5 to the practical use or employment of the resources to be statistically exhibited, or any political discussion of the character, conduct or possible result of the pending insurrection against the Government of the American Union ; but rather to present the cardinal elements of its material strength and resources, past and present, in such arithmetical and statistical form as should furnish, of itself, to the Congress and the countries therein rep- reseted, sufficient elements foi’ any necessary conclusions. Again, it was desirable and necessary, for the purpose of securing the publication and circulation, to any considerable extent, of such a statement, to condense the facts as far as practicable, ' to select only the most prominent, and to seek, by a well-defined outline, to present the subject clearly and distinctly. Keeping these considerations in view, the report was therefore confined mainly to the four cardinal elements of our national strength, embraced under the heads—Territory; Population ; Agricultural Production ; and Precious Metals. It is not denied that other branches, though comparatively less important, might have been added; but under the circumstances, those presented were thought sufficient for the purpose. In view of the insurrection still affecting the industry and products of a certain portion of the Union, and rendering it difficult to state or estimate their present value with any statistical accuracy, they were not embraced in the report to the present Congress, under the belief that the full restoration of tranquillity before the next session, in 1865, will then enable the representative of the United States to fully supply the deficiency. The present session has been signalized by the adoption of important resolutions in respect to a uniform system of weights, measures and coins, for the use of the civilized world, and materially affecting the United States of America. A large Com
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