Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-09-25

Total. Observation-Disclosures. 1877 .274 366
But this frightful sum total does nor include
all the liabilities of the Government see in the
newspapers Of the day other items mentioned,
namely: U s. certificates of indebtedl ess: neD
U ). certificates of indebtedness: orders Tor
tfcates Of Indebtedness; Quartei masters vouch
ers. These and many other items constitute a
floating debt. most of which is not embraced in
above financial statement.
Some idea of the M gnitude of the business of
settling army paymisters' accounts may he in
ferred from the fact that over one hundred and
fifty clerks employed upon them ut the Office
of the Second Auditor; yet, with all this force,
there is n wear and a halls accumulation of ac-
counts aud claims in that Office
II we add TO the above statement all the liza
bties incurred for purposes since the 3nth
Of Juue and claims for damages. pensions. boun-
ties, &c &c, we will not overstate the total liza
bities of the United States at the present time at
two thousand millions of dollars.
Pennsylvania is about one tenth of the Union
il was" Her proportion of the national debt is,
therefore two hundred millions of dollars. But
if we impoversh and destroy the South. depopu-
late her cities. her towns and her plantations. the
proportion of the debt to Pennsylvania will be in
creased tiry per cent making her liabilities Tor
the war four hundred millions of dollars. The
expenses Of the General Government for all pur-
poses. At the present time exceed two millions az
dollars Ter day: That is. at the rate of more than
seven hundred millions per annum The internal
revenue tx now levied is estimted ut one hun
dred ani fifty millions Of dollars IL is very
doubtful whether that nmount will be collected
hut whether il Is or not. these 6gnres will show
what an immense increase every munth and every
year OF war viii make 10 The above mentioned
enormous amount OF liabilities.
The debt i now represented by mere promise
to paw. but it is payable in money. which the
Constitution recognizes to hc gold and silver. Ii
will increase our understanding of the amount of
the money ! have named when we consider the
weight of those amounts in gold and silver. The
debt J. now, saw two Thousand millions Of dollars;
this in gold coin of the United States would
weigh three thousand eight hundred and seveutv-
five tons ton OF gold weighs about 3 ,6S5
pounds To move this amount on an or,iinary
road would require SIS horses or 92l W. IONS
with four horses Silver weighs sbour fifteen
times a. much as gold 1t would therefore re
quire greater force. in that proportion. to move
the above amount il estimated in that metal
How much these amounts would weigh in paper
which has no intrinsic value, have no means of
calculating
The valuation of all the property. real and
personal. in Pennsylvania as fixed by the Reve-
nue. 30 ,rd OF 1863 is ise hundred and ninety
six millions Of dollars The ascertained and
registered debt of the United States on the 3lth
of June last, alone. without reference To other
debts and liabilities. Is nearly twice great as
the whole value of the assessed property of this
commonwealth! If We include the estimated
debts before referred to. inc uding claims for
damages, &c, &, We then have debt more than
four times the value of the property OF II kinds
in Pennsyvsnia as returned by the Assessors 10
the County Commissioners
This comparison also will assist us to form
some adequate idea OF the magnitude of the na-
tional debt
Again. Boston. in proportion to her population.
is the richest CITY in the United States The to-
tai wealth of that city, as recently valued BY the
Assessors. is three hundred and two millions of
dollars The whole wealth of that city will not
pay the expenses of the Government for much
more than one hundred days