Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1851-08-15
The Anglo-Saxon Race.

The Anglo-Saxo Race.
Fifty-three millions Two centuries ago there
were not quite three millions of this on the face
OF the earth There million more persons of
the Magyr descent, speaking the Magyr language
at the present moment in Europe, than there were
in Europe and America of this conquering and col
onizing people in the time of Cromwell. How vain
them for to talk of the political necessitv for
absorbing small races! Sixty years ago the Anglo
Saxon race did not exceed 17000 600 in Europe and
America. At that time it was not numerically
stronger than the Poles. Thirty years ago it count
ed only thirtyfour millions being altogether only
three millions and fraction than the popula-
ton of France at that time, and considerably less
than the IeutOnlc population Of Central Europe
In 1851 it is ahead of every civilized in the
world. Of races lying within the zones of cvilza-
ton. the Sclaves alone more numerous. counted
by heads; but comparatively few of this plastic and
submissive stock have yet escaped from the barbar
ism of the dark ages. In wealth. energy, and cult
Walton, they not to be compared with the Frank,
the Teuton, and the Anglo-Saxon. Number is al
most their only element Of strength Of the races
which striving for the mastery of the world
to impress the future of society and civilization
the stamp of its character and genius-to make
its law. diom: religion, manners government, and
opinion preval-the Anglo-Saxon is unquestion-
ably the most numerous powerful and active. The
day when it might possibly have been crushed, ab-
sorbed, or trampled out, like Hungary and Poland,
by stronger hordes is gone by forver. That it was
possible at time for this people to be subdued by
violence or to fall prey to the slower agonies of
decline, there can be but little doubt In 1850, the
United Provinces seemed more likely to make a
grand figure in the worlds future history than Eng
land. Their wealth, activity, and maritime power
were the most imposing in Europe. They had all
the carrying trade of the west in their hands Their
language was spoken in every port.
In the great Orient their empire was fixed and
their influence paramount England was then hard
ly known abroad. Her difficult idiom grated on for
eign and her stormy coasts repealed the Curios
nf IL
Of day arriving when any single European Ian
guage would be spoken by millions Of persons, scat
tered over the great continents of the earth from
New Zealand to the Hebrides, and from the Cape OF
Storms to The Arctic occurred to any specua
tive mind, Dutch not English, would probably have
been the tongue to which he would have assigned
the marvellous mission. Yet Holland has fallen
nearly much as the Saxon has risen in the scale
of nations. Her idiom is acquired by few. Hel
merchants conduct their correspondence and trans
act their business in French in English. Ever
her writer's have many of them clothed their genius
in foreign garb. On the other hand our literature
and language have passed entirely out of this phase
of danger. Dutch, like Welsh, Flemish, Erse, Bal
que, and other idioms, is doomed to perish an in
tellectual medium but, whatever may be the future
changes of the world the tongue of Shakespeare anC
of Bacon is too frmly rooted to be tori
away. No longer content with preservation
it aims at universal mastery. Gradually it is takin;
possession of all the ports and coasts of the world
\
intercourse with each other-making itself th
channel of every communication.
At hundred points at once it plays the aggres
sor 1t contends with Spanish on the frontiers o
Mexico-drves French and Russian before it il
Canada and in the northen Archpelag o-supersede
Dutch at the Cape and Natal-elbows Greek ant
Italian at Malta and in the Ionian Islands-usurp
the right of Arabic at Suez and Alexandria main
tains itself supreme at Liberia, Hong-Kong, Jamai
ca. and St. Helena--fghts its way against multitu
dinOus and various dialects in the Rocky mountains
, in Central America. the Gold Coast in the int
rior of Australia and among the countless island
of the eastern seas. No other language is spread
; ing in this way. French and German find stude Mt
+ among cultivated men but English permanently
destroys and supersedes the ldlOm with which
comes in contact.
E The relative growth of the two great AngO-Saxo1
States is noteworthy. In 1901, the population Q
Great Britain was 1O914.646; in 1900, that of tn
f United States 5,3l9.762 or not quite half. i
1850. the population of the United States is two mil
+ lions and third more than that of Great Britain il
, l851-at this moment it probably exceeds it b
three millions. The rate Of decennial increase il
this country is less than fifteen per cent-while i
America it is about thirty-fve per cent. In tn
great continental States the rate is considerabl
lower than in England According to the progress
of the last fifty years in France and in America, tn
, United States will have the larger population i
= l87O-in 1900, they will exceed those of England
+ France, Spain, Portugal Denmark Sweden, an
Switzerland combined. Prudent statesmen shoul
bear these facts in mind. Many persons now alv
may the time when America will be of more I'm
porance to socially, commercially, and politica
ly, than all Europe put together. Old diplomat
traditions will go for little in the face of transa
lantic power numbering 200, 0.0O0 of free and er
, ergetic men of our own race and blood.
London AthenGum.