American union. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1859, 1856-01-26
rs it Possible for tho Foreign Vote to
Proponderate.

Let those who regard it as impossi-
BILE that the foreign vote should ever
preponderate over the native. vote in
this country, examine the following
facts and statistics, embodied in a re-
cent address by tho Americans of Mis-
souri:--
Table No. 20 of the census of 1850
gives the whole number of males, for
eign and native, over the age Of twen-
ty years, then in tho United States at
6,663, ,786.
This, as matter of course, must
cover the total number Of voters, en-
bracing as it does all males over twen-
ty years Of age.
The foreign population, as given by
the Citizen, and in the census returns,
was, in 1850, 2,210,S28. Of this
number fully two-thirds are males, over
the age of twenty-one years, it being
fact which cannot be disputed, that
Of those who come to this country from
foreign lands, by far the greater num-
Der arc full grown males. We may
therefore safely say that of the foreign
population in our midst, there were
], 100000 who we're voters in 1850, or
have had sufficient time since, under
our laws, to become so.
Deduct this number from the total
number of males in the country over
90 years of age, and we have 4, 163,7S6
as the total native vote in 1850. This
greatly exceeds the actual vote, but We
adopt it as giving the highest possible
npmber that could be entitled to vote
according to the census returns.
The same number of the Citizen a.
bovc referred to, states the total emf
grafton to the United States in 1854
was 81, 1855. s
The annual report Of the State De-
partmcnt to the House Of Representa-
tives gives as the total emigration in
1854, 400, O,474, or nearly one hundred
and fifty thousand more than is stated
by the Citizen, but we will assume FOR
our present purposes, that the number
as given by the Citizen is correct. 4
With the foregoing facts in view, let
US look forward 20 years from 1850:
TO ascertain what will be the native
vote in the year 1870, we have only to
ascertain tho ratio of the increase of
our population, less the increase by en-
igration. .FI. a..s., .
Mr.. DeBow, in his compendium of
the census, states the ratio of increase
for the last 60 years to be three per
cent. per annum. This embraces both
the increase by births on the soil, and
by emigration.
Our population in 1850 was in round
numbers, twenty millions. The increase
of 8 per cent. is 100000. OF this, in
1854, over 300,0 was by emigration,
leaving, say 800, 900, equal to one and
a-half per cent, as the increase of ma
tive population.
Apply this ratio of increase to the
number of native votes in 1850 as a.
bove stated, and we find tho increase
in the number of voters for one year to
be 60,2o6, and for twenty years l ,204,
120.
Add this number to the total vote
in 1850, and we have 5,367, ,906 as the
total native vote in 1870.
Now let us look to the foreign vote,
which in 1850 we have estimated at
100000.
Assuming that the emigration for the
whole period from 1850 to 1870 will
not exceed that of 1854, as stated by
the Citizen, to wit: 317,755, that two
thirds of them are males over twenty
one years of age--and we have 200,-
600 foreigners thrown upon our shores
each year, all Of whom may become
voters under our present laws in five
years from the time of their landing.
This, for twenty years, amounts to four
millions, and added to the vote in 1850
gives a total foreign vote in 1870, (only
fifteen years hcnce,) Of 100000, or
nearly tWo hundred thousand majortty
over the nativc cote !!
I'm this estimate we have not made
any allowance for the deaths which
may occur in the foreign population,
nor for the fact that those arriving du-
ring the last five years of the period
named could not become voters; but
we have taken as the basis of our csti-
mates the figures given by the Citizen,
which fall one hundred and fifty thou
sand short of the actual number that
arrived here in 1854.
If VIC were to take the number as
officially reported, our estimates Of the
foreign population in 1870, would be
augmented three millions, which is more
than sufficient to cover the contingon-
cies Of death, &C., not taken into CON