The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1863-03-10
I CONTINUED FROM FIRST PAGE

from 0allO1al RESOURCES iaE INieIiOi ~
our own. Ii should not be forgotten,
also, that they represent the money price
of Ensland's independence, and if ours
is secured by a far greater outlay, we
certainly are not disposed TO quarrel with
the wisdom of the investment y
Taking the three years before the issu
ing of the Orders in Council, and the
vigorous enforcement of the Continental
system, which were coincident in point
of time with the commencement of the
Spanish war. the average annual exports
sank from ffty-seven millions to twenty
three millions, taking the average Of
three years after they had been in opera
ton. Taxes were laid on at most
burdensome rate. The income tax was
ten per cent, and besides, specific war
taxes, amounting to more than twenty
millions year. were imposed. Not
outstanding all these taxes, the debt in
creased more than one thousand millions
OF dollars during the Peninsular war.
Discomfort and violence among the
laboring classes became universal, and
il was remarked that the achievement Of
the greatest victories in Spain was cele-
brated in England "amidst population
who had been prevented by the burden
oftayation on the absolute necessarles OF
life from securing livelihood by the
strictest industry, and thus pauperlsm
had been generated throug bout the land,
a pauperism aggravated by spirit of
piIace, which it required strong mill
tarv force TO repress." Bankruptcy and
ruin fell upon the trading classes, and
absolute exhaustion Of the resources of
the country seemed almost reached.
The public Stocks had sunk to such
degree that the three per cents, which
are now always above 90'Ter cent, were
rarely higher during the war than 65
per cent, and so depressed at last had
the public credit become, that tie last
loan of the Continental war, that of April,
1915, was taken by The contractor at So
per cent. and paid for in the deprecated
paper of the day and yet the Chancellor
of the Exchequer was congratulated
even by the opposition for having made
good operation" The Bank was in
state of chronic suspension, the buying
and selling of gold were prohibited to
the public under severe penalties, and
vet every gold guinea which was sent
by the Government to the army IN SPAN
land nothing else would answer the pur-
pose OF money in that country cost
thirty per cent. premium. How Eng
land survived all this complication OF
troubles is one of The marvels of history
but il is mol our purpose TO discuss that
question. The great fact that the money
required was somehow raised is all that
we have to do with at present When
we have been at war for twenty years,
and are forced, in order to raise the
means Of carrying it on, TO submit TO one
1.-THE Of the sacrifices which were endnr
ed BY the English, we may then perhaps
begin seriously to consider the money
value of the Union.
The lesson which this review of the
progress of the Peninsuar war teaches,
is, it seems TO us, one of hope and en-
couragement, for it shows anything, 1t
proves clearly that in the support ofpub-
lie opinion, and in the means requisite to
maintain a great army, those fundament-
al essentials of real military success, our
Government is UNNECESSARILY stronger
than the English ever was at any period
of the war. 1t teaches also another inn
portant lesson, and that is, that there is
such thing as public opinion falsely so
called which is noisy just in proportion
as its real influence is narrow and re-
stricted. One of the most difficult and
delicate tasks Of the statesman is to dis
tinguish the true from this false opinion,
the factious demagogue from the grumb
ling but sincere patriot and to recognize
with ready instinct the voice which
comes from the depths of the great heart
Of the people, in warning it may be
sometimes. in encouragement often, but
always echoing its abiding faith in the
ultimate triumph Of the good cause.
One of the most cruel statements
which party rancor has circulated in
regard 10 the condition Of the Amy is,
that the rate of sickness and mortality is
excessive, and that this is due 10 the
neglect of the Government. Fortunate
" we have the means Of showing that
these statements are false. From June
/, 1861, to March /, l862-nine months
the annual rate Of mortality for the
whole army is ascerlained to be 53 in a
thousand, and the sickness rate 104 in a
thousand. The returns for the summer
campaigns are not yet printed, but it will
appear from them, that in the army Of
the Potomac on the 10th of June. after
the battle of Fair Oaks, and while the
army was encamped on the Chickahom
inv, the whole number of sick, present
and absent. compared with the whole
force Of that army, present and absent
was 1913 in a thousand. During the
stay of the army on the Peninsula il lost
less than $4,000 men by death, from
disease and wounds. and the annual sick
ness rate during the campaign was about
that which has for some time prevailed
in the whole army less than ten per
cent. of the whole force. 1t appears,
strange 10 say, that the army was more
healthy when in the trenches before
Yorktown, than at any other period OF
the campaign. Compare this with the
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