The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1855-09-27
The Decrease in Foreign immigration.


Statistics show that there has been remark
able decrease this year in foreign immigration
BY comparison of the arrivals during the
first and second quarters of 1855, with those of
1854, there appears to be a decrease of nearly
one hundred thousand foreigners, according to
the official returns of the custom houses.
While the real causes of this decrease are very
plain, it is amusing to notice the attempt OF the
Old Line Press, made in mere assertion with
out trying to prove the charge, that this de-
crease in foreign immigration is owing to the
existence of an order called Know Nothings,
in this country! Hon this could possibly be,
has not been pointed out. We were not aware
that any body CT portion of our citizens, no
matter by what name known, have been in
any manner trying to prevent the flow Of for
eign immigration to this country, except so
far as this immigration is made up of foreign
paapers and CONFLICTS. That kind ofaddition to
our population, has been rebuked by all par
ties, and we trust it will be most effectually
stopped, although the Old Line Democratic
vote will be considerably lessened by sending
these paupers and convicts back to the coun-
tries of their former habitation.
II any foreigners have been prevented from
coming here, through fear of the Know Moth
ings, we presume they have obtained their in
formation as to the nature and character of
this order entirely from the anti-American
press--and therefore the anti-Americans in
stead of the American party, should be held
responsible for the decrease in foreign immi-
grafton. There is certainly nothing in the
principles of the American party which need
in the slightest manner deter foreigners from
coming to this country--although there may
be in the lying SANDERS propogated by the ras-
cally anti-American press against this party.
Now the true reasons why there has been
such marked decrease in this immigration,
are very apparent. As a cotemporary says, the
Russian war has opened a ready market for all
the floating population Of Earope-and those
countries to which we are ordinarily indebted
for the largest contributions to our population
Ireland, Germany and France, have sent
and are now sending thousands and thousands
of their people to the East, which, but for the
war would have, no doubt, found their way to
the West. The machine man-that is ready
to kill or be killed-has risen in value since
the siege of Sebastopol. He is ready in demand
ut fair prices. 1t is estimated that since the
commencement of hostilities no fewer than
$4,000 men have been sent off to the Black
Sea, alone. Add $4,000 more for land and ma
val service, in other quarters, and the 100000
aggregate it gives us, satisfactorily accounts for
the decrease of emigration to the United States.
The hard times of last winter, with the unEl-
vorable impressions created by the "soup dis
pensation' among the poor Irish laborers and
other foreigners at New York, have induced
numbers oftheir countrymen to stay at home,
till matters on this side should mend little
but after all, it is clearly seen that it is the
eastern war that has, la the main, swallowed
western immigration.