The native American. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1840, 1837-12-23
For the Nafire .American.

For The Nafipe -American.
WHETHER THE UNQUALIFIED ENCOURAGE
MENT OF EMIGRATION Is NOT FRAUGHr
WITH DANGER TO OUR LIBERTIES.
Mn. EDITOR: have been induced to turn my
thoughts TO this point, from the shrewd and ex-
cellent remarks made in your paper upon that part
of the late Message which referred to the subject
of Public Lands
Rejecting upon the kind of materials of which
emigration is composed, for the fine opportunity
which its encouragement affords to government,
Gt boots not what may be its political physiog-
nomy) for binding the strangers by ties of graft
tude and interest to its measures, cannot refrain
from respasslng upon your columns, which,
fear, have been too much opened already to nv
humble lucubrations.
1t has been asserted by you, and is religiously
believed by your friends and associates in the
cause, that the lower classes in Europe are, as at
present organized, far inferior to the same orders
with us, In every point of view. To substantiate
this assertion, beg leave to suggest the following
facts: We are informed from the most authentic
sources, that in 1884, the poor of England ex-
pended in gin Ell 1874, 900; in 1895, it was g23-
1877, 900; an increase of more than million in
twelve months. In 1886, it was g24 100000
million and half increase. We are told, more
over, that the entire population of England and
Wales are not above fourteen millions, and that
the gin drinking is confined exclusively to the
Populace; that Ireland and Scotland smuggle and
distill their own gin ''ad ibifum" The expen-
diture on gin added to the deposite in the Savings
Banks of 100000 year, amounts to g36,-
10000 year-the full interest of the National
Debt of Great Britain. In other words, the Ma
tional Debt itself-the Debt being nothing in fact
but the interest 'sThus," says an able writer on
the subject 1.-THE poverty of England if it should
please to give up misery and mortality in the shape
Of dram-drinking, and add to what is saved from
the gin-shop, what it is palpably able to lay by
from its daily expenditure, would be enough to
pay off the National Debt any Easter of its ex-
istence.'
These facts, Sir, are startling; but not the less
true because they are disgusting. We all know,
from the specimens Great Britain and Germany
have kindly sent to our shores, that those volun-
tary expelled exiles from their own father-land,
are for the most part lovers of gin and rows--too
often ready to sell themselves to the best bidder
In politics-and like SO many moral Gains bearing
the mark of infamy and degradation on their fea-
lures. We know, alas, too well that the men or
women who dispense throughout this country
(Which, as yet, is ours; but how long SO to re-
main, if the tide of emigration be not checked, 1
shudder to enquire,) the strong and fiery liquor
so much priced by the corrupted, are in almost
every instance, at least in large towns stran-
gers to our soil, ignorant of institutions, vena
in their habits, hopes, and nature, and with the
accent Of their native land clingng to them to the
last
Ought we to be surprised, then, when a schol-
ar, traveller, an orator, and statesman, elo-
quently informs of his experience and refec-
tons-when he Indignantly exclams in the Hall
of our great National Council, g In the name of
IL xyhx chO dnury
the natural good sense and kindly feelings Of this
moral and noble people-to infuse into their minds
sullen envy towards one another, instead of that
generous emulation which every thing in their
situation is calculated to nspire-to breathe into
them the spirit of Cain, muttering deep curses and
medtating desperate revenge against his brother,
because the smoke of his sacrifice has assembled to
Heaven before his own! find do not then aOho
treat our industrious classes as If they scerc in
the same debased, wrefched condition, as the poor
Of Europe, insult them by such an odious COM
parison? Thy, Sir, you do not knoU schat
poverty IS! NE hare no poor in this country,
an the sense IN ,chich that acord Is used abroad
IfoW can any one dare TO compare the naechan-
ics Of this land (achose inyeriority IN ana sub
sta',tial particular, in intelligence, IN virtUe, in
'ceaifh to the other classes Of oar society, Ihave
yet to learn uifh that race of omcasfs, of which
so terrific picture Is painted by recent acyifers
the poor Of Europe? A race, among no in
considerable portion Of aohona famine and pesti
ierace may be SAID to d,oeH continuallu- annnul
OF Whom arc DithoM morals, pithout ed,lent;on
ac'thoM a country, soiftom God! find man,
6e SAID to kao,c society only by the terrors of Is
penal code, and to ipe in perpetual aoar ,cih It.
Poor bondrnen. Knocked with the name ofHberfy.
mar they may be sometimes tempted to break
fheir chains, ~ order that after a fe,y days OIL
starvation IN idleness or destination, theI mari
De dr'oen back to the prison-house TO take them
up again, heavier and more gaHing linn he.
fore; severed, as IL has been touch;ngl, ernress =
ed, from nature, from the common air. nnd H.
light Of the sun; knoacing, only by h ~ar ame
that the fields are green, that the birds s;na ' ny"
that there is perfume in ,aoaoersr' ~"
Who that listened to the eloquent I,eoaro
reads this beautiful outburst of an American be,r,
that does not excaims with feelings of crusbinn
Indignation, s. is it with such as these. that mos
dare associate and compare the yeomen of Amer
ca--the native mechanics and aborers of the soia,,
Pah the thought is nauseous and the soul sick
ems at the unholy consortng of the honest and the
unprincipled, of the loyal and the base.