Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1862-06-19

calm ol peace ana prosperity SaVo TO
property its highest value. TO what cx-
tent the ravagcs of war have deprecated
this value is impossible to calculate but
that the property Of the people Of the
United States is to-day worth more than
two-thirds Of what it was one year ago,
will not be pretended and to the extent
Of that depreciation is the proportion
which the public debt bears to it in
creased.
But again. BY the census report from
which | have just quoted we find that the
population of the United States in the
year 1860 was a little more than thirty
millions. OF this population about five
millions are voters. a moments calcula-
ton in the simplest rules of aritheme,ic
shows that each individual voter of these
five millions is in debt to-day 5000 on ac-
count of his proportion of the national
expenses, and that one year hence he will
be in debt S400 on the same account.
The liability Of my own great State of
Indiana, according to the rule of tax alton
which has been enacted against he by the
present Congress, will be 100000, 900,
of which enormous sum the people Of the
district which | have the honor to repre-
sent will stand charged with something
over twelve millions of dollars.
Where, sir, in all the drcary history of
prOlligate nations were ever such burdens
as these imposed on the shoulders of any
people in so short time? The mourning
children of Israel, captives in the brick
yards of Egypt, were scarsely more slaves
to their Egyptian masters than the Amer
lean people will be to the constant demands
and eXactions Of the national debt. twill
come upon them like the lean and hungry
kline ri lug from the river of Pharoh's
dream to devour the well favored and fat
ileshed cattle OF the land. Tell me not
of the blessings of public debt. That
cry is simply the cheat and the falSchood
by which men who have abused their au.
thority seek to cover up the outrages
which they have inflicted on a confding
people. 1t is as old, too, as crime in high
places, or the principles Of base cupility
in the heart Of man. The Phari,e,s Of Jeru
salem over their boarded gains, the kings
OF Babylon, on their couchcs Of gold, Al
eXandor at his gorgeous banqucts, the Sui
tan in the midst of his soft dalliancies of
Expensive love, corrupt, efleminate Roman
senator's in their villas of marble magnif
cence, the Bourbons of France surround
ed by the splenlorS of the Tuilleries, the
Stuarts of England clinging to their max
inns Of kingcraft, lustful tyrants, debauch
ed princes, aad dishonest statesmen of all
ages and every cline have all talked wise
ly and profoundly of the sweets and com
forts which flow to the people from that
fountain of bitter waters-a great pu6kic
aeJ:. lGthey can convince the people that
this monstrous heresy is right, then all
check and restraint on extravaganza and
wastoful indulgence at once are with
drawn, and avarice and corruption are
left free to prey with unbridled license on
the substance of the nation. 1t is alarm
ing. sir, that this fatal doctrine is found
creeping into the debates Of the American
Congress. Has it come to this? Has
this great nation, SO famed for its wealth
and pecuniary responsibility, been driven
so soon to seek rutugc in the mischievous
principle that it is a national benefit to
be sunk in indebtedness? 1t becomes the
people, before it is too late, to arouse
themselves against this balelul dogma of
dcspotism, and prove to the world that
they are worthy Of the freedom which they
as yet possess. Let them seek wisdom
and warning on this vital subject in the
teachings Of that great founder of Amer
lean Democracy, Thoms Jefferson. Dis
cussing this question, in 1913, he said
"At the time we were funding our national
debt we heard much about "a public debt being
a public bcssing;' that the stock representing it
was creation of active capital for the ailmcnt
of commerce, manuia ctures, aud aSriculture.-
This paradox was well adapted TO the minds of
believers in dreams and the gulls of that size en-,
tered bona ,tide into it,
ave are warranted, then, in affirming that this
parody on the principle of public debt being a
public blessing and its mutation into the blessings
of private instead of public debts, is ridiculous
as the original principle itself"
And again, in letter to Albert Gal
latin, this profound statesman and po-
litical philosopher says:
"But if the debt should once more be swecd
disparcd of, and we shall be committed to the
English career of debt, corruption, rottenness,
closing with revolution. The discharge of the
debt, therefore, is vital to the destinies of our
Government and it hangs on Mr.. Madison and
yourself alone"
But, sir, am well aware that will be
met here by the familiar cry that these
terrible expenditures are necessary to
maintain the eXistance of the Government
and to carry on the war in which we are
engaged. To this assertion / return a
plain and explicite denial. From what
ever quarter it comes, whether from high
places or low places, it is not true. The
public debt up to this hour, and to the
extent of its fearful proportions, has not
been the work of national necessity, nor
the creation Of honest hands. The Mex
lean War, though foreign and distant
one, in which we paid the soldier sub
stantially the same that we pay him now,
cost this Government, under the wise and
honest administration of james X. Polk,
in proportion to the numbers engaged
man for man-but little more than one
fourth the amount now being expended on
a war waged at our very door-steps. OF
course, do not deny that heavy expenses
have been properly incurred; but that
frauds and crime in their darkest hues have
swollen to an overwhelming amount the
pecuniary liabilities of the people, / stand