“Proposition to Pay off the National Debt.” from the March 9, 1865 Door County Advocate
Proposition to Pay off the National Debt.
In response to the plan suggested in New York, of raising $2,000,000,000 as a gift to Uncle Sam to liquidate his great war debt, created in order to save the Union, the Philadelphia North American says:
“Let New York city, which has received such wide spread credit for a proposal not yet attempted, begin the matter in earnest, as her great wealth would warrant she should do in such a matter, and we can undertake to say Philadelphia and Pennsylvania will respond. We do not know that Philadelphia could equal New York in such a subscription, altho’ thus far she has done so in most benevolent and patriotic lists; but if New York will do her best, she will find us emulating her example. New England, New York and Philadelphia would raise half of the amount, leaving the rest of the debt to be mastered by the rest of the nation.”
The Cleveland Herald proposes that the shares be made $10 each, so that every laboring man in the United States may give of his mite, while every rich man could give in proportion to his might. The moral effect of such an enterprise, if successful, would astonish the world, and show that the Yankees—as we are all called by the rebels—have souls as well as purses. The raising of so much money by our government as has been necessary to carry on the war, has excited the wonder of the world; the cancelling of the obligation which our government is under for this immense amount, would astonish the universe.
—————<—>—————
Courtesy of the Door County Library Newspaper Archive
[Author is Joseph Harris, Sr.
Every year, donations are made towards repaying the national debt: https://www.usnews.com/news/the-report/articles/2018-11-30/americans-refuse-to-help-pay-down-the-national-debt
Every donor receives a thank you note stating,
Your contribution will help ensure that we do not burden future generations with a huge debt.
The current U.S. debt is updated daily by the Department of the Treasury: https://fiscaldata.treasury.gov/americas-finance-guide/national-debt/
Despite its size, a complete retirement of the debt through voluntary contributions by individuals is not an absolute impossibility even now, if enough people wanted to.]
Articles about the Civil War
https://doorcounty.substack.com/t/civil-war