Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1856-04-30

Assuming the immigration to continue whatit
was in 1e53-inakiIg no allowance for its in-
crease, though the tables show it had been pro-
gressively and rapidly increasing every year--it
will be seen that in THIRTEEN YEARS foreign
population would be poured OH our shores EarAL
TO THE ENTIRE WHITE PoprLAEos OF THE FIFTEEN
SLAVE STATES. a-,, = ,,rsi - .lse
The next inquiry Is, where ,lo these foreigners
settle! W etrtT3 .aasn las'ets ~ ~
The census tables enable us to answer that
question with accuracy. a,f ~
In 1850 there were in the Free States I,924,011
tast- ~ .f.l. Slave States 316,673
Or in other words about sic out of seren Of i'm
migrants settled III the free States. >
But this statement il too favorable TO the
South, for it is well known that o large proper
ton of the foreigners reported as residents OF the
South were only temporary sojourners, as the
laborers on railroads, canals, &C." and that as
soon as their contracts were completed, they
would naturally seek climate and population
more congenial to their constitution and their
tastes, in the northern States. n
From these figures, it Is easy to see what has
beer, at least one potential cause of the relative
decline OF the South in representation and infu-
ence in the national councils. y sie,sl ri sfJf -
But unfortunately for the country it happens,
that as the namber of immigrants increase, their
character for intelligence and virtue and all the
qualities that make good citizens depreciates. q
- In the early days of the republic,i the inani-
grants constituted one Of the most valuable class
es of our population. They were generally men
of adventurous spirit--of energy, intelligence,
and education who were attracted here BY
commerce, or the arts or the learned professions.
Their education and refinement fitted them for
association with the most cultivated society, and
they soon assimated to the circles in which they
moved. Such were the Scotch and Irish mer-
chants, who settled in the valleys OF the Kappa
hammock, the Potomac, and the James. Such
were the French refugees who fled from the hor-
rors of the bloody DAYS of the Goddess of Rea-
son! p = rD1i'
But what is the character of the great mass of
those who crowd our immigrant ships now - :
They are the most ignorant of their countrymen
those who fly from starvation in their native !
land-whose highest aspiration is to satisfy the
cravings of nature who reignorant OF our laws,
of our language, and of our institutions, and
whose idea of liberty is comprehended in the IL
cense to drink the whiskey they can get, and to
indulge in the luxury Of riots and the gratifica-
ton of provincial animosities, without hinder
ance from the officers of the law tAN
appeal to the history OF the country and to
the personal observation of every man who has
seen large bodies Of them assembled on public
works and in populous cities, for the truth ofthe
picture that Il have drawn.
: Yet such are the people who are imported to
this country at the rate of half millions year,
and by fraudulent devices, in q few weeks or
months invested with all the privileges and fran
chises of American citizens! Such are the men
who are to give tone to our politics and to mould
our egisationl Theirs is to be the standard OF
intelligence, and patriotism, and devotion to lib
erty, which is to be consulted by aspirants to
places of honor and trust, to be conferred BY
their sufrages! Each one Of these is to weigh
as much in the political scale as Washington,a
Henry, Jefferson, or Madison, of the olden
time or Rives, or Mason, or Hunter, or Sum-
mers, of the present day!
And because our American feeling revolts at
this, we are to be taunted with being hostile to
the s'cause of civil and religious freedom" -
In my next number, will pursue this subject
farther. MADISON.