Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1858-08-17
Land and slaves in mississippi.

The Mississippian, of the 10th. published an
official table of the assessment of the value of
lands, and the number of slaves in the State
OfMississippi, according to the returns of 1857,
and comparing with the year 1854, when the
last previous assessment was made From
this document we learn that the ASSESSED value
of lands was Sl4l.747 ,536 81, having increas-
ed, in three years. $50 1904 30. The
number of taxable slaves increased from 326,-
SCI, in 1854, to 36S.S6l, in 1857, which,
rating each slave at 5000, is equivalent to an
increase of S25, 297 500. Thus the aggregate
increase is, in three years, SIC, 17S,26 20.
These figures are striking illustration OF
the material prosperity of Mississippi and her
vast and rapid increase in the elements of
wealth and power. That this prosperity is
shared by the other Southern States there is
no room to doubt. Perhaps the progress of
Arkansas and Texas has been even more rapid
than that of Mississippi. AT all events, it has
been equally as great. Here then we have a
conclusive answer to the favorite Abolition
argument, which attributes an utter stagna-
ton of industry and production to the
slaVehOlding States. and delights in drawing
tanciful contrasts of their assumed poverty
and degeneracy, with the vigor and energy
of the North. The census of 1850 furnished
grounds for the detection and exposure of
these fallacies, and we have no doubt that the
census of 1860 will show the relative position
of the South in wealth and population in a
still more favorable light :.
Returning again to the table above referred
to, we find some interesting facts in relation
TO the distribution of the landed property and
slaves of the State. The richest county in
lands is WashingtOn-the amount being ST.
4l6, 1872; BOliver comes next. with Sc, 465, S3S;
Kinds next. with $3.50. $50; YazoO next. with
S5,57l $50 SO: Lowndes next. with 5, l33.460.
Kinds has the greatest number of slaves, 49,
SSS; Madison next, 16, l57; Marshall next,
1870; LOwndes next. 1852. The greatest
increase in the value of lands was in Bolivar
county. S4.493.239; LOwndes next, S2,5S7,-
31S; COahoma next, $3.50 400. The only
county in the State in which there was
decrease in the value of lands was Harrison
the decrease being SS3.5l0, and the present
value Sl,l0l, 40. The number of slaves
decreased in Adams. Claiborne, Greene, Han
cock, Marion and Perry.
From the editorial comments of the Missis-
sippian we extract the following:
The value of the entire property in slaves
may be safely computed at tDo hundred and
1ce,ty million nine hundred and nine thousand hcO
hundred dollars which, added to the estimate
of the lands, would make the value of the
two interests four hundred and siIty-tlrO million
SIR h,tndred and ftfy-Sir thousand hundred
and thirty SiI dollars.
ION examining these statistics. the reader
will note that the large increase in the
material wealth of the State has occurred
more generally in the region subject to over
flow. but which, until the recent floods had
been partially reclaimed and put in cultiva-
ton; and i'll the counties which have enjoyed
the benefit of railroad facilities. What
stronger argument need be urged in favor of
the vigorous prosecution of all our contem-
plated railroad enterprise, and of the adoption
n n wise and efficient for the cnmnl a. "a
reclamation of the swamp or valley region,
the finest body of land upon which the sun
ever shOne?
ain the past, the people of the State have
ample encouragement for the future. But Il
few years ago, comparatively, Mississippi was
wilderness Now her wealth is reckoned by
hundreds Of millions; though she seems to
have taken but single step on the high road
of prosperity and success"