Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1856-01-23
iEoREIaN EMIGRATION TO THIS COUNTRY

TOREIGE ENIGRATIoN TO THIS COUNTRY.
The foreign emigration to this country, says
the Lancaster Whig, has principally come
from ireland and Germany. During thetight
years extending from 1917 to 1854, inclusive.
the whole number of foreign immigrants who
arrived at New York was ,946, 1893, of whom
1.552, ,006, fve-sixths, were German and
Irish, the former numbering 694 ,517, and the
latter S57 ,489. This excess of Irish arose
probably from the Irish famine Of l645, which
caused a general rush for America. Previous
to that period the German immigrants exceed
ed the Irish, and as late as the year 1S47, the
Germans numbered 53 $50, and the Irish 52,-
916. But the next year the great Irish emf
grafton commenced, and continued to increase
until 1851, when it rose to a total immi-
grafton of 162 .256 Irish to New Y orb alone for
that one season. The next year, 1852, it fell
TO 1I8, ,13l, when it was exceeded by the Ger
man total of 118,611, followed by German
excess of ,480 in 1865, and of 81, ,684 in 1854.
The German immigration appears to have
reached its highest point in the last year, when
lis total of 176,9S6 exceeded even the great
Irish total of 1851, to the amount of IL, 80
In the year 1855 all kinds Of immigration de-
clined very greatly, but chiefly the Irish and
German, the total arrivals of Germans at New
\ YorF having been 81 ,987 and of Irish ~ ,932.
From the figures we have already given, it
appears that the falling off in the Irish emigra-
tion commenced in 1852 before the appearance
of Known othingism. In that year the Irish
emigration to n. Y. fell off Al, lbs, and it has
steadily declined ever since. The condition.
of ireland has vastly improved since the fam
inc and the emigration consequent upon it,
Labor is now in great demand there, and the
poor have no longer the same temptation to
leave their native land as they once had. In
Germany some of the leading governments
have thrown such obstacles in the way of emf
grafton as to prevent the former rush. Such
is tie case in Prussia, for example. The ad
vices from America have also been very dis
couraging, as the later emigrants have expert
enced more suffering than those formerly,
on account of the great numbers that were
here already.
But the immigration from Great Britain has
not fallen off in the same ratio as the German
and Irish. During the year 1855, Is, PIG Eng
lish, Welsh and Scotch arrived at New York.
The number of these immigrants arriving at
other ports is pretty well maintained. There
is probability that, from England especially,
there may be within the next ten years an aug
mcntatiOn of the stream. The strikes in the
manufacturing districts, so frequently occur
ring, generally result in large contribution of
tc 10 +Io lia of
The effect and influence of this great food OF
immigrants TO this country, may be seen in
the following facts in relation to the State of
New York:
This State, according to the census Of last
year, has 651, 822 voters, of whom SIG, ,7I5 are
native, and 135,O77 naturalized. The latter
however does not furnish an Indication Of the
total alien population, which is $50, ,753. The
actual vote polled at the State elections is
generally from 100000 TO 80, ,000 short of the
whole number of voters. The basis of repre-
sentation in the Legislature is the entire na-
tive and naturalized population, exclusive of
aliens and colored persons not taxed. Under
it the city of New York viii have but seven
teen members in the lower house. For, al
though the whole population is 629, 80, the
aliens number 232, ,G78, and the persons Of col
or not taxed 10,607, thus leaving a taxed and
representative population of 386,325. The
native voters in the city number 46, ,l13, and
the naturalized voters 49, ,702. Here it is seen
that while the native population own the grea-
ter portion of the property of the city, yet
they are very nearly balanced by the foreign
population who vote not only on property
qualification descent, but upon their certifi-
cate of naturalization. 1t is therefore no won
der that New York is tax-ridden beyond all
precedent, and cursed with corrupt, profigate
and abandoned rulers. The weight of this
foreign vote can be purchased and used by
unscrupulous and designing denagogues to
place themselves in power or to carry out their
schemes Of speculation, plunder and self ag-
grandizement.
These facts should put the American people
on their guard, against the constantly en-
croaching foreign power, and induce them to
unite firmly and persevere reslutely in
checking the foreign Catholic power that 9TH
erwisc will gradually subjugate the liberties
of this country.
mn