The New York Money Market of 1843 to 1862

Abstract

A MONG few statistical series pertaining to American banking experience which have hitherto escaped adequate analysis are those revealing condition of New York City banks in forties and fifties, and that showing volume of clearings in New York City itself after I853. Of these series, former are result of governmental supervision which, after disasters of period I83 7-42, grew in ever-increasing thoroughness; and latter is a by-product of that growing spirit of co6peration which in end led to acceptance of Federal Reserve System. Supervision of banking in New York State began relatively early when, by law of I829, a Board of Bank Commissioners was set up, which collected certain information from State banks. Then in April I843, this Board of Commissioners was abolished, and a substitute was provided in form of quarterly reports from all banks, whether operating under safety-fund law or not reports which were to be called for and published by Comptroller of State. No regular system of summarizing and presenting these data seems to have been set up, especially with reference to a differentiation between those of New York City and those for State as a whole; but occasionally material on New York City banks was separated from rest and, accordingly, we have discontinuous data for New York City banks in period subsequent to I843. Supervision was made more effective by a law of December I847, according to which it became the duty of Comptroller, Secretary of State, and Treasurer, on or before first Tuesday of January, April, July, and October in each year to fix upon and determine some Saturday in quarter of year then ended in respect to which every incorporated bank, banking association, and individual banker in State shall make a report of character specified in act. Such reports were duly required, pertaining usually to last or next-to-last Saturday in each quarter. data relative to New York City banks were, it seems, brought together independently by editor of Hiunt's Aferchants' Magazine, summarized, and presented as aggregates for benefit of his readers.' At any rate, substantially regular quarterly data on various indicia of banking conditions in New York City are procurable after middle of 1848. Beginning with I853, still better information is available. By a law of that year, which seems to reflect growing importance of New York City as a banking center, each bank in City of New York was required to publish on morning of every Tuesday, in a newspaper printed in said City, a statement, under oath of President or Cashier, showing amount of loans and discounts, specie, deposits, and circulation, for next preceding week. Two months after this law went into effect, August i, I853, New York clearing house was organized; and, under its direction, reports of individual banks were consolidated to form aggregates for City institutions as a group. These consolidated statements, together with its own new data upon volume of clearings for City banks, were given to public press, and they were duly published in newspapers and in successive numbers of Hunt's Merchants' Magazine.2 Other series are available which in divers ways supplement those on varying circumstances of New York City banks. Material may be secured on a monthly basis concerning movement of specie into and out of port of New York and on course of discount rates in City; and weekly figures record fluctuations of both foreign and domestic exchange rates. Allthese series are helpful, either in explaining phenomena of banking experience itself, or in 1 See, for example, Hunt's Merchants' Magazine, vol. 24 (I850), p. 604: As official summary of these statements will not appear for some time, we have compiled a summary presenting principal items . . . ; or again in vol. 25, p. 597: The returns from New York City banks have already been compiled (unofficially) and we present a summary. In fact, official returns even for these years, as given in State Documents, frequently fail to differentiate data on New York City banks from those for State as a whole. 2 I am much indebted to Dr. Homer B. Vanderblue for laying groundwork for this study. He first called my attention to weekly material on New York City banking conditions, secured its transcription, and made a beginning in its analysis. Only pressure of other work prevented him from completing investigation which he had thus launched.