The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-05-27
From The Phiiadeiphia Ledger
BRITISH EMIGRATION.

From me f>htddetphtd lSeuSeT,
BRITISH EMIGRATION.
A bill introduced by Lord Stanly is now before the
British Parliament which promises to affect seriously
the emigration of British subjects, by dverting the
tide of the poorer classes to the British Austral Asan
Colonies, and leaving only those in better clIcum-
stances to seek the United States. Though the ope-
ration of our acts of Congress- which allow to ships
bringing passengers only two persons to every five
tons of measurement the passage Of family contain
ing six persons, from The British Isles to New York,
would cost Ell or $105 while through the operation
of the British laws, which allow about four persons to
five tons the passage of the family TO Quebec or
Halifax would cost only e. OF $50 This great differ
ence in expense most of the British emigrans
who seek couniryto take passage for Canada and
Nova Scotia and seek the U United States overland and
preference for the latter prevails among the poor
CT classes most Of the emigration to the Northern
lones is really designed for "the States, The Bri-
fish Government DESTROYS of encouraging enigra-
ton to their Austral Asian Colonies, because they
clearly toesee the Importance of those extensive re-
gions, and also comprehend the uncertainty OF the
tenure by which they hold the American colonies.
To accomplish this object, Lord Stanlys bull proposes
regulations upon passenger ships to the Northern CO.
lonies, which will raise the price to a level with that
to New York and upon passenger ships to the Aus
trail Asian colonies which will reduce the price below
the present price to Quebec or Halifax, The effect is
obvious, IL family of six persons can reach any
AustIal Asian port for $50 while they must pay
$l05 to reach any port of North America, they Will
select the former from necessity if unable to pay the
larger sum which is the case OF nne.tcnths OF the
British emigrant population Hence the poor omi-
grant has the alternative of starving at home or seek
ing plenty the mild climate and fertile soil of New
Holland, New Zealand Van Deman's Land, and
other islands in the same region while those who can
pay for passage to the United States, will seek our
own shores.
This bill will be emincnty useful to Britain. In
the Austral Asian colonies labor is in great demand.
They contain no hospitals and almshouses because no
people starving for want OF employment, and IN
curing disease from want Any family with good
habits, who are starving in an English manufacturing
town. because labor is not only overstocked but rob
bed by taxation to support rapacous arlsocracy at
home and furnish the means OF punderlng conquest
abroad, can, in any Austral Asian colony find en-
ployment and bread Immediately, and competence or
wealth in few years. If then the starving British
population be transported to those colonies they
will not only relieve labor at home, at least from
competition, but will raise great empire OF both
producers and consumers for the British workshops.
New Holland already produces fine wool in large and
increasing quantities and as it extends from lat 10
to 40 deg South, no small portion OF the Northern
coasts must be suitable TO the cultivation of cotton
But this bill will be equally useful to the United
States in restraining species OF emigration which fills
our hospitals, almshouses and prisons, in degree
sufficient to counterbalance all the advantages which
derive from the increase OF aborers. Our excel
lent institutions render our country asylum for the
oppressed of all nations and we ervently WISH not
only that country was large enough to relieve all
mankind, but that example in political institutions
could be adopted by every nation. But while thus
wishing well to all and DESTROYS of avoiding nvidious
distinctions in any case, we cannot be blind TO the
fact that, we receive too many European paupers
for our own comfort. We use not the term pauper
in the reproachful Specification in which it is some
times cruelty uttered. Heaven forbid that we should
regard misfortune as crime or with any other sent-
ment than compassion. We leave that to dristocracy
of which it has been characteristic in all ages. But
oil hngn
poor Europeans, while thousands are begging IN the
streets of all cities and large towns, we need no
other evidence to prove that IN some parts OF our
country at least labor Is overstocked and that these
moor children of misfortune do not much improve
their condition by seeking shores Who, then,
with one spark Of philanthropy, would not wish to
see them seek another shore, where they are more
wanted and consequently where they will be better
fed, clothed and sheltered?
We shall be told that our great count y j. wanting
inhabitants We admit it. The great Western re-
gons the home for future millions of hardy, lntelli-
gent wealthy freemen, need laborers beneath whose
sturdy arms the gigantic forests will disappear and
the rich fruits of agriculture spring up for the har-
vest But are such to be found in the poor English
artisan, who never lifted an axe or held plough, or
the poor Irish peasant, with his wife and little ones
perishing in rags and hunger These are not the
population for the West, and could not reach it if
they were How shall family of English or Irish
pa,ipers landing at one Of our seaports in destu-
their way to the far West They might find employ
ment when there but nobody here or there will pay
them for going Accordingly, they crowd the alleys
of our cities, work when they can, and seek our
amshouses when they can starve no longer; while
not few seek bread through degradation, for crime
is the creature of want and finally reach our prisons
We want inhabitants but from those classes who are
| able, in some degree, to help themselves All admit
that our best cmigrants from Germany and
Switzerland. Why. Because instead of crowding
into the seapors and large towns, To work when they
can and beg when they cannot work, they scatter
over the interior and cultivate the soil. And why
should German or Swiss do tn more than an En-
gishman or Irishman' Merely because he brings
capital lie brings money to buy land and even tools
and stock to cultivate it. We have more than once
seen Swiss and German families step from the ship
to the wharf with their wagons and horses, and agr
cultural furniture and bags of silver coin, and COM
mence their Western travel without an hours delay.
And of those who remain in the cities, the principal
portion are mechanics or traders, who begin their
American career with capital. Were the majority OF
English and Irish emigrants thus provided, they would
pursue the same course and be quite as useful But
they are not and whoever would obtain the proof
will find il in the great prepondcrance OF Bri-
fish subjects, especially Irish, in our hospitals,
aims houses and prisons. Whether these facts
prove that British rule is more oppressive than
German or Swiss, or worse III Ireland than IN Eng
land, we leave for the present. Our main object is
TO pro7c that emgrants with capital are better than
those without it, and that receive most of the for
mer from Continental Europe and most of the latter