Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1860-02-11

Agency or DUN, Bo1D, d Co.--JAruARY
IL. ls6o.-A review ofthe years BUSINESS
enables as, in this, onr annual circular, 70
congratulate our subscribers and friends ~
to The fruits Of the past and the prospect
Of the future. While we do not believe
that much money has baen made IL the
aggregate during the year, We yet think
there has been'an evident improvement
The spring trade is understood to nave
been satisfactory, and its profits, ip as.neas
lure. counterbalanced the disappointmeats
iof the fall. From careful Investigation,
we feel safe III saying that healthy and
moderate business has been realized, and
l,Lat the prospects Of the year we now en-.
Ter on are, that an equally healthy and
| improving state If affairs will continue
The only element we can see to prevent
this in our country is that unhappy and
disturbing political one now agitating both
North and South. IBIS, we believe, will
prove a temporary one only.
II is evident that the effects Of the dis
asters Of 1857 still remain, and Chat they
exhibit themselves 10 the heavy suspended
Indebtedness Of the West remaining I'M
Cancelled. At-the time Of tho crisis it was
very generally believed by both creditor
and debtor that the latter possessed the
ability to pay in fall, or very nearly 50,
and very general spirit Of aecommoda-
ton, that, under the circumstances was
most praiseworthy, existed, and was prot
fered and accepted. Circumstances. how
ever. have shown that this hope was fal,
lacious one, and that spirit OF speculation,
which prevailed generally, had driven cap
ital from its legitimate channels, and that
a large proportion Of the traders at the
West had made investments IN real estate.
which the inflated times Of 90 seemed 70
promise safe, but which were in fact inju-
dieious, ursouud, aud have largely contrib
uted to the depressed condition which that
portion Of our country now exhibits. Our
merchants, understanding that the pros
poets are not Frightening, are now push
ing their claims, and assignments follow
the assets, IN most cases, exhibiting them
selves IN lands, as stated, which have been
bought at an overyalue, and which, IN the
end, will net 10 small percentage on the
4 debt involved.
1 Our observation Of the cause and effect
! Of crisis shows that, heretofore, it has
taken fully four Or five years 70, the coan.
Try to recover itself, and we are net dis
posed to look for mach enlargement ct
business Tho coming year.
The effects Of disease are net readily
overcome. They linger longer afieE. tli9
cause is removed, and the lapse Is g be
feared and guarded against. srom 2 dis.
eased condition we must recover slo~l i,
and the more gradual the improvement,
the mo healtLfpl and permanent the
cure. In this view The dnllnoss Of trade
the past fall has acted favorably. Some
merchants, who had recently ordered large
His, in view Of promising spring trade u
i l $50. exercised d wise precauilon, and, in
4 very many cases, conntermaaded tneir or
/ deis; and this very want Of business has,
il this way, proved check on our onward
I movement, which now promises 70 be Z
regular one.
Following our usual custom at The close
of each year, we present TO you oar table
/ Of statistics, embod}in such information
as will aid you ia your calculation for the
future.
| The statistics we offer you show that in
1857 there were in The United States and
British North America 2o4,o6I trading
arms, ia 1850, 22o,734. The excess Of
1850 over '57is accounted for By the fact
that in making our table Of statistics for
81 we counted out large numeer Of firms
who had suspended, but who have since
resumed business, which we now embrace,
together with many small traders not
before appearing on out books. The increase
Iof population has also had an effect, and
the healthy condition and good credit Of
the South have caused many new trading
establishments at different points tbro'out
that section.
The aggregate of The past three wears
shows bankrupt debt 10 tho United
States and British North America of the
enormous sum will prove an absolute loss
TO tile creditor. THIS is irrespective Of the
immense losses by railroad and other
public corporate companies These astoun-
ding figures we w'd lie inclined TO discredit
but FOR the proofs furnished by our re-
cords.
| 1t will be seen, by reference 10 our
able, that in 1857 the failures in the city
| of New York were about eighteen and a
half per cent. of the entire number. In
| 1858 a little over nine per cent, aud, IN
1850, rising seven percent; thus proving
that the effects Of the crisis were more i'm
mediately felt in the cities of the Union,
for the per centage Of 2I ctiesshows about
the same ratio. The failures Of he past
two years have been mostly confined to the
county, and the plumber may appear large
bat the amount involved IS comparatively
small.
frank p. blair. Jr., Lectlaring.
NEw YORK, Jan. 28.
Hon. r. P. Blair, Jr., Il Missouri, cave
a lecture on "The Attitude Of Parties. y
last evening, before the Young Mems Re
publican Union, in The great hall Of The
Cooper Institute. Upon the platform