[F] I say "poor prosperity," because the present prosperity of Massachusetts is not only a dishonest prosperity, but is also only the prosperity of the few, and not of the many.
[G] If the excess mentioned in the text should not be withdrawn, it will be only because the system is so villainous in itself, that other parts of the country will not accept the shares to which they are entitled.
[H] Since the notes on page fifth were printed, the Boston Journal, of Jan. 11, 1873, says that, by the valuation of 1872, the real estate of Massachusetts is $1,131,306,347.
[I] At first they were required to invest only in six per cent. bonds. But more recently they have been coerced or "persuaded" to invest sixty-five millions ($65,000,000) in five per cent. bonds. And very lately it has been announced that "The Comptroller of the Currency will not hereafter change United States bonds, deposited as security for circulating notes of national banks, except upon condition of substituting the new five per cents. of the loan of July 14, 1870, and January 20, 1872."—Boston Daily Advertiser of February 5, 1873.
From this it is evident that all the banks are to be "persuaded" into investing their capitals in five per cent. bonds.