Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1863-01-22
THE COST OF PEACE.

Ehe state of tho Public NIind-COn.
| alterations OF SelE-InIereRt thn1
lug Sh5 n TO weigh with every Re1leC-
There is a wavering in the public will ms
10 the war, resulting from disaster in field
anu coGtusi0n in council. But there are
many strong reasons why it cannot be civ.
en- up and must not be given up, aud must
De continued until there is no more forcible
resistance to the government We cannot
afford to let it end sooner ANY other con,
ctusion than that by the decisive triumph
ing over rebellion will be too extensive for
us. There is common impression contra
ry to this, that the war is too costly to be
prolonged. 1t will not appear so after the
careful consideration which an American
cltlzen should choose to give the affairs of
the republic in times like the present.
II was the plan of the Union that there
should be one ruling power upon this con-
tinent. There was not to be another beside
1t strong enough to awaken jealousy, or 10
create a necessity for the keeping up of
great ornaments in time of peace. 1t was
not, indeed, proposed to secure this single
supremacy by Ovcrrunniug its ADJACENT
countries to the lsthmus aud the Northern
ocean; nor by hindering the growth or the
prosperity of the populations that occupy
these neighboring districts. 1t would not
have been necessary. The divisions of the
SOIL had given US power. The land we
!iYcu on was an Inheritance itself of empire.
we need TO do no more than to occupy and
MI up our wide central territory. Domin-
ion would have fallen upon US with the
rains on our hills aud prairies; and the
same united and growing strength that gave
US security at home would have insured
us peace abroad, With the sea between
us, there would have been nothing to fear
from the warlike nations of Europe. TIE
occasions of hostility with them were like
~ TO DC few; the resources for meeting it
were sure to be abundant
Itis too soon for. all this to have the
sound of the past. We cannot afford to let
it slip away from US yet. Il is not prudent
Tor US, If economy is all We think Of If
our Union is left to break up, even if it
holds in two fragments, and there is no
other divisions than the one now threaten
Cd: we Shall never again enjoy such secu-
rlty There will be rival nation Mt our
doors. The long and open frontier between
US will require to be hedged with fortresses
and guarded by great movable armies.-
We shall need to keep watch upon the
North too, as we'll ms upon the South. The
Canada that we have had no fear of hitler
to, even with the distant power of England
behind her, will approach moro nearly to
be our equal. We shall hold but a narrow
belt Of land, with formidable foreign pow
! crs on either side. From these opposite
boundaries, invading armies might meet
after few days march, on the centre of
onr soil, rim the streets of our captured
cities. The dangers from European in
/ trigue will also DC multiplied many fold.
1t will be necessary to hold ourselves in
continual readiness for war. Preparations
on the most gigantic scale, by sea and land,
will go on without intermission year by
year. Thetcost of these will be scarcely
less than that of actual war.
Can any one fail to see what will be tic
effect upon taxation? Our burdens will
be far moro oppressive than any war debt
/. is likely to make them. There are abund.
ant reasons for BELIEVING that the present
contest might be successfully ended by a
determined cXcrlion for two or three years
more at furthcst. That is the chenrcs
mode. We should thCu have the prospect
again OF permanent peace. And though
onF army and navy will doubtless continue
for time much larger than they formerly
were, yet they will be small compared with
those which the divided States would keep
We shall have one load to carry, but MOI
these last that exhaust n nation. A mar
Gun hope TO clear off single great debt, il
he bus IL thrifty business, and prudent
family, but daily Extravaganza will be npt
to ruin him, even it he had q fortune al the
hrst. There5 is the same economy in public
finances. 1t is the continually recurring
i perpetual outlays that we ought most tc
avoid. The vast debt of England would be nc
great burden to that nation, if its resources
were not drawn upon by an cnormou
Vyearly expenditure. ID That which sound
economy requires of us now is that. VIC
Ipush our way, out into broad and assllr.
ed peace, cost yhstit may Cheapness is
what we wan. We must cut road to i,
With the sword. A solid triumph over.th
rebellion once gained, and we can unhar.
ness our forces from war and turn them
again to the labors that give wealth. Free.
dom to do this is what We need. No debt
can make us poor if this is secured. The
4 weight will come on the strong, undivided
land that our timely outlay has saved
\ The colossal arm that will then be lifted foI
labor. will shake it of, as workman does
the dust from his sleeve. Only We mus
let that labor go out into the fields free
and without the weapons OF war fastened
upon all its joints. Z ssi
N The present condition of the nations nj
4 Europe shows us what the evil is, nd
teaches US what We must not become: They
1nre poor because so many able bodied meg
J are kept ready tor war in time Of peace
One man learns to fight in 6rderithat an.
other may labor IN safety and the Other
works to pay him that isready to. .Tbf
armies of Europe are almost as large ir
Peace4 assi in war; The warning in tha,
sentence comes toius in. the voice of those
\ many nations: All that evil will be oniuI