Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1855-10-20
Immigration and its Consequence =.

l
try has long been source of anxiety to re
not been particularly directed to it have it'll,
conception OF the extent to which immi grafton
has gone. The opponents Of the American
party charge that party with gross exaggera
ton, in order to further their own ends
Instead OF exaggeraion have not the Ieas
idea in the world that the full truth is told
And for this reason, our reliance on statistical
information is upon the census of 1850. Be-
tween four and five years have elapsed, and
five years Of American history is not lus-
trum, bat century in American history. The
census is, at best, imperfect. But with that
census as authority the increase of foreigners
is numerically alarming. and their character is
more alarming than their numbers. In the
statistics which follow, you must remember
that they were taken in 1850.
During period Of ten years, from 1890 to
| 1900, the number Of foreigners arriving in this
country was $4,000, or 5000 per annum. In
1924 the immigrants amounted to only 5000
Ten years afterwards it increased to 52,S99
In ls4l to lOl,lO7. In lS43 to $4,000. In
1854 to s6S,643. 1t may be put down this
year at nearly 100000.
What a rapidity of annual increase! In a
little more than fifty years from 5,OOOto 5OO,-
900 per aBnum. II there be no restriction
upon naturalization-if. there be no obstacle
thrown in the way-if, on the contrary, addi
tional incentives be otfered-if the proffer by
the government of land to the landless be
continued, and il the man once landless now a
land owner, is to be allowed full rights of
citizenship as soon as he sets foot on his new
found domain, who can tell when or how this
immigration is to cease! A more adroit lure,
more captivating bait TO a dissatisfied Eu-
ropean than the promises of land could mot be
held out. He land -owner! He Wild an
cestors had been tenants at will for generations
on the soil of his.master. Land without mon.
ey and without price! Land-the oYpershp
OF which, in Europe, separates the cd eman
from the peibian! When this profit Of the
government is fully known abroad, thS1ncrease
of immigration will be greater in proportion
than from 1900 to 1850. This gratuito prof
fer Of land to the foreigner, his eev4Gon at
once to citizenship, is the maddsst scheme that
has disgraced this government. This bbbing
Of our own posterity, this bestowmentsof their
patrimoney upon the alien to subserve the pur-
poses Of the demagogue, is the most unnatur-
al act Of which ever political parent was gull
ty to its own offspring. 8
But even if this land gift does not increase
the annual immigration. it it continues simply
at the present rate, it will soon place us in an
alarming position. Half a million year
enough to form new State year-enough to
furnish Eve new representatives in Congress a
year. In twenty years ten millions Of foreign
ers, besides the present number. Who can
look upon this future and not feel anxious for
his country.
In 1850 there were 8,7s6.968 native born
males in this country. and l,230,434 foreign
born males. That is, about one-seventh Of
our male population was then foreign born. II
is to be presumed that this proportion has in
creased to nearly one>fifth Of our male popu-
lation. We have in our country an array of
more than one million and a half of foreign
horn males-the material Of which revolution
were made at home, and with which revolu-
tions may be made here. 1t is bad feature
10 this population that it seldom assmlates
with the American population, where there are
foreigners enough for association. They in.
termarry among themselves. They have their
military companies. even regiments of them.
] am informed that there is an Irish military
organization in New York, comprising large
number Of men. That this organization has
= fund Of one half million Of dollars, ready
for any immediate use, that is controlled by q
committee called the New York Irish Directory.
They have their st. George and ST. Patrick So.
cieties They have no right to keep up
separate nationality while they are American.
citizens. A man who is constantly fondling
his mimic lion, will be 10th to lepel the real lion
if he came growing upon our shores. And 90 on
with the rest. These things ought not to be
80. Government should lay its strong hand
upon them. No other nation would tolerate.
it.
The total population Of the St.te Of New
York in 1850. wss 3,o94.394; of thi. number
6O,O68 were foreigners: lumber Of foreigners
in that one State greater than the whole popu-
lation Of Georgia. The number Of foreigners
in New York cannot now be less than one nils
lion.
The whole population of Wisconsin was
304. .6o7-of this number 1892 were ma
lives. and LOG, ,092 Misrepresentation nearly an
equality between the two, foreign and native.
The ratio 10 Minnesota was about the same. In /
some cities and seaboard counties Of the At
lantic SIXTIES, the proportion of foreigners is
very great in the two counties of Suffolk
md Middlesex in Massachusetts,, there were
upwards Of 80, this in two counties, The
total population Of New York and its suburbs
was 5i6,547-of this number 24O,9o9 were
foreigners, nearly sone-half Of the whole popu.
ation oftthe great center Of American exists
pnce and trade-the very heart Of their great
Republic half nearly of its influence
foreign. sSsss s,y% 8s=.ss
/ Ifxp tbsss foreigners were valuable citizens,
# the were all even honest men--if they could