The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-05-15
LOSSES OF the SOUTH.
4 teresling Letlsr irom VIC. Robi. rzIer


10 the Editors of the Montgomery MatI-tJentle.
men:-l observe IN your issue tins morning art-
q abstracteu rom some paper (uot desIgna edl IN
which 1t is stated that Commodore Maury IN a letter
TO the LONDON MOrHIRg Herald G, Inmates South, ,rn
loses during the war at the extraordinary total OF
seven nllhOns OF dollars. ny expression of opinion
or deliberate sta ement made by this distIngui ned
man deserves great consideration, and one suoud
hesitate TO venture on even part al dissent from his
views; but respectfully submit that he has fallen
lncaulousy INTO grave error IN the matter OF this
particular statement.
The amount of osses as exhibited by him, char res
in its hrs item loss of three millions OF money on
emancpated slaves, lis not tins evidently too highy
Is 1T not nearIy or qule fifty cent. aUovs the
actual danagesI la all the Southern States before
the war, thelo were about three million and iplr
saves; and an average price OF live hundred dollars
each Tor these slaves mo-, women, and children
taken together would exceed their then value. Butif
We suppose three mi lion a"d hat of slaves to
have been worth five hundred dOiars each their
aggregate value would produce the sum OF one BIZ.
lion seveA hundred and tltv mi lions OF dollars In
the next item Commodore Maury puts down the
sum OF two billions OF dollars for expenses of the
war, independent of private spOlahons and losses
IL other words, he estimates the public DEBT of the
Confederate ates and OF the several STATES at this
large figure.
ne know, on the contrary, that the nominal value
OF his debt on It's face and Its real value gold were
two distinct propositions The paper estimate OF tue
debt and the gold va uc Thy which it must il pad,
nave been ultima ely tested ana measuredl were
vastly dsproporuoned in relation to each other Is
II not quite SAFE to set the of $500 900 900 gold
AGAINST all The possible losses incurred by pu Jc
debt OF the Contede ate aIes, aud of each separate
State he destruction OF private property appears
IN commodore Maury's statement in an item of
81 600 000,000 too higb it appears to me- from an
,hc information can obtain b. at least twenty live
y 4 cent. '"'
The last item in the account is slOOo DER
annum-or $6O,OOO O0O Tor i've years-as ad lltional
taxation for the payment of the Federal war debt:
lhs sum being calculated as the result, at six per
cent. interest on $l,O00,0O0000. Bat should these
S5OO00OO0 as interest," and $1,000 600 900 as prnci
pat be charged as dead loss to the Southern
States. when the tax pOes into the Federal ITea
sury to be partially expended upon the southern
States IN tine administration OF the Government? |
should, therefore, rather state the account thus:
By emanepa ion. 100 900 900
Expenses OF tie war r.,.....,......... 800 900 900
Dest uction of private property...,.... 700 100000
Additional Federal taxation. ....,...... 50O.u000O0
Iota SO 800 900 600
10 not these ngures present terrible array, with
out magnliYlng them IN the least? In the whole
history OF war such immense loss has never
been SO suddenly and completely suffered by q
country conta Dlng not more tha1 SIX millions OF
Leople, responsible 1Or government and property
Indeed can recall no instance in any history
VIII re a country OF the largest wea tn and popula.
ton has been subjected to so tremendous shock
Never has 1t happened before, believe, in the
worlds annals, that any people have been required
10 submit, between the rising and going down OF
the sun, to the utter extinction of seventeen nun.
dred millions OF property and to the violent eXtir-
patlon at the same moment of an ancient institution
reaching the hearths and hearts, and Comforts ana
TIE social and political interests of almost every m
habitant IN the land And trust nc will mt ne
Vanglorious TO assert in tins connection that no peo
pie in any country have waged war more neroi-
caliy Ior real or supposed r ghts. or have mani
extreme reve res, than the people of tae Sou nern
States have done.
The arms, carried for four wears on many hard.
fouPht field, had scarcely alen from their hands
beore they were seen at work in the fields and WDr
shops, and IN their various pro essIOus and GRADES
co}rageously accepting the consequences Oh deteat
peacefully renewing their allegiance 10 a Govern.
mfnt excessively dis asteiul to chem at we time,
and apparently resolved to conquer the dI- -astrous
rcumstances OF their unhappy social and DO ltcal
condition by an admirable redcence and brave lu,
dUstry calculated to excite every generous sympa-
tiny OF both friends and enemies. To subject such
Ieople, IN the wGntonness of power to unnecessary
insults and oppressive burdens, would be alike IN
humane and ImpOlitIc ....- T.' =.
DO not justice and true policy both suggest that
win a restored Union, pTeiudIces and hatreds and
oeprayed passions should pass away as Iast as is
possible or reasonable; and above and beyond all
those who control the destnes of the United States
should long hesitate Def re taking the risk of sacr
hclng the liked facts of our political experience to
the pleasing assumptions OF a plausible theory
should also beware of the danger of being excited
by groundless tears, still more gIoundless hopes to
commit nberueIde-to slay true freedom m the
name and on the altar OF some ia se prophet BIAS.
lhemlng IN that name. 00
Vely respectfully. your obedient servant,
ROBERT TYLER.