The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1864-01-06
GROwLER's IvcoME rAx.

q aud wicked; the work OF politicians Thi
fighting OF brother against brother was a terri
bic thing in bis eyes If YOU asked him who be
= gan the war who strsck at the nations life
D ii ef-deience we're not a duty s-he would re
, ply with vague generalties, made up OF partizan
D tricky sentences, which be bad learned sthou
: comprehending their just significance.
Growler came in upon NE the other dav
hourishing square piece OF blue writing psper
quite moved from his equanimity.
: " There 1t Is Just 50 much robbery! Stand
and deliver IS the word. Pistols and bavonets
Your money or your life -
took the paper from his hand and read
Philadelphia. sept ls6s
RICHARD GRowLER, Esq
Or 20 joan " riley
Collector of Internal Revenue FOR the Fourth Dstric,
OF Pennsylvania. once, -, Chestnut street For
Tax on Income for the wear 1852 as per retur made ~
'he assessor assessor oi the district sIs =
JOHN ". RILEY Collector
you're all right" said smiling.
I'd like to know what you mean by all
rightly Growler was just a little oheuded at
my way Of treating this serious matter-serious
in bis eyes, | mean. I've been robbed of
forty dollars and twenty-onc cents" he
continued. /" Do you say that is all rights A
mInion OF the Government has put his hand into
my pocket and taken just so much Of NY prop
10y. Il sha' oil -'shts1
The same thing may be set forth in very
different language" | replied Let me state
the case"
Very wen-state it, said Growler, dumping
himself into a chair, and looking as ill-humored
as possible.
Instead of being robbed" said !, you have
been protected in your property and person,
and guaranteed all the high privileges OF citizen
ship for the paltry sum OF forty-three dollars and
twenty-one cents, as your share OF the cost of
protection
"Oh, that's only your way OF putting the
case" reto' ted Grower, dropping a little from
bis high tone OF indignation.
. Let me be more particular in putting the
case. Your income Is from the rent OF prop
erty?"
"Yes."
WI hat would il have cost you to defend that
property from the army of Gen Lee, recently
driven from our State by national soldiers ?"
"Cost me :" Grosler looked al me in
kind of maze, as though be thought me half in
jest
Exactly What would it have cost YOU
Lee, If unOppOsed, would certainly have reached
this city, and held it and if your property had
been OF use TO him, or any Of his officers. it
would have been appropriated without so much
as saying-By your leave sir Would fortv-
three dollars aud twenty one cents have covered
the danageg Perhaps not Possibly you
might have lost from one half 20 two thirds Of
all YOU are worth"
Grower was a trae bewiIiered at this way Of
putting the case. He looked puzzled
"fou have q store on South Tharves?' said l.
"Yesn
"What has kept the AlaJarga or the Flori-
da from running up the Delaware and burning
the whole city irontg Do you have forts aud
ships OF war for the protection of vOur property
II not, who provides them They are provided
and you are safe What is your share of the
expense for a whOls year? just forty-three
dollars and twenty-one cents It sounds like a
jestf"
Growler did not a sEer. so kept on
81 But for our immense armies in the field. and
navy on the water this rebellion would have
succeeded. What thea Have vou ever pou-
dered the future OF this country in such an
eEGsnt eGt I. H@ye E vy yoq O. thought OF your own posi-
long do you think we would be at peace with
England or France, if the nation were dismem-
bered, and hostile Confederation established
on our Southern bOrderg Would our war taxes
be less than now? Would life and property be
more secure: Have not you an interest in our
great army and navy, II vel as | and every
other member OF the Union? Does not your
safety as well as mine lie in their existence
Are they not, at this very time, the couserva-
tors of everything We hold dear "a men and cti.
Eens. Who equips and pays this army ? Where
do the enormous sums OF money come from
Ii is the nations wOrk-the people aggregated
into power and munifcence, and so irresistible
in might-unconq Have you no heart I
swellnga OF pride in this magnificent exhibition /
of will and strength No part in the nations
glorys No eager helping (hand to stretch /
forth ~
Growler was silent still
There was no power in you or me to check 4
the war of destruction that was launched bv
fratrlcdsl hands againss u. II unresisted by
the nation, as an aggregate power, It would have
swept in desOlatiOn over the whole land. Trait I
ors in our midst, and traitors moving in arms
against Us, would have united TO destroy our
beautiful fabric OF civil liberty. The government
which dealt with all good citizens 50 kindly and 4
gently that not one in thousand felt its touch .
beyond the weight OF a feather, would have
been subverted and who can tell under what
iron rule We might have falen for time, or
how many years o. bloody strife would have
elapsed before that civil liberty which ensures
the greatest good 10 the greatest number, would
have been again establishes But the wave of
destruction was met-nay, hurled back upon the I
enemies who sought our ruin. We yet dwell in .
safety. Your property Is secure. You still
gather your annual income, protected n all your
rights and privileges by the national arm. And
what does the nation assess 20 you as your
share in the cost Of this security: Half your
property? SO-nOt farthing OF that property. '
Only small percentage Of your income from
that property. " just forty.three dollars and
twenty-one cents" Pardon me for saving il.
friend Growler, but am more than nalf ashamed
Of you.
And seeing how you put the case, l am
more than half ashamed OF myself he answered
frankly. why, taking your view, this is about
the cheapest investment l ever made"
You certainly get more for your money than
in any other line of expenditure. Yesterday
had letter from sn old friend living in the
neighborhoOd of Carlisle The rebels took from
him six fine horses, worth two hundred dollars
apiece; six COWS and oxen and over tEo hun
dred bushels of grain. And, not content With
plundering him they burnt down bsr1. which
cost him nearly two thousand dollars. But for
the army raised and equipped 5y the nation il
support OF which Won and | are taxed 50 lightly.
We might have suffered 81 severely. How
much do you think It costs in money tor the
protection we have enjoyed IN this particular in
stsnce.