The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1864-02-05


us, would have united to destroy our
beautiful fabric Of civil liberty. The
government which dealt with ell good
citizens so kindly and equity that no
one in thousand felt its touch be-
yond the weight Of feather, would
have been subverted; and who can
tell under what iron rule we might
have fallen for n time, or how many
years of bloody strife would have
elapsed before that civil liberty, which
ensures the greatest good TO the great.
est number, would have been estab.
lished But the wave of destruction
is met--nay hurled back upon the en-
emies who sought our ruin. We yet
dwell IN safety Your property is Sc
cure. You still gather your annual
income, protected in all your rights
ana privileges blythe national arm.
And what does this nation aseeea You
MS your share in the cost of this Sc
curity? Half your property? No
not farthing of that property
"Just forty-three dollars and twenty
one cents" Pardon me for saving il,
friend Growler, but l ain moro than
half ashamed of you"
"And seeing how you put the case,
] am more than halt ashamed OF N.Y.
self" he answered frankly. "Whv,
taking your view, this is about the
cheapest investment l have ever
made"
"You certainly get more for your
money than in any other line of ex-
penditure. Yesterday / had letter
from an old friend living in the neigh
borhood Of Carlisle. The rebels took
from him six fine horses, worth 5000
apiece; six cows and oxen; and over
200 bushels of grain. And, not con.
to ( with nlupderinG him, they burnt
down barn that cost him near S2uuv.
But for the army raised and equipped
by the nation, in support of which you
and l are taxed SO lightly, we might
have suffered as severely. How
much do you suppose it costs in mo-
ncy for the protection we have enjoy.
ed in this particular instance?'
"A million of dollars, perhaps"
"Nearer ten million of dollars -
From the time our army left the Rap.
pahanock, until the battle OF Gettys.
burg, its cost to the Government co q
scarcely have been less than the sum
| hare mentioned. OF this sum your
proportion cannot he more than four
dollars; and for that life, your prop.
erty, may be your life, was prcserv-
cd"
NO more, if yon please" said
Growler, showing some annoyance.
You are running this thing into the
ground. / own up, square. was
quarrcling with my best friend
was striking at the hand that gave me
protection. Ifmy war tax should bc
hundred dollars instead of forty
three, l would pay it without mur.
mur."
do MT say without q murmur,
friend Growler."
"What then?'
"Say gladly, as a means Of scfety."
Put it as YOU will" he answered
folding up Collector Riley's receipt
which lie still held in his hand, and
bowed himself ont.
Not many days afterwards. 7 hap.
pened to hear some one grumhling il
my neighbor's presence about his in.
come tax. Growler scarcely waitef
to hear him through. Mylesson was
Improved on his hands. In sienif
cant phrase, he ''pitched into" the of
fender, and read him a lecture 8,
much stronger than mine, that I Eel
myself thrown quite into the shade.
"Iou have been assessed fifty cigA
dollars" he said, in his excited way
"itty- eight dollars! One wo'd thinl
from the noise you make about it, tina
you had been robbed of half YOU
worth. Fifty eight dollars for secur
ily at home and protection abroad!--
Fifty-cisht dollars as Your share il
the cost of defense against an enemy
that, if unopposed will desolatc Won
homes and destroy yonr government
Already it has cost the nation, 70
your safety and mine, over a thons
and million dollars! and YOU arc IN
CRY because it asks your little part c
the expense. Sir, you are not wol
thy the name of an American citi
Zen!"
That's hard talk Growlcr, and
won't bear it," said the other.
"It's trne talk, and you will hav
= TO bear il" was rctorted. "Fretlin
over the mean little sum of fifty. eigl
dollars? Why, sir. know a ma
who has given his right arm in thi
cause; and another who has given hi
RIGHT leg, Do they grumhle? NJ
( sir! Never word of complaint frol
l their lips. Thousands and tens {
= thousands have given M their live
: that you and / may dwell in safety
= I know mothers who have given the
sons, and wives who have given the
: husbands--sons and husbands VII
n will never more return! They al
s with the dead, Sir, you are dishor
c oring yourself in the eyes of all me-
$ A grnmbler over the paltry war ia,
7 for shame!"
= turned off, saying in my thought
u $50 much good done! My reclaim
. ed sinner has become preacher
Z righteousness"