in the United States in Fifty Years. 203 



this not being the case, we are left to infer the progress of national 

 wealth from such partial indications of it as we are able to derive 

 from other statistical facts. 



One of these indications is the progressive increase in the value 

 of the lands and buildings of the several States. 



In each of the years 1798, 1813, and 1815, the General Govern- 

 ment laid a direct tax, apportioned among them, as the constitution 

 requires, according to their representative numbers. But as the 

 act of Congress authorized the States in 1813 and 1815 to assume 

 the payment of their respective quotas, and thus relieve themselves 

 from the tax, and several of the States availed themselves of this 

 provision, a valuation of the lands in those States not being neces- 

 sary, did not take place. 



The valuations which were made were as follows : 



' 1798. 1818. 



New Hampshire, $23,175,046 $36,957,825 



Massachusetts, 83.992.464 149,253,514 



Rhode Island, 11.066,358 24.567,020 



Connecticut, 48,313.434 86,546,841 



Vermont, 16,723,873 32,747,290 



New York, 100,380,707 265,224,983 



Delaware, 6,234,414 14,218,950 



Maryland, 32,372,291 106,490,638 



North Carolina, 30,842,372 58,114,952 



Tennessee, 6,134,108 28,748,986 



§359,235,067 $802,870,999 



This shows an increase in the value of the lands of 123 per cent 

 in fifteen years, equivalent to a decennial increase of about 68 per 

 cent. 



Let us now compare this increase with the increase of popula- 

 tion of the same States, in the same period of fifteen years. In 

 1800 and 1810, their numbers were as follows: 



New Hampshire, 



Massachusetts, 



Rhode Island, 



Connecticut, 



Vermont, 



New York, 



Delaware, 



Maryland, 



North Carolina, 



Tennessee, 



This shows an increase of population of 30.8 per cent., and sup- 

 posing the increase from 1798 to 1800, and from 1810 to 1813 to 

 be not materially different, we may regard 30.8 per cent as the 



