The Sun.
London, England, 1830-02-09 00:00:00

TRANSLATION OF THE AYSIVER OF MONSIEUR DUCHA.

TEL TO THE PRECEDING LETTER.
your third letter, you ask me my opinion with
respect to one of those problems which the theory of po-
pulation presents. The question is, whether the preven-
tion which habits of foresight offer to an inconvenient in-
crease of population, is more . efficacious in a state of so-
ciety, where the rate of wages sufficient to secure to
the labourer a state of comparative independence, or in the
contrary state, where misery is universal, and where the
labourer, from wanting the means of subsistence, is com-
pelled to depend on the resources of charity, whether ad-
minis,;ered privately or publicly. Ireland, in your opi-
nion, realises at the present day this second hypothesis;
whereas
sup-
position coulde ouchoi nid)ei tti
ho ne h
phpic h i
y lot s
oifn ‘lv
that
- ed in t
country,
li firstt
h the
go-
vernment of Great Britain took measures sufficient to
establish the proportions between population and the de-
mand for labour. I will endeavour, as shortly as pos.
bible, to give you my opinion upon this point.
In striking a comparison between the degree of f re-
sight exercised by the labourer who is in a state of cow..

parative independence, and the tabourer in a state of tol-
sery, it appears to the unquestionable that the advantage's
on the side of the former. A state of comparative inde-_
pendence develops the intellect, and excites, in the breast
of every man, sentiments of personal dignity, self-respect,
and care for the future. A state of misery, on the r(15..
trary, extinguishes the intellect, as it brutalizes the cha-
racter. In point of fact, for what object (as has beta
often remarked with perfect justice) should the, wretched
individual make an effort to improve his condition, with-
out the probability of success, and in so deing,_sacrifice

the only enjoyments which the circumstances of society .
have left to him? The pursuit of .the object in such
case would he fruitless, nor would there exist the power of
discerning its advantages. If this proposition be true
of every population in a state of indigence,
so much more it is true in Ireland, where the
causes of distress are so accumulated, that years of
foresight and pi ivation must pa's away, before the con-
dition of the labouring classes could receive any ameliora-
tion from the exercise of such preventive checks. On
this account, I have no hesitation in expressing my opinion
that if the situation of Ireland be such as it appears to be,
from the concordant testimony of all witnesses, it is impos-
sible that the Irish population can emerge, by its own
efforts, from that state of degradation and misery in which
it now unfortunately languishes, and which calls so im-
peratively on the attention of the English Government.
On these grounds, Sir, it appears to me, that the pre-
ventive check must operate with more effect, when the
labouring classes receive a sufficient rate of wages, than
when they are placed in a permanent state of distress. But,
it may he inquired, what is likely to be the result, when
a population passes rapidly from the second rate to the
first, that is, from a state of misery to a state of compara-
tive comfort?

Here it is to be apprehended that the power of custom
would not immediately give way to the influence of an
improved condition, and that the moral change would not
be accomplished so quickly as the physical one. Conse-
quently it would be necessary, for the purpose of diminish-
ing the influenoe of previous habits, to employ all means
of instruction, to spread correct principles, to recommend
the exercise of foresight,—in a word, to have recourse to
all the possible means of a Government, for the purpose if
accelerating the intellectual development of the labouring
classes, and thereby advancing the progress of prudential
habits, in proportion to the improvement of the physical
condition of the population.
But, for the purpose of still more accurately explaining
my opinions, as to the advantages of emigration, I mast be
permitted to suggest certain alternative conditions.
Ist. That, after the proportions between labour and
capital have been restored by emigration, measures are
taken to arrest the progress of those causes which had pro-
duced the superabundance of population. Should this
precaution be realised, it is evident that emigration is ad-
vantagenu., provided that it cost less to colonize a family
than to maintain it in the mother country.
2dly. That, after the emigration, the causes of the
excess of population continue to operate with undiminished
force. In this second case the st •to of comfort into which
the labouring classes would be brought, would tend to
the formation of habits if foresigl t, and might furnish an
obstacle to the recurrence of the previous distress.
But, putting aside this circumstance, emigration might
still offer an advent:se in an economical point of
view ; for the population removed by emigration could not
he instantaneously replaced, and in any ease, a popu-
lation of adults could only be replaced by a pepulatios
of infants. Emigration would therefore be advantageous,
if the expenditure required to effect it, combined with the
cost of the maintenance of the new infant population,
amounted to has than would have been required for the
maintenance of the abstracted families if they had re-
mained in the mother country.
Sdly. Suppose, lastly, that the causes, which excited
the increase of population, are of such a character that
their force is augmented in proportion as the population
is multiplied, as would be the rase, for example, with re-

spect to a system of public charity, which should promise
to furnish the means of subsistence to all applicants, and
should keep that promise. In this case, it is evident that
emigration, in removing a part of the population, would
tend to abate the operation of these causes, inasmuch a*
their effect would be proportioned to the number of fami-
lies, which number would be diminished by emigration.
There would then remain only one question to be solved,
namely, wl:ether the expense of emigration would be greater
or less than the expense of maintaining, in the mother
country, not only the emigrants themselves, but also their
descendants.
I hope,
.Sir, that I have satisfactorily answered your
questions. I have confined myself to the task of present-
ing certain " formulae." For the application of those for-
mulas, it is necessary to examine facto, and to establish
punitive calculations. This may he done by those, who,
like yourself, have specially studied the statistical part of
the practical question. For soy own part, my incompe-
tence obliges me to limit myself to general principles.
From the moment that the question of expense ani
profit is resolved in favour of emigration, as compared
with domestic maintenance, political economy has only
to approve the measure; for, by placing industrious
men upon fertile soils, it combines the powers of mays
with those of nature, and thus gives fresh impulse to
those principles which furnish the double source of indi-
vidual and national wealth.

Accept, Sir, the assurmsce of the sentiments, &e. kc•
TANNEGUY DUCHATEL.

THE SAILORS' NEW ASY LUM.—The
distress of Sailors, shipwrecked, or unable to obtain
ships during the severity of the winter, has been exceeding.
great. The New Sailors' Asylum, as a department of the
Sailors' Rest Society, has been crowded every night as a.
place of shelter. Oatmeal porridge, soup, sea-biscuit, and
sea-clothing, have been liberally distributed among the
most destitute, and very gratefully received. Several have
been removed to the Sailors' Infitmary, near the Asylum,
in Wellelose-square, and some from the prevalence of
fever have been ordered by Dr. SOUTHWOOD SMITH. the
consul,ing Physician, to the Fever Hospital at Pancras.
Several have died through previous want and cold, on the
north bank of the Thames. The public Meeting of the
Sailors' Rest is fixed for the 11th February.--See Ad-
vertisement.

General BARRADAS has gone from Havre
to Paris, whence he intends to proceed to Madrid.
We are informed that two of Mr. GURNEY'S
steam-coaches will be commenced on the western road
about the middle of March. Three are already completed.

erry has not, at this moment, a single Peer
or Baronet resident ‘N its limits. The rents drawn
annually out of Kerry amount to the enormous sum of
160,0001. which are lavished either in different parts of
the Continent or in the capital of Great Britain.—Lime-
rick Evening Post.

On Sunday morning a gradual thaw com-
menced, accompanied during the day by much rain.--
Towards the evening the previous heavy falls of snow had
nearly disappeared, both from the streets and houses; and
Monday mc,rning actually broke upon us as the first day
of Spring, the thermometer, which on Saturday morning
was scarcely 20, hisviag on the latter day, at the same
hour, reachecl

A muting of the county of Renfrew was
held in the County Hall, Joint MAXWELL, Esq., M.P.,
in the chair, at which resolutions were adopted regarding
the present distressed state of the county and the country
in general, expressing a hope that Parliament would take.
the matter into consideration, and craving them to take
into consideration the reduction of the duties on sugar
and beer,—two of the most useful reductions that could
possibly be thought of. A very animated discussion on
these topics preceded the adoption of the resolutions, in the
course of Which it was stated by various speakers that
taxation alone was the cause of the present sufferings....
Glasgow Journal.

Extract from a letter dated Valparaiso, Bth
October :—" On the 26th ult. we had a severe shock of
an earthquake, which in force was little short of that of
1392, but only of about one-eighth in duration. The
injury done to the buildings is considerable, but by no
means equal to the former occasion, very few houses hav-
ing fallen, though more or less, all are shook. It occurred
in this place at three minutes after two p.m."
A letter from Naples of the 19th tilt, states
the existence of a report tl:ere that the plague hi made
its appearance in Pisa, and it was thought rigtt conse-
quently to interdict all communication. A veml arrived
from Leghorn had been placed under quarantine.

An English gentleman residing at St. Ger.
main-en•Lnve, has received a letter from a person attacbsd
to Lord CPCHRAKE, which ler.ves no doubt of his Lord-
ship's determinat:on to re-enter the Brazilian service, and
take the command of the fleet destined to act agaimt Deft
Miourt. The military force will consist of the refuges
army, augmented by a German regiment, which will pass
from de service of Don Panto into that of DtixxV"
31Assrs. They will first take posseasion of the'Asocei
told the Cape de Verd Islands, and from thence proceed
to attack the Peninsula by a coup de main,— Uatignanri'
Messenger.

Sank stock
3
s Per etnt.
3r etnt e 4
4 tt Red..
4
tro,cent.
ti X
Otto
L. Ann
30 Year
Inclia )14030 year
,s. stock
ultto Bo d
s
PRICES OF
Austrian o]
liraziilan
ktlenot A yrc
llian or.c
~'Nerobian B
bitto IFt24
tannish
reek Bo.n•de
1823
Guatirnala. •
kexican
bitto, 1823 •
PRICE!

tMall„at Im
Dittoatii
/teal del NAtm
Ge
Stea

Arrived.
Arneri
1 Brasil
• Buena
o Carthi
0 Dublin
0 Flanch
o Franc,
0 Guerra
HIGH 1
410Tnin,..

-1111)g

TUESI

Despal
Office, ti
at Lisbol
Lord BE
the differ
ward Isla
of South

Lord ]
this morr
of the 134

The

riapers, 1

We 1
the Car
Decemk
death of

(From
Early
Chief GI
affliction,
women, 1

topergtiti
progeny
Nagions;
!lamed ex

We le
the weal}
looking t
generally
grain.
Years. 1

Pape
sth of
OCtObel
this yi
inalinch
Rtirring
!ottiethi
betwee,,
The
*gain
" conBi

Ace,
Cape,
bet weer
the
aril
"ranl,ta

D et,
the
g of

tom
fan
not

ning
it be

and
are
pro-
this
I ad-
wily

the
jelled
hich
cl to

ccited
• that
Eation
h re-
omit

t that
vonld
Lch a.
fami—
atima.

Dived,
rater

lother
1 their

your
eeent-
se for-
Abfish
who,
,art of
Dmpe-

g and
pared
only
trios
f mum

Alse is
indi-

&c.
L.

-Tho

obtain
ceding
of the
it LIB &

it, and
,g the
LI have
3ylunl,
ncc of
the

on the

of th e
ce Ad—

lavre

4EYS
road
?lett&
Peer
drser*
mm of
,arts of
Lime-

COM'

lw had
e; and
•.t day

iorning
e salmi

PC was
, M. P. ,
g.arding
country
Id take
to take
sugar
t could
scion on

in the
re that

), Bth
;hock of
that of
. The
by no

~.s .))aV-
ccuritd

stateg
3 made
t come-
arrived

aft/it-bed
im Lord-

it e, and
rut pea
efugee
rill pass
lloxx►
A sores
proceed
Vgnanfe