Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-08-29
oUK NATIONAL BLESSING:

One of the main arguments urged for
the overthrow of the administration of
John Quincy Adams was because it re-
quired an unusual expenditure of thirteen
millions of dollars. This was in 1928
Twenty years after, bill TO authorize
ban of sixteen millions of dollars to pros
ecute the Mexican war was debated in the
House of Representatives for six weeks.
Fifteen years after, in 1868, the House
under the previous question passed mil
itary bill sppropriating for the current
year eight hundred millions OF dollars.
Now, when the government is at peace
with all the world, and when the popula-
lion Is less than four times as numerous
as it was in Mr.. Adams day, the Grant
administration expends nearly four hun
bred millions a year, and the country
groans and sweats under national debt
of twenty-five hundred millions. In ad-
dition we have the debts of the States,
counties and cities of the Union far
exceeding in the aggregate one thousand
million of dollars. And yet if the state
ments of the Radical speakers and press
be true, Mr.. Boutwell, will soon pay us
out of debt, if the people will only re-
elect Gen. Grant for another term. This
sounds very well, but can we do more
than any other people ever Accomplishment
The debt, including the State, county,
corporation, municipal and national, &C
cumulated during from 1861 to this date,
is greater than the bonded debts of the
whole civilized world that have been con-
tracted in any fifty years of the worlds
history. We have not yet found, in any
form of publication, an attempt to collate
these facts for the benefit of those who
should understand our financial condition.
We do not pretend to say that there
was not much of this debt that was
properly contracted and properly ex-
pended, but that there was much that
was villaiuous in the contracting ard ex-
penditure of the remain Ter there is no
doubt.
The fnancier who predicts speedy
payment of this debt is simply block
head. The groans and cries of over
taxed America will be as deep in 1871 as
it is in 1871. No Copperhead of the past
was half as bitter as will be the Copper
head of fifty or hundred years hence,
when the full force of This great villainy
will have crushed out the energy of two
or three generations. Like ireland, after
eight hundred years of bondage, we shall
have begun to feel the wretchedness of
our condition. There is no hope for
this country except in years of toll, years
of unceasing labor to overcome the folly
and corruption of the past. We are in
debt, woefally indebt nationally, munich
paly, corporately and individually in debt,
and nothing but the productive element
of our population can liquidate its untold
millions. Radical taxation and oppres-
sion, by which the monthly statements of
of the national debt fill the columns of the
Radical newspapers to satisfy the demands
OF an oppressed nation will not pay it.
The whole country is groaning under a
mighty insolvency-not the national gov
eminent alone-but forty millions of peo-
pie, who alone by their productive indus
try can wipe it away from our course of
prosperity. No legislation at Washing
ton, except that by which the people can
be legislated into productive industry, will
deliver us from bondage.