Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1874-05-11
NINE YEARS AFTER THE WAR.

nave not eApeuueu tueuSeiNtSs du1 al
no time since 1865. has the prospect
been less pleasing than at present. 1t
seemed when We were rejoicing at the
Of the war, and when no
immediate business misfortune overlook
rs. that we were safe from further harm.
But the five billion dollars. more or less,
that had been expended by the country
to carry on the fratricidal contest, could
not be lost to nation without serious
In the South, those who
were rich but few years before, were
poor their country had been devastated ;
society had been broken up those who
had directed in state and in business
council were dead or dishea-tened ; and
there was political hatred and rank
ling among the whites and negrnes that
was destined to create much harm. But
the North was in much better circum-
stances, and the returned soldier found
employment for his hands and invest
ment for his capital at once. The ener-
gies that had been taxed to furnish war
material and war supplies, were turned
at once into peaceful pursuits, and fac
tories and workshops resounded with
the sound of the loom and hammer. in
making material to fill up our depleted
storehouses. and households with the i'm
plements Of peace. Out upon the prai-
ries. across the plains and over noun
tains, long lines Of railroad were stretch
ed; the miner was in the ore-bed.
and the workman at the rolling mill and
forge. handled the huge bars of iron as
they we're beng rolled into rails and
wrought for d thousand uses the far
mer was busy in feeding the thousands
who worked in the mills and at the an
VII and the mechanic could not build
a. fast as the demand for factories and
houses arose. The Spectator took al.
vantage Of the times and filed his cot
ters with the nations currency as it
went from hand to hand stockholders
filed the country. and almost the world,
with stocks and bonds, both worthless
and valuable, and those who held this
kind Of property felt secure in receiving
dividends and profits from year to year
Gamblers, thieves and corrupt politician:
cTept out from their Shiny retreats, abe
swallowed and Stayed at will, while cor
ruption, recklessness and extravaganza
had more than Kept pace with our ap
parent prosperity. But the crisis wa.
impending. and the inflated bubble wa.
came and We began to look around amic
the ruins for the causes that produce,
It. 1t was discovered that the expense
OF government were enormous that VI
were greatly in debt to foreign countrie
Tor bonds sold, and for the excess of on
imports over our exports the currenc,
OF the country that only few years az
hoated In the northern and wester
states. had been scattered over the Who'll
country the surplus that had once bee
IN our pockets, had been expended 70
the luxuries and extravagances of life
and just at that unfortunate time wbe
great men and great financial institu
tons were suspendlng, we found ou,
selves as individuals, decidedly short
"hen our manufacturers began to exam
Inc future prospects, they discoyere
that the country was oyer.stocked wit
the articles they had produced. and tn,
Tor some time the demand would be lipb
The planter in the South and the IA,
mer on the prairie, counted over h
money and found that he had nothip
10 send away for the goods, the furu
ture or the machinery made in the Eas
The iron producer saw that few RAJ;
were being laid, and discharged h
workmen the farmer in New Englau
found that the manufacturing cities WEI
buying less and demanding reduced Or
ces and so from one end of the count,
to the other, there was stagnation
business and a money stringency.
We ought to have been wise enoup
at the close of the war. to have seen tn:
the most rigid national and lndividu,
economy, and the most resolute effor
OF all we're needed to overcome the ev,
and the losses of the war. But we al
not act on these principles The Anne
lean eagle took high fight. and four
after few years Of prosperous sailir
that 1t must come down; its sava,
flight with the southern vulture had ru
fed its plumage and stripped it of j
gay feathers. We have no gloomy for
bodings for the future. but the misso
tunes Of the war must be encounters
and overcome we must pay. sooner
later the great expenses Oecasioned |
1t, and in order to do this must be co.
tent with the ordinary comforts of IF
and with those emplOyments which Or
cure slow but sure rewards. Then Wi
the advantages Of American energy an
Americas privileges. we can enter aga
upon a career of prosperity.
THE CARLISTS DEFEATED.
The Carlists have been defeated a,
driven from Bilboa, with loss Of am
and prisoners. and the government
MAN = IL 4