Litchfield enquirer., 1873-08-28

Total. E3,SIb,5ZI, ,I0S %4, JOSS 013
 In 1870, according to census returns now published, the value of ali property in the country was $3O, ,O68, ,516, ,5O7. At this time, however, all property was val ued in a currency in which, during the year preceding the enumeration. the aver age premium on gold was 23.259, so that currency was worth S1 cents on the dollar. For comparison with the valua- ton of 1860, when property was measured by the gold standard, the value of all property in the country in 1870 was there fore $24 ,355, ,399, ,999. Indeed@ strict comparison would place it even lower, be- cause for several years prior to 1870 the depreciation of currency had been much greater than during that year, and the fictitious valuation of all property had been very much higher, and it is well known that decline in the valuation of property follows very slowly and at some distance of time, the appreciation in the value of the currency by which 1t has been measured. Property bought during the war for $10, 900 in a currency worth only 90 cents on the dollar is not readily admitted by it's owners to ba worth only $5, 900 when currency has returned to par value. But the effect of this lingering overvaluation cannot we'll be measured, and in the tables given the census returns of the wealth of the several States are re- duced to gold. It thus appears that the former slaveholding States, which had property, not including slaves, valued ct $4, ,815, ,327, ,152 in 1860, had only g., ,403,- 2O3, ,379 in 1S7O-a loss of $413, ,OOO. 900, or about $3O in gold for every man, woman, and child, white or black, now living in those States.
 But this is by no means the worst. By examination of the tables it will be seen that three of these States, Missouri, Mary land, and Delaware, have fared very diff ferently from those which were enlisted in the Rebellion, and have gained in wealth - Missouri nearly $500, ,0O0, ,OO0 ]; Maryland, $188, 900, GOO; and Delaware, $33, 900, ,OO0,-in all, $818, ,523. .167. The loss of property (not including slaves) in the remaining States was, therefore, $1. .231, ,000, ,000 in gold, or $109 in gold for every man, woman. and child, white or black, now living within their borders.
 Twelve hundred and thirty millions in gold-a sum two-thirds as large as the en- tire bonded debt of the United States lost from the property of thirteen States. Their entire property, exclusive of slaves, HI ACOU was %O, 0JO, SUJsO sO1Js aI1u tuO 1oSS lS 30 per cent of that sum. Never should we altogether forget that the property in slaves, however iniquitous the system, was the chief wealth and main support of a large part of the southern people; their earnings were invested in it, their indus- try depended on it; their wives and chil- dren had no other security from want. To the nation it was not wealth; to indiyidu- als it was all the wealth they possessed; and this loss, added to that already men, tioned, makes a total of 3,23O, 900, ,OOO- over one-half of the entire property of the people of thirteen States, and $287 in gold for each person. AHfI LOSS BY PREVENTION: OF NATURAL INCREASE. The full extent of this loss can only be appreciated by comparison with the prog ress of Northern States. These have gain ed-and Missouri, Maryland and Della ware have also. gained-about 100 per cent in wealth since 1860. New York has gained in gold value 1855 per cent; Iowa. l35; Missouri, 134; Pennsylvania, IT Michigan, 126; Massachusetts. 112 Cal lfornia, 14S; Wisconsin, TOT per cent, and and all tue States except the thirteen al- ready considered have gained Ill per cent. This, m spite of the waste and losses of war. which afflicted Missouri and Mary land peculiarly, and imposed heavy bur dens and great waste of productive force upon all Northern States. Had the Southern States been equally favored,