The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-04-20
FINANCIAL AND COMMERCIAL.
FRIDAY, April l9-6 p. M.

FRIDAY, April l9-6 z. NJ.
The war continues to engross every mind, and
business is generally suspended, nothing being
talked or thought of but the approaching conflict.
SHORTLY after noon to-day, news arrived that fight
ing had actually begun at Baltimore, and the ex-
element in the street became intense, the general
impression being that our military authorities were
displaying eulpable want of energy. The meet
ing of members of the Chamber of Commerce was
enthusiastic and unanimous in support of the 60
vernment.
The panic in the border slave State stocks
was more decided to-day than ever. Everybody
who had any Of them fastened to sell them, and
the sacrifices were uneXampled. N0twithstand
ing the prodigious decline of the past few days
we find, on comparing this afternoons prices
with those oflast evening, that Kentucky skies de-
clined to-day 20 per cent Virgnas 10, North
Carolinas 49, and Missouris per cent. The de-
cline in Kentuckies, which is quite without prece
dent on our Stock Exchange, is due to the prevail
ing impression that Senator John c. Breckenridge
and his friends will succeed in dragooning that
State out of the Union. As the debt of Kentucky
is about SC 900 OOO Mr. Breckenridge little speech
has already cost his State about 81, 100000. vir
ginas closed last evening in the street at about AZ
said to have sold down to 81 they opened this morn
ing at 40, sold up 441l, then down to 81 finally clos
ing that bid The prevailing impression in the street
is that they are absolutely worthless, and that
they will sell at ten cents on the dollar before
long, Virginia, it is believed, has been irretrieva
bly, ruined by the demagogues Mason, Floyd, Hun
ter, &c. War is pretty sure to liberate all the
slaves in the border States, and in this event it
would be preposterous to expect any of the States
to pay their debts. If the people of Missouri
want to understand on which side their
interest lies let them volunteer under Pre-
sident Lincolns proclamation; the announce
ment that they had done 80 would put
Missouris up ten per cent, and would rem
der Missouri the leading border State. The
new government loan was steady to-day at yester
day s price. vigorous blow struck by the United
States would impart confidence to the public, and
improve the demand for governments indecision
and weakness are sure to depress them The
general market was lower to-day. At the morning
board Pacific Mail fell 31s, New York Central x
Erie /, Hudson River "A, Harlem preferred n
Michigan Central l, guaranteed "a, Illinois Central
Y, and Burlington and Quincy ~ After the board
the market at first improved, but afterwards fell
back on the news of fight at Baltimore. In the
afternoon, further decline took place. New York
Central fell one per cent Erie x, Hudson 2Ia Har-
lem preferred IL Reading l, Michigan Central *,
Panama 4, Illinois Central "a Rock Island 2. The
market closed heavy, the following being the last
quotations:-United States SIS, 1874, 80 81;
Tennessee G's, Al Az; Virginia 6's, 37s. a 80;
Missouri 6's, 40 a 4014; Canton, 81 1917 Cum
berland Coal preferred, s a G; Delaware and Hud-
son Canal, sc a 49,; Pennsylvania Coal, rs a 70;
Pacific Mail, co. New York Central 6Sss 6SJs;
Erie, 1877 a 10; Hudson River, IS a 36; Harlem, III
o ll1s do preferred 80 a 3O1s; Reading 80
3O1s; Michigan Central, AZ; Michigan Southern and
Northern Indiana, l211a Is; do. guaranteed, q
271%; Panama, 10l a l03 Illinois Central, $50
5ss4; Galena and Chicago, 5724 $50; Cleveland
and Toledo, 23a4 "a; Chicago and Rock Island,
81 s714; Chicago, Burlington and Quincy, SO 60;
Milwaukee and Mississippi, s 9; la Crosse and
Milwaukee land grant bonds, s Q; Illinois Central
bonds, 81 aS7.
There is absolutely nothing doing in money or
exchange. Bankers ask lO7 a a. but sell no.
thing; it is doubtful whether they could sell IL they
put their notes one per cent lower. Any amount
ofmoncy can be borrowed on call at 4 q per
cent. First class paper is still much wanted;
rates range from 5H 7. But the bankers,
brokers and money dealers are thinking of no.
thing but the war.
The business of the Sub Treasury to-day was as
follows