Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1830-02-12

increase of population in each division between those
periods, assume that they have respectively conn-
ued TO increase at the rate from 1890 to 1880
And though this is after all, but conjecture. il af
iords, imagine, very near approximation to the
truth, regard to the three great districts extending
from the seacoast to the Allegheny mountain, whose
respective increase may have been supposed to have
been little affected by immigration, for many wears |
past and affected about much by cmig ration dur
ing the last ten years, as in the preceding ten.
The tide district, composed of SO counties
tanned, i'll 1910, of white population I53 Ell
1t contained, in 1920 1Gl 6S7
II 1t has gone on 10 increase at the same
rate, it contains jim 1880 1865
The middle dictric., from the falls of the
river to the Blue ridge, composed of 90
counties contained, i'll 1910 1856
1t contained, III 1890 137,i36
1t contains at the rate of increasc in 80 1883 $50
Total white population east Of the ridge, i'll
1850 $50 ,93A
1920 348,s73
Increase III ten years 1901
The Valley district composed of II coun-
ties, contained, in 1910, of white popula
ton IoG,a55
It contained, in 1920 12l,oo6
II contains, IN 1880, at the same rate Of i'll
crease 1858
There is, think, great reason to doubt whether
this mode OF calculation would lead correct results
n regard to the trans Allegheny population. In
1890 that great district contained white population
! OF but SO ,834. 1t new country, however, and
1t contained certain portion Of as fine auvio land
as could be found in tie world. The '.kanawha bot
toms" and the ''Oho bottoms" almost proverbi
Il for their fertility, though for the most part exceed
iney narrow. These fertile low grounds were sought
with avldty by enIigrants TO the west who could CO.
at that time neither beyond the Mississippi, because
! Louisiana belonged to Spain, beyond the Ohio
which was occupied by the Indian tribes Through
the combined operation OF these causes, the wi1c
population OF the Allegheny country increased
In the ten years between 100 and 1906 from SO ;j
to 7O,9ii-or at the rate of SO Sd per cent
For considerable part of the next ten years from
looo to 1910, the country beyond the Mississippi
was still under foreign rule and the purchases from
the Indians beyond the Ohio limited in extent.
So that the trans Allegheny cSuntry in Virginia still
enjoyed the benefit of large immigration and it
would probably have gone increase at nearly
the same rate as i'll the preceding years so great
was the current of emigration the west but for
| the operation OF two causes. One vas that the
finest tracts along the rivers we're, to great extent
already occupled-the other, that euigrants benan.
by this time TO discover that the titles land in that
country We're not so secure beyond the Ohio and
Mississippi 1t nevertheless increased in white pop,
ation from 1914 to l04,37ior ut the rate of a
per cent.
From 1910 to 1e2o, the causes retardinr its in.
crease continued to operate and some of them with
increased force. The best lands were still neare,
the point OF being fully occupied and the land titles
continued still insecure, though perhaps less II
accordingly increased, in these ten years but Oh
per cent, or from lc4.37I to l33,il2 | could not
help being struck, on examining this subject, with
the seadlness and regularity with which the rate OF
lSUU TO 1871 the first
ten years OF these twenty the rate of increase when
compared With tie rate Of increase i'll the preceding
ten years, Is found 10 have diminished AZ per cent
and fraction In the second ten years of these
twenty, the rate of Increase, when compared with
that Of The first ten years found have diminished
ii per cent and fraction. little rate OF increase
III the las! ten years. from 1890 1880. when com
pared with that from 30 to 1920 has allen off nc
much as the rate or Increase from 1910 TO 20 did
when compared with that from 1890 10 1910, it has
been, III these last ten years. but G per cent
From the steadlness and uniformity with which
the rate OF increase diminished IN the two preceding
periods, 1t reasonable TO infer that it has rone
Oh diminishing In about the same proportion. And
reasons in abundance present themselves to fortify
tins conclusion The whole trans AIlegbany dis
trIct consists Of first, small proportion of very
fine alluvial soil second considerable proportion
particularly in the northern part OF it, of very
tine land, which is however, very lily; and third
very large proportion, probably four times as ex-
tenSiVe as both the others together, of mountain
land, which Will probably not be cultivated tc any
great extent. for an hundred years to come Much
of 1t, In fact, being uncuvabe, according to any
American notion OF cutvabilitv In all new coun
tries even OF an uniform surface and quality, the
rate OF increase confines TO sink of course as they
approach the point of full population. But in conn
try like his, where each new conner is, every year
compelled to content himself with worse and worse
land, the rate OF increase from enumeration urst
sink still faster If add to these considerations
the continually increasing facility Of emigration from
that country, consequence of the vast increase of
steam navigation on the western waters and the
prodgious quantity of fertile land belonging to the
| United States, and always in market low price,
! III the western, southwestern and north western
states and territories we shall see still further reasons
for believing that the rate of increase in the trans
Allegheny country has continued to fail off, as did
in the twenty years preceding the last census 1t is
one Of the striking results presented by a critical
examination Of the tables Of population. and result
which throws some light on the question of the pro-
babie future Tetatice of population in the
east and the west, that while the rate ofiucrcase in
the irans Allegheny country, between 10 and 1920
WITS ii per cent Sio'cer than 1t was between 800
aud $40. the rate Of increase in the ide-water coun
Try, between 1910 and 1920, was than fifteen
tunes as fast as il was between 1900 and 1910 But
this is apart from my present purpose which is an
inquiry Into the actual white population OF the trims
Allegheny country in 1850.
Tue Inference which draw from the facts have
stated and iom others which cannot take time TO
state, because am not writing trratise on ST ats
Inn -,n1r