The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1861-02-27
UNPARALLELED GROWTH or THE N
UNITED STATES.
Prom The London Times Of Jan. %.

UNPARALLELED GROWTH OF THE
UNITED STATES.
Prom The London Times Of Jan. 20
ff the threatened dissolution of the United
States should be actually consummated, its
citizens will enjoy singular opportunity OF
contemplating, at the very crisis OF .helr des-
tiaies, the magnitude and splendor OF the po.
litical fabric which they have just destroyed.
The year Of the Secession was also the year
of the Census. AT the moment that the Fed
eral Government was receiving the envoys Of
independent Carolina, il was receiving also
the returns Of population and progress from
the several States Of the Union. For the
eighth time only since the origin Of the Con-
federacy, and yet for the last time, perhaps
in its history, the great Republic has taken
stock Of its people. II has numbered and
classified its citizens counted its gains, and
put its growth upon record, and now it seems
as If it were resolved on terminating its ex-
istence. II il does so, il will die in blaze.
Its progress has outstripped even the specu-
lations Of its own rulers. Ten years ago, at
the taking Of The seventh Census, some AM
orleans sat down to calculate the probable
numbers Of the population in 1860, just as a
thrifty trader on balancing his accounts will
indulge himself in computing the prospect
i've accumulations OF such surplus as he has
Just discovered. They made out that the
United States would contain at the period
which has now arrived an aggregate pupula-
ton of sl,O95,5s5. The reckoning has ac-
tually been verified, and with a little 10
spare. The numbers are 81 ,514,S56.
Nothing like such growth has ever been
witnessed in the old States Of Europe. The
increase during the decade has been upwards
Of 100000; the percentage s.. Our own
country has made great strides, considering
the number who emigraie, but we can only
show such percentage of increase IN very
rare instances, upon Insignificant areas, and
under special conditions.
The statistics of the provincial returns are
in some cases perfectly astounding. Not
only single cities. but whole States, have &C.
tually doubled their numbers, and Chicago
has almost quadupled its population. In
1850 il contained less than $4,000 Inhabit-
ants; it now contains nearly 10000. The
State Of New York has increased By about
100000, Pennsylvania BY 100000. Massa-
chusetts BY 400, 900, and Illinois by little
short Of a million. Ia the Northwest, the
PROGRESS mas Ucen tAAIduAulnuafs 1HS WI 81
States Of Michigan. Wisconsin, and Iowa,
hardly contained between them more inhab-
itants in 1850 than Wisconsin alone contains
at the present time. Iowa, in particular, had
. population Of 1924 in 1880. whereas it
now numbers its GIG ASS souls.
Il will not surprise any one to learn that
the Southern States are left in arrear BY the
Northern in these Statistics; but the CONTRAST
is not quite so strong as il appears to be at
FIRST sight The South West makes pro-
gress. Just as the North West does, and for
the sane resson-ihat the push Of the whole
population is westward. Still. Pennsylvania
and New York have not Jared like Virginia.
Virginia began in 1890 by heading the whole
list Of the States in the numbers Of its popu-
lation; in 1850 il had dropped to the fourth
place, and another place has been lost by the
returns Just made. North Carolina was
originally fourth 10 the list, and South Caro-
lima seventh; they were tenth and fourteenth
respectively in 1850 and are now perhaps,
lower still. On the other hand Georgia has
risen from the twelfth to ninth. and Nilsson
ri from twenty-second to thirteenth.