The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1860-12-28
Posting the Books The Cost, so far,
Of the National COnvulsion.

Posting the BOOks--The Cost, SO far,
OF the National CONFUSION.
The destruction of values since the Presi-
Dental election, amounts to an aggregate
sufficient to build up an ordinary nation,
and set it prosperously a-going. Here, in
Minnesota, located as we are out of the
great channels of trade, our experience fur
nishes but slight indication of the injury
which has been inflicted upon larger COM
munities by the political CONFUSION now
rending the land asunder. But even here
we feel it seriously, in the arrangement of
currency, in the cost of exchanges, and in
the unsaleability of our products. The New
York Herald, of a late date, gives detailed
exhibit of the injury sustained both at the
North and South, in consequence of our
politico- financial troubles.
1t is estimated that the decline of one
dollar per barrel on -four, occasions loss
Of from $16,OO0,OOO to $21, 100000 to the
North on that article alone. The decline
of twenty cents on wheat, foots up on the
aggregate amount, to from $lO,O00,O00 to
; $l2,000,00O. The fall on corn amounts to
total loss equal to that on wheat. Pork
has fallen three dollars, and this occasions
loss of 81 100000. The loss on the wool
crop foots up nearly 100000. The sac
riice on domestic and imported manufac-
lures of woolens, iron, and other articles,
is enormous, amounting, at the least, to
$20,0OO,OOO. Connected with this last
item is the loss sustained by the suspension
or half-time work in manufacturing estab-
lishments, and the consequent loss of inter-
est on capital invested in them, all of which
probably exceeds $lO,OOO,OOO. There must
be added to the above the sacrifice of at
least twelve per cent. on 1856, 100000 of
railroad bonds and shares, county, city,
and State bonds, bank capitals and shares
of the free States, giving loss of $lO2,-
100000. And, as grand climax to this
ruinous exhibit, is added the low estimate
of S3OO,OOO,OOO lost throughout the North
in the value of real estate giving total
loss to the free States of nearly $500,O00,-
600 within the last sixty days.
The loss of the South on cotton, rice, and
tobacco, is put down, moderately, we think,
at $2O,0OO,0OO. Southern investments in
railroad shares, bonds, stocks, city, county,
state, and other public securities amount to
about $70O,OOO,000; on which there has
been a depreciation of from $S,OOO,OO0 to
$IO,OOO,OOO. Add to this the probable
depreciation on lands and negroes of $780,
100000, and there is grand total of South
ern losses, during the same period, of $780,
100000.
The actual destruction of property values,
then, North and South, consequent upon the
result of the presidential election, and the
political excitement which followed it, and
still exists, foots up between $650,O0O,OO0
and $7OO,OOO,OOO.
Upon this exhibit the Herald remarks
that, had things remained in the same pro.
gressive prosperity as before the Presi-
dental election, the shipping of the coun-
try, which was just recovering from the
two years depression, would at this time
have been fully employed, and at the most
remunerative rates. The West, just recov-
ering from two years short crops and great
embarrassment, would, with its present
abundant harvest, have obtained dollar a
barrel more for -four, twenty cents more for
wheat and ten cents more for corn, and,
with exchange at par, would have recovered
its position. But all this, and more, too
has been sacrificed to the hideous bigotry
of fanaticism, which has brought the Union
to the block. 1t may possibly be that some
of these estimates are little over the mark,
and others somewhat below it at the present
moment, but in the main we think they will
be found correct. But if the result of the
existing crisis shall prove to be dissolu.
ton of the Union, who can doubt that they
will be realized, if not far exceeded? Fig.
ures, like facts, are stubborn things; and
in the face of such disastrous balance
sheet as this, how contemplate are the alb
stractions about which fanatics and dema-
gogues have been battling how fatal the
delay in harmonizing the two divided Sec
tions of the country by mutual conces-
sion and forbearance. Can the country
afford to suffer further depreciation of all
her material interests2
COMMANDER MAURY IN EURoPE.-Our
distinguished countryman, Com. Maury ad-