The Carrollton sun. (City of Carrollton, Parish of Jefferson, La.) 185?-1???, 1861-01-19
MISCELLANEOUS.
The Cost of War.

civil conflict, delivers the following
well considered paragraphs, which
briefly sum up the cost of war, both in
money and moral res Elts:
In the present crisis of affairs, the
people of the United States would do.
well to consider the evils of war. The
exam1le of the nations of Europe may
serXafJAs q useful lesson to us in our
do dissensioDs. The philosophi-
fglish historian was always re-
d of match of cudgel-playing
6t ina china shop, when he saw
states fighting and quarrel
- 5ll st eir debts, funds and public
e6ges. This is homely but
Z bile illustrr ton of the horrors of
foreign or domestic. Whea. men
e IA War, they break heads and hearts:
md last but not least. in the opinion of
men, tE,s eak fablic credit, and, as
the ines| they bring on
WBs; ago, Engaand,
France and Russia bf5I y Iss Z speac pf
Europe. that had brought them &o
great prosrs they squandered their
accumulated tai, increased thojf
already onerous debts, and il Hike
proportion, heaped heavy burdens on
their people. The fruits Of long
years of industry, skill, and activity
in commerce and the useful arts were
thrown to the winds. and the faces of
the poor have since been ground still
sharper; and all for glory, and to gain
ssa famous victory or two, in order to
preserve the miserable balance of
power, of which the people, the only
parties interested, know little. or moth
ing, and care less.
What has been the state Of the
powers of Europe since then? Turkey,
existing only by sufferance, is utterly
and cannot borrow, because
no one will lend to her. Austria has
neither silver nor gold; and, in the
last throes Of financial death, despe-
rately issues promises to pay for the
support of her immense armies, kept
only to hold her wretched people in
sslIHection. Her debt is estimated at
$1,575 100000. In the last twelve
years Sardinia has incurred an immense
war ebt,now amounting $l75,000, 900;
and yet, small comparatively as are
her resources, she is preparing an
army of three hundred thousand men,
and large navy, for the purpose, it
is said, of freeing Vcnetia from Austria.
May she succeed in her attempts Her
cause is good; but may she not pay
too dearly for it! True, freedom is
of inestimable value; but it may prove
but a name to those who shall have to
endure most oppressive taxes hereafter
to pay for it.
Russia has more than doubled her
debt in the past ten years; chiefly
owing to the Crimean war. Prussia
has done the same, because she is in
the habit, not so much of fighting as
of keeping in constant state of
preparation for it +; a sad necessity Of
her situation among warning states.
Still, she has managed so well that her
debt does not quite equal that Of her
belligerent neighbor of Sardinia. All
the petty states into which Germany
is divided are overwhelmed with debts;
and their industry, great as it is, is
sinking under the weight Of feudal
restrictions, and the taxes necessary to
uphold their military organizations.
The boasted civilization, the wise
political government, and the vast
commercial, agricultural, mineral and
mechanical resources Of England and
France have not availed to save them
from the pressure Of vast 5s5ts,
almost wholly resulting from their
sO-callcd glorious wars, which, carried