Political Quotes

James Blaine: “It will require a strong standing army, and probably more than two hundred millions per annum, to maintain the supremacy…”

On the record
It will require a strong standing army, and probably more than two hundred millions per annum, to maintain the supremacy of negro governments after they are established,--a sum thus thrown away which would, if properly used, form a sinking-fund large enough to pay the whole National debt in less than fifteen years.
Said by
James Blaine
Republican · Maine

Editor's note · Context

Blaine argues against the financial burden of maintaining African American governments, suggesting it could be better spent on national debt.

Share

More from James Blaine

Under such circumstances, to send a military force into any State, with orders to act against the people, would be simply making war upon them.

gutenberg.org

Without the exercise of those functions which belong exclusively to the civil service, the laws cannot be executed in any event, no matter what may be the physical strength which the Government has at its command.

gutenberg.org

The States are colleagues of one another, and if some of them shall conquer the rest, and hold them as subjugated provinces, it would totally destroy the whole theory upon which they are now connected.

gutenberg.org

You can use force only to repel an assault on the public property and aid the Courts in the performance of their duty.

gutenberg.org

Other voices in this conversation