The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1842-05-31
From the PHILADELPHIA Ledger.

del Hader is finally put down-for about the fifth
| eth time.
| From the Philadelphia Ledger.
| BRITISH EMIGRATION.
| A BILL introduced by Lord Stany, is before the
British Parliament which promises affect seriously
the emigration of British subjects, by dlverng the
tide of the poorer classes to the British Austra Asan
Colonies and leaving only those in better circum-
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 s2l, or $105 while through the operation
of the British laws, which allow about four persons to
five TONS the passage of the same family to Quebec
Halifax would cost only t6 $50. This great differ
ence in expense causes most of the British emgrants
who seek country to take passage for Canada and
Nova Scotia and seek the United States overland and
preference for the latter prevails among the poor
classes of the emigration to the Northern Co
lones is really designed for " the States The BIZ
fish Government are DESTROYS of encouraging emgra-
ton to their Austral Asian Colonies, because they
clearly foresee the Importance of those extensive re-
gons, and also comprehend the uncertainty of the
tenure by which they hold the American colonies
To accomplish this object Lord Stanys bill proposes
regulations upon passenger ships to the Northern CO.
lones, which will raise the price to 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 Halifax The effect is
obvious. If family of six persons can reach any
Austral 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-tenths of the
British emigrant population. Hence the poor emil
grant has the alternative of starving home, seek
ing plenty in the mild climate and fertile soil of New
Holland, New Zealand, Van Diemans Land, and
other islands in the region while those who can
pay for passage to the United States, will seek our
own shores.
bo ,tlv, nj IN Ri foip In
the Austral Asian colonies, labor is in great demand
They contain no hospitals and amshouses, because
people starving for want of employment and in
curing disease from want. Any family with good
habits who starving in English manufacturing
town. because labor is not only overstOcked but rob
bed by taxation to support rapacous arstocracy at
home and furnish the means of plundering conquest
abroad, can, in any Austral Asian colony find en-
ployment and bread Immediately, and competence or
wealth in few years. II then the starving British
population can 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 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 counterbaance all the advantages which
we derive from the increase of aborers. Our excel
lent institutions render country asylum for the
oppressed of all nations; and fervently wish, not
only that country 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, receive too many European paupers
for our own comfort. We not the term pai,per
in the reproachfu Specification in which it is
times cruelty uttered. Heaven forbid that we should
regard misfortune crime, with any other sent-
ment than compassion. We leave that to aristocracy,
of which it has been characteristic in all ages But
if our amshouses hospitals and prisons are filled with
| poor Europeans, while thousands begging in the
streets Of all cities and large towns, need
| other evidence to prove that in some parts of our
country at least labor is overstocked and that these
| poor children of misfortune do not much improve
their condition by seeking our 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 great county is wanting
| inhabitants. We admit it. The great Western re-
| gions, the home for future millions of hardy ntelli-
gent, wealthy freemen need laborers beneath whose
sturdy the gigantic forests will disappear, and
the rich fruits of agriculture spring up for the har-
vest. But such to be found in the poor English
artisan, who never lifted 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
paupers landing at of our seaports in destitu-
ton the sad result of their expressions at home find
their way to the far West They might find employ
ment when there, but nobody here there will pay
them for going. Accordingly, they crowd the alleys
of our cities, work when they can, and seek our
aImshouses when they can starve no longer while
not few seek bread through depradatlon 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 emigrants arc from Germany and
Switzerland Why Because instead of crowding
into the seaports 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 this more than En-
| glishman or Irishman Merely because he brings
capital He 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 agrl-
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 traders, who begin their
American career with capital. Were the majority of
English and Irish emigrans thus provided, they would
pursue the and be quite as useful. But
| they are not and whoever would obtain the proof
will find 1t in the great preponderance oil Brl-
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, worse in Ireland than In Eng
land, we leave for the present. Our main object IS
to proTe that emigrants with capital better than
those without it, and that receive most of the for
mer from Continental Europe, and most Of the latter