The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1864-03-21

~ !. -
rYroasaaNsw faea e~Alas ss -
ouR rArIoNALsEnxNGrH. y
Official repoetl, eonsstsa p t6s Hos-
eminent, show that during the year 10e3I
nearly Two hundred thousand emignnts
arrived in the United States. This sx-
traordisary fact suggests some important
reflections concerning our capacity 20
support . large public dsbs. a 8
In the frst place We remark. that dn-
ring her great wars England's strength
was not recruited BY immigration !; neris
it now. While nearly two hundred
thousand persons have sought homee
among us in = sisgle year, though we are
involved in terrible struggle for national
life and independsnes, it j. not probable
that even when she u st peAes eve hnn-
dred strangers come to England to make
their homes there il the same time.
All the strength and wealth that aush IN
addition to the population - Ne ars 70
ceiving confers upon nation, England
and other European States are absolutely
without. Not to speak of the other and
more important ways in which Two hun
dred thousand free men and women, BY
their industry, add to the material wealth
of this country, il We count only their
annual consumption Of taxed commodi-
ties their help 10 paying the taxes neces-
sary to support the government 10 not
uncomfortable. If We reckon that under
q thorough but judicious tax system,
such as Congress must without delay
provide. each Of these persons contributes
only ten dollars annually, BY his con-
sumption of taxed articles, to the national
revenue. this would give as. for those who
came hither last year, two millions. But
when we have peace again. We may count
that emf grafton will be more than doub-
led /; for some years no doubt half mil
lion Of settlers will arrive in this country
annually, to add BY their industry aud by
their consumption to the wealth and the
revenue of the nation; not to speak Of
the large natural increase Of this popula-
ton.
Moreover, the abolition Of slavery will
add immensely to our revenue. A slave
paid no taxes, directly /; and indirectly
but little more than horse or a cow
His two annual suits of linsey- woolscy
and his weekly peck of corn meal contrib
uted little to national revenue; and be had
nowages to spend. But Is freedmen these
people become At once large consumers.
The southern trade" -thought so valu.
able 10 former years-will, when peace is
restored, be hundred times moro extern
sive and more profitable. Three and half
millions of consumers, not only of neces-
saries but of luxuries, will be at once
added TO the tax-paying population. Also,
By freeing the slaves, white labor will be
relieved ola ruinous competition, and will
reap a large reward in that vast territory
from which it has been for years almost
entirely shut out. This will add still
more largely to the consumption, as well
as to the internal commerce and revenue
of the country.
We are in the position--singular
amongst the family of nations---of being
able to receive and "place" as many hun
dred thousand free workingmen as choose
10 come to US. England, France, Austria,
Germany. Italy are already crowded; they
have no room for more people their ter
ritory is filed up; they could not receive
this element Of strength if it were offered.
There men jostle each other in every
pursuit here there is elbow-room for all
who may come. There the limits have
been reached. beyond which every acces.
sion to the population only lowers wages
and increases the number of paupers /;
here that limit is century off, and our
thirty millions may become hundred
without overcrowding the labor market.
For fifty years to come high wages and
cheap lands, with ready employment for
oil who have willing hands, tempt hither
the best classes OF Europe's Industrious
population and will in this way con.
stantly add to our wealth and strength.
Now is this the only scircums lance
which makes our position singular. OF
the nations of Europe nearly all depend
for their prosperity, 10 large measure,
upon some special pursuit and upon some
outward venture. Great Britain's life
is 10 her vast foreign commerce; France.
too. depends largely upon this; and 20 do
others. But America is bound by no
such necessities. We are already indie.
pendent of the world aud without sci.
fshly and unwiseiy alieoaiing oursel Ives
from the family Of civilized nations, We
can safely feel that within ourselves We
have oil the conditions Of wealth and
prosperity. The climate, the ingenious
and enterprising nature Of our people.
our peculiar natural productions and our
varied manufactures contrivs for MS /.
supply Of every demand, and . demand
almost equal to every means OF supply.
Bearing in mind our peculiar say.n.
tages, t. which We must not forget to add
this: That when once rebellion il mt
down, We shall be assured of long peace
and shall have no need Of those costly
and exhausting preparations for war which
force England to keep more than three
hundred thousand soldiers under arms
IN TINE OF profound peace. and wastes
millions every year upon huge iron -clads
and monster ordnance; remembering these
things, We shall see that. v;,h crnnar and