The Continental Monthly, Vol. III, No. V, May, 1863: Devoted to Literature and National PolicyVarious
History
The Continental Monthly, Vol. III, No. V, May, 1863: Devoted to Literature and National Policy
Various
Literature, Modern -- 19th century -- Periodicals; United States -- Politics and government -- 19th century -- Periodicals
AREA.-The area of Rhode Island is 1,306 square miles, and of
Delaware, 2,120, being 38 per cent., or much more than one third larger
than Rhode Island. Retaining their respective ratios of increase, per
square mile, from 1790 to 1860, and reversing their areas, the
population of Rhode Island in 1860, would have been 283,465, and of
Delaware, 78,268.
In natural fertility of soil Delaware is far superior to Rhode Island,
the seasons much more favorable for crops and stock, and with more than
double the number of acres of arable land.
PROGRESS OF WEALTH.--By Census Tables 33 and 36 (omitting
commerce), it appears that the products of industry as given, viz., of
agriculture, manufactures, mines, and fisheries, were that year, in
Rhode Island, of the value of $52,400,000, or $300 per capita, and in
Delaware, $16,100,000, or $143 per capita. That is, the average annual
value of the product of the labor of each person in Rhode Island is
greatly more than double that of the labor of each person in Delaware,
including slaves. This, we have seen, would make the value of the
products of labor in Rhode Island in 1930, $132,363,600, and in
Delaware, only $30,469,582, notwithstanding the far greater area and
superior natural advantages of Delaware as compared with Rhode Island.
As to the rate of increase: the value of the products of Delaware in
1850 was $7,804,992, in 1860, $16,100,000; and in Rhode Island, in 1850,
$24,288,088, and in 1860, $52,400,000 (Table 9, Treas. Rep., 1856),
exhibiting a large difference in the ratio in favor of Rhode Island.
By Table 36, p. 196, Census of 1860, the cash value of the farm lands of
Rhode Island in 1860 was $19,385,573, or $37.30 per acre (519,698
acres), and of Delaware, $31,426,357, or $31.39 per acre. (1,004,295
acres). Thus, if the farm lands of Delaware were of the cash value of
those of Rhode Island per acre, it would increase the value of those of
Delaware $5,935,385, whereas the whole value of her slaves is but
$539,400.
But by Table 35, Census of 1860, the total value of the real and
personal property of Rhode Island in 1860, was $135,337,588, and of
Delaware, $46,242,181, making a difference in favor of Rhode Island,
$89,095,407, whereas, we have seen, in the absence of slavery, Delaware
must have far exceeded Rhode Island in wealth and population.
The earnings of commerce are not given by the census, but, to how vast
an extent this would swell the difference in favor of Rhode Island, we
may learn from the Census, Bank Table No. 34. The number of the banks of
Rhode Island in 1860, was 91; capital, $20,865,569; loans, $26,719,877;
circulation, $3,558,295; deposits, $3,553,104. In Delaware, number of
banks, 12; capital, $1,640,775; loans, $3,150,215; circulation,
$1,135,772; deposits, $976,223.
Having shown how much slavery has retarded the material progress of
Delaware, let us now consider its effect upon her moral and intellectual
development.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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