The Belmont chronicle, and farmers, mechanics and manufacturers advocate. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1848-1855, 1853-07-08
SENATOR EVERETT ON TIE
"CELTiC EXODUS"

''HSNN'o HcINtINt hiI hhoItSS btlDTt lls NtN
York Historical Society, last week, on Tn
discovery and settlement of America, whicl
is comprehensive sketch of that importan
movement. We have room for an extrac
only, and shall confne ourselves TO his no
tice Of the present emigration, which vii
doubtless have SO great an influence on tht
destiny of Ireland, Germany and the Unitet
States:
"The races that invaded Europe came t
lay waste and to subjugate; the hosts that
cross the Atlantic are peaceful migrants
The former bursts upon the Roman empire
and by oft-repeated strokes beat it 10 the
ground. The migrants to America from all
countries come to cast in their lot with the
native citizens, AND to share with US this great
inheritance Of civil and religious liberty. The
former were ferocious barbarians-half clad
in skns-speaking strange tongues-worship-
ping strange gods with bloody rtes-the lat.
Ter are the children of the countries from
which the first European settlers of this con.
tinent proceeded and also belong with us to
the great common family Of Christcndom
The former destroyed the culture OF the an
cient world, and it was only after a thousand
years that better civilization grew up from
its ruins. The millions who have estabis b.
ed themselves in America within sixty year 5
are from the moment of their arrival, gradua l.
/ ly absorbed into the mass Of the population
conforming to the laws, moulding themse I've;
to the manners OF the country, and cuntribut-
ing their share to its prosperity and strength.
| 'It is a curious coincidence, that, as the
first mighty wave of the hostile immi grafton,
! that burst upon Europe before the time of our
Saviour, consisted of tribes belonging to the
great Celtic race-the remains Of which,
! identified by their original dialect, are still
found in Brittany, in Wales, in the Highlands
of Scotland, and especially in lreand-so by
far the greater portion of the new and friend
ly immigration to the United States, consists
of persons belonging to the same iervid, i'm
aginative, and too often oppressed race. |
have heard in the villages OF Wales, and the
Highlands Of Scotland the gospel preached
in substantially the same language IN which
Brennus uttered his naughty summons to
Rome, and in Which the mystic songs Of the
Druids were chaunted in the depths of the
primeval forests of France and England, in
the time of Julius Caesar. 1t is still spoken
BY thousands of Scotch. Welsh, and Irish i'm
igrants, in all parts of the United States.
The great Celtic race is one of the most
remarkable that has appeared in history
Whether it belongs to that extensive lndo
European family OF nations which, in ages
before the dawn of history, took up line of
march in two columns from the lower linda s.
moving Westward both by northern and
southern route, finally dfiused itself over
Western Asia, Norlhcrn Africa, and the great
er part of Europe; or whether, as others sup
pose, the Celtic race belongs to a still older
stock, and was itself driven down upon the
South and into the West of Europe by the
overwhelming force of the lndo Eupropeans,
are questions which we have no time at pre-
sent to discuss. However it may be decided,
it would seem that for the first time, as far as
we are acqulinted'with the fortunes of this
interesting race, they have found themselves
in really prosperous condition in this coun-
try. Driven from the soil TO which their
fathers have clung for two thousand years,
they have at length, and for the first time in
their entire history, found real home in a
land of strangers. Having been told, in the |
lrghtful language Of political economy, that
at the daily table which nature spreads for
the human family there is no cover Tor them
in Ireland they have crossed the ocean to
find occupation, shelter, and bread, on
foreign soil
"This Celtic Exodus as it has been apt !
ly termed is to all parties Immediately con-
nected with it, one of the most important
events of the day. To the emigrants them
selves, it may be reg 'rded as 4 passing from
death to life. 1t will benefit Ireland by re-
ducing surplus population, and restoring
sounder and juster relation of capital and
labor. 1t will benefit the laboring classes in |
England, where wages have been kept down |
to the starvation point by the struggle be-
tween the native population and the inhabi- |
tants of the sister island. The benefit will !
extend from England to ourselves, and Will
lessen the pressure of that competition which
our labor is obliged to sustain, with the ILL
paid labor Of Europe. Whilst the constant
influx into America, of stout and efficient
hands, supplies the greltest want in a new
country, which is that Of labor-gves value
to land ,--and facilitates the execution OF ev-
cry species of private enterprise and public
work.
II am not insensibe to the temporary in
convenences which are to be the offset a.
rainst these advantages ON both sides OF the
water. Much suffering attends the emiSrant
there, on his passage, and after his arrival
1t is possible that the value Of our native
labor may have been depressed by too sud
den and extensive supply from abroad; and
it is certain, that our asylums and almshouses
are crow ded with foreign inmates, and that
the resources of public and private benevo-
ence have been heavily drawn upon.-These
are considerable evils, but they have, perhaps
been exaggerated.
at must be remembered, in the first place,
that the immigration daily pouring in from
Europe, is by no means pauper immigration
On the contrary, it is already regarded with
apprehensions abroad, as occusioning great
abstraction of capital. 1t is attended no
doubt with am influx Of foreign pauperlsm'
In reference to this, believe your system oil
public relief is better here in New York, than
ours in Massachusetts,, in which. however, we