The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1847-03-12


rious liars.
We shall soon be satisfied of its truth or fasity.
Our telegraphic news to day may give us some
further light the subject; if it do not, shall
certainly know all about it tomorrow or next
day
FO.eign Emigrants-What arc we to do
with them
There is every reason to believe that the i'm
portltion of foreigners into the United States, DUR
ing the year le47 will be larger than at any former
period of our history. The failure Of the crops
in England, Ireland, Scotland, and other coun-
tries, hts entailed many calamities on the peo-
pie, that all of them who can by any means COL
lect sufficient money to pay their way to the Uni
ted States, will do so.
Such being the prospect, it behooves the people
of the United States, and particularly the citizens
of New York, to provide some way OF employing
them on their arrival-fof to this city, prn-
cipaly, they will direct their course. They are
all willing to work when they arrive,
but they cannot all procure employ ment, and for
want of means to reach the section, where they
would be eagerly employed by the farmers and
agricultursts, they become burdens on the cities.
The only means we have, then, of ameliorating
the evil, is to provide some means Of transporting
them to the interior, whore they would at once
procure employment, and in course of few
years, become citizens and owners of land.
THIS subject excites much attention at present,
and is discussed freely by all parties, each of
whom proposes different means of accomplish
ingit. 1t has been urged by some, that the city
government should take the matter in hand, and
appropriate what the city treasury receives in the
shape of Communication fees, 10 the purpose; but
we do not think that the public, in its corporate
capacity, could effect much in remedying the evil
We have plan to propose which we think, if
carried out, would not only relieve us of pauper-
ism, but add greatly to the prosperity Of our own
citizens, rs we'll as that of the country at large
1t is this
Many of our people here, and in ether Atlantic
cities, and in fact throughout the whole country,
own large tracts of land in Ohio, Virginia, Mchi-
gan, Iowa, Wisconsin, and other States, which
have been, and will continue to be unproductive
for many years. Taxes are annually paid on
these tracts and it will be long time before they
can be sold for sum sufficient to cover the ex-
pc OF and interest. Their value in
creases in proportion as the neighborhoods in
which they are located become settled. Now,
would it not be advantageous to the holders
of these lands to pay the travelling expenses
Of these emigrants, and give them a portion
of these lands-say fifty acres-on their agree
ing to clear or otherwise improve another
fifty-more or less We are of opinion that
it would. For instance, man owns one
thousand acres in Michigan, worth eighty cents
an acre; for at that price any quantity can be
purchased in the interior of that State. BY the
gradual increase Of population, that land would
be worth two dollars per acre in five years. 1fit
were cleared, it would be worth at the present
time ten dollars or more per acre. Let him APP
portion it into fifty acre lots, and place ten families
on ten of them, with the understanding that if
they cleared the owners remaining fifty lots,
within certain time, say two years or more, that
he would at the end of the time give them deed
offifty lots for themselves, and he will be greatly
benefited by the transaction. One thousand
acres of wild land in the West is worth little or
nothing; but five hundred acres OF cleared i'm
proved land apportioned into fifty acre farms, is a
very handsome properly. Fifty acres, one. half o
it cleared, and the other half reduced to state Of
cultivation, is snug farm, and is large enough for
a large family.
We give these suggestions with the hope that
they will receive the attention of owners Of west
ern lands. We hardly think that we are mistaken
about the results which we think would follow
from their being adopted.
At any rate, some method must be adopted, and
that quickly, to prevent the immense amount Of
labor, that will reach shores during the pre-
sent year, remaining unemployed, and becoming
a burden on the country, when, in Illinois and
other western States, it would add so much real
wealth to the country. lis not an uncommon
occurrence in that State for farmer to lose three
or four hundred acres ofwheat, in consequence of
the scarcity oflabor to harvest it. We have known
instances OF large crops having rotted on the
ground, because no labor could be obtained to cut
and house it.
MAJOR CIV. BKNroN were informed by
telegraph, on Wednesday evening last, that Major
Gen. Benton had demanded of the administra-
ton to recall Generals Scott, Taylor, Butler and
Patterson, and in of its refusal, that he would
decline his appointment. The administration is