The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-05-30
SOUTHERN PRESS,
WASHINGTON CITY.
FRIDAY, MAY 80. 1851.



luton in the United States, confirms in the mos
ample and conclusive manner the philosophy
and the philanthropy of America African slav-
cry.
The actual increase Of white people in the
United States from 1870. to 1910, was ut the
rate of thirty or thirty-four per cont in eacl
ten years, fact which shows there was grad
ual decrease in the ratio of natural increase fol
during the whole of this period the ratio of for
eign emigration was rapidly increasing, and hence
if the ratio of natural increase had continued un
diminished, the ratio of aggregate increase ought
to have advanced all the time But from l84O
to 1850 the foreign emigration was enormous
1t could not have been less in that period than
two Millions including its own natural increase
after arriving here
Now if our natural increase In $1,000 had
been equal to the original rate in this country
that alone would have made our population
amount in 1850 to 23,ll9,96O. Ana this added
to the foreign increase in the last decade would
have amounted to 25,1l9,96O. Instead of that
we have only 1926, 498, which shows a deficit
of natural increase of nearly two millions of
people. Instead then of increasing at the rate
of thirty three per cent in the last ten years. our
native population has increased at the rate only
of about twenty-five per cent. This is serious
and significant indication of decline in the
character and condition of our people.
Let us now see in what class Of our popula-
ton this decline is the most prevalent. In 1910
the total population of the Northern States was
s,75S,s76. In 1860 it is l3,533,32s. Deduct
ing the foreign emigration which has gone almost
exclusively to the North, and the natural increase
the North would be only l,774,352, or a lille
ofOrer eighteen per cent in ten years. This is but
little beyond the natural increase of Great Britain
in lS2o-4O, which according to her census was
fourteen per cent, Notwithstanding the emigra-
ton of that periad.
We have assumed that the foreign emigration
has gone to the North. We are aware that
small portion if it has gone to the States of
Texas and Missouri, but are satisfied that this
portion, together with the few that have gone to
other Southern States, is more than counterba-
anced by the emigration from them to Ohio, In
diana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa, and California
We are therefore quite positive that the act
ual increase of the white population in the
Southern States according to the census of 1850
does rot indicate more than its natural increase.
That increase according to this census was
l,614,ll6 on population in 1910 of 4632, $40,
or over thirty-sir per cent? bin ten years: twice as
great as in the North! and nearly equal to the
total increase of the North, which was but about
forty per cent. including the most unparalleled
foreign emigration ever known. And hence al
though the white population of the South is
now not quite half Of that of the North, yet if
each were to progress for the next fifty years at
the same rate as for the last ten, the Southern
white population would equal the Northern if
there were no foreign emigration. But the ratio
of Northern natural increase is rapidly declining,
whilst that of the South maintains its primitive
rate and vigor!
Now it is said that the foreign emigrants are
more liable 70 sickness than natives, and hence
affect unfavorably the ratio of Northern increase
and mortality. 1t is true that emigrants are
not so healthy as natives Of the same age. But
the emigrants are chiefly, and to much larger
proportion than natives, young adults. Ant
hence their mortality is not 80 great in proper
ton to number, as the aggregate of natives
which contains its full proportion of children
and old people. And the bills Of mortality il
the city of New York accordingly show, that tn
proportion IF deaths among foreigners is moi $
great as among natipes And since the foreig
emigration ia 80 large proportionably adult an
young, it must be more prolific than an equs
number of natives, containing proportion 8
much greater of the young and old that are no
prolific at all.
These conclusions are enough to startle an
Impress all men Of reflection. We have su,
ceeded in forming government which is col
trolled by that portion of its people the MOI
alien to our institutions, and the most infirm-
the most infrm physically, and, therefore, "
have right to infer the most infrm morall
For we hold it to be truth as well establishe
as any other in ethics, in politics, in religion, an
in philosophy, that the moral character of
people determines their fecundity, and is in pro
portion to it. All history proves that IN pro
portion to the morality of people do the,
multiply, expand, extend, and conquer. Wher
they become degenerate and depraved, thei
vices are first effective in arresting, or retardins
their increase, and, finally, in producing thei
subordination and extinction.
II foreign emigration goes on as it is nov
going on, which is at much greater rate than il
any year of the last decade, we shall have, in tn
next ten years, an augmentation in our foreig
population Of about three millions, after allow
ing for the mortality they may suffer. Their
will then be living at least three millions of tn
foreign emigrants already here, making six--s
that in f'centy years from now, the fereig
population will be a majority of the North