FIRST CENTURY OF NATIONAL EXISTENCE; THE UNITED STATES AS THEY WERE AND ARE

No. 25.

From B. J. I OSSING, the Historian.

agriculture, commerce, and trade; very little that develops the material prosperity of a country, and Sir,-I have examined, with great satisfaction, marks its growth, has escaped their industrious your work. It is a work of inestimable value to research. Undoubtedly, minute criticism might those who desire to know, in minute detail, some- detect slight errors, but in a work of so comprething more of the history of the country than the hensive a character, strict accuracy would seem events of its political and industrial life as exhib- almost unattainable. The statistics given are full ited in the politician's manual, and the bold state- and clearly arranged; the grouping of the subjects, ments of the census; especially at this time, when and the evident method which the authors have the civilized world is eagerly asking what we are observed in the accomplishment of their not inconand what we have been, that the old governments siderable task, are worthy of all praise. The work may attempt to solve the more important question, is one which we particularly need, as it is a to them, what we will be. Your work, in fact and lamentable fact that few people are so deficient in logical prophecy, furnishes an answer of which any general knowledge of facts relative to growth and people may be justly proud. Surely, no nation of development of their native country, as ours. the earth has ever experienced such bounding Englishman generally has an arsenal of statistics progress as this. No American can peruse your at his fingers" ends; he can tell you when the first pages without feeling grateful for the privilege of shaft was sunk in the first mine; when the first being an American citizen.

I will use a very trite phrase and say, with all sincerity, I wish your work could go "into every family in our land," to increase their knowlege and to strengthen their patriotism.

Yours respectfully,
BENSON J. LOSSING.

No. 26.

Yours truly,
W. H. WELLS,
Sup. of Public Schools.

The

loom was erected in Manchester. The panoply of facts in which he is arrayed makes him rather a ponderous and far from sprightly companion, at times; but then he always proves formidable as an adversary. Germans, too, have nearly everything by rote that relates to their own country.

No. 31.

Office of Superintendent of Public Schools, Chicago. From the New Englander, New Haven, Conn. The work which you have prepared with so much In this very large octavo work there is presented care and labor, presenting the progress of our in a compact and easily accessible form an amount country, is peculiarly adapted to gratify and instruct of valuable information with regard to the progress all classes of citizens. No work could be offered to which the people of the United States have made the public at the present time more worthy of a in all the various channels of industry since the place in family libraries, and school libraries, than days when they were British colonists, which is not the one which you now present. to be found in any other single work with which we are acquainted. Each one of these subjects is amply illustrated with engravings. The different chapters have been prepared by well-known literary men who have each made the subjects about which they have written the study of years. We have examined the work repeatedly and with time have been impressed anew with its value. much care during the past three months, and each There is not an intelligent family in the nation who would not be interested and instructed by it, and find it a most convenient book of reference with regard to everything pertaining to the industrial interests of the country.

No. 27.
From ISAAC FERRIS, D. D., Chancellor of the University in

New York.

I have looked into the work and am happy to unite with the worthy men who have examined it, in commending it to my friends. NEW YORK.

ISAAC FERRIS.

No. 28.
From J. M. MATHEWS, D. D., Ex-Chancellor of the Univer-

sity in New York.

The object of the work is highly commendable; and, so far as I have been able to examine it, has been executed with ability and fidelity. I freely commend it to public patronage. NEW YORK.

No. 29.

J. M. MATHEWS.

No. 32.

From the Boston Transcript. This work is the result of much careful research, exercised by many minds on a variety of important subjects. They show the industrial and educational steps by which the people of the United

From Prof. E. W. HOSFORD, of Cambridge University. It is a work of very great value for popular ref-States have risen from their colonial condition to erence. The articles having been prepared by to their present position among the nations of the writers who have made specialties of the subjects world. They give, in a historical form, the progupon which they have written, are, as a consequence, ress of the country in agriculture, commerce, eminently attractive. I find them an unfailing trade, banking, manufactures, machinery, modes source of valuable information and important sug- of travel and transportation, and the work is gestion.

No. 30.

From the New York Times.

intended to be sold by subscription, and will doubtless have a large circulation. It ought to be in every house in the land. It is more important than ordinary histories of the country, as it exhib

If at all inclined to doubt that a great deal of its all the triumphs of the practical mind and useful information may be bound up in a compara-energy of the nation, in every department of scitively small compass by a judicious compiler, in ence, art, and benevolence. It is a storehouse of the very handsome work before us, we should find important and stimulating facts, and its interest sufficient logic to make us devout believers. The can hardly be exhausted by the most persistent writers have ranged through the wild fields of reader.

TABLE OF THE POPULATION,

VALUATION OF REAL AND PERSONAL ESTATE, CAPITAL INVESTED IN MANUFACTURES, TRADE, AND COMMERCE IN EACH OF THE STATES OF THE UNION.

M., manufacturing capital; T., capital employed in trade; C., capital employed in commerce by land and sea. The valuations are generally actual, and not assessment valuation. If not correct, they are from the best data and authority available.