The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1849-11-15
Correspondence of ibe Republic.

ELECTION.

ELECTION.
Our election is going Off to-day peaceably and
noiselessly, thanks to our blessed registry law,
which shuts the door upon the abomnable frauds
which SO often disgrace elections III some OF our
large cities 1t is fortunate circumstance that
this registry system has now become 80 rooted III
the habits and estimation of the people, that no
party, however reckless, would dare to assail It,
1t has been Justly remarked by religious contem-
porary, that all our large New England towns are
rapidly undergoing most important social change
From Its being silent and gradual, 1t may be
doubted if the extent of it is often appreciated
FOREIGN IMMIGRATIoN.
Boston may be taken as the largest example
Fifty years ago it was thoroughly New England
city The great mass Of the people was composed
of those who were industrious and lf-relying;
who valued education for their children, and abb
horred beggary. There were poverty and trial then
as now, but very little of what we mean by the
word pauperism. Within few years, a ceaseless
tide Of foreign immigrants has poured In; and at
this moment the population of Boston includes forty
thousand foreigners, for the most part Catholics IN
faith, unused to habits of orethought, cleanliness,
and thrift In this city, it is crowding hard on the
native population Every year, street after street
is added to those occupied by foreign immigrants.
PAupERIsM
As you may suppose, the great questions OF pau
perism and social misery are brought home with
fearful significance to our attention under this state
of things But how unjust is it to our own institu-
tons to attribute to their defective working all the
mass of imported misery, degradation, and often
times crimes, whose developments have now be-
come too frequent to startle, and for which
the subjects have been trained under vicious Euro
pean systems of government! Here is the evil,
however, and must grapple with It, 1t Is the
sad heritage which the old world bequeaths to the
new The subject is annually claiming more and
more the study and earnest philanthropy of some
of our best thinkers.
CALIFORNIA.
We have the California mail by the Empire City
to-day, thanks to the prompt and provident action
of our postmaster Mr.. Hayden. We feared it
would happen again, as it happened once before,
that the Empire City would arrive just on the eve
of the departure of the boat for Chagres, 80 that
letters by the former to Boston correspondents could
not be answered direct There would thus have
been delay of a whole month. Immediately on
learning that the Empire City had arrived, Mr..
Hayden sent Geographic despatch on Sunday
afternoon to the New York postmaster, telling him
to send on the Boston mail by express, at the risk,
and, if need be, the expense, of the Boston de-
partment. The steamboat Traveller was accord
ingly despatched at eight o'clock last night, and
by ten this morning had our letters, which can
now be answered in season for the Chagres boat.
The reports of the gold produce do not vary ma
terially from former stories; but hear of many
Adventures who write home discouraging accounts
of their struggles in the great race after fortune, in
which so many competitors arc engaging.
HUGHES, THE SCULPTOR.
Mr.. Ball Hughes, the sculptor, who is now re-
siding in Dorchester, this city, has just COM
pleted beautiful statue, which he calls the Fisher
Boy which is to be exhibited here in a few days.
Hughes is an artist of unqucstioned genius, and
his works arc highly priced by our best judges.
His full length figure Of the late Mr. Bowditch, at
Mount Auburn, is masterpiece Of artstical tri-
umph over difficulties.