Brownlow's Knoxville Whig, and rebel ventilator. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1863-1866, 1866-01-10
The Great Borrowers,

The great business Of the world Just now
appears to be that of borrowing money
Not TO mention private enterprise, which
was never more clamorous for the use Of
capital than at present, nor the large pro-
Jects which corporations are labOring to push
forward, all the governments have also rush
ed into the money market, and blessed is he
who has somewhat to lend, and can get
good security for it. The United States
stands before US as the great borrower
though let US rejoice in the prospect that
this title will soon be exchanged for the
more pleasing one of the great payer
Then the Irish Republic is anxious to
borrow trifing sum of a few milIions-or
perhaps beg is the better word,-and the
Mexican Republic is not behindhand with
It's offer Of sixteen per cent in gold, on any
amount Of security which is one day or an
other to be in its hands. And the other
side Of the Mexican fracas is represented
also, for the story goes that Mrs. MaximiI-
ian las sent her diamonds over to Paris
ostensibly to be repaired, you know, but
really to be exchanged for paste and held
as pledges for the repayment Of the little
sum Of pin-moncy that IS needed for the
brief delectatiOn Of the Empress Of the
MOntezumas.
What they want in South America can t
be told, but as they have always been beg
glng tor something, we may be sure they
are not behind hand in the present race
Crossing the Atlantic we find Austria chuck
ling over 4 new loan of fifty millions, at
nine per cent. and with no prospect of ever
paying 1t; Italy spending more money as
one kingdom than she did as any number OF
Kingdoms, and wanting sixty millions or SO
Spain getting ready for an expensive and
rulnous war upon Chill, and about to issue
paper money by the ton because nobody
will lend her red; Turkey in for thirty
millions at real rate Of ten per cent; and
even the Pope clamoring for ten millions.
on mortgage Of ecclesiastical property
This not to mention Great Britain, where
the demands for government subsidies are
reported to be beyond all precedent; nor
France, where the finances are blue, but
where they manage these matters in queer
ways, known only TO themselves; nor Rus |
sla, which IS just getting ready for the mar
ket; nor the hundreds Of other kingdoms, |
empires, duchics, and other realms of starv- |
ing pOtentateS, who all want money and |
don know where to get it. Everywhere |
everybody is getting into debt, and in the |
realm of faith alone can be found the assu-
rance that there will ever be any getting |
out OF it.
The moral of all is (exccpting in the Uni !
ted States, which wore a shining exception |
before the unhappy war; that the science |
and practice Of government is growing |
more instead of less expensive every day. |
And wherever government has been kept |
up tor ornament or amusement, or for the |
especial aggrandizcment Of a circle Of aris- |
-ocratic families rather than for the direct |
benefit OF the mass of governed, there the |
expenses have increased in the greatest |
ratio. Behold bow the naughty, egotistic, |
uss-and feathers dynasties of Europe are /
sinking deeper and deeper each year in the
rbyss Of financial ruin. The world in gen
,ral, and their own peoples, are growing in
wealth, taxes are everywhere greater, but
he inevitable accumulation Of annual ex-
Dense goes on and will never stop till the
often systems tumble to the ground and
make way for purer institutions. In our
'wn country we shall have glorious op-
Of showing how free people,
living under simple republican institutions,
an make its expenditures keep in the rear
# its &ccumulations Of wealth, and how in
addition to this the weight Of great noun
ain Of debt can be rolled off. If we may
rust our past history, and the present tenn
Der Of the thinking masses of our people,
he opportunity will not be thrown away.
-N0rlgich, Comm Courier.