, 1865-02-17
FINANCIAL. and COZ NERCIAL,


THURSDAY EVENING, Feb, Ia,
T1c confirmation Of the uews Of Tho occupation
Of BrsnchyiI1e BY Gen. Sherman and his army has
caused further decline In gold to-day, .nd tho
general markets have been depressed and weak
Flour waa held firmly In consequence Of more
l@1}c, Com 1@ac, Oats }91c, and Barley &c per
b4shc1. Mesa Pork fell $l.0o aud Primo Mesa 60c
per Dbl. The tone Of tho markets Is heavy, and
there is general indispo5ltiou among operators
to buy. This Is due mainly 10 the want Of conf
dcnce In The ruling price Of gold: mud 1t Is to bc
noted that there Is something besides military
successes tending to lower the quotations. The
imports Of foreign goods are decreasing, and our
exports show an increase. Last week In New York
the total imports amount to only IT, 6G against
ss+7a, $50 during the corresponding week In 1851
falling of, as compared with last year, Of about
two-thirds. On the other hand there was exported
last week Of produce. &c., s4,sos1ss, equal to
shout <9,5oo,000 in gold The exports Of specie
were only sSe3, 49, while there were shipped gov
erument bonds, estimated at about 81, 000, 900.
The: news by the North daerIcan
received last night that Five-Twenty bonds had
advanced per cent since the departure Of the
previous steamer from Liverpool, and the advance
IN New York To-day Of 2 per cent would Indicate
that the European demand for United States Sc
cur1t1es Is Increasing. Apart from a1t this, the
ASNSA4k AlAtJ u CQatQu, uuQ IQ& HIpe[f1%
hon OF liberal receipts for SONG time to come all
tend towards the same end, the depreciation OF
gold md sterling exchange. The foreign demand
for specie Is now Of very tr1ding character, and
merchants require but little to pay customs
duties, as imports arc light and decreasing a.
most weekly. Sterling exchange Is drug, and
sold as low on Saturday last az 105{. Apart then,
from our military successes, it IL not strange TINT
gold should decline. The supply is greater than
the demand, md like every other marketable COM
modify, It must fal1.
There Is another circumstance which is likely
to deprefs Gold, and Of which mention was made
few days Since in the TRIBUNE. ltis the limit
ation which is likely to be placed the circulat-
ing medium, By clause In the Loan bill now be-
fore Congress, prohibI Iting any further Issue OF
Treasury Notes. tits true the circulation OF tho
National Banks Is increasing At the rats OF 000
Geo per week, but, on the other hand, upwards Of
81. 0c00 per day Of currency is at present being
absorbed by the sevcn-Thirty Lean, which Is now
beng taken more freely by the people than ever
before.
We mention these facts for the purpose OF chow
Ing our readers that the present heay1ness In
Gold Ia attributable nor to successes In the field
alone, but is largely due to the improved complex.
Ion OF commercial and financial nffairs. Thosc
therefore, who are calculating on sudden re.
bound In Gold to former high fsures, on the con-
dngcncy Of disaster 10 our a1mIez, may be sadly
disappointed. That Gold would advance under
defeat VIC have no doubt, but there Is no
reason to suppose that any great ap-
probation would take place. Last year there
was everything in favor Of IN advance In gold
heavy Imports, light exports, unwiao Legislation,
an increasing circulation, delays in the 1ca, and
the miserable efforts Of Congress to pass laws to
raise rcyenue with which to meet the expenses Of
the government. All these had the effect Of de-
preciating government securities and treasury
notes, and enhancing the value Of gold. Now al.
fairs have an entirely different complexion, and
the sounaest dnanciers are preparing for the
storm.
Business In Dnancial circ1es to day syas very
quiet, and we hare nothing new to note. Money
was IN fair request, but the market remains close
and bankers arc discounsing sparinsly at 10 per
cent per annum. On the street rates rule from II
GA per cent per month.
Eastern exchange is still scarce and Grm at par
buying, and Il premium selling. The bankers are
generaliy shipping treasury notes with which
to meet their drafts.
Gold was quiet and lower, opening In New York
at 2oa}. declining to 2o3t, advancing In the after-
noon to 2o4s, and closing at 4.so p. m. at 20ii.
The following arc tho quotations tclegraphed to
James Boyd, gold broker: