"In 1791, The Public Debt Of The United States Was $75,000,000.
It is
now, with six times the population, only $64,000,000; and in the same
period, the imports
Of the country have increased from a value of
$52,000,000 to $147,000,000; the exports from $19,000,000 to
$145,000,000; and the tonnage of shipping from 500,000 tons to
3,300,000 tons.
"The post-office statistics show how the transmission of intelligence
has outstripped even the march of population. In 1790, the number of
post-offices in the entire States was 75; in 1850, the number was
16,789. In 1790, there were 4,875 miles of post routes; in 1850, there
were 167,703. In 1790, the whole post-office revenue was 37,905
dollars; in 1850, it was 4,905,176 dollars; which sum consisted of
4,082,762 dollars for letters, and 819,016 dollars for newspapers and
pamphlets. The mileage run in transportation of letters in 1850, was
42,544,069 miles, at a cost, for transportation only, of a little more
than twopence-halfpenny per mile. And the total number of letters
conveyed was 67,500,000; 62,000,000 of which were paid, and 5,500,000
free and franked.
"To come from letters to arms; it is a curious fact, as exhibiting the
real military strength of this great country, that the militia force of
the States amounts to 1,960,265 men, or as many as the whole population
of Canada, or two-thirds of that of Scotland, who could be called out
and in the field in less than a month.
"The school funds belonging to the respective States, swelled by the
constant addition of every sixteenth section of government land sold,
are very large. Those belonging to seventeen free States amounted, in
1850, in fixed value, to 21,400,000 dollars. Popular education is the
condition on which all new States are admitted into the Union.
"There are 121 colleges in the States; with a total of 950 instructors;
50,115 alumni; 9,028 ministers; and 11,565 students; and having 769,079
volumes in their libraries.
"And without a farthing from the State, or from any source beyond the
free-will offerings of the people, to support them, there are in this
country of yesterday, 30,217 churches (exclusive of those belonging to
the Wesleyans) connected with the various sects of Christians: 26,588
ministers; and 4,558,168 communicants, or 1 in 5 1/2 of the population.
"This country, then, possesses all the elements which are usually
considered as contributing to civilization and to power. It has far
outstripped us in the rate of its progress; and it becomes every day,
more and more, the refuge for the industrious poverty, not only of
Great Britain, but of Europe.
"Those who wish to gaze at ruins need not go to it. Those who only
yearn for the sight of crown jewels, or ancient armour, had better stay
away.
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