, 1844-12-07
From The Philadelphia Public Ledger.
Prospective Grandeur Of Anne
RIGA.

been subjects of speculation with sta.
iIcIans aud poets. Calculation and
rhapsody have not been wanting Ia
determine or ioreshadow its destiny.
But neither the one nor the other as
tar as We have seen. has adequately
coWpassed The prospective grandeur
'"f America. The calculations have
fallen short Of what might be antici.
pated; and the prophetic imaginings
been TOO vaugue 10 convey any def.
mite impressions Of absolute results.
THIS, however, is n question which
statistics a exempIiiy, and in such
a manner as to render a prospective
fact brilliant and marvellous
than the widest range which imagina-
ton has taken in regard 10 it. We
shall endeavOr TO explain our views
on this subject, combining ourselves to
rigid calculations and fair deduc-
tons.
In the increase Of population in
this country. two things are remarks
BILE: lis rapidly and It's uniformity.
Nearly a century ago, Franklin sta
ted that population nearly doubled
itself once within every twenty-five
years. The process of red~upIica,ion
has been going on ever since; and. &C
cording to the last census, i, appears
that il is now doubled in about every
twenty-five years. This is an impor-
tant TACT, and renders the calculation
OF the population for future exact Pc
rlodS a thing OF clear certainty
Where "A population has doubled itself
SO rapidly for such u length Of time,
1t ID evidence of The working of a
principle. 1t ceases TO be accidental,
and hence uncertain IN its nature
The population OF France has dou-
blGd itself within a hundred and
twenty years and that Of. England in
sixty. Either period is so long in
itself. and the anterior periods re-
quired for the reduplicatIon Of the
population OF each OF those countries
SO uncertain, that a satisfactory state
meni OF their future increase of pOpu-
lat!on may hardly be afforded. But,
for the reasons we have sraled. no
such impedImonts TO reasonable cal
culatlon on the subject applies 10 this
country.
The results of continuing the cal.
culatlon of the increase Of population
IN this country, in geometrical ratio.
are so vast, and of so distant a peri
cd, that it would seem safe and pru-
dent not 10 venture stating them ex-
actly. II would appear that Chance
Tor Kent must have been under the
influence of this sober feeling when
he spoke of there being three hun.
dred millions Of people in it in the
course Of ages. So far from many
ages Icing required for this, the child
is now born IN this country who will
see in it a population of more than
three hundred millions. 1t may be
argued that population here ceases TO
double Itself at lis present rate,
when it reaches high point sup
pose one hundred millions. BIT this
consideration is of no avail. For i'll
We look at the means Of the mere
ment of population production, we
shall fnd that it goes beyond num-
bers. the MaIthusiaa theory 10 the
contrary notwithstanding. Two
establish the augmentation of
population, a liberal form of govern
ment and national integrity being al
WAYS secured. These things are i'm.
proving agriculture and mechanics.
Now it is ascertained that agricul-
lure has just begun TO improve. 1t
IS a fact not less memorable than dis
graceful, that agriculture has remain
ed stationary from the age of Angus
tus Cesar almost 10 our own immedi-
ate time. Eighteen hundred wears
had not mended its rules OF practice.
ANY one who will read VIrgil's Geor-
gics. and compare it with ordinary
practice. will satisfy himself
IF this. Though gunpowder and in
tortures, heraldry and al.
:hemy, cruellies and follies, occupied
mems minds; though printing had
Jeen long discovered, and society
,ad taken a civilized character, yet,
strange to say, the fundamental ART,
he great necessity. the support OF
ife, the production Of TODD, was left
ude as antiquity had known it. Had
Iuriculture been as glorious as war,
/ would long since have fructifed
he four continents. But this great (
ri is now rendered susceptible of in I
e fnite improvement. {
Chemistry, the creation OF a few &
ears. analpzes soils and their produc- 4
,a;r distinct nharacfara and q