
reigns who ever reigaed. We say nothing aoou'
her politics, or her administrative policy. mere is
| ln,e to be said The ministry are the real gov
eminent of England--the Queen is to the minis
try what his seal is to the notary-a mere means
| OF giving IUTlUdl Ndlue W d uoSu'hS"''
Queen has the influence in a social view. ohe is
the arbiter Of fashion, and to very great extent
the arbiter ofmorals And we think that no court,
ancient or modern ever had purer atmosphere
than that of the British court, 50 Tar as 1t depends
upon the example and influence Of the worthy
lady who is its sovereign. a
Still. she is dear at cost to the nation over a
million and half dollars, with some Sl5O,OQo le
keep her husbands pocket. But there are those
suns of hers-one Of the other of whum will pro-
bablv cume in turn to the throne. The young
roques also born to royal fortunes, and who can
tell how they may use them Who knows wha'
hills the nation may have 10 foot for them, as i
had 10 pay for the royal ollies oftneIr scapegract
Grand nncles George, "the first man in Europe
and Royal William" to say nothing OF the
othersW ..t
Royalty is an expensive "institution"-very
expensive. 1t costs not only in itself. but in It's
correla,ives. its jobbng, its portionng OF poo
royal scons and its payments of right royal debts
the items of which will hardly bear investigation
1t is unequal in its favors. and onerous In its ex
actions 1t is behind the age; as in the course
of a hundred years or two-.or ess-wlll be yer!
generally demonstrated. The world Will throw
il off as burdensome and irrational, even IN It's bes
phases. This is a reading age.and figuring age
and sum totals for government, which loot mp awk
wardly. will lose some oftheir itens-or we ar
no prophet.