The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1860-12-27
Cost of Standing Armies.

TheNew York Tribune has made calcula-
ton that it will cost South Carolina six MIL
lions year to support ten thousand Voiun-
teeTs.
II tan thou.a od troops cost South Carolina
ak millions a year, how much will 1t cost 10
support an army large enough 10 demolish
the ~ ten thousand % We take ii for granted
that me man. In defending his own fire-side
and all that makes life precious and sacred, is
soual at least to two aggres sors. IL would re.
nuire A. least twenty thousand Southerners TO
invade and conquer 81 Northern army OF de-
fence Of not half that number, and 1t would
REQ uire twenty thousand Northern men to
eopo uer a Southern army OF ten thousand,
fighting for their fire-sides, in sight OF the
graves Of their ia theirs and with their mot theirs,
sisters, wives and swsethearts looking on
At all events, in view of the cost of transport
ing an invading army from the North to South
Carolina, ard of the additional dangers of a
hot climate aud its pestilential diseases. we
may safely assume that the cost of an army
OF invasion, sufiicient for this cong uest of "the
ten thousand" would be double that OF the
army OF defence. In addition TO the volun-
ssers South Carolina can raise au army Of
forty thousand militia, that" cheap defence of
nations" which can be called upoa occasion
ally Us emergency demands, and will be eq ually
efficient with regulars for Purposes of defence.
We should say that the largest Northern State
Ia this Union would find its eycheque in
tight place before 1t has finished equipping
transporting, and keeping in the field the
hundred thousand men, which, at the
smallest calculation, will be req uired for such
Q project a. the subjugation Of South Oar
olina. II the General Government is ex-
pected 10 e1pend the sixty million u year
which would be necessary for such purpose,
1t would be the General Government of the
Northern, not the Sou thern States for upon
the first attempt to reduce any State In the
South by the sword, every Southern State in
the Union will dy to her side. There is no
necessity of arguing this point. Right or
wrong, such 10 the sentiment Of every South
srn heart. sour country, may she be trsr IN The
yight, but YigAt or srToag, our e0unlrg," Is the
feeling towards the South which ins pire. all
Southern bosoms. Hence, besides the fifty
thousand fighting men of South Carolina,
there would be two hundred thousand in Viz
ginia; or, In all the Sou thern States, million
ofarmed men. II that million be a source OF
vast expense, even In q section whose staples
now pay the great bulk Of the military, naval
aud all other expenses Of this Government,
and build mp the commerce and man features
Of England and America, what would be- the
cost Of raising a. army large enough for their
subjugatioD, aud that by u section which pro.
dacss none Of those peculiar Amer lean staples
which are the source Of our national reyeu ne
and commercial WEALTH.
We are Inclined to think that the Tribune
aud Its school, whilst fslicitating themssi yes
over the expense South Carolina "a State
~nies produces some Indispensable articles of
eommsree1 10 putting herself 10, would better
$50 calculate the COST or COERCION, or else
oss'sf sun, iHsssad Of making any such mar
sisi caicaiaaons, buoy itself with measures
soy coneinating and preserving the country.