The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-07-29
From the London Athennum.
Tho AnxlO-SgxOn Race.


Fifty three millions Two centuries ago there not
quite three millions OF this the face of the earth
There million more persons OF Magyar descent,
speaking The Magyar language at the present moment IN
Europe, than there in Europe and America OF this
conquerng and colonizng people in the time OF Cromwell
How vain then, for to talk OF the political necessity
for absorbing small races Sixty years ago the Anglo
Saxon did not exceed 100000 in Europe and
America AT that time il was not numerically stronger
than the Poles Thirty years ago it counted only thirty
four millions; being altogether only three millions and
fraction than the population OF France at that time,
and considerably less than the Teuonc population Of
Central Europe. In 1851 it is ahead OF every civilized
race in The world OF races lying within the zones OF
civilization the Sclaves alone counted
by heads but comparatively few oil this plastic and sub
mssive stock have yet escaped from the barbasm of the
dark ages. In wealth. energy, and cultivation, they
not be compared with the Frank the Teu,on and the
Anglo. Saxon. Number is almost their only element of
strength OF all the races which striving Tor he
mastery OF The woIld-o impress on the future OF society
and civilization the stamp OF its character and ge
nuslo make It's law, idom, religion, manners govern
ment. and opinion prevalllhe Anglo Saxon is
quesiionlby the most numerous powerful, and active.
The day when It might possibly have been crushed All
sofhed, trampled out, like Hungary and Poland, by
stronger hordes is gone by forever That it was possible
tall prey the slower agonies OF decline, there be
little doubt In 1850, the United Provinces seemed more
likely to make grand figure the worlds future history
than England. Their wealth, activity, and maritime
power the most imposing in Europe They had all
the carrying trade OF the west their hands Their Ian
guage was spok EN- every port In the great Orient their
empire fixed and their influence paramount. Eng
land then hardly known abroad, Her difficult idiom
grated foreign and her stormy coasts Iepeed the
curiosity OF cultivated travellers. Had The thought
Of day arriving when any single European language
would be spoken by millions OF persons, scattered
the great continents of the earth from New Zealand 10 the
HebIide< and from the Cape OF Storms 10 the Arctic
ocean, any speculative mind, Dutch, Eng
llsh would probably have been the tongue 10 which he
would have assigned the marvellous mission. Yet ol-
land has fallen nearly much the Saxon has risen
the scale OF nations. Her idiom is acquired by few
Her merchants conduct Their correspondence and
their business in French in English Even her writers
have many of them clothed their genius foreign gab
On the other hand, our literature and language have
passed entirely out of this phase of danger Dutch like
Welsh, Flemish, Erse Basque, and other idioms, is
doomed to perish Intellectual medium; but, what
ever may be the future changes of the world the tong
OF Shakespeare and of Bacon is now loo firmly rooted
be torn away. olonger content with pres
erva,ion, aims at universal mastery. Gradually il is
ing possession of all the ports and of the world
isolapg all rival demonstrating them up from inter
with each other-making itself the channel OF
every communication. Al a hundred points at it
plays the asgressor. II contends with Spanish the
frontiers of Mexico-dIves French and Russian before
in Cansda and in the northern
Duich al the Cape and Naal-ebows Greek and Italian
at Malta and in the Ionan Isands-usurps the right OF
Arabic at Suez and NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. itself supreme
Liberia, Hong Kong, Jamaica, and ST. Helena-bghis
its way against multludnous and dialects in the
Rocky mountains Central America. the Gold Coast,
in the interior of Australia, and among The countless
islands OF the eastern No other language is spread
ing in this way French and German find udenis among
cultivated men but English permanently destroys and
supersedes the dioms with which il comes in contact
The relative growth OF the two great Anglo saxon
States noteworthy Ia 1901, the population OF Great
Britain lo,9a2e46 in 1900, that of the United
States 3,3l9.762-or not quite bali. In 1850, the
population OF the United States is two million and third
than that Of Great Britain IN ls5l-a this moment
il probably exceeds by three millions The rate OF de-
cenna increase in this country is less than fifteen per
cent-whle in America is about thir,yhve per cent In
the great continental States the rate is considerably lower
than in Englan According 10 the progress OF the last
fifty years France and in America the United States
will have the larger population in ls70-in 1900, they
will exceed those OF England France SPAIN Portugal
Denmark Sweden, and Switzerland combined Prudent
states should bear these facts in mind Many per-
sons now alive may The time when America will be
more importance us, socially, commercially and po-
litically than all Europe put together Old diplomatic
traditions will go for little in the face OF transatlantic
20 wer numbering 00O, 900 OF free and energetic
of our own race and blood.