How To Raise The War Tax

This is the leading question just now, as it is one in which every person is directly interested.  It touches the pocket and that with many individuals is the most sensitive part of their persons.  Now we will make a proposition how to pay this tax, and we appeal to every lady in the land if a single gentleman would be affected to the amount of a shilling by the operation.  It is simply to enforce a law now on the statute books of one of the most thrifty States in the Union.  In Massachusetts there is a law which imposes a fine of not less than one dollar nor more than five, for every profane oath uttered.  We will submit to the ladies if the enforcement of such a law would affect gentlemen, while we know that if rigidly enforced a sufficient sum would be raised to meet the current expenses of the war, unless a wounderful reformation were speedily effected.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Saturday Morning, March 15, 1862, p. 1