McGrawville Express, Thursday, September 30, 1847.
WHAT HAS THE WAR COST US?
One hundred and twenty millions of dollars! $120,000,000! Is this a great sum? Is it a loss to us? Could we have made use of it?
A contemporary remarks, that with the interest of $120,000,000 we might fund a National Gallery that would rank with the British Museum as the British Museum does with the Cabinet of Pennsylvania College.
The famous "Garden of Plants," founded and endowed at Paris by Richelieu, in the times of Louis the fourteenth, and which is the greatest in the world, cost not from then till now, as much as three months of the Mexican War.
With $120,000,000 a School House and Church might crown every hill-top from the Penobscot to the Rio Grande, and teachers of knowledge, and righteousness might be their mission of good without money or price for any one.
With $120,000,000 we might connect every town in our land by railroad, and the Magnetic Telegraph might be made to stretch its magic wires along every thoroughfare from the Atlantic to the Pacific.
With $120,000,000, we might build such a Navy as the world never saw, and carry on such a commerce as Venice, in her palmiest days, never thought of; our flag might float on every breeze, our sails whiten every sea, and our name heard and feared in every harbor between poles.
With 120,000,000 we might feed every poor man, clothe every beggar, and relieve every distress, and not only once, but always, as long as the population of the globe does not exceed 950,000,000; starvation, poverty and famine need never find a foothold on earth.
And more, with $120,000,000 we might give the Bible and tell the tidings of our Holy Faith to every heathen land, to every foreign nation, and to every human soul.
The Government complains that the Post Office Department is a heavy tax upon the Treasury on the account of the low rates of postage. Devote four months' interest of the Mexican War debt to this end, and our people would never hear the word "postage."
The Government doles out with a miser's spirit, trifling, pitiful sums for harbors in our Western Rivers and Lakes. Devote two months' interest of the Mexican War Debt to this end, and no more petitions for appropriations would come from the people of the West.
This is the way to calculate the cost of the war; and these are not idle fancies. Let no reader be satisfied until he works with his pencil each of these statements. Figures will verify them all. Is our country able to squander money in this wise? Is gold a matter of such little concern as to be disposed of in this summary manner? What says the farmer, whose taxed land helps to heap up these hoards of wasted money? What says the mechanic whose taxed "occupation" aids in amassing this squandered treasure? What say the people, who pay for it in their clothes, food, books, houses, furniture and property? Can we afford it? We might be doing good with it, such as no country has ever done.
Is this, then, the much boasted destiny of our great country—to tax her people, collect and borrow an immense sum and spend it in shedding blood and killing men? Heaven forbid!! The war has cost $120, 000,000, and what have we gained? Respect abroad? Doubtful. Unity at home? No. Fear in Mexico? Doubtful. But this we have gained: we have taught our people to love the excitement, the glory of war, we have taught them the lesson that might makes right; we have called into vigorous play the passions of A NATION'S NATURE; we have given our nation a taste for blood.
Enough of this—let us have peace! By the good which $120,000,000 can do; by the harm that it is doing. Let us implore our rulers for peace.
But the war costs more; it costs in a way that money cannot count. Who will estimate by dollars and cents the cost of the broken limbs, the shattered constitutions, and the legions of crippled soldiers? Who will estimate by dollars and cents the cost of broken hearts, the stricken spirits, and the bowed heads of fathers made childless; or mothers made sorrowful; or wives made widows? But more than all, who will estimate by dollars and cents the cost of the undying part of the 10,000 who have fallen?
Answer these three questions—add that to the $120,000,000—and then say, ye American people IS IT NOT TIME FOR PEACE?
IMPORTANT FROM MEXICO!
Prospects of Peace! Propositions of the Treaty! Parades ordered to leave Mexico!
Dispatches from Petersburg say southern mail has arrived, bringing N. Orleans papers of the 10th, as late as due at this point.
The La Patria, the Spanish paper at N. Orleans, publishes a letter from Mexico in which it is represented, that the prevailing impression is favorable for peace, and also gives the provisions of the treaty now making, by which it says the Americans are to renounce California and all the posts, and retain Texas up to the left bank of the Rio Grande, comprising Matamoras with the privilege of constructing a canal over the isthmus.
General Valencia, on whom Santa Anna has cast the blame of the recent defeat, is said to be a prisoner at Guada Loupe. Santa Anna is said to have ordered Parades to quit the country, but the latter intends to march to the capital with the purpose of giving battle. Salas declares the battles lost by cowardice of Toucion and the unskillfulness of Valencia.
Deaths at New Orleans, 45.
EDITOR'S TABLE.
The Neutral Press.
The Neutral papers throughout the country are becoming more and more popular with the people. Papers now that have the largest circulation are neutral in politics. This is ominous of a new era in the line of newspaper publishing. It shows that the people are getting tired of political hacks, and prejudiced party sheets. And why is this? There are many reasons, among which we may cite the following, viz: 1st, the people have been most shamefully imposed upon, by placing implicit confidence in them. Their aim being not so much to get at the truth in all cases, as to throw dust in the eyes of the people, for the purpose of carrying out their own selfish ends and purposes; it is not strange that they should indulge as they do, in too many instances, in a kind of political game in which the people are taken in most shamefully. The political hacks so understand the game, as always to get the votes, and this is done in far too many cases, by proving, or attempting to prove, black to be white. In the second place, justice is too often overlooked by partisan papers, in paying too much regard to party tactics and party aims and ends, whilst the great mass are uncared for and shunned. This shows that selfishness is at the bottom of all their projects and controls all of their actions. In the third place, they have proved themselves recreant to public trust, by depriving the people of a true statement of facts in relation to great political measures and doctrines which always agitate the country pending every exciting political contest.
Now the people have not been such great blockheads as not to have discovered these things, hence the deserving popularity of the neutral presses in this country. They can always be relied on as a correct medium of information. The people understanding this fact, are encouraging and sustaining them in preference to party sheets. This argues well for the progress of science and knowledge among the people. We opine the day is not far distant when bigotry and dishonesty will be frowned down, and justice, honor and integrity, upheld and sustained throughout every vicissitude and in every emergency.
COUNTY COURT.
The court of Common Pleas is now in session at Cortland. This is its first sitting under the new Judiciary law—Judge Hawks presiding. The charge of the judge we had not the pleasure of listening to, but it is spoken of in high terms of praise by those who heard it, as being concise, lucid and potent. The Judge is prompt, suasive and courteous, and in his administration of justice, as presiding officer, will undoubtedly render himself deservedly popular with the People.
The new Judiciary system, in its workings, is giving universal satisfaction, judging by the commendation of the Press in various sections of the State.
"There's a Good Time Coming."
Yes, and it is drawing nigh. Congress will soon be called together and then the people and their interests will be attended to. There is one matter of sore grievance to the people which will receive the early attention of that body. It is a subject upon which the whole nation are agreed and aggrieved. Every body knows what we refer to. It is the repeal of the present odious postage law, and it will be done. So 'wait a little longer.'
◘ Elders Miller, Himes and Fitch (Adventists) are lecturing daily in New York upon the speedy coming of Christ. October is the time set.
◘ The Lynn News says that the latest name for the bustle is back-gammon.
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