Year: 1868

We cannot too highly commend the following
from the Chicago Tribune, of September 4th.
Such facts as given are of a startling character


They ought to be brought home to the consider
ation OF every thinking person in the country.


We ask perusal of the article below, and then
a righteous judgment in the case


Debt and taxation is the hobby which the
Copperhead demagogues hope to ride into power.
They are greatly concerned lest the people
should forget how ''oppressively" the national
debt bears upon them. They roll the figures
representing it like sweet morsel, under their
tongues. They groan and anguish with we'll
feigned dissimulation, over the taxation neces-
sary to pay interest on the debt and predict
speedy bankruptcy and disaster, unless the in
terest be stopped and the principal paid off in r
redeemabfe orders the treasury. Unless the
aforesaid demagogues can impose on the under
standing eff the people, and cause them to believe
the lies and deceptions which they are dissem-
mating in regard to the debt and taxes, they
have no chance whatever to carry single North
ern State for Seymour and Blair, and they well
know it.


We have shown, in former article, that the
share of debt falling to each head of population
is decreasing at the annual rate of three per
cent. compounded. Three years ago the popula-
ton of the United States was about thirty
millions, and the debt was then, in round num-
bers, twenty-seven hundred and sixty millions,
making eighty-one dollars to each inhabitant.
The population is now thirty-seven millions and
the debt two thousand five hundred and ten mill
lions of dollars, which is sixty-eight dollars per
head. In 1870 it will be reduced to sixty-three
dollars and fifty cents per head, without the pay
ment of any portion of the principal. The whole
debt taken together averages FIVE per cent. inter-
est, and five per cent. sixty-eight dollars,
which each person would now owe if all paid
alike, is three dollars and forty cents. The
amount of taxation on each inhabitant of the
United States to pay the interest on the national
debt, is, therefore, less than cent day. 0ivid-
ing the whole population into three classes of
about twelve millions in each, the wealther
third contribute cent and half per day, the
middle third cent, and the poorer third half a
cent day toward the payment of the interest of
the national debt. That portion Of the people who
hired their labor for wages contribute not to ex-
ceed half q cent per capita per day. Let this fact
be thrust in the teeth Of the demagogus who are
dilating on the " burdens of taxation which op-
press the poor man. for the payment of the in
terest on the national debt.


There is one expenditure which we never hear
these disclaimers refer to, or advocate reduc
tion of, viz: the money spent for liquors. We in
vite their attention to the statement of the
Special Revenue commissioner Mr.. Wells, in his
report to Congress, giving the amount paid out
by the people for spirtuous and malt liquors
during the year 1867. We do not refer to the
sales by the wholesale, but to those at retail,
sworn to by the retailers, who have paid the
license tax their sales. We give the table by
States, and the figures represent the amount
p1id by the drinkers and consumers to the
talers over the counter: