American union. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1859, 1855-10-20

1920 to 1880 l35,oS6
:" 1880 10 1910 $40 600
1910 to 1850 1,67S. .339
From 1850 10 the commencement of
1884, three years, 1,l1S,S05. For the
year 1854, there arrived 460,474 at the
Atlantic cities. Allowing for those who
entered the United States by way of the
ST. Lawrence and the Canadas, we have
IN r0oud. numbers, for ono single year,
100000
Ii will be seen that this ratio of in.
crease will, before 1850, roll np the an
nnal influx of Foreigners to over mil
lion. Let us now state another fact,
proved by actual statistics, that but a
| little oyer one quarter of the immigrants
can either read or write; that they come
| TO Us from countries where the govern.
ments are regarded as antagonisms to
the masses; where obedience to the law
is the result oflhe presence and exercise
of physical power. 1t will be remem-
bered, too, that vast majority of these
! people who thus come among us, are
devotees of faith which, in its absolu
tiisfn. is at war with the free spirit and
genius of our institutions; that they
bring with them priesthood, educated
in SCHOOL which ignores or denounces
all freedom of religious opinion; which
regards all departure from the settled
! dogmas Of the church as heresy, and he.
resy is an offence alike against God and
| society. "
Do the people comprehend the mum.
ber of these foreigners Of alien habits.
! prejudices and faith, thrown upon our
shores in single year? 1t is easy to
say half million ofpenple is just FIVE
hundred thousand men, women and
children. But let us place them in po.
sitions where such a vast influx of for.
eign population in its social and politi.
cal bearing may be comprehended, as a
practical fact. BY the census of 1850,
| 1t appears that Connecticut had popu.
Iation of $4,000, less 10y 10000, than
this immigration of single ycar; Ark
ansas had population of 2l0, 900 less
! by 100000 than one half of this imm.
! grafton Of a single year; Delaware had
. 81, 600, one quarter Of the immigration
of 1864; Florida had $1,000, less than
one fifth of the immigration of 1854; To-
wa bad $4,000, less by 10000, than
! half of the immigration of 1854, Michi-
| gan had 398.000, less by 121,0 900, than
the immigration of 1854; Rhode Island
! had 147, 900, less than one third of the
immigration of that year. The imm.
grafton Of 1854, was greater than twice
the population Of Texas. 1t was 147,
600 greater thar that Of Vermont; 1866,
900 greater than that of Wisconsin, and
these are all independent States Of this
Union. ...
Presented in this light, we have a view
of this army of Foreigners, invading
these States every year, and can con
template it as political and social en-
| tity, and as bearing upon the future Of
this country. 1t would make two such
States as Connecticut and Delaware
! y would make two such States as Ark
apsas, four such States as Delaware,
| FIVE such 40 Florida, three like Rhode
Island, two like Iowa. Looking al
tifese prodigious facts, is il not timo TO
do something to check the gigantic
growth of an immigration such as is com
! ing TO us now.
But let us look at it in an industrial
point Of view, as bearing upon The in.
forests Of American labor. Of the per-
sons arriving here ID 1864, sixty lhous.
and were mechanics. Were they wan.
tedl Ifso, why was it that the single
city Of New York over twenty thous.