Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-06-19

egners are misunderstanding more than we'll
disposed foreigners themselves must grant II
they wish 10 continue TO live In welgoyerned
country. Then the order dvests itself OF its "ss-
crecy,n and opens It's principles and doors 70 the
public, except when In the transaction ofexecutve
business. But, for the present, without further
comment, we commend the public attention to
the document.
From the London News, May 80.
The Renux OF Emigration from the United
States.
We are told that the law OF reaction is of uni
versal application, and that there is no current in
the sea whose influence is not to a greater or less
extent countervailed by stream in the opposite
direction. Emigration from the over-crowded
countries of the Old World, to the fertile and
untitled regions of the New, seemed least likely
TO furnish us with new example Of the general
theory. History has indeed recorded many In
stances where the void created by rapid and ex-
tensiye migration has been replenished by the
overflow Of some other race pressing forward In
the same direction. But such phenomena are
most essentially unlike those which fall under the
description of reaction, and can in no sense be
classified Herewith. Re-immigration is a new and
curious illustration Of the mingled ebb and How OF
labor seeking employment in our time.
Everywhere gregarious industry is afoot, seeking
and striving after more room for work, and ready
at short notice to cross half the globe with wives
and little ones in quest Of ten or fifteen per cent
better wages Other influences, social and politi-
cal, have in recent years stimulated vast numbers
throughout all Western Europe to cross the ocean;
but from no quarter has there been such gush OF
population as from Ireland. The marvellous mag
nitude of the continuous stream to America that
set in after the famine of l847, and continued
without abatement until 1852, is familiar to every
reader. In 1853 and 1854 the current perceptibly
declined in breadth and volume But from the
Southern and Western districts it has never ceased
to flow up to the present time. Strange, that al
ready counter current should now have steadily
set in, and that many who but two or three years
ago babe farewell to their native shores have
already renounced the hope of mending their
condition in the land Of promise, and have re-
turned to settle themselves once more on their
native soil. @
When first we heard indications Of this reaction
we were naturally disposed to regard it as but cas-
ual and superficial. In every crowd of migratory
adventurers there will always be found some who
Join in the undertaking for no other reason than
that their associates and kindred have resolved to
do so, but who individually destitute of those
qualities Of enterprise, perseverance, and self reli
ance on which, in new and untried circumstances,
their success must mainly depend. We own, there
fore, that we were inclined hastily to conclude that
it was only the idle the stless, and the dreamers
of unrealisable dreams who had become quickly dis
appointed with the state of things they found on
the other side of the Atlantic, and who had In
consequence drifted back again to the old lane, ).
where they had never done well, to do as badly
there as before. Further inquiries, however, have
led US to form somewhat different estimate Of the
extent and character of the re immigration that
during the last twelve months especially has been
taking place from the United States to Ireland;
and the matter ia In every respect well deserving
Of thoughtful consideration. The unlocked for re-
action may, we believe, be mainly ascribed to two
cause.-the over supply of labor, both skilled and
unskilled, which the surplus capital Of the States
has been insufficient to absorb and secondly, the
growing sense Of distrust and repugnance among
the large classes Of American citizens the intru-
sion of organized multitudes possessing few, If any,
ideas In harmony with their own, and avowedy
swayed by influences little in unison with those TO
which the great commonwealth owes Its being.
We can readily understand how easily the first
or second years overflow of willing hands should
have found--we should rather, perhaps, say Gre
ated work for themselves, by suggesting the means
of additional employment. In a new and prosper
Gus country there will always be host of things
that Is desirable to have done, the execution of
which Is constantly deferred for want Of cheap
and abundant labor. As soon as the desiderated
element appears these things begin TO be accom-
plished; tidings Of the good fortune that has at
tended the first detachment Of emigrunts reach
home, and lead othsrs to seek their fortune like
wise In the land of abundance; the widening circle
of attraction spreads, until at length, in conse-
quence of its very expansion, the attraction van
ishes altogether. The surplus fund applicable to
the employment of immigrant labor is soon over
occupied, whereby the amount which each com
petitor obtains in wages is gradually beaten down
towards the old sorrowful minimum that viii barely
support existence; and then oil who come after In
search of work are doomed to disappointment, and
oftentimes to keen suffering and distress
Who can tell how much Of human life and labor
has melted away In sickness and privation in the
great towns ofthe American republic, having only
had strength sufficient to escape from similar
fate few weeks or months before on this side of
the ocean, We have but few and very imperfect
statistics on the subject; but as through a glass
darkly we seem TO discern a fearful mass Of human
misery, squalor and degradation piled up In heaps
in the seaboard cities OF the Union-heaps which
our supercious statesmen Of the red tape school
would dignity with the off-hand epithet Of !" Incl
dental difficulties attendant upon the exodus"-
but which the just Jealousy Of American citizen
ship too truly points at causes for patriotic APP
prehensions and national reproach. Nor are these
feelings unfortunately confined 10 the miserable
classes who were unable to find work, and who
speedily sink down into dependence upon precari-
Gus charity. Everywhere throughout the Northern
States Of the Union mulhtudes Of Irish Roman
Catholics are TO be found who, for very small re-
compense, perform, 10 a great extent, the seryile
duties which In the Southern States are executed
by the colored population. 1t is rather their mis-
fortune than their fault that they are poor, ignor
ant, and utterly foreign in their habits and IDEAS
to the political community amongst whom they
dwell Wisely directed they might quickly be
Taught 10 assimilate In outward forms and observ-
ances to the free and selfrespecting people whose
protection they have sought and obtained.
Nor can IL be doubted but that a race so pro-
verbally initiative would rapidly acquire If trained
TO do so, many Of the ideas and feelings justly re-
garded by all true Americans as essential to the
maintenance OF their nation-hood. Unfortunately
for the Roman Catholic emigrants, they have been
for some time badly counselled and advised Ultra
montansm has been as reckless and as rabd OF
late in the New World as in the Old Its coxcomb-
ical prctensions TO paramount power have been as
insofently put forth In New England as in Old
England; and what has proved Of more fatal con-
sequence to its unhappy votaries, political sympa-
thes with despotsm and intellectual darkness have
been openly svowed and Extensively promulgated.
"a. - 49, IL