New-York tribune., 1867-10-12
SOCIAL SCIENCE.
THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION
ANNUAL MEETING N BOSTON-ANNUAL REPORTS
ELECTION, PAPERS, AND DISCUSSIONS.

The third annual meeting of the American
Social Science Association was held in this city today
ana was as each the previous ones have been, exceed
tngly Interesting tng OF small but select gather
ing of the leading phlanthr0pc and women Of this
section and Of distant parts. The meeting was
divided into three parts The morning session main
ly given up transaction Of the business required by
the coaSl SllauV' 6uSl1 IS ue % ~ Vi Vt'lo " IA
evening the reading aud discussion OF Important ana
elaborate papers Oh matters connected with the depart
I'm the absence Of Prof william B. Rogers the President
OF the Association The Hon. Emory Washbun OF Cam.
bridge was called To the chair The meeting opened
with Introductory address by DR. samuel Eliot, which
oXtempOrdneOus production, delivered WIN grace
and eoquaucc setting forth the work that had been done
social science not only IN this country but IN E9ioPe
cuogsing tie age and suggesting ne topics al
that Should be considered by social science @
Gauss Of suhel lns not only pnysca O9t & ~
mankind; aud then suggesting Tie IeueI III drawing s
remarks 10 a close Dr. Eliot made plea Tor
woman. Livery effort should be made, ne DGhe,Su, o,
20 better the condition Of woman III our
i9nity to improve herself. she should bo admitted
ali the fields of labor aud renown, ~ s.e MIsnee 10 to
should be admitted to the halls of education the same
footing with the oiCr sex. If she desired TO fit herself
f0r the profession Of medicine should receive every
aid and encouragement that coud DC gwen. ile.o y.
peIfoiln tn 10 minister the relief OF suffering To
Shc usual argument first put forth aganst tS @ edeealSn ga on
would answer them; to the next, that WOans sphere
was IN tie home beyond that she was an ou.Tas'S G & c
home would be made sacred TO those who have
already. aud would DC gwen 10 huLuIeoo VI
This address so pleased the Association, and so re-
their character and intentions as society," THAT aiter an
interesting discussion, they voted 10 request copy or an
abstract, for publication ana OlStIlOutlOh' HVnl 'o
author.
Tc officers elected for the current are as follows
Te Presdeafs-Ths Hon D. White syracuse n " Dr.
s6 i, Ioa Eoy %, VI Srn Cm5Tqe he Hon weT Norh
& P1.hSi M D I ie o John Stanton Could hudson
DreorSPrf D. G Gilman NewaysR Conn bdnn m "a ~ DV9 y y
Wines Newlo.E W. Caroline Il pan No 70 wsTIeaaye Boston
Ne . Cbesat Bs,oni B. Sanbon esq Recording Secretary
Spcai S,c11l.joha Phhrck esq., City Han Boston, Miss
:" , hay No No q M io','i u r , poI2; Kingston @ T r. wv 'S
Jane. HgI'% & & sT ~ xed ne Nc S9S9 Se%t place
of meeting ID being stated that the Cooper Institute
would be at the disposal OF tho Association hee oil
Mr. f. sanborn, Recording Secretary, presented and
science made during the past year Particular illusions
were made TO the eorts different members of the
Bnresu the recent establishment of the department Of
Education charge of Dr. Henry Barnard the c0ntini-
the tables prepared under direction OF Ar Denar ~ the
S BSTeq1 M 81 b an Under I decon of Mr. WHthop and
Dr. Sears the reports on psons by fr3f' D%ght and
tho Board Of Inspectors Of Public Establishments in
Canada In relation the insane, the deaf and dumb the
selfsacrfcng devotion OF Dr. 3 g. Howe IN attempting
TO relieve the Cretans these and many other evidences
OF the attention social science is receiving both from
members Of theAssOcatOn and from Others were noticed
MIR SanbOrn summed up tho whole, by saying in general
period in the history OF the country
there been such progress in social science as during the
past year Never has the community been so ready to
arnais ben so eager TO lay such information before
their readers The report was listened TO with interest,"
After its reading was cOncIuucd duOuIheu
The afternoon session was opened by the reading Of
paper by Dr. Nathan allen of Lowell upon the population
OF Massachusetts. After mentioning the two modes IN
which population may be increased he stated his purpose
laton for series of years in Massachusetts, to notice 2
laws human increase; 10 present
remarks 0 upon the nature ana probable results OF these
changes AnnspectiOn Of che census tables shows that
for the 30 years from 1870 1920 the increase averaged
per cent in years and this ratio constantly increased
up TO the decade from 1880 to s0 when twas "a per cent
During the first part Of this period large numbers emf
grated from Massachusetts to other states with scarcely
any return In latter part it has increased by mm
tton from other States and from foreign countries. II
estimated hat he esCR fFs N ICm rSdr tnT troo Se Ie
to 1880 has exceeded the immigration from other
be observed that the proportion and numbers Of births
from foreign parents has been continually Increasing,
Ts is proyed not only by the census but by the regis
traton report The increase Of population for 20 or 25
wears has been mainly in the cities and largo towns and
it will bv found to be largely made up Of the foreign ee
ment IN the smaller villages the stock mostly Amer,
analysis Of the census reports at different periods shows
that tbs Increase population in the State follows al
most invariably in tie line and in the proper
tion the foreign element has been introduced or in
creased Examining the number OF deaths, we ind that
there are absolutely more deaths than births among the
strictly American children, so that aside from immga-
tion and births Of children Of foreign parenage the pop
uation Massachusetts is really decreasing Another
fact @ Dy S f 's "a S SS TSd
5 years Of age IL il believed that at the present time not
under that age The number Of children equal
bcr of families Of American and foreign brth VIII be
Thc records many will include six TO eight gen
eratons. Examination shows that the families OF the
Arst generation had average Of eight TO children
OF the next three between seven and eight the fifth
about Eve and tho sixth less than three to each family
Formerly larger families common, they are
rare In Of the old towns the records OF hundred
years do not show single married couple without chill
drcn The NewYork census Of 1865 shows that Of 99236
married women, l37745 had children and 3O3,sgs had
only one or two In the small town OF Blerica there
are the records Of 90 families Of 10 children.
Five OF these had II, and one 81 The total
in the 30 families Is l,0i3 The brhrate shows the
fact that American families do not increase at all. and
inspection OF the registration in other States shows that
the remark applies TO all. 1t Is remarked that the
decrease Of children IS found 10 prevail in country almost
much IN city and that only about three hfths Of an
that are boIl including city and country ever reach
in New-England fifty a hundred years hencel What
is to become OF the Yankee stock Can the difference
among the births OF foreign and native parentage be at
tibuted to degencracy In the physical condition and
organization Of females or settled determination with
large numbers OF the married to have no more children
or avery limited numberf
Writers upon population regard as principal causes IN
preventing its Increase, climate famine pesence, gov
erment war; want OF marriage and prudential consider
ccs except the last could have eXerted great effect
and this he discussed length. His points that
scb Considerations are naturally wrong and physologIc
ally harmful. The primary object OF the marriage ns
sctice Of 1Iotion was alluded To- and tic statement
made that and nowhere in the history Of the world
was the practice common In this country at the
nresent dv The various means in which il is brought
about stated, and the opinion expressed that in
NcwEngland many thousand abOrtions are procured an
The next question discussed was the change in the
organization of females; very clear division Of the
perfect development Of each TO health and Of health to
The power OF prOpagatng The species In the muscular
Temperament the children OF the present day scarcely
developed AZ all from causes which were stated
the principal among which Is the almost total neglect Of
M nual labor; the body whole Is feeble throughout
X.