Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1864-01-07
472s3S 100. 90

1t will be seen by the above that the immi-
grafton, as indicated by the arrivals at New
York has been considerably over one half
as much during the eleven months of the
present year, as the total immigration from
that country for the four preceding years.
In speaking of the exodus of the Irish people,
the London Times uses the following jllustra-
ton:
Some years ago, West Indiaman had
discharged its cargo in one of our docks at
home. The ship was plagued by rats as never
ship had been plagued. Their devastations,
their noise, their odor, their distinctions had
been beyond mortal endurance, but there was
no remedy. The captain, who was still on
board, was walked at midnight by his mate,
and asked to step on deck as quietly as he
could A fruit ship had arrived in the course
of the day from the Mediterranean, and on
coming alongside had passed hawser to the
West Indiaman, 'Lo0k there !" whispered
the mate, pointing to the rope, which in the
darkness seemed to be moving slowly towards
the fruit ship. 1t was alive with rats, which
in continuous stream were migrating from
the empty ship to the stranger, whose fra
GRANGE told the tale of its delicious freight
Before sunrise there was not a rat left on
board the West Indiaman. How it Jared
with the stranger it is needless to say. That
is the very spectacle we are now witnessing
on world wide scale. The hawser is across
the Atlantic, and in one incessant, endless
train, hundreds of thousands of our fellow
citizens are passing to richer continent.
Its fragrance comes in letters full of good tt
dings, and containing often the substantial
earnest of golden promises in the shape of
notes or orders for pleasant round sums
"Could we take the same view of human
affairs that the skipper and his mate did of
their little world, we should tread softly, and
| think the less said the better. But we can
not quite do that. 1t is part of our crew
| that is leaving us in this strange multitudin-
| Gus fashion. They are passing generally to
another allegiance, to other laws, to other
institutions, to rival interests, to a jealous
policy, and, as they think, to assist in found
ing an empire far above even our heads
But as they are consulting their own materi-
| al interests, and certainly sparing Us some
| trouble, they are welcome to go where they
| please, and to marry better soil than that
| from which they have been divorced We
| are disposed to take a philosophical view of
the movement, and are glad to find that for
| once we may be both scientific and kind.
The man who suddenly reappears in an Irish
cabin with his pocket full Of notes and gold,
distributing handsome presents, sleek, come
ly, and well-dressed, asking the girl of his
early choice to share his new home, is a
vision that conquers all orr sentimental scru-
pies, as it appears he has done the remaining
patriotism of Ireland. Every such man is a
Columbus in Connaught. There is. no resist
ing him"
While the free states are thus reinforced
by constant stream of immigration, supply
ing to considerable extent the places of the
strong hands that have been withdrawn from
the industry Of the country to bear up and
restore our flag to its supremacy, the insur-
rection is not only not receiving any such adj
ditions to its population, but loyal refugees,
white and black, are necessarily fleeing from
its terrorism and restitution. Thus, instead
of any accessons to supply the drain of war
for the Northern copperhead, however
Jealous in his sympathy with the rebel cause
cass outside Of the "tyrannical government"
of "Abe Lncoln"-the rebellious districts
are being constantly depopulated by the es-
cape Of fugitives who join the loyal cause
The South has virtually raised its last man
and last dollar The North retains resources
practically exhaustless; her credit is unim
more abundant; and three years of gigantic
and despotic war have hardly effected a SEN
sible diminutiOn of her teeming population