The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1867-09-06
The Burthens Imposed by the Rebellion.

There are men now living, (says the
Washington Chrpnieic) who can rrmeml'er
the terrible outcry raised by the Democratic
party against the administration OF John
Quincy Adams for cSirnvagance. when the
expenditure Of the Government was some
thirteen millions Of dollars per annum.-
Those expenditures did not decrease under
the succeeding administrations Of Jackson
and Van Burcn. and the outcry Of eNtrnva
rancc was revived very violently by the
Wing party against the latter, who was
charged will, spending the Government
money for "gold spoons" aud other Hristo-
cratic appliances. The administrations that
followed. down to the breaking ont OF the
rebellion, were necessarily more expensive
M the Mexican war intrrvcned, AMI large
acquisitions Of territory on the Pacific IN
creased the jurisdiction of the Government.
There was a reasonable increase Ofexpentii.
ture 10 be accounted for in this way; b'i, the
spirit of extrvagance grew upon the co'ln-
try, and a redundant revenue without in
debteiness afforded The parties In power
ample means for corruption. As the DEM
ocra,ic party had the power in Congress,
even when It failed in securing the Presi.
dent, il used its influence and the means OF
the country with u lavish hand, and cor
r,pted the only two administrations the
Wing party electcd-that 0f Tyler absol'l.
tely, and that Of Fillmore partially. Alter
having secured through the latter The otien-
sive Fugitive Slave Law. i ungratef''lly
refused 10 recognize his claim, to the Sue
cession, and organized each subsequent nd.
ministralion with the direct purpose Of re-
bellion. The nomination of poor Pierce
was an astounding circumstance to the ,'n'
initiated, when such man as Cass, douglas,
Dallas, Benton, Buchanan, and other lum-
inaries were spoken Of; but its true mean
ing was revealed when jefferson Davis,
who had just failed in Mississippi as So.
ccssion candidate for Governor, was appOln.
ted Secretary Of War. The cold public
functionnry" having been sent to England.
resolved upon higher bid for Southern Ia.
vor. 20 he issued tho Ostend manifesto
looking to the iorcblc annexation OF Cuba
and other slave territory, while poor Pierce
was driven by public opinion to disco,lnte.
nnnce the filbusiering schemes Of WIN.
Walker. organized for the same purpose.
Buchannn's bid, and his hearty acceptance
of the Cincinnati platform, by which he
professcd to embody in himself the cardinal
principles OF his party, secured him the
Presidency md the expenditures OF the
Government, through the reckless exiraya.
gnnce of his administration, increased be.
yond precedent. Tie money Of the United
States wns being s'luan,lered TO fill the ar
senals and forts Of the South, and the al,
ministralion became a cover for traitors AMI
thieves. The Treasury was depleted. and
the Government had to borrow money.
This so DESTROYED The credit Of the country
that upon miserable loan Of five millions
of dollars heavy discount had to he al
lowed, and Howell Cobb, having served the
Secession movement to the best Of his abil.
ily, Phillip r. Thomas, Of Maryland, was
put in to continue the work. Notwlth.
standing the recklessness and corruption OF
the Pierce and buchanan administrations,
the country was so prosperous up to the
breaking out OF The rebellion that the Gov
ern,nent was mainly supported 10y import
duties, which were hardly felt; which new
or came home directly to the people, added
slightly to the cost Of articles of luxury,
nnd conferred great good on the nation
by incidentally protecting certain branches
of domestic industry.
Never In the history Of the United States
were the blessings Of the Union so manifest
in the material prosperity Of the country as
in the year of South Carolina's secession.
The crops were plentiful, arts, commerce,
manufactures, and agricultural were remu.
neratiye, and yet everything was cheap.
This was the effect of plenty without taxa
ton. So fruitful were the fields OF the
West that corn was used for fuel. Our
commerce whitened every sea. IN every
city houses were building for the prosper.
olls working men, and palaces for the rich.
No taxes were levied OIL the necessities OF
liGe-lhe work of mems hands, the products
Of their looms. their work. shops, manufac.
tories and farms. "The blessings OF the
Government like The dews Of heaven, fell
alike upon the rich and the poor. Inter
nal revenue taxes. with their manifold an.
noyances, their hands Of spies and inform.
crs, their seizures and snles, their rings OF
corr,ipt officials aud licensed breakers of the
law, were unknown throughout the land.
Yet in sheer wantonncss, nnpelled by a
dcyilisl ambition and an Unsuitable lust of
power, men who had iailcned upon the full
nurse of the Goycrnnient-who owed to
the Union their education, their living and
their fame--rcvolled and tried TO strike
down the fair fabric erected by our fathers.
For their sin millions Of innocenis have
suffered. Their foul deeds have filled
the land with mourning, and burdcned II
with debt. Every lcurlI is vacant, aud
the voice of some loved son, brother, hus.
hand or father is missed in every house
hold. Opposite The national capital, the
heights OF Arlington, once the home OF n
soldier who owed life. education, and many
personal honors to the United States. is
now the graveyard of thousands OF slaugh-
tered patriols whom il was his duty TO have
led to victory. Better Ear would II have
have been to have found grave before or
with them, than TO linger on to dishonor.
ed death, and 20 down TO history, as he as.
suredly will, an Infamous and pu1ured
trnitor. Yes. Robert T.. Leo and Jefferson
Davis, with their cohorts of treason, are re-
sponsil,le for the death OF the brave, the
misery Of the wounded, the harder late OF
door WOtTttl "bS '''S W.
n wre,chcd existence, and tho terrible bur.
thens of taxation nee ssarily imposed upon
tho labor of the country to save the coun
ty's life.
fron,ery in our time, lnt that which sur
passes our observation is the impudent at
tempt Of the Democratic journals TO nrraign
the Republican party for the taxation Of the
country. The ioar mad. Tie tarafon-the
Democratic party made heu um. All the con.
,rast that the remembnnce OF the past
creates besides the unhappy present 10 due
TO the Democratic party, which having lost
control Of one branch Of Government de.
termined to destroy il nther than wait their
chances OF s,lccess.
To the Democracy we owe it that when
we arise in the morning we wash ourselves
will taxed soap, wipe on taxed towels.
smooth our hnir with taxed combs and
brushes, put on taxed clothes, and button
nm with taxed buttons. wcshould remem-
u -, ,.,,, drink nur IN red c0tlee sWeet