Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-06-09
From the Syracuse On. " Courier and Union.
Debt! Debt!-TaN! Tax!

What the negro costs-The ruin of the Agricul-
tural, and Industrial and Commercial Inter
ests ofthe Country!
We copy the following ably written statistical
article from recent issue of the Rochester Union
and Advertiser. 1t presents facts and figures
worthy being borne in every ones remembrance
and well worthy of consideration. Says the
Union:
From an article OF considerable length in the
New York Evening Post we take the following:
1t is not likely, ii the actual fighting were to
cease to- morrow, that could close the war for
less than an aggregate cost of one thousand mil
lions. How, then, shall we enter upon the next
fiscal year? Annual interest on the public debt,
SIOOOO,O 900; ordinary expenses of Government
heretofore, S70,000,00O. For these two items,
and these two only, our public servants are pro
vidng.
They offer tax bill that will yield, they say,
500 600 900, and tariff of customs that may
possibly be counted on for $50 ,000,0 900. No pro-
vision whatever is made to meet the expenditure
next year for the support of so much of the army
may till then require to keep in service, al
though it is obvious that, under any circum
stances, our permanent army must hereafter be
very much larger than it has been heretofore
Nor IS any provision made for the larger perma-
nent navy that we shall hereafter keep afioat.
The ordinary permanent expenses of this Gov
ernment IN times OF peace, cannot possibly be
less hereafter than $3.50 900 900 per annum in
dependent of interest on the public debt. With
the revenue now proposed by Congress there
would be Il deficit next year of the whole amount
of interest on the public debt, some $40 900 900.
Of course, if the present state of war is TO con-
tinue into next year, it is plain that we shall be
running behind hand at a frghtful rate; at a rate
that must speedily prove ruin0us to the public
credit, and consequently to the nations dignity
T.. L..
do, if it would not shrink from its duty, is to pro-
vide permanent revenue of at least 5000 000, =
600 from internal taxation, and a tariff of Gus
toms to yield so ,0O0, 900 more.
The Post has, unquestionably, placed the pub
lie debt, up to the present day, quite too low.
The sum named would perhaps cover the known
and admitted debt of TO-DAY; but it is safe To as
sumo that the unknown and unrecognized debt,
consisting of contract and other claims, as yet
unadi iusted, would swell the amount by some hun
dreds of millions.
The war, however, will not cease to- o-morrow,
nor next week and we fear not this year. Mean
while the debt is going up, up, at the rate of
eral millions in the twenty-four hours. At what
point the figures will culminate, it is quite impos-
sble even to guess. 1t will not surprise US, how
ever, if on settliRg up our accounts at the close
of the war, we shall find ourselves sadded with
public debt of TWO THOUSAND MILLIONS.
Assuming for the moment that the debt will
reach that amount, "what will we do with it?''
Placing the debt at one thousand millions, the
EUening Post AYERS that Congress should provide
for the raising of 5000 600 900 annually by in
ternal taxation; and an additional 0,000 900
by customs duties. BY adding thousand mill
ions to the public debt, we should pecessitate an
addition of at least 500 000, 900 the annual
cost of running the Federal Government. In
other words, we should be called upon as a ma
ton to pay i'm various forms, THREE HUN
DRED AND SEVENTY MILLIONS every
year to the Federal Government. of course,
even this vast sum Is exclusive of the amounts
we are severally accustomed to pay in the shape
of State, county, town and city taxes.
Let us look at the matter under another aspect
The aggregate value of the property of the Uni
ted States, prior to the rebellion-includng
slaves-was estimated the other day by the New
York Tribune, at $50, 900 100000 We incline
to the opinion that the Tribune's estimate is too
high by about twenty five per cent; and that
SIS 200, 900 900 would be much nearer the true
aggregate valuation. But let us take the Tri
bane's figures as TO the aggregate wealth of the
country; and place the public debt, when il shall
have reached the maximum, at 81 600 900 900
On this hypothesis the National Debt--which We
should bear in mind. does not include the otheI
forms of public debt such debts owed by
States, counties, and palites-will bt
equal to one tenth of all the real and persona
property of the thirty-four States. In othel