The native American., 1838-08-11

1t is said, that, in New Hampshire, in the year
1900, there was only one pauper to every 333
inhabitants; that, in 1920, there was one pauper
to every 100 Of the inhabitants; and that the ex-
pense of maintaining their paupers had increased
from 1900, in the former year, to 800, 900 in
the latter When the contiguity ofths State to that
of foreign Government, and its peculiarly
exposed situation to the ingress of mendicans
from abroad, are taken into consideration, few
will hesitate to account for this extraordinary in
crease of pauperism in that State.
In the State of Massachusetts, it is said that
the number of paupers about doubled in the ten
years preceding 1882
In the district of Southwark and the Northern
Liberties alone, in Philadelphia, there were, in
the year 1910, 1890, and in the year 1920,
there were $500; their number having nearly
doubled in ten years. While the late war con-
tinued with Great Britain, there was no emf
grafton from that country to the United States;
and for several years after the termination of
hostilities between the two countries, the number
of emigrants hther was quite limited. And the
fact is not unworthy of notice, that in proportion
as the number of migrants increases or dimin-
shes, is the increase or diminution Of paupers
and convcts i'll the penitentares and poorshouses
in that and the other Atlantic cities. And at the
time when the emigration from Europe Was III
terluped, the number of poor in the city Of Phila-
delphia reduced down to fourteen hundred;
and, and in 1922, when the policy Of some Of the
European states was in successful operation OF
relieving themselves from the burden of manain-
ing their own poor, by Transporting them 10 Anne
RIGA, the number in the alms-house in that CITY
was increased to 5000.
| 1t is said that, within the last 25 wears. $3.-
100000 have been expended in the city and coun-
ty of Philadelphia for the support of the poor; and
while the population there has increased i'll RAJ
ito Of 81 per cent, the poor-rates have increased
nearly at the rate of 81.
| In the absence Of particular accounts in manv
of the States of the number of their paupers, in
others of the amount paid for their support, their
numbers cannot be ascertained with absolute pre-
csion; yet, upon the hypothesis assumed in the
annexed answer of the Native American Asso-
citation of the city of Washington, to the intero-
gatories propounded to that Association, it is be-
lieved the results arrived at may be confidently
relied on.
The fact is unquestonable that large numbers
of foreigners are annually brought to our country
by the authority, and at the expense of, foreign
governments, and landed upon our shores in
state of fabsolute desttution and dependence; many
of them of the most idle and vicious class; in their
personal appearance the most offensive and loath-
some and their numbers increasing with such
rapldlty by emigration, as to become burdensome
! to the American people; our own citizens being
obliged to contribute largely from their own earn
ings to support them in dcness. tits within the
recollection of all, that within the last few wears
large supplies of breadstufIs from Europe have
been imported into the United States, and not
only paid for by the earnings of our citizens, but
applied to the maintenance of the pauper pop,-
ation Of the very country from which these bread.
stuffs have been obtained. And it is for protec-
ton and defence against evils Of this description,
that the American citizens have irnplored the in
terposition Of Congress. The necessity for i'm
porting provisions from abroad has arisen, in
some degree, from the increase Of population in
the United States, much greater than the natural
increment of the American people, with popu-
laton of l2,S66,0O0, the natural increase of
which would be l46,325 less than what it now
is, taking into account the natural increase of
births over deaths. If this estimate is correct, it
shows that our population is Increased annually
l46,325 from other than natural causes: and
whence this increase but by emigration from
abroad, And when it is borne in mind that this
foreign pauper population produce little, if anv
thing from their own labor, but are supplied prin-
cipally, not entirely. from the labor of our own
citizens, the reason for importing breadstuffs from
abroad will be measurably accounted for.
The committee have estimated the number of
emigrants who arrive in this country from abroad
at 100000 annually; and the confidence in the
correctness of that estimate will be strengthened
by the fact, that the annual increase of population
in the United States is greater, by l46,325, then
the natural increase of population would amount
to annually.
On the 4th of July, 1886. a resolution was
adopted in the Senate of the United States, direct
ing the Secretary of the Treasury to cause to be
collected and laid before the Senate. at its then
next session, all such facts and information ~
(See last pass.)